Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Routing and Switching is an expert-level certification designed for network engineers. The certification allows for planning, managing, and troubleshooting network infrastructure. This CCIE certification confirms the fact that you have the essential knowledge and experience to work in the networking field. If you are looking to excel in your career, CCIE R&S is a good option.
Advantages of CCIE Routing and Switching Certification
Routing and switching technologies are applied in most significant business communications. They are used in voice, data, and even wireless transmission. With CCIE Routing and Switching certification, you own the skills to improve network uptime and increase overall productivity. CCIE Routing and Switching certified professionals have the expertise to potentially cut costs associated with business while also strengthening security and enhancing customer service.
The CCIE R&S certificate is intended for professionals who have about 5-6 years of job experience in network engineering and are looking to upgrade their resume to get greater opportunities.
During the learning process for CCIE certification, you will acquire new skills and be qualified to present and practice them in a practical environment.
CCIE Routing and Switching Certification Exam Overview
CCIE Routing and Switching Written Exam: It is a two-hour exam that comprises of questions gauging your knowledge of equipment commands and networking concepts. The CIE Routing and Switching Written Exam code is 400-101. There are from 90 to 110 questions in this certification exam. They comprise seven main topics which are listed below:
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Network Principles (10%)
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Layer 2 Technologies (13%)
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Layer 3 Technologies (37%)
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VPN Technologies (13%)
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Infrastructure Security (5%)
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Infrastructure Services (12%)
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Evolving Technologies v1.1 (10%)
CCIE Routing and Switching Lab Exam: It has an extra cost. The lab exam is quite different from the written one. The exam format involves the lab test divided into three sections. Different types of questions are evaluated in diagnostics, troubleshooting, and configuration categories. The complete exam lasts for 8 hours, 2 hours for troubleshooting, 30 minutes for diagnostics, and 5 hours and 30 minutes for configuration.
There aren’t any certain conditions to be eligible for this type of certification exam. Applicants must have sufficient knowledge to pass the written and practical exams to earn the CCIE R&S certification. However, 3-5 years of experience are expected.
The Cisco CCIE 400-101 Exam is considered to be one of the most difficult exams. This certification examination comprises of 90-110 questions that should be answered within 120 minutes. It certifies an individual’s skill to maintain, configure, and troubleshoot composite network infrastructure, and transfer dynamic conditions into concrete device configurations.
This exam might stress applicants when they’re preparing for it, but without passing this CCIE exam, you cannot be an expert-level network engineer. Thousands of people throughout the world have successfully passed it, so can you do it as well.
To make your preparation process efficient and thorough, follow the below-mentioned tips:
1. Prepare yourself Better
There is a lot of information you need to grasp, i.e., routing and switching technologies, new technological advancements, how infrastructure components correlate, or translating functional needs into device configurations. It is essential that you understand what is needed to study and include it all.
You will receive a list of topics and information you need to study when you apply for the exam. Take your time to go through the list of topics and perceiving all of them. There is no reason to hurry through these topics and start promptly begin to study.
2. Plan Your Time and Make a Study Schedule
As explained in the above point, there is a lot of information that you need to study and grasp. However, you won’t confront issues if you organize your time well. It is advised to prepare for at least 7 to 8 months for this exam. This gives you a lot of time to embrace the required materials.
When you get a list of the syllabus topics, you have to study, make a schedule, so you manage your time efficiently. Of course, there will be situations where things come up, and you can’t completely follow the schedule like getting sick or personal commitments, but as long as you follow it more than 90% of the time, you are going to pass the exam with good score.
3. Use Different Study Resources
There are many resources available online that you can use, whether it is online communities or CCIR Routing and Switching practice tests. This will also help you in communicating with people who have already passed the Cisco CCIE 400-101 exam or are presently preparing for it. Many experts and individuals who have posted videos on YouTube where they share their tips and experiences.
4. Take a Break
Preparing for an exam like this can be exhausting, and even though you must take it sincerely, you must give yourself at least a day to enjoy yourself and do the things you love. Your mental state extremely influences how well you study and do in the exam, so giving yourself a break is important. Keep in mind, someone who is preparing for a marathon will not run every hour.
5. Perform Practice Tests
As everyone says, practice makes perfect! This is why you should take Cisco CCIE 400-101 practice test before your actual exam date. Not only is that to benefit you in constantly revising the material you studied, it is also going to help you in exploring the different topics where you have to improve your skills.
Besides, you will get an overview of what this Cisco exam looks like, which will eliminate the shock factor in the exam. When you are performing the CCIE 400-101 practice tests, make sure that you learn how to manage time as well. There are 90-110 questions that you need to answer in the 2 hours, and you will have approximately one minute for every question.
6. Revision Regularly
The last few weeks before the exam should be spent solving practice questions. You have already had months to study, and if you organized a schedule as mentioned above, then you must successfully study from all the required materials. Something you can do is search for new types of questions in online forums.
Many of these practice tests will allow you to get your results right away, so this is going to allow you to have an idea of how well you are doing.
7. Rest Well
You have studied for many months, you have covered all the topics, and you’ve taken as many Cisco CCIE 400-101 practice tests as possible. The day before the exam, you should focus on briefly going over essential points, and then you should rest well. The last thing you want is to be so exhausted in the exam to a point where you can’t concentrate well or answer the questions rightly.
Make sure you get at least get eight hours of sleep the day before the actual CCIE exam so you don’t waste all the hard work you put in the last few months. Don’t forget to drink water to stay hydrated and eat healthily.
Conclusion
All in all, the CCIE R&S 400-101 exam will transform your professional career if you successfully pass it, so it required that you study well. It is completely ok to feel stressed because it is a challenging exam, but as mentioned earlier, thousands of individuals have successfully passed it.
As far as you strictly follow the tips explained in this article, you will take and do well in this Cisco certification exam.