Articles

Sponsor links

Cisco Certifications - CCIE Voice Certifications

Cisco CCIE Voice Certification

(Please note that this is an Expert Level certification as per the levels defined by Cisco for its certifications. It is the next level after the Professional Level of Certifications and the last level before the highest level which is the Cisco Certified Architect These are Entry, Associate, Professional, Expert, Specialist and Architect.)

What is this Cisco CCIE Voice Certification all about?

Cisco Certifications are divided into several levels. From the Associate Level to Professional Level to Expert Level and finally the Architect Level. Thus, the Expert Level Certifications are a further advancement over the Professional Level Certifications.
Cisco CCIE stands for “Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert”. Apart from the Cisco Certified Architect Certification, this certification is the highest level in terms of technical networking knowledge. Cisco CCIE Certifications are tested in a different manner than other Cisco Certifications and include practical labs as part of the certification.

The Cisco CCIE Voice Certification can be thought of as the advanced level of the Cisco CCVP Certification (a Professional Level Certification covering Advanced Skills with regards to Voice Networks) which was in itself a buildup of the Cisco CCNA Voice Certification (an Associate Level Certification covering Basic Voice Networks and VoIP Concepts). It is basically for Expert Level Network Engineers with a focus on VoIP Solutions at a very advanced level – the expert level.

The following skills are covered by the Cisco CCIE Voice Certification:

Building and Configuring complex end-to-end telephony networks
Troubleshooting and Resolving VoIP-related problems
Ensuring quality of service (QoS) using in-depth understanding of Layer 2 and 3 network infrastructure

What are the Pre-requisites of Cisco CCIE Voice Certification?

According to Cisco, “No formal pre-requisites are required for the Cisco CCIE Certifications”.

However, we do also recommend that any person who sits for the exam in this certification come fully prepared for the exam. Allot yourself at the very least a few months to prepare for the exam. Additionally, we would recommend any individual who would like to get certified with this Certification to possess the Cisco CCVP Certification (a Professional Level Certification that covers Advanced Voice Network Skills) and the Cisco CCNA Voice Certification (an Associate Level Certification covering Basic Voice/VoIP Concepts).

Who is the Cisco CCIE Voice Certification for?

The Cisco CCIE Voice Certification is for those Networking Professionals who would like to be ‘experts’ in Voice Networking and VoIP Solutions at an Advanced Level and carry out tasks as mentioned in the skills section in the first paragraph.

This is particularly for all Networking Professionals with a career orientation towards VoIP Solutions based on Cisco’s technologies and frameworks.

Why should I get certified? What benefits are there?

In case you are a Networking Professional who has the Cisco CCVP Certification (a Professional Level Certification dealing with Advanced Voice Network Skills) is essential for you to further your career. Networking Professionals require further specialization and advancement of their skills. This Certification will allow you to show that you are amongst the best that there is in your particular field. You will in essence be a ‘Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert’.

All in all, this certification is important for all the Networking Professionals who would like to be experts in Network Security and have a career orientation in that direction.

The benefits will be that you will now have a broader selection of career paths that will be higher paying than your existing job. Additionally, you will have that edge that is required during job selections – since employers look for what makes you as a networking professional unique.

Cisco Certification Exams in General

What Are the Exams Like?

The duration of most theoretical exams is one to two hours. Lab (practical) exams typically last eight hours.
Questions include multiple-choice single answer, multiple-choice multiple answer questions, drag and drop, fill in the blank and simulations.
Exams other than CCIE lab exams are delivered online

What Do They Cost?

Computer-based certification exam prices range from $80 to $325 US dollars or equivalent worldwide. The ICND1 and ICND2 exams are $125 USD, the CCNA exam is $250 USD and the professional level CCNP and CCDP Composite exam is $300 USD, and CCIE written exams are $350 USD. Payment is made directly to the authorized test delivery partner Pearson Vue.
CCIE lab exams are $1,400 USD. Payment is made online via credit card or wire transfer

How do I take the exams?

Exams are regularly administered worldwide by Pearson VUE http://www.vue.com/cisco which is Cisco’s examination delivery partner (just as Prometric is Microsoft’s partner). Pearson VUE routinely organizes exams on various dates

How do I prepare for the exams?

Training through Institutions – The authorized source for Cisco IT training delivered exclusively by Certified Cisco Instructors. For a list of Cisco Learning Partners, use the Learning Partner Locator.

Training through Books – A variety of Cisco Press titles may be available for this exam. These titles can be purchased through the Cisco Marketplace Bookstore, or directly from Cisco Press.

Resources, Assistance and guidance through the online Cisco Learning Network

Exam Cram Books - Exam Cram has a wide array of preparation tools for the popular CCNA, CCNP, and CCSP certifications, including simulation-based practice questions along with other late-stage study vehicles to get you ready for test time.

Safari Bookshelf - The premier electronic reference library for programming and IT professionals with more than 1,200 titles.

Cisco Networking Academy - http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/netacad/index.html

Cisco Certification Study Groups – https://cisco.hosted.jivesoftware.com/groups

What certifications and exams come under Cisco CCIE Voice Certification?

The Cisco CCIE Certification is different from other certification in that it is carried out in a different manner than most Cisco Certifications. It has a theoretical component and a practical component. It involves the following two steps:

Step One: CCIE Voice Written Exam

A two-hour, written qualification exam covering those technologies and applications that comprise a Cisco Enterprise VoIP solution.

Step Two: CCIE Voice Lab Exam

An eight-hour lab exam tests your ability to get the VoIP solution operating in a timed test situation.

Lab Exam Overview

LAB EXAM REFRESH: Effective July 16th, 2009, important content changes were implemented in the CCIE Voice Lab Exam. Candidates for lab exams scheduled July 16th, 2009 or later should prepare using the v3.0 Lab Equipment and Software Versions.

CCIE Voice Lab Exam Adding Short Answer Questions:
Also effective July 16, 2009, the Cisco CCIE Voice Lab Exam will feature a new type of question format in a section called Core Knowledge. In this new section, candidates will be asked a series of four open-ended questions that require a short, typewritten response (typically several words). The questions will be randomly drawn from a pool of questions on topics currently eligible for testing on the CCIE Voice Lab Exam. No new topics are being added. Candidates will have up to 30 minutes to complete the Core Knowledge section of the exam, and may not return to the questions later. First introduced to the CCIE Routing and Switching lab exam in February 2009, Core Knowledge questions will eventually be added to all CCIE tracks. The changes allow Cisco to maintain strong exam security, and they help ensure that only qualified candidates are awarded CCIE certification.

Configuring a network to given specifications

The CCIE lab exam is an eight-hour, hands-on exam which requires you to configure a Cisco enterprise voice solution over an IP network. Although basic network connectivity is provided, you will be responsible for configuring the pre-installed applications to satisfy the requirements of the lab, and to troubleshoot important parameters of a voice network, such as quality of service, VLANs, gateways and gatekeepers.