Mason Reimert, a CCIE expert, shares his journey in preparing for the Cisco CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure lab exam. He offers practical strategies for hands-on lab work with emerging technologies like SD-WAN. Mason dives into the importance of API understanding, resource management, and virtualization tools. He emphasizes the transition from traditional CCIE to the Enterprise track, all while highlighting best practices for setting up a robust lab environment. Engaging with the CCIE community is also discussed as a valuable resource for aspiring candidates.
The CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure exam now includes both traditional routing topics and emerging technologies like SD-WAN and SD-Access.
Mason emphasizes the need for comprehensive hands-on practice, progressing from individual topics to understanding technology interoperability for real-world applications.
Familiarity with automation, APIs, and programming languages like Python is essential for optimizing network management and enhancing exam preparation.
Deep dives
Data Security and Extended Access Management
Maintaining data security is crucial, especially when end users work on unmanaged devices and applications. OnePassword's Extended Access Management offers a solution to secure every sign-in across various apps and devices, addressing limitations that traditional Identity Access Management (IAM) and Mobile Device Management (MDM) cannot handle. This system enhances visibility and control over user credentials, ensuring that data remains secure regardless of device or application ownership. It provides organizations with the capabilities needed to safeguard sensitive information in today's diverse working environments.
Understanding the CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Exam
The CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure exam has evolved, with the traditional routing and switching topics forming about 70% of the new exam, while the remaining 30% focuses on advancements like Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) and software-defined access. This track emphasizes the integration of legacy and modern technologies, reflecting a shift towards more streamlined network management practices. Candidates must be well-versed in both foundational concepts and emerging technologies to successfully navigate the exam. Preparation requires familiarity with diverse networking environments that feature traditional and contemporary components.
Lab Preparation Strategies for Certification
An effective lab preparation strategy for the CCIE exam involves a layered learning approach, where candidates initially focus on individual blueprint topics before progressing to interoperability among those technologies. The traditional topics can often be practiced using emulators like GNS3, but increasingly complex scenarios require a greater scale of resources, such as multiple routers functioning together. As knowledge deepens, emphasis should shift towards understanding how different technologies interact in a cohesive manner, which is critical for both the exam and real-world applications. Comprehensive hands-on practice is essential for mastering the integration of diverse networking technologies.
Challenges with Software Defined Networking (SDN)
Implementing and practicing Software Defined Access (SDA) and SD-WAN can be resource-intensive and complex, requiring robust hardware specifications to effectively configure and manage these technologies. The Cisco DNA Center, central to SDA, demands significant resources such as 40 CPU cores and up to 150-190 GB of RAM due to the microservices architecture it employs. Students must also be able to simulate client interactions, such as using Linux-based EAP clients for .1x authentication, to engage with the SDN effectively. Familiarization with these resource requirements and practical scenarios is essential for competency in SDN technologies.
Automation and Scripting in Network Management
Understanding automation within networking is pivotal for success in the CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure exam, particularly through the use of APIs and automation tools like Postman. Candidates should not only know basic API interactions but must also be familiar with data formats like JSON and YAML, which facilitate effective communication with network devices. Basic programming skills in Python can vastly improve a candidate's efficiency when configuring and managing network resources, especially in environments that leverage Cisco's Guest Shell for automation tasks. Comprehensive familiarity with these tools enables network professionals to optimize operational processes through automation, ultimately enhancing their skill set for the exam and practical application.
The Packet Pushers and guest Mason Reimert discuss strategies he’s using to prepare for the Cisco CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure lab exam. Mason shares practical tips for hands-on labbing for both established and emerging technologies like SD-WAN and SD-Access, resource management, virtualization tools, and automation. He also highlights the importance of understanding APIs, data formats, and... Read more »
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