Any specific CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure lab related questions belong here. Not sure how to prepare for the exam(s)? Keep in mind we can’t discuss Exam content/questions.
Strategy and Reality
I’ve read many blogs of those are providing some insight into the CCIE lab exam. It seems to be that the lab, even those that took bootcamps, is overwhelming. I’ve not read anything here so far so I thought I would ask.
I have my reasons why; I have the exam blueprint from Cisco; I’ve got access to the CML2 environment. I completed the CCNP Enterprise to make sure I was ready to jump back into some serious study.
What is does a good strategy look like compared to a bad strategy to prepare the CCIE Lab.
Just starting my down the path.
Cordially,
Ronnie
Hello Ronald
I think some of the best information to help answer your question is found in the following lesson:
Even though Rene writes this about the previous CCIE exam, the principles, concepts, and approach are much the same. If it doesn’t answer your question completely, it will definitely give you a very good idea of what’s ahead.
You may also find this post by Rene enlightening as well.
I hope this has been helpful!
Laz
2 Likes
With the new CCIE Enterprise Lab exam composed of 2 sections: a 3 hr Design and a 5hr Configuration Lab. Are you able to comment on preparing for the Design. From a recent webinar, this apparently will be similar to written exams like ENCOR and a ENARSI…but if we do not have a design background. Should we look at ENSLD topics to address this?
Hello Ronald,
The CCIE lab testing centers have been closed since March 16 because of COVID-19. The new lab exam is live since April 27 so nobody has seen it yet.
Here are two sources from Cisco that explain what the lab is like:
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/s/article/ccie-enterprise-lab-exam-overview
I think this gives a good idea of what it’s like. The lab is 8 hours:
- 3 hours for design.
- 5 hours for hands on + web based items.
The design and hands-on parts blend together. This should give us a clue of what to expect.
I think the design part is like a regular Pearson VUE exam but they give you one scenario with requirements, topology files, etc. All questions are about the same scenario and requirements.
When you finish the design section, you continue with the hands-on part. You probably have to configure (part of) the network that was introduced in the design section.
I think this is an improvement. V4 of the CCIE R&S lab exam which I did basically looked like this:
- Configuration section: a 15-20 devices topology that you have to configure from scratch.
- Troubleshooting section: a 20-30 devices topology (completely different than the configuration section) that you had to troubleshoot.
With the new CCIE lab, they slowly introduce you to the topology and scenario that you work on for 8 hours. This sounds much better to me.
The hands-on part, I can imagine what that’s like since it’s probably pretty much the same as the V4 lab that I did.
The design part is more difficult to tell but we know that the design and configuration part share the same topology and scenario. We still have the CCDE exam as the “CCIE design” exam so I don’t think it will be as high level as that.
With V4 of the CCIE R&S lab exam that I did, the lab really focused on the technology and not on best practices or anything. You would get weird topologies with redistribution problems and everything. With the new exam, the design + hands on part blend together so I would think that you get a more “real life” topology that you have to answer questions about and configure.
I’d think that you get design questions about the implications of doing certain things with a focus on the technology.
If I were to prepare today, I would go through the ENSLD material and perhaps the CCDE written material. We can only guess what the design part is like but I think if you are strong in understanding the technology and having a good sense of “high level overview” design, you should be good.
Rene
1 Like
Thanks you for this insight, this very helpful to have some “experienced” perspective.
Cordially,
Ronald
1 Like
Hello Rene,
I´m new in this forum
thanks for the introduction about the new exam ,
I see in the Cisco Live Document ( .pdf ), pag 42
that they say :
" You will have three years from the date you last passed your CCIE written to take the CCIE lab within
that same technology track, afterwards you need to take the technology core "
This is something I would like to confirm because previously it was a year and a half
and in my case due to the PANDEMIA I could NOT fly to Brussels and do the LAB Exam
thanks and regards
Hello Oscar
After doing a bit of research, I have found that if you have already taken the CCIE 400-101 written exam, it will be valid for 3 years. So within those 3 years, you have the opportunity to take the new CCIE lab exam. However, I was unable to find this information from an official Cisco site. The best and most authoritative source for this information is to take a look at your account on Cisco’s Certification Tracking System on Certmetrics. There you will see exactly what you have been certified for, how long each exam you have taken is valid, and within what time period you must pass subsequent exams to maintain or achieve a particular certification. That’s where you will get your definitive answer.
I hope this has been helpful!
Laz
Hello Laz,
thanks a lot for your answer , it was very helpful ,
I went to the URL you mention and I found this Certificates :
-
Cisco Certified Specialist - Enterprise Advanced Infrastructure Implementation
-
Cisco Certified Specialist - Enterprise Core
and If I went to the URL to book the LAB Exam, I see that I´m allowed to do the 1-Enterprise Infrastructure LAB and
2-Enterprise Wireless LAB,So I suppose that I`m allowed to do the CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure LAB Exam .
Thanks a lot
1 Like
Hey guys,
Something that you hear a lot about the CCIE is that it’s somewhat of an open book exam in the sense that you are encouraged to use the Cisco Manual Documentation. They recommend being familiar with them.
But where are they exactly? 
What is the specific URL for the Manual Documentation?
Hello Joseph
According to this detailed Cisco CCIE Practical Exam Format:
Cisco documentation is available on-line during the exam using the Product Pages. Any documentation that can be navigated to (when not logged in), is available during the exam. Please note this website is Cisco hosted, and access may be limited or even unavailable occasionally due to system upgrades (or for other reasons). Candidates are not allowed to bring in any outside reference material into the lab.
You can find more detailed information in the link above about what is to be used for each section of the exam.
I hope this has been helpful!
Laz
1 Like
Hi Rene
In the new CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure blueprint they have completely removed RIP, is there a valid reason why the RIP topic has not been removed from your CCIEenterprise course?
Hello Walter
I don’t know the thinking of the engineers and professionals that make these decisions for the content of the CCIE, but I can share my personal opinion. The new CCIE has a lot of new things added, such as automation, orchestration, programmability, as well as software defined networking. In order to add all of this in, some things had to be removed. RIP is a good candidate for removal because of several reasons.
First, RIP today is primarily used for teaching purposes, and shouldn’t generally be deployed in any new production networks, especially when you have more appropriate alternatives such as EIGRP and OSPF.
Secondly, like technologies such as Frame Relay, RIP is being used less and less in production networks and is thus no longer a protocol used in the “real world”. Learning about something which has no real-world application is not as beneficial. For routing, focusing primarily on learning OSPF, EIGRP, and BGP are more relevant for any level Cisco certification…
I hope this has been helpful!
Laz
1 Like
Hello Rene, Laz and team.
First of all , thank you very much for your support and hard work. I finally passed the test and got my CCNP-Enterprise certificate. Networklessons.com helped me much on understanding the concept and topics. Each certificate brings more deeper things to learn and you helped me a lot to get them.
Getting CCNP certificate was my first goal and I was thinking to draw my road later.
Now, I am thinking -if I can- to continue study for CCIE topics from your web site. Of course, ENCOR and ENARSI covers mostly the same topics but I still need to learn them more deeper for CCIE.
But, what about the labs. I would like -need- to do more labs, because CCIE is a lab exam. I have CML but it’s limited. I found some websites selling labs for CCIE, but I don’t know if they’re really worth it.
Where can I find the labs or any suggested online bootcamp for labs to prepare this exam?
What is your suggestion for studying labs?
Thank you.
Hello Ike
Congratulations on passing! That’s a great achievement, and we’re glad to have been of help to you… If you’re considering taking a break or continuing on right away, I would suggest that you don’t stop now, but take advantage of your momentum and the studying mentality and rhythm that you have developed.
As for suggestions on how to continue your studies, of course you can go over the material in the CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure course where each lesson includes a topology that you can use or recreate (startup configs are available for almost all lessons). In addition, you can use GNS3Vault for some ready-made GNS3 lab topologies. The focus here is on older versions of the CCIE, but much of the content is still helpful.
Once you’re solid on all of the concepts in the lessons, it would be helpful to obtain some labs from certified sources that will act as a clincher, that is, as a way to solidify the concepts that you’ve already learned from the above lessons.
Some more info is provided by Rene in this post:
I hope this has been helpful!
Laz
Thank you very much, Laz.
This is helpful. Gns3Vault is perfect idea , although labs need some upgrade to the new version, it’s a good startup point. I wish Rene can have some time to work on it.
Thanks again. for your support.
1 Like
Dear Rene
I trust you are well.
I appreciate your hardworking effort that you are still updating the CCIE Enterprise learning path on Networklessons.com, but I have a question regarding the Cisco DNA centre, please look at the syllabus below:
Will you by any chance update the DNA centre exactly as the above snapshot? just like how you did with the networking infrastructure and the rest etc…