CCIE Collaboration Lab Overview and iPexpert’s Strategy

Greetings iPexpert Community!

My name is Andy Vassar and I am the newest addition to the team here at iPexpert. I am going to be focusing on the development and delivery of all the CCIE Collaboration content including the CCIE written bootcamp (and VOD), iPexpert’s CCIE Collaboration workbooks, and of course their CCIE Collaboration lab bootcamps – both the Online-HD-ILT version and the live classes in Chicago. Lastly, I’m currently overseeing the roll out of our new Collaboration racks, and putting together a vLectures schedule – which I’ll be posting within the next week or two. I’m excited to get rolling here, and I look forward to helping you achieve your CCIE Collaboration “digits”!

A little bit about myself to kick things off…I have spent about 10 years in the IT industry working with various different pieces of technology, from web development and database design to UC design, implementation, optimization, and everything in between. I just recently was employed at Cisco as an NCE for the last 6 years, where I was able to achieve both my CCIE in Routing & Switching in 2008 and Voice in 2010, which has since been updated to the CCIE Collaboration certification. I have a passion for all things technology and enjoy learning new things as often as I can. I also enjoy teaching others and explaining complex topics—especially when it comes to the CCIE!

So now that you know a little about me, let’s get down to business. The reason why you clicked on this page in the first place was to get some great information about the new CCIE Collaboration exam—and I intend to provide it.

As everyone is well aware, Cisco decided to retire the CCIE Voice (as of February 14, 2014) instead of continuing to update the exam, which has made way for the next generation CCIE exam called the CCIE Collaboration. This now includes “cutting edge” widely deployed technologies such as video, presence, IM, and of course, voice. So what’s the main point here? We’re not just talking about voice anymore. I believe that is why the exam was updated in the first place; to reflect the fundamental shift in technology being used in the industry today, which is why I’m a great fit to assist you in your lab preparation – I’ve been designing, installing, and teaching these latest “Collaboration technologies” for the past 5 years.

For those of you that have been preparing for the CCIE Voice exam, but were not able to get certified before the deadline, don’t panic. Nearly all of your hard work and studying can still be salvaged. Although many of these “newer” technologies are going to be tested heavily during the exam, at this point, a large portion of the CCIE Collaboration certification still focuses on the concepts introduced within the CCIE Voice blueprint. With that said, let’s have a look at the topic turnover as described by Cisco’s website.

As you can see from the above table, some of the “unnecessary” topics were removed, while a plethora of new material was added to the written test. It doesn’t really look like that long of a list, but when you start diving into each topic, you soon realize that each contains several layers of information that can take a while to explore.

As for the lab exam topics, it’s hard to believe, but Cisco has finally waved goodbye to the Gatekeeper. I remember a time during my initial CCIE Voice prep, when that device was the bane of my existence! Don’t forget everything yet, though! It is still “testable” on the written exam. The added topics, once again, pack a lot of punch. ILS/URI, SAF/CCD, and Cisco Jabber are all unfamiliar technologies for many.

If you’ll look carefully on the above table, you’ll begin to notice that not really that much has changed here. Sure, we’re losing and adding quite a bit of equipment, but nothing new when it comes to type. We are replacing like for like (albeit updated) in every category. The 9971 and the Jabber client are the only blatant additions. However, there are some specific changes with the PVDM3s especially that will be addressed within iPexpert’s suite of products.

Now that we’ve explored what has changed, let’s have a look at the weight that will be given to each section in the written and lab exams.

As you can see, not much is different between the written and lab exams. The only thing that is really missing from the lab portion is the “Telephony Standards and Protocols” section, which is inherently included in the exam anyway, by virtue of the technology that is being tested in the first place. Digging into the numbers a bit, you’ll find that CUCM and Cisco IOS make up a large chunk (45% of the written exam and 65% of the lab exam). So logically speaking, if you know those two topics, you are in pretty decent shape on each exam. However, you still need a score of 80 on the lab to pass and you can’t get that while knowing only two areas. The key point that I’m making here is that it is incredibly important to have core knowledge, but equally important to be able to implement and troubleshoot auxiliary components like UCCX. You never know when you’re lack of knowledge in one area can unintentionally affect another area of the exam!

Now that you have the updated blueprint fresh in your mind, you’re probably wondering how iPexpert help you conquer this beast that is the CCIE Collaboration certification. I’m glad that you asked, because that’s why we’re here!

Our first product that will give you all the foundational knowledge necessary for the CCIE Collaboration is our Volume 1 Technology Focused Workbook. Going through this workbook and really cutting your teeth on the technology is what will help you lay the proper groundwork for your studies. We’ll dig deep into the technology to expose and eradicate any weaknesses. Since this is a new exam, the content for this workbook is currently under development. It’s a complete rewrite, and not just a partial update. I expect to release some updates over the next several weeks, and will continue to release additional chapters are they’re finished. If you’re a Voice customer, you’ll be getting updates free of charge. If you haven’t purchased yet – you may want to consider doing so quickly. Once the material starts to roll out, these incredible discounts being offered won’t be around, so if you’re looking to save some dollars – get in now.

The Volume 2 Mock Lab Workbook will put those newly acquired skills to the test by presenting you with several mock-lab scenarios that will test both your endurance and technological acumen. This is a great way to practice your overall lab strategy in addition to the configuration-based challenges. As with Volume 1, this content is currently under development and will be available in the June time frame.

Of course, in order to actually work through both of the workbooks, you will need a state-of-the-art CCIE Collaboration rack on which to practice. We offer exactly that—brand new equipment and software as well as an intuitive control interface that will allow you to load new mock labs and technology-based labs with ease. The focus here is on you the student, and helping you to get down to business without worrying about the painful set up process. The racks are now in the process of being beta tested along with the control interface. The first of the racks should be available in a few weeks. You’re going to love some of the things we’re doing with our rack rental interface! ;-)

The 5-Day CCIE Collaboration lab bootcamp as well as the One Week Lab Experience will serve to further cement your knowledge in these technologies. As your instructor, I will lead you through the most complex and challenging parts of the blueprint to help you make sense of everything. This is the perfect time to bring those burning questions about the exam with you so everyone as a group can benefit from the discussion. These bootcamps are very fast-paced, learning intensive programs designed specifically to take you to the next level in your CCIE preparation. My teaching style is to really get into the guts of the technology, and perform a lot of hands-on examples and demonstrations. We’ll configure, break and then reconfigure almost everything that’s listed on the blueprint – and make sure you leave with an incredible level of understanding. I will be leading all of iPexpert’s Collaboration bootcamps at our brand new facility at the Purdue Technology Center just outside of Chicago.

I’ll also be conducting free vLectures, using our amazing Online-HD-ILT training solution, on various topics within the CCIE Collaboration blueprint. These will be short sessions focused on a specific area and will be designed to teach complex topics in a short amount of time. Topic requests are always welcomed! Wayne has asked me to put together a list of the first 6 to 8 vLectures, so I expect him to be posting an updated vLecture list within the next few days.

Within the next 2 to 4 weeks, we will be making several major announcements here at iPexpert. We’ll be announcing our new R&S and Data Center instructors, as well as a new product suite and additional services. We’re excited about the change in direction here, and we’re very confident you will be too!

So, in closing, I want you to all know that I’m dedicated to helping you achieve this certification any way I can. I remember what it was like to go through the intense preparation; long days, long nights, no sleep, extreme focus, etc. If you don’t have the proper support during those times, the frustration can become unbearable. However, with the quality resources offered by iPexpert and the dedicated support that you will receive, I believe that those frustrations will be largely minimized throughout the course of your studies. Good luck in your preparation and thanks for reading and for watching!