Why are you trying to obtain your CCIE?

I decided to go after my CCIE purely based on two things. When I first came to networking there was an architect that I looked up to at the time what stood him apart from the rest was he was a CCIE. As I have gone though my career I have come to find that my desire to be like my mentor has been replaced with a desire to learn and to keep learning, which ironically I got from my mentor.

I think a large part of the lower CCIE numbers in the U.S. is our economy and the fact that IT budgets are being reduced. Also, not to be a debbie-downer but most of what you cram to pass the CCIE you'll forget in a couple years anyways...

Having had my CCIE for a couple of years now, when I look back, I simply used it as a motivation to learn. Let's face it...reading technical books can be boring. I think going after CCIE gives you a great goal to achieve. It's sort of a reward for challenging yourself to learn. I am now beginning my second CCIE in Security simply for the fact that my network security knowledge is not strong. Yes, more pay came with the certification, but I also know engineers that make just as much salary without it.

At the greedy bank in SouthAmerica where I work, you´ll get paid the same either you are or not Cisco Certified. They squeeze your knowldge and experience and though you make the bank´s profit multiple by millions during the past 8 years, they do not raise your salary, then what is the motivation to get certified, even they do not train you at a good pace in Cisco Technology, they make you almost self study from Cisco.com or partners experience.
Just waiting to get the chance to go to USA to start a real career path in IT Infrastructure and Networking Engineering at a serious Company, which motivates employees giving them a real technological growth and career.!! :-)

There was and still is nothing anywhere close to this level of certification in this or any other industry. All the others (like Juniper) are weak forms of flattery

...could it be because it's harder to police training and "knowledge sharing" in the rest of the world?

Getting my CCIE has been a long term personal goal. I do hope to set myself apart and solidify my place in the field of networking. Opening new doors is important to me, even if it is with my current employer. I don't think getting my CCIE will instantly change things for me, but it is definitely a learning experience and knowledge is the fruit.

JNCIE is is not a weak form of flattery. Cisco bigots everywhere. Sheesh.

I got my CCIE for pay and to get out of our NOC and do less network admin stuff and more design and integration work.

Have been a CCIE since 1996 and my basic motivation was to make sure I had all that was required for me to chose the job I wanted. It did prove its worth thus I've been renewing every second year since even if I have many dounts about the value of the process.

Even at the beginning, 2.5 more CCIE came from Europe than the US and the main reason was the sales structure: Cisco did not sale directly in Europe and partners had advantages to be certified as "Gold".

12 years have gone by and what was meant to be a small group of technical experts (for example we had specialized CCIE conventions with developpers that opened the hood on all subjects that never was met at any Networkers convention since) became a remarkable marketing tool for Cisco.

While I think the "value" of CCIEs has been maintained along the way, it is by no mean the only one that warants a level of expertize: in the old days, when then industry was coming to grip with TCP/IP, you had Cisco, Wellfleet and a couple of minor players such as Protean, 3Com, etc. and being certified by Cisco did mean you "knew" networking.

Caught the wave ealy on and am still riding it.