CCIE Routing and Switching
Learn more about the CCIE certification.
Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Routing and Switching (CCIE Routing and Switching) certifies the skills required of expert-level network engineers to plan, operate and troubleshoot complex, converged network infrastructure.
Prerequisites
There are no formal prerequisites for CCIE certification. Other professional certifications or training courses are not required. Instead, candidates must first pass a written qualification exam and then the corresponding hands-on lab exam. You are expected to have an in-depth understanding of the topics in the exam blueprints and strongly encouraged to have three to five years of job experience before attempting certification.
Step One: CCIE Routing and Switching Written Exam
You must pass the two-hour, written qualification exam, which covers networking concepts and some equipment commands before you are eligible to schedule the lab exam.
Step Two: CCIE Routing and Switching Lab Exam
The eight-hour lab exam tests your ability to configure actual equipment and troubleshoot the network in a timed test situation. You must make an initial attempt of the CCIE lab exam within 18-months of passing the CCIE written exam. If you do not pass the lab exam within three years of passing the written exam, you must retake the written exam before being allowed to attempt the lab exam again.
The best way to prepare for this certification is to take the Cisco-approved training:
Cisco 360 Learning Program for Routing and Switching
Cisco 360 Learning Program for CCIE Routing and Switching is a complete, 360-degree, blended learning program to accelerate competency and build the skills that are necessary for expert certification.
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Self-Study Materials
The following resources are suggested study supplements; they are not designed to serve as a complete self-study program.
- CCIE Routing and Switching Syllabus
- Book List
- Lab Equipment & IOS
- Lab Exam Checklist
- Lab Exam Study Tips
- Lab Exam Topics v4.0
- Sample Review Questions-Written
- Training Courses
- Written Exam Topics v4.0
- Cisco Learning Network - A variety of self-study materials can be found here.
Community-Generated Content
Learning Partner Content
- Partners: Log in for Partner Education Connection (PEC) curricula.
To earn this Cisco certification, you must pass the following exam(s):
CCIE Written Exam
(350-001 CCIE)
The CCIE written exam is a two-hour qualification exam, taken at a Cisco authorized Pearson VUE testing center. The exam uses a combination of multiple choice questions and simulations to assess the skills listed under Exam Topics. Exams are closed book and no reference materials are allowed.
- Learn more about the 350-001 CCIE exam
- Register for the exam
- Read current exam policies and requirements
CCIE Lab Exam
The eight-hour lab exam tests your ability to configure actual equipment and troubleshoot the network in a timed test situation.
- Learn more about the CCIE Routing and Switching Lab Exam
- Schedule and Pay for the Lab Exam
- Read current exam policies and requirements
- CCIE Lab Exam locations information
- Mobile CCIE Labs locations information
CCIE Routing and Switching Overview
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