What's your opinion for the following statement. Here is: Is an experienced [with 20-25 years of Hands-on skills] CCNP who worked on world's mega projects [examples: Burj Khalifa world's tallest tower, Dubai metro (the world's longest Driverless Metro train and many others] could be better than CCIE? Note: Average Networking nodes on each project were above 150 K or above. Question: Should a qualified as subjected above go for CCIE? What's your opinion? Please advise!
When I got my CCIE over 26 years ago (#1937, and still active until the end of this year) I was working for the first Cisco Gold partner so it was definitely worth it, which is why I maintained it for all those years. Today, unless you're working for Cisco, a Cisco partner, or possibly as a consultant then I agree with the video that personal satisfaction is the only real reason to go to all the effort required. I believe one of the many security, cloud, or even development certifications would more valuable, but only if you like doing the kind of work associated with the cert.
@@JoshMadakor I used to work with the fellow with CCIE #1040, so he was like the 15th real person to get it, since my understanding is they started at 1024, which was assigned to the first lab testing room, and 1025 went to the first proctor, so the first real number was 1026.
Good video! I'm in the same boat as you. My CCNP has expired. Passed the CCIE written years ago, and then life got complicated. The CCIE lab work was totally worth the time. Now I'm more focused on DevNet certs and devops type of work. Learning coding/automation and Linux is something I wish I had done before starting CCIE studies. It will make your capabilities and understanding more well rounded, and open up higher paying opportunities that aren't Cisco specific (particularly cloud).
Totally agree about devnet/coding/automation. It tends to pay a LOT. That's what I do for my job. I'm basically a cloud automation engineer. It's just a contract but I'm getting a decent amount (180k), but I can work anywhere in the world (Japanese airbnb in the background). Love automation haha. Thanks so much for the comment and watching!!
@@JoshMadakor Thanks for the response! I noticed you have a crypto channel as well! That's primarily what I discuss on my channel, specifically "Token Incentivized Public Infrastructure Networks." If you'd like to do a collaboration vid or a live stream sometime, I'd love to have you on for a discussion/interview. We could talk all things tech, careers, and crypto
@@JoshMadakor I was looking to get into a similar position to that (cloud). What would you consider the best path to that? I have sec + and aws cloud practitioner. I also planned on going to WGU soon here🙏🏾
Hmm as a CCIE myself - I think this might be the best explanation I have ever seen about the cert - the only reason to get it is because you really want the certification. You can't do it for money - it is a poor pay-off really. My only thing I'd point out is that people should be aware that the hours it takes to study for the CCIE can vary WILDLY. 2,500 hours might be an average, but is probably not the mode ... I think there are people that study more, but a lot of people may study less, but instead do multiple bootcamps/attempts. Not that the 2,500 isn't a fair message, just that your mileage might vary a TON.
Agreed, probably depends on your experience level as well. Cisco does recommend 8 yrs professional experience in the technology before taking on the exam.
Very good video man. Congratulations! I got my CCIE about year ago and I'm studying to second. This is my objective when I start the journey and sometime I think if I really need to do the same thing again. It's a hard journey and a lot of people stop in the middle of path. The most important thing is the content you learn during the journey, this is the great achievement.
WOW!! Excellent content! I don't know how i been in this TH-cam space for so long but never seen this channel. Great explanation on this certification!
@@JoshMadakor At the end of your clip you said economically is not worth doing it?? Really? I can certainly tell you it made huge difference for me in terms of economic. As a consultant I get pay pretty well and also it makes you stand out in the job market.
@@MrGengad I think what he is saying is, there are other skills that take less time to attain but yield the same or higher income. For example, consider AWS solutions architect.
@@darylallen2485 What you do easy will not be appreciated and it won't pay you well, otherwise everybody else will do it and the market will pick and choose who they want, but CCIE you pick what you want, and they pay you very well.
I passed CCIE R&S 21 years ago. When I did it the lab exam was a 2 day exam. It was genuinely difficult.The stress is a big part of it - your brain is frazzled by the end of it. I had about 12 years experience as a network engineer when I passed. I sat the exam 3 times - almost passed every time but just fell short. I think you need to keep at it until you pass because I know some people who sat it 3 times and failed it and they took a break from studying but they just didn't get back into it. I suspect this would have been me if I failed on the 3rd attempt. It's worth doing it but you do get to a point where you realise it's not everything because you learn more in the real world. It's a bit like doing the driving test - you become a better driver after you pass. It does make you better at rationalising problems.
Thanks so much for sharing this. _"I know some people who sat it 3 times and failed it and they took a break from studying but they just didn't get back into it."_ Huge ouch here
I finished my CCNP Security last week. This video inspired to think about giving up as well on my CCIE Security track. I ended up talking to a double CCIE today at work, and I referenced this video. The CCIE guy stated to me that he would still recommend getting it. He mentioned that your CCIE would carry more weight when offering recommendation for business decisions. For decision makers that may not be as technical, your words will have more weight behind it when you have a CCIE vs CCNP. I guess that's something to think about.
Hey Silly, thx so much for watching and even mentioning this video IRL, amazing. I didn't mean to dissuade you from your goals haha. In the end, I generally recommend people to do whatever they _feel_ like doing :) You're going to be successful either way since you're already in the position to seriously consider CCIE. Good luck with whatever you decide!
Twenty years ago, the CCIE was the most impressive and sought after IT certification as the 2 dominant technologies back then, were Routing and Switching. Now, it's Cloud and Virtualization and so the CCIE, although still somewhat relevant, is not the most sought after IT certification today. The advent of VMware and AWS has seen to that. I am going to recertify my CCNA/CCNP/CCDA/CCDP by passing the 350-501 written exam at the end of this month and then attempt the lab by June 2023. Great points made in the video. Thanks for posting!
Thanks so much for your insights! And yeah, cloud is big and tends to pay a LOT. I didn't even try to get into cloud and I ended up in it lol (cloud automation engr). Thanks again!
I'm taking my CCNA test this week and I've been thinking about pursuing ccnp after that. But like you said, the cloud and virtualization have become so much sought after lately so I'm not sure whether to go for AWS or ccnp. Any insight on this would be hugely appreciated.
@@praveendissanayake2509 I had my CCNA since May 2022 and currently studying for CCNP. I would say CCNP would be a great stopping point then move onto other areas afterwards. CCNA is ok but CCNP is the sweet spot.
@@astroeclipse5392 may i ask what resources you're using for your ccnp studies. In stark contrast to CCNA there's a noticable lack of video courses and the like available for ccnp. Udemy for instance currently has no active courses for the subject.
In the 2020's is it for the braging like to say i'had put 200 of dollars on the tank of my truck every week... (really no one cares except your wallet and gas stop). And at the end of year, you has lost good bucks and time. A ccie or ccar, make kess tha 180 usd, vs the 200,300 ibe seen for devrlopers in python or c++
@@AdrianLopez-sc6zw lack of perspective. not everyone wants to be a coder. not every python developer makes $200k. not every ccie is under $180k. i have been doing this for 20 years and can tell you that any advanced certs help. CCIE driven in sales can get 250k+
@@AdrianLopez-sc6zw Both a Python Programmer and CCIE will make a lot of money but becoming a python programmer is easier than a CCIE and you get the same result in the end...with less time and money invested
For the kind of money and time that you gotta shell-out, versus what you get, it makes more sense to do Josh's IT-Support Course-Careers course to get yourself into the game, pick off a couple of certs once you're in, then start whittling away at plain old ordinary college degrees if you think you want or need them. As Josh has indicated in earlier videos, several of the IT certs are transferable to various college programs, WGU in particular.
@@alittax you get more job interviews, it is assumed that you know what you are doing, you also get vars that need to be gold and are needing your number, enterprises value you a lot, salary is higher from the initial conversation, etc. you can also get this positions without a number, but is like a college degree, everything helps to get higher. Friends of mine have interviewed for the same position as I, and their negotiation starts lower on salary, the interviewers tend to be rougher etc. there is a thing which is called stomp a ccie, is real, but it usually doesn't happen.
I think something is very critical that has not been talked about. Getting a CCIE helps tremendously in critical thinking. i see people working spanning tree or moving cables when the ping worked. the ability to move through problems in technology that a CCIE gives you is great. not everyone needs a CCIE to do this, but the understanding of how technologies interact in depth is a huge plus.
The advice here is correct. Anyone who asks about the CCIE - followed by 'how much money can i make' - is probably not ever going to be a CCIE. You have to want to do it - because you like Network Engineering. The money is like "money for nothing" because it's what you like doing anyway.
This brings back some Beautiful memories. Its not easy, that much I can tell you. I almost sold my House just to be able to re-attempt. It makes you a better person thou! Both from a discipline perspective & technically. I've recently recertified & it doesn't get easier 🙂
Haha thanks for sharing. That is the appeal for me. Being able to achieve something like this and growing along the way. I didn't stick with it though lol
The amount of hours you need for preparation does depend on your experience as well. It can still be done while working a job, but you just need to be consistent I think. It will benefit your more or less depending on where you work. If you work at a large MSP, CCIE will carry more weight as it benefits companies who are partnered with Cisco. You could sit in a dark room somewhere and do nothing - just you being employed at the company as a CCIE results in discounted product/services, tenders being won etc.
Thank you so much for the insight! Currently studying for the CCNA so I can get a job in the field to make enough money that I don't have to worry too much about going into student loan debt when I get back one my education track.
I completely agree. The amount of effort it’s taking just to get the CCNP is ridiculous. It’s so much information and so many technologies. That CCIE is insane. Don’t see how people do it. The cloud is way more interesting than networking anyway. Might have to back out of this one 😂
Lol i backed out of CCNP haha. I really wanted it but fate kept driving me in other directions. Just the fact that you are studying into CCNP puts you up there with a great understanding of networks, haha
@@shameermulji yeah that’s why I’m glad I’m starting here. I want to learn as much as I can about the network but I definitely want to jump ship a soon as possible.
As a ccnp and a jncie I can tell you right now there genuinely isn’t a reason to have the ccie for 99.95% of work you will do, that last .05% is what Cisco TAC are for because it’s genuinely a Cisco issue vs a configuration or comprehension of capability in the product issue. I’ve never struggled to get a job that asks for a ccie in the requirements without it, your personal network at that point is more important than the cert.
@@JoshMadakor CCIE will make you stand out in the job market. There are lots of people with cnna/p and can't even do basic troubleshooting. If you have CCIE recruiter or hiring manager will be comfortable to speak to you and also gives you a bit of respect because they know how tough it is to pass this exam.
I took the bootcamp for CCIE Ent. I think it's doable. It's a monster, but doable. My complaint though is that Cisco makes it incredibly expensive and difficult to even study for it. Noone has a lab with the equipment, and not many ppl have 10K to pay for the training. VMs and labs should be available for ez access. They make it way to difficult to find material.
Some certs seem designed to convince other people that they have value, which influences the job market and ensures more people will pay to take the cert... Sometimes it seems like an elitist tax for gullible people! ;)
The only 2 reason i passed my CCIE DC lab exam are: -I studied every night after work for 3-5 hours for a complete year -i really really wanted it. I saw no other result in my mind than passing that exam. I desired to have. I got it. I think point #2 applies to almost everything in life. If you don’t deserve something, if you dont see success in your mind then failure is imminent. Good luck!
It is achievable. From not know anything about networking & computers I did CCIE within 4 years. I put a lot of the foundation in CCNA/Cisco academy and some MCP certs. CCNP was easy after that. Then I started working fulltime in a enterprise Cisco network. CCIE was like start all over again but achievable within 2 years while working. I think had 5 days I did no Cisco in those years. I just copied what other successful persons did. You know you worked a lot when your wife is asking if the BGP peerings is up yet because the dinner is ready.
I think CCIE is something you do when you’re still young and full of energy, before your 40s. I missed that boat, but I made up by getting multiple CCNP (R/S, Collab, Security), plus my work experience is an easier way to make the same kind of money. I honestly believe if you’re still going after CCIE in your mid 40s, it’s not worth the pain and sacrifice.
It is worth it pal, it’s very worth it. I interview 100’s of engineers every year and when I see someone with a CCIE, that’s been through a failed attempt you know… 1 - they have passion for what they do. 2 - They are determined and have good time management 3 - They are committed. 4 - They are usually very good engineers that will moved sideways (cloud and automation very easily) don’t give up, get your head on and back in the game.
College Degree = 15 years CCNP = 10 years Salary = $200K To make this kind of cash this is what one interviewer asked me for one company: Cisco experience Juniper experience Palo experience Fortigate experience Checkpoint experience F5 experience Cloud experience (AWS and/or Azure) Datacenter experience Willing and able to rack and stack equipment Willing to run cable Mount WiFi SolarWinds Documentation skills (i.e. Visio) 24X7 on call support (including weekends) In office 5 days a week (no remote work) Train / mentor / manage off shore NOC Scripting BGP OSPF SDWAN
CCIE isn't difficult, its just long. If you understand how networking works, IOS itself is tiny and simple. The big mistake people make is thinking that anything less than network expert is appropriate to begin CCIE training. It absolutely, positively, isn't. I kept a CCIE for about four years before I got tired of flying and testing, and realized that the cold, hard fact is this: CCIE was incredibly lucrative in the 90s. Now, 25 years later, absolutely no one cares outside google and telcos.
i had obtain my first CCNA at 2002, CCNP at 2006 and CCIE at 2009; first of all, I really interesting in working with network and routing, lots of fun when build something up and learning new topology and solution to solve problem in different way; I believe this is the frist and major criteria when you consider to prepare CCIE lab exam, not job promption, salary raise. in fact, I didn't have salary raise until 3 year later when I moved to another company to take new challenge. my experience I spend a full year to study basic concept require and half year for lab preparation. There are lots of paid lab resource which is helpful to get full understand of the requirement and format of the lab exam. Apart from that, most of my friend failed CCIE lab exam just because he had very strong mind set to against CCIE lab exam requirement. for example, he may say this issue should solves in this method, but actually the exam requirement is to use another set of command to do so, sometimes it looks stuipd but Cisco requirement is just see how well you know these potocol and command.
No, not at all. I typically don't recommend people getting a double BS in the first place unless they really need it for some graduate program. Not to mention the rigor of your math degree far outweighs almost anything else--this should be recognized by good employers. If I were you wand wanted to become a SWE, I would watch these videos then get to work, haha: Clem, Google in 6 months: th-cam.com/video/3IlaxZf3-s8/w-d-xo.html Josh, Google Interview Experience: th-cam.com/video/wVOU-oLOGuk/w-d-xo.html
I can understand CCNP, but I would never spend the time and money to get a CCIE. Unless you're going to work at Cisco, it's kind of a waste. There are so many other things you need to know as a network engineer out there in the work force. You should have a good understanding of F5 load balancers, Linux and Windows servers, and what about Juniper? Juniper may not be everywhere like Cisco, but there are plenty of networks with Juniper gear, and if you aren't even a little bit familiar with JunOS, you're not a very well rounded network engineer in my opinion.
I honestly would suggest getting the CCNA, Security+, and AWS Solutions Architect in order to cover all your bases...all 3 of these certs cost around the amount of the A+ but are way more valuable...but if the A+ is on your list to get, then go for it.
@@mpforeverunlimited if it's a part of your degree program then take the A+...it will only help. I thought you were paying for it out of pocket through self study
@@JoshMadakor I feel the A+ is good to go through the material just not in taking the exam...I remember back in 2005 my degree program had an A+ like program...but I wound up getting a job as a programmer b4 taking the test
cool to know an impression. Been in a school program for networking and have had a broad level of topics to learn from. more or less covered ccna, and dabbled in ccnp, so it's good to know that anything further is not worth the time.
For me, it wasn't about the money but more about the satisfaction! I agree it takes a lot of time, and there has to be more than money to justify the time investment. Passed mine 5 years ago and since then I got other CCNPs
I was literally going to say CCNA and Security+ lmao. Pair those with a cloud cert and you are so good to go (AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals or AWS Cloud Practitioner)
@@shameermulji depends on what you want to do, if you want to work heavy in networking then CCNA if you want a basic understanding then you will be fine with a Network +
Got my CCIE DC back in 2014. Get a job which supports you in becoming CCIE. I mean not the company paying you training but the actual job on a daily basis. Also, and this is really true, you do it for you becoming a CCIE not for the money.
ROI really depends but* the personal value is becoming an expert in networking assuming one is going through the ccie ei track. Some people may say why dont you learn the topics you want to get better at and move on. My response would be its like taking college level courses on coursera and placing that on a resume vs going to complete a degree. Getting the CCIE is the payoff for getting yourself to an expert level. It does have alot of expenses but if your employer funds the training/lab date I don't see a reason not to do it unless if the individual does not want to stay in networking.
I would like the see a change in the industry that focuses more on providing affordable training to build up a knowledgeable and competent work force rather than training people to pass an exam for a three year certification. Most trades have apprenticeship programs and some professions offer mentorships to develop the next generation of workers. I wish the IT industry would take this approach.
its not about the money. it's about deep knowledge how things work underlay. understand the time and effort it takes to be one. in the market ccie's are looked at like throw anything at them and they would handle it.
There is a reason why the letters of the certification are in upper-case. Subliminal air of importance, and also people get aroused by having capital letters on their CV and after their name on an email signature. Go to university and study something similar and it’s completely the opposite. The course work is no doubt ridiculously difficult for the ccie, but having people to fly to a destination to take the lab, just adds that additional mental pressure, time zone exhaustion from lack of sleep and consequently a higher probability of failure and have to take the exam again. Which benefits absolutely nobody. As stated in this video, the costs outweighs the benefits now. Employers are using multiple vendors of technologies, and to focus solely on one area of study for very little return is just ludicrous
Seems like some CCIE's are harder to study for than others. Course material for the Service Provider track is almost non-existent when compared to something like R&S (now Enterprise). Even the classes/workbooks I have found only cover a portion of the exam syllabus.
agree.. I used to work at Cisco.. not sure if it is as valuable as 10 years ago, I am letting my CCNP & CCDP expired this month.. AWS certs are more valuable now.. but who knows what's next.. at some point chasing certs are tiring.. :)
The CCIE takes experience for starts. So with my CCNP and my ACEP I've been able to do is do more work that is in line with the CCIE like MPLS, VX lan, bgp, multicast, evpn, qos etc...
I am still an active CCIE. 10 years in Feburary 2025, and my renewal is June 2025. I am not even in a network role directly right now, so I do not know whether to go Emeritus or do the CCDE written. I put so much work in to pass the lab, it seems a waste to just Emeritus it...
Since you're a software developer/FT YTuber/Instructor now, have all of your certs expired? Any desire to get back into IT, networking, or cybersecurity?
Haha, they have all expired except CISSP, which is literally on the cusp of expiration (I'm like 6 months late paying my membership fee, which i don't intend to pay lmao). I don't really intend to go back to a normal job after my current job finishes. Gonna try to just do my own stuff from now on
As a CCIE myself, the certification isnt worth much anymore. The amount of lab dumping has seen an explosion of CCIE's who are embarrassingly bad at basic concepts. It is easy to spot them as another CCIE, but those outside the community get a poor impression of what a real CCIE is. There arent any CCDE dumps at the moment and the CCAR was just ludicrously expensive to achieve. As a final note, I have seen many multiple certified CCIE's, which I think is bizarre. You simply cannot be a specialist in so many disciplines, maybe you can have a Ent and SP, but to have someone have security, SP, colab etc, is just not viable or true. Final note, been a 10year CCIE, no where near 180k salary, so there is that as well
I work at a telco and we have 12 CCIE's on staff four of those have multiple CCIE certs and they are absolutely experts. I certainly agree with you on the 180K salary about 160 as good as you're gonna get if you want more than 160 you gotta get into DevOps which is actually the path I'm taking. I think the point that I want most people to take away is if you go and spend eight years at university you're paying for all that time not to be earning whereas you could go get your CCNP, probably a year after your CCNA, with a little bit of experience be making six figures and you haven't lost that earned opportunity cost then with your CCIE you're gonna be learning as you go on the job.
I got it a long time ago 2009, my estimate for me back then is about 600-700 hours of study plus lab time. I agree with many other posters unless your being paid to do it its not a great choice, it does not have the value that it had 10 years ago,
I'm sorry, bro, but as my name says up there, CCIE isn't hard enough for me, I will try until I die. Living for nothing is like living without purpose, but I don't like it, I want to live like a warrior! 😎 Good luck to you!
Nah, get at least a CCNP.....like they said, there is no Substitute for Experience....I've met CCNAs in the real world with monster experiences and exposure and it seems like these guys have the gift of networking under their belts...these are a few exceptions
@@JoshMadakor Don't agree. as a double CCNP and ACEP the CCNA is definitely not enough to get the job done. They're not really good at any advanced troubleshooting and most of the time even the base concepts they still don't understand. You would'nt believe how many times I have to explain spanning tree or I'm shocked at the fact that they can't even do IPV 4 subnetting in their head on the fly that should definitely be something that they can do before I consider them ready for the job.
Hi Josh. Thank you for your awesome content. I have a question about a career goal in cyber security. In the game elden ring, the community has a label for leveling up stats called soft caps. Soft caps are when you level up a skill and your point allocation output hits its peak. Any point allocations past that point, you will begin to see diminishing returns. At level 50 for example 1 skill point would be worth an increase of 10 units. At level 51 they would only be worth an increase of 6 units. And so on and so forth. Level 50 would be the soft cap. My question is, what is the soft cap in cyber security? At what point in the career, or what job title would pay the most amount of money while also having the best work life balance where it’s not too stressful, but you still feel as if you’re significantly contributing and making really good money. I guess around mid or upper mid careerish. The sweet spot. Sorry for the complicated question. This is a career change for me so I don’t have as much ambition to climb the corporate ladder. Just looking to get to a nice point where I could kick my feet up while collecting a good paycheck if that makes sense.
Once I realized that knowing how to do a job and passing an exam isn't the same thing, I moved on. Thank you Cisco your solid curriculum. P.S why sell routers when you can just fail candidate.
Great vid, I have my CCNA and currently studying for the NP, however I find myself at times do I really need this exam and is there better ways to progress my career..
So true. I'm planning on getting my CCIE Enterprise within the next 5 years and that's only AFTER I'm making a certain amount of income (current salary is $120k in the southern U.S. for reference, and with other bills and 4 kids, it's still not enough to fund my CCIE studies) I'm not studying for the CCIE primarily to make money (though I will absolutely try to leverage it). I'm studying primarily because it's a goal to aspire to and a way of forcing myself to improve
As ccie myself and having 4 kids I need to tell you need to be prepared financially, also train yourself more time management skills , regardless of what people says about ccie that it’s no longer important as it used to be since there are cloud and virtualisation just remember it’s all based on IP by getting ccie you really prove that you are an IP master , as I always says if it speaks IP it belongs to me.
I had to point to the fact that most of ccie candidates and holders are doing it for themselves not for money alone, it is a sort of achievement that is far similar to have the title of phd and it is a passion not just a job
Hey Josh, unrelated to this video but just wanted to say I landed my first IT job as a Service Desk Engineer thanks to watching your videos (and lots of hard work lol) the one and only interview I had after about 100 applications hired me, and its remote! Took about 3 weeks of applying daily. This company uses Azure so I'll continue watching your videos to move up and into an Azure cloud role next!
@Josh Madakor - Tech, Education, Career Thank you :) I do think it was a little harder for me to get an interview since I don't have a degree (I have A+) and kinda assume I'll basically have to get one if I really want to move up. I'll have a question regarding skipping CompTIA and going straight for Azure certs in about a month or 2.
Hey Josh, Going for CCNP currently, but plan to shift purely into security in the next year or two (Working as a network/network security engineer currently as I do both core and security). Do you think CCNP is worth it long term for security and not just network/network security(NGFWs, WAFs)? It will surely be helpful in my current role, but wondering down the road if it is worth for pentesting.
I saw a guy on linkedin who is a CCIEx3 and is still collecting networking certs like they gotta catch em all. Some people are really about that networking life
I passed My CCIE in 2011 on my first attempt and I am still Active CCIE :) , it is damn difficult, u will have to quit your social life, to be honest, I didn't do it for the sake money, its just a craze for me it was addiction , I had to do it , No matter what
People put CCIE on a pedestal. For most it’s a personal goal, that’s it. If you know the right people or work for Cisco you’ll get the exact info/exam prep you need to pass the CCIE. I knew a cisco account manager that had his and he was no amazing networking wiz.
Or he lied about it. A lot of folks pass the written exam and start claiming to be ccie 'written'. I've seen this when interviewing potential hires. There is no such thing as ccie written - that is NOT a cert and never has been. The lab is a MOFO and you are not passing that based on getting 'tips' from coworkers,
People underestimate the expectation outhere from CCIEs, you need to prove what you know outhere and that takes time....the Cert is just to show you understand the technology at a level, but outhere, they pay you for results...
So many different certs my head hurts 🤕 just thinking about it. As a new baby to Tech I don't know which certs to get so I can get my foot in the door. Can somebody help?. Which certs as a beginner do I need?
The CCIE is a BSc in CS MAsters program at Dalhousie University. It's a tough go. I know many CCIE and they are all super smart folks and most are Chinese nationals.
I love to hear when people give up! Is less one to compete in the market. If you didn’t pass is because you are not prepared enough. Persistence is everything.
Yeah, that aptitude is having interest in it and a desire to complete it. From a physiological standpoint, if someone can learn English and articulate sentences, more than likely they are able to obtain CCIE with enough effort. That’s how I think anyways
My CCNA helped me secure a Security role, turns out my boss is a CCIE Lifetimer as well as writing some books for Cisco Press, so no wonder for a security company he likes people who apply with CCNA. He was telling me about how they had to do it the first time around and man, I am so happy I am not pursuing networking much further than I need to because that shit sounded way too tough for my small brain.
Juniper has a program where if you complete their free training courses, you can get discount vouchers to write their cert exams at $50 a pop. I've already written one, and plan to write three more. I also still plan to get a CCNP and CCIE, more to prove to myself that I can.
I have a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Security... These Certs just tell an employer that he/she has been doing this type of work for a very long time
Hey Aaron, sure I'll add this to the list. Real quick though, I will say here, you should pretty much ignore the existence of motivation and focus on discipline. Discipline ain't free (it costs stress and energy), but you can reply on it (it's consistent) and you should always strive to build your discipline muscles :)
Don't spend money for network techs area anymore. It's waste of time and money. Go ahead the cloud techs area, cyber security, software developer or devops engineering area. I am saying this as a CCIE.
One thing I've run into is that some people have gotten into the mindset that Cisco lowered the difficulty of obtaining a CCIE because the same exam now serves as the prerequisite for both the CCIE and CCNP tracks. Nothing could be further from the truth and if someone wants to burn through a couple of grand without anything to show for it then they'll sit for the practical right after passing the ENCORE exam.
The trouble with CCIE is that it doesn’t give you real world experience or wisdom. It’s a qualification aimed at accrediting you with them but there’s no good way to do that in the real world. That’s why it doesn’t give you a super high paying job guarantee, it’s real value comes with proven experience, and even then it’s no guarantee to employers that you can make the mental connections to fix broken networks and heterogeneous systems quickly or design something cost effective and scalable.
The best engineers fail the CCIE lab multiple times. There is definitely a diminishing return of effort put in to get a certification that will expire in three years.
🔒Hands-On Cybersecurity / SOC Analyst Training (REAL EXPERIENCE)🔒
joshmadakor.tech/cyber
What's your opinion for the following statement. Here is:
Is an experienced [with 20-25 years of Hands-on skills] CCNP who worked on world's mega projects [examples: Burj Khalifa world's tallest tower, Dubai metro (the world's longest Driverless Metro train and many others] could be better than CCIE?
Note: Average Networking nodes on each project were above 150 K or above.
Question: Should a qualified as subjected above go for CCIE? What's your opinion? Please advise!
When I got my CCIE over 26 years ago (#1937, and still active until the end of this year) I was working for the first Cisco Gold partner so it was definitely worth it, which is why I maintained it for all those years. Today, unless you're working for Cisco, a Cisco partner, or possibly as a consultant then I agree with the video that personal satisfaction is the only real reason to go to all the effort required. I believe one of the many security, cloud, or even development certifications would more valuable, but only if you like doing the kind of work associated with the cert.
Appreciate the insight and thoughts from a true veteran. Super dope having such a low CCIE number too. 🥹
@@JoshMadakor I used to work with the fellow with CCIE #1040, so he was like the 15th real person to get it, since my understanding is they started at 1024, which was assigned to the first lab testing room, and 1025 went to the first proctor, so the first real number was 1026.
Good video! I'm in the same boat as you. My CCNP has expired. Passed the CCIE written years ago, and then life got complicated. The CCIE lab work was totally worth the time. Now I'm more focused on DevNet certs and devops type of work. Learning coding/automation and Linux is something I wish I had done before starting CCIE studies. It will make your capabilities and understanding more well rounded, and open up higher paying opportunities that aren't Cisco specific (particularly cloud).
Totally agree about devnet/coding/automation. It tends to pay a LOT. That's what I do for my job. I'm basically a cloud automation engineer. It's just a contract but I'm getting a decent amount (180k), but I can work anywhere in the world (Japanese airbnb in the background). Love automation haha. Thanks so much for the comment and watching!!
@@JoshMadakor Thanks for the response! I noticed you have a crypto channel as well! That's primarily what I discuss on my channel, specifically "Token Incentivized Public Infrastructure Networks." If you'd like to do a collaboration vid or a live stream sometime, I'd love to have you on for a discussion/interview. We could talk all things tech, careers, and crypto
@@JoshMadakor I was looking to get into a similar position to that (cloud). What would you consider the best path to that? I have sec + and aws cloud practitioner. I also planned on going to WGU soon here🙏🏾
Hmm as a CCIE myself - I think this might be the best explanation I have ever seen about the cert - the only reason to get it is because you really want the certification. You can't do it for money - it is a poor pay-off really. My only thing I'd point out is that people should be aware that the hours it takes to study for the CCIE can vary WILDLY. 2,500 hours might be an average, but is probably not the mode ... I think there are people that study more, but a lot of people may study less, but instead do multiple bootcamps/attempts. Not that the 2,500 isn't a fair message, just that your mileage might vary a TON.
I did about 2000 - that is not including work & CCNA/CCNP which I did just before so cut some time maybe.
Agreed, probably depends on your experience level as well. Cisco does recommend 8 yrs professional experience in the technology before taking on the exam.
Very good video man. Congratulations!
I got my CCIE about year ago and I'm studying to second. This is my objective when I start the journey and sometime I think if I really need to do the same thing again. It's a hard journey and a lot of people stop in the middle of path.
The most important thing is the content you learn during the journey, this is the great achievement.
Congrats on your CCIE! Best of luck with the second one :). Thanks for sharing!!
21, with my CCNP Enterprise and studying for NP security. This helped me a lot, as I plan to get CCIE one day. Thank you
Thanks for watching! CCNP at 21 is amazing. Best of luck with your future studies and career!
WOW!! Excellent content! I don't know how i been in this TH-cam space for so long but never seen this channel. Great explanation on this certification!
Lol hey man, I really appreciate that a lot, thank you :)
My Dad actually works at Cisco and has the CCIE certification. I never realized how difficult it must’ve been to get it
Your dad is a top chief I guess, haha. You should ask him about it sometime. See what his CCIE number is :)
@@JoshMadakor At the end of your clip you said economically is not worth doing it?? Really? I can certainly tell you it made huge difference for me in terms of economic. As a consultant I get pay pretty well and also it makes you stand out in the job market.
@@MrGengad I think what he is saying is, there are other skills that take less time to attain but yield the same or higher income.
For example, consider AWS solutions architect.
You should be very proud of him
@@darylallen2485 What you do easy will not be appreciated and it won't pay you well, otherwise everybody else will do it and the market will pick and choose who they want, but CCIE you pick what you want, and they pay you very well.
Kudos to you for thinking about taking it. After the CCNA and CCNP I was done.
Lol thank you, and I def feel you on that. At least you got through the CCNP 😂, I just couldn't finish it :(
I passed CCIE R&S 21 years ago. When I did it the lab exam was a 2 day exam. It was genuinely difficult.The stress is a big part of it - your brain is frazzled by the end of it. I had about 12 years experience as a network engineer when I passed. I sat the exam 3 times - almost passed every time but just fell short. I think you need to keep at it until you pass because I know some people who sat it 3 times and failed it and they took a break from studying but they just didn't get back into it. I suspect this would have been me if I failed on the 3rd attempt. It's worth doing it but you do get to a point where you realise it's not everything because you learn more in the real world. It's a bit like doing the driving test - you become a better driver after you pass. It does make you better at rationalising problems.
Thanks so much for sharing this.
_"I know some people who sat it 3 times and failed it and they took a break from studying but they just didn't get back into it."_
Huge ouch here
I finished my CCNP Security last week. This video inspired to think about giving up as well on my CCIE Security track. I ended up talking to a double CCIE today at work, and I referenced this video. The CCIE guy stated to me that he would still recommend getting it. He mentioned that your CCIE would carry more weight when offering recommendation for business decisions. For decision makers that may not be as technical, your words will have more weight behind it when you have a CCIE vs CCNP. I guess that's something to think about.
Hey Silly, thx so much for watching and even mentioning this video IRL, amazing. I didn't mean to dissuade you from your goals haha. In the end, I generally recommend people to do whatever they _feel_ like doing :) You're going to be successful either way since you're already in the position to seriously consider CCIE. Good luck with whatever you decide!
Twenty years ago, the CCIE was the most impressive and sought after IT certification as the 2 dominant technologies back then, were Routing and Switching. Now, it's Cloud and Virtualization and so the CCIE, although still somewhat relevant, is not the most sought after IT certification today. The advent of VMware and AWS has seen to that. I am going to recertify my CCNA/CCNP/CCDA/CCDP by passing the 350-501 written exam at the end of this month and then attempt the lab by June 2023. Great points made in the video. Thanks for posting!
Thanks so much for your insights! And yeah, cloud is big and tends to pay a LOT. I didn't even try to get into cloud and I ended up in it lol (cloud automation engr). Thanks again!
@@JoshMadakor - You’re most welcome Josh!
I'm taking my CCNA test this week and I've been thinking about pursuing ccnp after that. But like you said, the cloud and virtualization have become so much sought after lately so I'm not sure whether to go for AWS or ccnp. Any insight on this would be hugely appreciated.
@@praveendissanayake2509 I had my CCNA since May 2022 and currently studying for CCNP. I would say CCNP would be a great stopping point then move onto other areas afterwards. CCNA is ok but CCNP is the sweet spot.
@@astroeclipse5392 may i ask what resources you're using for your ccnp studies. In stark contrast to CCNA there's a noticable lack of video courses and the like available for ccnp. Udemy for instance currently has no active courses for the subject.
it's kinda like getting a PHD in IT...do you really need it to make a lot of money or are you getting it for bragging rights
Haha, this is a good way to think about it. pure technical PhD lol
you don't need anything to do a lot of money. But there are some expectations when someone hires a ccie, and salary comes with it.
In the 2020's is it for the braging like to say i'had put 200 of dollars on the tank of my truck every week... (really no one cares except your wallet and gas stop). And at the end of year, you has lost good bucks and time. A ccie or ccar, make kess tha 180 usd, vs the 200,300 ibe seen for devrlopers in python or c++
@@AdrianLopez-sc6zw lack of perspective. not everyone wants to be a coder. not every python developer makes $200k. not every ccie is under $180k. i have been doing this for 20 years and can tell you that any advanced certs help. CCIE driven in sales can get 250k+
@@AdrianLopez-sc6zw Both a Python Programmer and CCIE will make a lot of money but becoming a python programmer is easier than a CCIE and you get the same result in the end...with less time and money invested
For the kind of money and time that you gotta shell-out, versus what you get, it makes more sense to do Josh's IT-Support Course-Careers course to get yourself into the game, pick off a couple of certs once you're in, then start whittling away at plain old ordinary college degrees if you think you want or need them. As Josh has indicated in earlier videos, several of the IT certs are transferable to various college programs, WGU in particular.
Haha, I may as well have typed this comment. It's pretty in-line with my thoughts and opinions on things. Thanks for shilling my course too, haha :D
i have two CCIE, can tell you without an issue that is it well worth it. the doors that open up can't even be comprehended.
@@pedrocantu123 CCIE made me a bit wealthy in all honestly, but it was hard to get it.
@@pedrocantu123 Can you please elaborate on the details? What opportunities do you get with a CCIE that would be hard to get without one? Thanks.
@@alittax you get more job interviews, it is assumed that you know what you are doing, you also get vars that need to be gold and are needing your number, enterprises value you a lot, salary is higher from the initial conversation, etc. you can also get this positions without a number, but is like a college degree, everything helps to get higher. Friends of mine have interviewed for the same position as I, and their negotiation starts lower on salary, the interviewers tend to be rougher etc. there is a thing which is called stomp a ccie, is real, but it usually doesn't happen.
I think something is very critical that has not been talked about. Getting a CCIE helps tremendously in critical thinking. i see people working spanning tree or moving cables when the ping worked.
the ability to move through problems in technology that a CCIE gives you is great. not everyone needs a CCIE to do this, but the understanding of how technologies interact in depth is a huge plus.
The advice here is correct. Anyone who asks about the CCIE - followed by 'how much money can i make' - is probably not ever going to be a CCIE.
You have to want to do it - because you like Network Engineering. The money is like "money for nothing" because it's what you like doing anyway.
This brings back some Beautiful memories. Its not easy, that much I can tell you. I almost sold my House just to be able to re-attempt.
It makes you a better person thou! Both from a discipline perspective & technically. I've recently recertified & it doesn't get easier 🙂
Haha thanks for sharing. That is the appeal for me. Being able to achieve something like this and growing along the way. I didn't stick with it though lol
The amount of hours you need for preparation does depend on your experience as well. It can still be done while working a job, but you just need to be consistent I think. It will benefit your more or less depending on where you work. If you work at a large MSP, CCIE will carry more weight as it benefits companies who are partnered with Cisco. You could sit in a dark room somewhere and do nothing - just you being employed at the company as a CCIE results in discounted product/services, tenders being won etc.
Thanks for sharing this!
Thank you so much for the insight! Currently studying for the CCNA so I can get a job in the field to make enough money that I don't have to worry too much about going into student loan debt when I get back one my education track.
You're def on the right track for that! I have like 15 certs or so, and I'll say CCNA was probably the most useful one.
I completely agree. The amount of effort it’s taking just to get the CCNP is ridiculous. It’s so much information and so many technologies. That CCIE is insane. Don’t see how people do it. The cloud is way more interesting than networking anyway. Might have to back out of this one 😂
you're right. it's pretty much all about opportunity cost and how much you're willing to sacrifice
Lol i backed out of CCNP haha. I really wanted it but fate kept driving me in other directions. Just the fact that you are studying into CCNP puts you up there with a great understanding of networks, haha
Sums up my thoughts perfectly, haha
Cloud and networking go hand in hand
@@shameermulji yeah that’s why I’m glad I’m starting here. I want to learn as much as I can about the network but I definitely want to jump ship a soon as possible.
As a ccnp and a jncie I can tell you right now there genuinely isn’t a reason to have the ccie for 99.95% of work you will do, that last .05% is what Cisco TAC are for because it’s genuinely a Cisco issue vs a configuration or comprehension of capability in the product issue.
I’ve never struggled to get a job that asks for a ccie in the requirements without it, your personal network at that point is more important than the cert.
Thanks so much for sharing, it's really nice hearing from people on the inside with actual insight :)
But it is not only about making money. It is about passion, fun, achievements, and satisfaction ❤
fo sho, and that's what you need for CCIE, haha
@@JoshMadakor It definitely boasts the satisfaction feeling 🎉
@@JoshMadakor CCIE will make you stand out in the job market. There are lots of people with cnna/p and can't even do basic troubleshooting. If you have CCIE recruiter or hiring manager will be comfortable to speak to you and also gives you a bit of respect because they know how tough it is to pass this exam.
I took the bootcamp for CCIE Ent. I think it's doable. It's a monster, but doable. My complaint though is that Cisco makes it incredibly expensive and difficult to even study for it. Noone has a lab with the equipment, and not many ppl have 10K to pay for the training. VMs and labs should be available for ez access. They make it way to difficult to find material.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Some certs seem designed to convince other people that they have value, which influences the job market and ensures more people will pay to take the cert...
Sometimes it seems like an elitist tax for gullible people! ;)
lmao, this makes a lot of sense.
Oh! ChaseFace, I didn't expect you on this channel!
I agree. That's why for my personal journey I'm only getting a few.
The only 2 reason i passed my CCIE DC lab exam are:
-I studied every night after work for 3-5 hours for a complete year
-i really really wanted it. I saw no other result in my mind than passing that exam. I desired to have. I got it.
I think point #2 applies to almost everything in life. If you don’t deserve something, if you dont see success in your mind then failure is imminent.
Good luck!
Thanks for sharing this deep insight :)
wow that’s great, very heavy and deep
I think you made a good point! But I still want to be CCIE!
It is achievable. From not know anything about networking & computers I did CCIE within 4 years. I put a lot of the foundation in CCNA/Cisco academy and some MCP certs. CCNP was easy after that. Then I started working fulltime in a enterprise Cisco network. CCIE was like start all over again but achievable within 2 years while working. I think had 5 days I did no Cisco in those years. I just copied what other successful persons did. You know you worked a lot when your wife is asking if the BGP peerings is up yet because the dinner is ready.
Lmao that's so funny. Your wife started accepting BGP into the family.
@@JoshMadakor hehe I see what you did there.
I think CCIE is something you do when you’re still young and full of energy, before your 40s. I missed that boat, but I made up by getting multiple CCNP (R/S, Collab, Security), plus my work experience is an easier way to make the same kind of money. I honestly believe if you’re still going after CCIE in your mid 40s, it’s not worth the pain and sacrifice.
@RJ The PAIN and SACRIFICE make it worth to go after CCIE, it doesn't matter how old you are.
It is worth it pal, it’s very worth it. I interview 100’s of engineers every year and when I see someone with a CCIE, that’s been through a failed attempt you know… 1 - they have passion for what they do. 2 - They are determined and have good time management 3 - They are committed. 4 - They are usually very good engineers that will moved sideways (cloud and automation very easily) don’t give up, get your head on and back in the game.
Thanks for sharing :)
College Degree = 15 years
CCNP = 10 years
Salary = $200K
To make this kind of cash this is what one interviewer asked me for one company:
Cisco experience
Juniper experience
Palo experience
Fortigate experience
Checkpoint experience
F5 experience
Cloud experience (AWS and/or Azure)
Datacenter experience
Willing and able to rack and stack equipment
Willing to run cable
Mount WiFi
SolarWinds
Documentation skills (i.e. Visio)
24X7 on call support (including weekends)
In office 5 days a week (no remote work)
Train / mentor / manage off shore NOC
Scripting
BGP
OSPF
SDWAN
Everything you said makes sense 100%
Glad to hear that I'm not crazy haha. Thank you for watching :)
CCIE isn't difficult, its just long. If you understand how networking works, IOS itself is tiny and simple. The big mistake people make is thinking that anything less than network expert is appropriate to begin CCIE training. It absolutely, positively, isn't.
I kept a CCIE for about four years before I got tired of flying and testing, and realized that the cold, hard fact is this: CCIE was incredibly lucrative in the 90s. Now, 25 years later, absolutely no one cares outside google and telcos.
Thanks Josh
Thanks chief!
i had obtain my first CCNA at 2002, CCNP at 2006 and CCIE at 2009; first of all, I really interesting in working with network and routing, lots of fun when build something up and learning new topology and solution to solve problem in different way; I believe this is the frist and major criteria when you consider to prepare CCIE lab exam, not job promption, salary raise. in fact, I didn't have salary raise until 3 year later when I moved to another company to take new challenge. my experience I spend a full year to study basic concept require and half year for lab preparation. There are lots of paid lab resource which is helpful to get full understand of the requirement and format of the lab exam. Apart from that, most of my friend failed CCIE lab exam just because he had very strong mind set to against CCIE lab exam requirement. for example, he may say this issue should solves in this method, but actually the exam requirement is to use another set of command to do so, sometimes it looks stuipd but Cisco requirement is just see how well you know these potocol and command.
Thanks for sharing this. Glad to hear from an actual CCIE in here.
Can you help with the resources to use to understand the basics
Do you think a WGU CS Degree is worth it if I have a Math degree?
No, not at all. I typically don't recommend people getting a double BS in the first place unless they really need it for some graduate program. Not to mention the rigor of your math degree far outweighs almost anything else--this should be recognized by good employers. If I were you wand wanted to become a SWE, I would watch these videos then get to work, haha:
Clem, Google in 6 months: th-cam.com/video/3IlaxZf3-s8/w-d-xo.html
Josh, Google Interview Experience: th-cam.com/video/wVOU-oLOGuk/w-d-xo.html
I can understand CCNP, but I would never spend the time and money to get a CCIE. Unless you're going to work at Cisco, it's kind of a waste. There are so many other things you need to know as a network engineer out there in the work force. You should have a good understanding of F5 load balancers, Linux and Windows servers, and what about Juniper? Juniper may not be everywhere like Cisco, but there are plenty of networks with Juniper gear, and if you aren't even a little bit familiar with JunOS, you're not a very well rounded network engineer in my opinion.
A friend of mine recommended me to get the CompTIA A++ and Security ++ certs and I think those two are the most important
I honestly would suggest getting the CCNA, Security+, and AWS Solutions Architect in order to cover all your bases...all 3 of these certs cost around the amount of the A+ but are way more valuable...but if the A+ is on your list to get, then go for it.
@@Geomaverick124 is the a+ valuable at all? It's a part of my degree program
Lol that's hilarious, A+ is expensive. CCNA is seriously so good, it just has a bit of a learning curve
@@mpforeverunlimited if it's a part of your degree program then take the A+...it will only help. I thought you were paying for it out of pocket through self study
@@JoshMadakor I feel the A+ is good to go through the material just not in taking the exam...I remember back in 2005 my degree program had an A+ like program...but I wound up getting a job as a programmer b4 taking the test
cool to know an impression. Been in a school program for networking and have had a broad level of topics to learn from. more or less covered ccna, and dabbled in ccnp, so it's good to know that anything further is not worth the time.
give up or not depends on how much you want it
i attempted 9 x RS, 3 x sec and 4 x dc, coming with 5 attempt as well
For me, it wasn't about the money but more about the satisfaction! I agree it takes a lot of time, and there has to be more than money to justify the time investment. Passed mine 5 years ago and since then I got other CCNPs
So what are the most valuable certs in terms of cost and time investment? I see others saying security+ and CCNA are good value for money
I was literally going to say CCNA and Security+ lmao. Pair those with a cloud cert and you are so good to go (AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals or AWS Cloud Practitioner)
@@JoshMadakor do you recommend getting Network+ before pursuing CCNA?
@@shameermulji depends on what you want to do, if you want to work heavy in networking then CCNA if you want a basic understanding then you will be fine with a Network +
Got my CCIE DC back in 2014. Get a job which supports you in becoming CCIE. I mean not the company paying you training but the actual job on a daily basis. Also, and this is really true, you do it for you becoming a CCIE not for the money.
And you already have a master or two degree and it just sounds like pure punishment studying, penance studying. Cisco CCIEs must be amazing experts.
Haha yeah they are, CCI-E for Expert :P. It's a cool thought, but I'll probably never do it haha
ROI really depends but* the personal value is becoming an expert in networking assuming one is going through the ccie ei track. Some people may say why dont you learn the topics you want to get better at and move on. My response would be its like taking college level courses on coursera and placing that on a resume vs going to complete a degree. Getting the CCIE is the payoff for getting yourself to an expert level. It does have alot of expenses but if your employer funds the training/lab date I don't see a reason not to do it unless if the individual does not want to stay in networking.
I would like the see a change in the industry that focuses more on providing affordable training to build up a knowledgeable and competent work force rather than training people to pass an exam for a three year certification. Most trades have apprenticeship programs and some professions offer mentorships to develop the next generation of workers. I wish the IT industry would take this approach.
I 100% agree, that would be fantastic honestly.
its not about the money. it's about deep knowledge how things work underlay. understand the time and effort it takes to be one. in the market ccie's are looked at like throw anything at them and they would handle it.
I feel you on this and I agree. Being "that guy" is so appealing, but I couldn't make it lol
I got my CCIE about 4 yrs ago right before the pandemic. I know I studied a lot!
There is a reason why the letters of the certification are in upper-case. Subliminal air of importance, and also people get aroused by having capital letters on their CV and after their name on an email signature. Go to university and study something similar and it’s completely the opposite. The course work is no doubt ridiculously difficult for the ccie, but having people to fly to a destination to take the lab, just adds that additional mental pressure, time zone exhaustion from lack of sleep and consequently a higher probability of failure and have to take the exam again. Which benefits absolutely nobody. As stated in this video, the costs outweighs the benefits now. Employers are using multiple vendors of technologies, and to focus solely on one area of study for very little return is just ludicrous
Seems like some CCIE's are harder to study for than others. Course material for the Service Provider track is almost non-existent when compared to something like R&S (now Enterprise). Even the classes/workbooks I have found only cover a portion of the exam syllabus.
I feel you on this. Back when I was looking into it, RS was super, super saturated with material lol..
The ccnp written already counts as the written for the ccie.
Oh wow, can you post a new comment with a link pointing to this for me? I can’t find it :(
@@JoshMadakor CCNP ENCOR exam counts as CCIE Written.
agree.. I used to work at Cisco.. not sure if it is as valuable as 10 years ago, I am letting my CCNP & CCDP expired this month.. AWS certs are more valuable now.. but who knows what's next.. at some point chasing certs are tiring.. :)
The CCIE takes experience for starts. So with my CCNP and my ACEP I've been able to do is do more work that is in line with the CCIE like MPLS, VX lan, bgp, multicast, evpn, qos etc...
Thanks for the insight :)
Goodness! The CCIE makes the cissp look like a cakewalk.
Haha yeah, it’s not even comparable, people always acting like cissp is so good 😂
I am still an active CCIE. 10 years in Feburary 2025, and my renewal is June 2025. I am not even in a network role directly right now, so I do not know whether to go Emeritus or do the CCDE written. I put so much work in to pass the lab, it seems a waste to just Emeritus it...
Since you're a software developer/FT YTuber/Instructor now, have all of your certs expired?
Any desire to get back into IT, networking, or cybersecurity?
Haha, they have all expired except CISSP, which is literally on the cusp of expiration (I'm like 6 months late paying my membership fee, which i don't intend to pay lmao). I don't really intend to go back to a normal job after my current job finishes. Gonna try to just do my own stuff from now on
As a CCIE myself, the certification isnt worth much anymore. The amount of lab dumping has seen an explosion of CCIE's who are embarrassingly bad at basic concepts. It is easy to spot them as another CCIE, but those outside the community get a poor impression of what a real CCIE is. There arent any CCDE dumps at the moment and the CCAR was just ludicrously expensive to achieve.
As a final note, I have seen many multiple certified CCIE's, which I think is bizarre. You simply cannot be a specialist in so many disciplines, maybe you can have a Ent and SP, but to have someone have security, SP, colab etc, is just not viable or true.
Final note, been a 10year CCIE, no where near 180k salary, so there is that as well
I work at a telco and we have 12 CCIE's on staff four of those have multiple CCIE certs and they are absolutely experts. I certainly agree with you on the 180K salary about 160 as good as you're gonna get if you want more than 160 you gotta get into DevOps which is actually the path I'm taking.
I think the point that I want most people to take away is if you go and spend eight years at university you're paying for all that time not to be earning whereas you could go get your CCNP, probably a year after your CCNA, with a little bit of experience be making six figures and you haven't lost that earned opportunity cost then with your CCIE you're gonna be learning as you go on the job.
No matter what, the studying never stops.
I got it a long time ago 2009, my estimate for me back then is about 600-700 hours of study plus lab time. I agree with many other posters unless your being paid to do it its not a great choice, it does not have the value that it had 10 years ago,
Thanks for the input, really glad to hear from CCIE holders in here :)
I'm sorry, bro, but as my name says up there, CCIE isn't hard enough for me, I will try until I die. Living for nothing is like living without purpose, but I don't like it, I want to live like a warrior! 😎
Good luck to you!
Lmao thank you, and thanks for the good comment :)
@@JoshMadakor ❤
i believe for cisco certification , ccna is enough to do the job
I believe this too. CCNA is seriously the most bang for your buck, it's such a great cert
Nah, get at least a CCNP.....like they said, there is no Substitute for Experience....I've met CCNAs in the real world with monster experiences and exposure and it seems like these guys have the gift of networking under their belts...these are a few exceptions
@@JoshMadakor Don't agree. as a double CCNP and ACEP the CCNA is definitely not enough to get the job done. They're not really good at any advanced troubleshooting and most of the time even the base concepts they still don't understand. You would'nt believe how many times I have to explain spanning tree or I'm shocked at the fact that they can't even do IPV 4 subnetting in their head on the fly that should definitely be something that they can do before I consider them ready for the job.
How do you feel about the Cisco 100-490 Routing and switching I know no one talks about it but do you think it’s valuable for networking
I’m unfamiliar with the new exams with looking them up, but I feel the ccna got worse. Since it turned to like, 100% multiple choice now right? :|
Hi Josh. Thank you for your awesome content. I have a question about a career goal in cyber security. In the game elden ring, the community has a label for leveling up stats called soft caps. Soft caps are when you level up a skill and your point allocation output hits its peak. Any point allocations past that point, you will begin to see diminishing returns. At level 50 for example 1 skill point would be worth an increase of 10 units. At level 51 they would only be worth an increase of 6 units. And so on and so forth. Level 50 would be the soft cap. My question is, what is the soft cap in cyber security? At what point in the career, or what job title would pay the most amount of money while also having the best work life balance where it’s not too stressful, but you still feel as if you’re significantly contributing and making really good money. I guess around mid or upper mid careerish. The sweet spot. Sorry for the complicated question. This is a career change for me so I don’t have as much ambition to climb the corporate ladder. Just looking to get to a nice point where I could kick my feet up while collecting a good paycheck if that makes sense.
Once I realized that knowing how to do a job and passing an exam isn't the same thing, I moved on. Thank you Cisco your solid curriculum.
P.S why sell routers when you can just fail candidate.
I laughed out loud at this, lmao. haha
I’ve seen job postings that literally wanted a CCIE over a Phd in CS. Gives you an idea of the difficulty
Great vid, I have my CCNA and currently studying for the NP, however I find myself at times do I really need this exam and is there better ways to progress my career..
So true. I'm planning on getting my CCIE Enterprise within the next 5 years and that's only AFTER I'm making a certain amount of income (current salary is $120k in the southern U.S. for reference, and with other bills and 4 kids, it's still not enough to fund my CCIE studies)
I'm not studying for the CCIE primarily to make money (though I will absolutely try to leverage it). I'm studying primarily because it's a goal to aspire to and a way of forcing myself to improve
Love your comment, best of luck with the studies. I really love starting projects like this, love finishing them even more, lol. Have fun with it!
As ccie myself and having 4 kids I need to tell you need to be prepared financially, also train yourself more time management skills , regardless of what people says about ccie that it’s no longer important as it used to be since there are cloud and virtualisation just remember it’s all based on IP by getting ccie you really prove that you are an IP master , as I always says if it speaks IP it belongs to me.
I had to point to the fact that most of ccie candidates and holders are doing it for themselves not for money alone, it is a sort of achievement that is far similar to have the title of phd and it is a passion not just a job
For sure, and I def agree. Thanks so much for watching and thanks for the nice comment!
You should be a voice actor, you got the voice for it. Probably would've been easier to make 200k+ lmao
Hahaha thanks so much, I really appreciate that.
Hey Josh, unrelated to this video but just wanted to say I landed my first IT job as a Service Desk Engineer thanks to watching your videos (and lots of hard work lol) the one and only interview I had after about 100 applications hired me, and its remote! Took about 3 weeks of applying daily. This company uses Azure so I'll continue watching your videos to move up and into an Azure cloud role next!
That’s so great!!! Thanks so much for sharing and good job putting all that work in :) really excited for you!
@Josh Madakor - Tech, Education, Career Thank you :) I do think it was a little harder for me to get an interview since I don't have a degree (I have A+) and kinda assume I'll basically have to get one if I really want to move up. I'll have a question regarding skipping CompTIA and going straight for Azure certs in about a month or 2.
Hey Josh,
Going for CCNP currently, but plan to shift purely into security in the next year or two (Working as a network/network security engineer currently as I do both core and security).
Do you think CCNP is worth it long term for security and not just network/network security(NGFWs, WAFs)?
It will surely be helpful in my current role, but wondering down the road if it is worth for pentesting.
I saw a guy on linkedin who is a CCIEx3 and is still collecting networking certs like they gotta catch em all. Some people are really about that networking life
Yeah it’s nuts. How many CCIEs does a person need 😵😂
@@JoshMadakor I know someone with 7. 🤫
The big question is? Is it still worth it to pursue CCNA CCNP than CCIE in 2023? Or should one pursue cloud and cybersecurity?
I would recommend CCNA + Enter to Mid level cloud certs. You're gonna be so strong
I passed My CCIE in 2011 on my first attempt and I am still Active CCIE :) , it is damn difficult, u will have to quit your social life, to be honest, I didn't do it for the sake money, its just a craze for me it was addiction , I had to do it , No matter what
Yep, that sounds about right, hahaha. Glad you enjoyed the journey!
I got my first CCNP in 2002 and it was moderately tough then also, but the benefits in my opinion is Cisco makes everything else easy afterwards
People put CCIE on a pedestal. For most it’s a personal goal, that’s it. If you know the right people or work for Cisco you’ll get the exact info/exam prep you need to pass the CCIE. I knew a cisco account manager that had his and he was no amazing networking wiz.
Or he lied about it. A lot of folks pass the written exam and start claiming to be ccie 'written'.
I've seen this when interviewing potential hires.
There is no such thing as ccie written - that is NOT a cert and never has been.
The lab is a MOFO and you are not passing that based on getting 'tips' from coworkers,
People underestimate the expectation outhere from CCIEs, you need to prove what you know outhere and that takes time....the Cert is just to show you understand the technology at a level, but outhere, they pay you for results...
what do you guys suggest? high end cloud certificates or CCIE ?
Cloud Certs astronomically higher Return on Time Invested / ROI, so those :)
So many different certs my head hurts 🤕 just thinking about it. As a new baby to Tech I don't know which certs to get so I can get my foot in the door. Can somebody help?. Which certs as a beginner do I need?
CCNA is a good start because networking is the basics of IT
wait... it costed $15,000 just to get reviewed and then the cert was discontinued???
CCAr yes, haha
How much can I expect to make on my first IT job? Generally speaking of course!
I just got my first job and they offered 21.75 per hour but I negotiated it up to 22.50.
@@codymarshall5015with CCIE? Wtf?
@@love-success no comptia A+
Is Network+ a good certificate to have for Cybersecurity ?
Better than none, but Security+ / CCNA is a better combo :>
The CCIE is a BSc in CS MAsters program at Dalhousie University. It's a tough go. I know many CCIE and they are all super smart folks and most are Chinese nationals.
Lmao, that’s so good
I love to hear when people give up! Is less one to compete in the market.
If you didn’t pass is because you are not prepared enough. Persistence is everything.
lmao, I'm glad I could help you out
I believe a certain aptitude is required to obtain these qualifications. It's more than just study and hard work.
Yeah, that aptitude is having interest in it and a desire to complete it. From a physiological standpoint, if someone can learn English and articulate sentences, more than likely they are able to obtain CCIE with enough effort. That’s how I think anyways
My CCNA helped me secure a Security role, turns out my boss is a CCIE Lifetimer as well as writing some books for Cisco Press, so no wonder for a security company he likes people who apply with CCNA. He was telling me about how they had to do it the first time around and man, I am so happy I am not pursuing networking much further than I need to because that shit sounded way too tough for my small brain.
Want about GIAC GSE, does it worth to attempt?
Yeah, if your employer pays 😂😂😂
The Cisco exam fees are ridiculous, especially for people from some parts of the world. It's prohibitive.
Like too pricy?
Yes, some of us dont get paid in US dollars, so when you convert the currency its unaffordable.
Juniper has a program where if you complete their free training courses, you can get discount vouchers to write their cert exams at $50 a pop. I've already written one, and plan to write three more. I also still plan to get a CCNP and CCIE, more to prove to myself that I can.
u either lover this stuff and have a passion for it or you dont.
Big true
I have a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Security... These
Certs just tell an employer that he/she has been doing this type of work for a very long time
I didn’t think there was a written exam on ccie anymore
Can you make a video about work ethic or can you comment how you manage your time and how you motivate yourself to do the work you do?
Hey Aaron, sure I'll add this to the list. Real quick though, I will say here, you should pretty much ignore the existence of motivation and focus on discipline. Discipline ain't free (it costs stress and energy), but you can reply on it (it's consistent) and you should always strive to build your discipline muscles :)
@@JoshMadakor thank you
Doing the ccnp encore at the minute and if I pass i won't be recertifying again it not relevant and more difficult than the previous
That dead pixel near your left eye had me thinking my monitor had a dead pixel lol.
new place?
Sort of haha, Airbnb in Osaka, JP. I got a diff one now though
Don't spend money for network techs area anymore. It's waste of time and money. Go ahead the cloud techs area, cyber security, software developer or devops engineering area. I am saying this as a CCIE.
One thing I've run into is that some people have gotten into the mindset that Cisco lowered the difficulty of obtaining a CCIE because the same exam now serves as the prerequisite for both the CCIE and CCNP tracks. Nothing could be further from the truth and if someone wants to burn through a couple of grand without anything to show for it then they'll sit for the practical right after passing the ENCORE exam.
Haha, they are tripping I guess.
The trouble with CCIE is that it doesn’t give you real world experience or wisdom. It’s a qualification aimed at accrediting you with them but there’s no good way to do that in the real world. That’s why it doesn’t give you a super high paying job guarantee, it’s real value comes with proven experience, and even then it’s no guarantee to employers that you can make the mental connections to fix broken networks and heterogeneous systems quickly or design something cost effective and scalable.
Thanks for the input! I've heard this sentiment quite a bit before on forums :P
The best engineers fail the CCIE lab multiple times. There is definitely a diminishing return of effort put in to get a certification that will expire in three years.
Haha right? I thought it expired a little too soon. Expires in the same amount of time it takes to get it lol
Man the road is soooo long. CCNA seems easy to accoplish now tho.
Lol I know exactly what you mean.
**Studying for CCNA** _Man this is hard!_ 😂
@@JoshMadakor any tips&tricks 😂
Yea these types of certs will take up all your time. I'm studying for CISSP now and I'm not even eligible for another year and change lol.
Is the a ETH address hat?
Haha nah, it just says "based" in hexadecimal :). I had it custom made at Lids