Does the CCIE make a better network engineer?

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I'm in the middle of a crossroads. Many say the CCIE, as Cisco's most prestigious networking certification, is a testament on a network engineer's abilities. Is it too high of a mountain to climb?Is this certification necessary? It's expensive and time consuming. Will it be worth it?

Help.

 

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Certifications are there to prove a competency. It might set you apart if you went for another job, but as long as you can "do" what the CCIE is asking anyway, that's all it is is a piece of paper.

But yes, it would be nice to have, and a good feeling of achievement. (IMHO)

 

Being honest with you, you should already be an exceptional network engineer if you're even considering the CCIE, I would expect that the CCNP certified engineer is already someone who knows their stuff, the CCIE is the one who takes it to the next level.

I would also suggest that anyone asking whether the CCIE makes you a better engineer doesn't really understand what it means to be a CCIE.

 

Dude, the CCIE written is a piece of cake, I think the CCNP ROUTE is tougher than the CCIE Written, when I took the CCIE written I was in and out in about 1hour.

The only thing that matters re CCIE is the lab. If you have not passed the CCIE lab then you ain't passed the CCIE, the written is nothing to shout about.

But more importantly than any Exam CCIE or otherwise is good old fashioned hands on experience.

 

Exactly. I was told the same thing. Most of my CCIE certified colleagues say that written doesn't matter as much as the lab does. Thanks for all your insights.

I think I'll be taking the CCIE route later this year. Gotta save up and make time for it first. I'll probably find myself a study partner. Or a good training vendor. Has anyone heard of INE? Or Presidential Training? I've tried looking them up online, can't choose between the 2 though. The reviews are tied.

 

Its hard to say, what do you do daily? Are you a routing and switching guy?

If you are and haven't really touch other networking areas such as security and voip then try moving into these areas first.

Also you will find your knowledge of R&S will come in handy in other parts of networking. Myself for example used to be R&S, now I specialise in Network Security which has given me tonnes more skills than I ever had before.

Equally you do get to work with some great products. If im being honest in Network Security anyway, Cisco is really far behind in terms of a solid perimeter firewall. The ASA is cheap and cheerful, Juniper SSG's / SRX / Checkpoint firewalls are the market leaders. If you have skills in any of these higher end products you will be in very high demand in large corporations.

Just my opinion, either way if you have CCIE on your C.V it will look good and make you feel good about yourself

Good luck.