The road to CCIE

In this quarterly account of an IT pro's pursuit of Cisco's toughest certification, he describes the training options.

By Jeff Shapiro
Network World, 11/27/00

In the first six months of my quest to become a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert, I've earned my Cisco Certified Network Associate credentials and taken three of the four classes that cover the material needed for the Cisco Certified Network Professional designation, a steppingstone to the CCIE.

It looks like I'm still on track to hit CCNP by year-end. My head is increasingly filled with routers, switches and remote access devices, and several times during the past month, I've dreamed in TCP/IP.

Once you've earned the CCNA, you have some choices to make. You need to know all about switches, routers, remote access and troubleshooting to reach the next level, and there are many ways to attain that knowledge. I'll outline a few methods of learning to help you select the one that best meets your needs.

Classroom

I'm going the traditional classroom and instructor route, which is probably the most effective method, but it's also the most expensive. Each course costs about $2,500. I've taken four classes with four instructors through training provider Global Knowledge, and the quality of education has consistently remained high.

Traditional classroom instruction has benefits that other methods of training don't offer, such as the ability to interact with the instructor and your peers in person. This lets the instructor tailor the class to the group's needs, and you're practically guaranteed to learn something valuable for your company. In my case, I returned with savings ideas for network configuration that exceed the cost of the courses and improved services to boot.

E-learning

E-learning is the next best thing to classroom instruction. Other than the lack of visual interaction and hands-on experience with practice equipment, you're getting the same content as in the classroom. Global Knowledge and several other training firms offer CCNP courses over the Internet using two-way audio, whiteboards and remote application sharing. Labs are conducted with software that simulates routers and switches.

When you consider the reduced fees (often $1,000 less than classroom learning) and lack of travel expenses, this option is attractive. The downside is that you're still at work and will have to guard against phone calls and other interruptions. I'm taking the Cisco Internetworking Design course in January via e-learning, and I'll let you know how it works for me.

Web-based learning

Web-based learning is another training option. Information is presented online as a mixture of text, illustrations, progress-checking questions and links to definitions. There aren't any laboratory exercises in the core materials that use real or simulated equipment, but your understanding of commands and their sequences is tested as you go. To make up for this lack of hands-on training, some vendors offer access to Mentor Technologies' V-lab simulation as an additional part of the curriculum. This type of training typically costs the same as e-learning, but Web-based training is self-paced, and you get up to six months of access to the material.

CD-ROMs

A few vendors offer CD-ROM-based training for Cisco certification. However, Cisco no longer sanctions this type of training, so the product you find may not cover everything you need to know for the exam. The CD-ROMs cost much less than classroom and Web-based learning - around $200 to $400 per course. However, there's no human interaction and no lab experience, so your understanding my be limited.

Books

For training on the go, books are a good portable option. Many publishers such as Osborne-McGraw Hill sell a series of tomes covering the CCNP exams, although Cisco Press is the king of the hill. The Cisco books are expensive - approximately $70 to $100 per book - but they follow the course outline and include the course text and an exam preparation guide with an accompanying CD-ROM of practice tests. Study the books, take the practice exams and you can pass the exams.

Hands-on learning

If you're really serious about not just passing the CCNP exams but retaining what you learn, you'll need hands-on practice with real network hardware. This is absolutely essential for becoming a CCIE.

You can get some limited experience if your company uses Cisco equipment, but some of the commands are strictly prohibited on a production network. For example, typing "clear IP route" at the command prompt will take the network down for awhile, depending on its size.

A wiser choice is to acquire some equipment of your own. My quick search on eBay found that Cisco 2500 routers sell for about $500, or one quarter of what they cost new. Catalyst 2900 switches sell for roughly the same price.

Now for a confession: While I've taken three classes, I have not yet taken any of the exams associated with them. It's partially lack of study time and partially fear. Going through this process with people looking over your shoulder is a bit unnerving, and if I blow a test I'm going to have to tell you about it. In my next article, I will have taken all four exams needed for CCNP, and I'll discuss the testing process, format and some techniques for effective study and preparation.