It began on the Cisco TAC
Again when the CCIE lab was a two-day affair, and ISP Dial was nonetheless a observe, I used to be a younger engineer on the Cisco Technical Help Middle. My title mentioned Help Engineer, Voice and Entry Workforce, however the actuality was extra like a firefighter. Each shift introduced Severity 1 tickets from clients whose voice networks had been down, and so they wanted solutions quick. There was no room for guessing. You both knew the know-how inside out, otherwise you had been the particular person on the opposite finish of the decision who couldn’t assist.
That urgency pushed me towards the CCIE. Not for the resume line or the wage bump—although these got here later—however as a result of I genuinely wanted to be sharper. The TAC didn’t wait so that you can end a chapter earlier than throwing you a real-world state of affairs. I needed to sustain.
I constructed my very own lab rack from scratch. Sourced routers, gateways, and PBX tools. Spent nights cabling issues collectively, breaking configurations on objective, and fixing them till the troubleshooting turned second nature. After I lastly sat for the CCIE ISP Dial lab in February 2001—unfold over two grueling days—I walked in understanding I’d completed the work. And I handed.
I can’t inform that story with out mentioning Kathe Saccenti, the proctor who greeted me at that lab. When you’ve been wherever close to the CCIE program, you’ve heard her identify. Individuals known as her the CCIE Queen, and the title match completely. Kathe wasn’t simply dealing with lab logistics—she had this exceptional potential to place nervous candidates comfortable, making you are feeling like she genuinely rooted for you. She was a legend within the CCIE neighborhood, and everybody who crossed her path remembers the heat she introduced to what’s in any other case probably the most annoying day of your skilled life.
We misplaced Kathe on February 17, 2026, and the CCIE world misplaced one among its most beloved figures. This weblog is, partly, a tribute to her and the numerous candidates she supported over time.
That CCIE ISP Dial quantity modified my trajectory, however I wasn’t completed. Because the collaboration world advanced, I set my sights on the CCIE Collaboration certification. And let me be clear right here—I didn’t go it on my first try. I failed it twice earlier than lastly passing in Might 2005. These two failures stung, however they taught me extra concerning the know-how than any research information ever may. Every time I walked out of that lab understanding precisely the place my gaps had been, I went again and stuffed them. When you’re studying this and also you’ve failed an try, know that you simply’re in good firm. What issues is that you simply get again up and check out once more.
Now, because the CCIE Collaboration Examination Product Supervisor at Study with Cisco, I get to form the very certification that formed my profession. And I can inform you from lived expertise: the CCIE remains to be the one most impactful credential you’ll be able to earn on this business.
Why CCIE Collaboration issues greater than ever
The collaboration panorama has modified dramatically since my ISP Dial days. Organizations are operating hybrid environments—on-premises CUCM clusters sitting alongside Webex Calling within the cloud, with Expressway dealing with edge providers and CUBE bridging the PSTN. Add AI-powered options by means of the Webex platform, and also you’ve obtained an ecosystem that calls for deep, full-stack experience.
The CCIE Collaboration certification validates precisely that. It proves you’ll be able to design, deploy, function, and optimize these complicated environments—not in concept, however hands-on, beneath strain, in opposition to the clock.
Firms are determined for professionals who perceive the total image. Not simply somebody who can configure a CUCM cluster, and never simply somebody who can handle Webex Management Hub—however somebody who can architect hybrid calling options, combine AI-driven contact facilities, and handle the transition from legacy infrastructure to cloud-native platforms. The roles opening up replicate this shift: Cloud Collaboration Architect, Principal UC Engineer, Multi-Platform Specialist, Digital Office Strategist. These didn’t exist ten years in the past. Now they’re among the most sought-after positions in enterprise IT, and the CCIE is the credential that will get you there.
What’s modified within the CCIE Collaboration Lab
We’ve made vital updates to the lab surroundings to maintain it aligned with the place the business is heading. I walked by means of all of those modifications intimately throughout a current webinar—you’ll be able to watch the total recording on YouTube right here: CCIE Collaboration Updates & Follow Lab Launch.
However right here’s the abstract of what it’s essential know:
Platform upgrades: CUCM and SME are actually on model 15.0.1, Unity Connection on 15.0.1, Expressway C and E on 15.2.1, and the Catalyst 8000V (your CUBE) is operating IOS-XE 17.12.4.
IM & Presence is gone. On the spot messaging providers are actually delivered by means of the Webex cloud platform. This mirrors what’s occurring in the true world—organizations are shifting their collaboration providers to the cloud.
Jabber is out, Webex App is in. The Webex App shopper has changed Jabber, connecting on to the Webex cloud. Once more, this displays the business shift that’s already properly underway.
Webex Calling integration. The brand new DOO 3.2 kind consists of Webex Calling situations, and we’ve launched new Design kinds to match. When you haven’t labored with Webex Calling trunks, Native Gateway registration, or Management Hub administration, now could be the time to begin.
The thread connecting all these modifications is obvious: Cisco’s collaboration portfolio is shifting towards cloud-native, AI-enhanced platforms. The Webex suite now consists of AI-powered assembly summaries, clever noise elimination, real-time translation, and good contact middle options that merely didn’t exist a couple of years in the past. The examination displays this actuality. When you’re nonetheless considering of CCIE Collaboration as purely an on-prem voice certification, it’s time to replace that psychological mannequin. At this time’s CCIE Collaboration skilled must be fluent throughout the whole stack—from conventional CUCM infrastructure to Webex cloud providers and the AI capabilities constructed into them.
Breaking down the Lab: Design and DOO
The lab examination has two distinct modules that require completely different preparation methods.
The Design (DES) module
Consider this module as a design engineer within the PPDIO lifecycle. You’re introduced with a buyer state of affairs—full with emails, necessities paperwork, and background info—and it’s essential make architectural selections.
Just a few issues that journey folks up: you can not return to earlier questions. When you reply and transfer ahead, that’s it. So learn every part rigorously. Each design merchandise carries its reply with it—your job is to seek out it within the context offered.
Methods to put together for Design:
That is the place documentation turns into your greatest buddy. The sources that will provide you with the strongest basis are the Cisco Collaboration Most popular Structure (PA) guides, Answer Reference Community Design (SRND) documentation, and Cisco Validated Designs (CVDs). These aren’t simply research materials—they’re the precise engineering references that Cisco makes use of for actual deployments.
The design matters it is best to concentrate on embrace:
- Redundancy throughout CUCM, SME, CUC, Expressway clustering, and CUBE
- Resiliency methods, together with SRST, Media Path Optimization, and Webex SGW
- Scalability selections: centralized vs. distributed, Native Gateway choices
- SSO, listing integration, and consumer provisioning throughout cloud and on-prem
- Bandwidth administration: QoS, CAC, community sizing
- Safety: end-to-end encryption, toll fraud prevention, gadget hardening
- Migration methods between UCM, Webex Calling DI, and multi-tenant
- Webex Contact Middle: name queuing, supervisor features, licensing
- Video conferencing: Edge Video Mesh, CMS capabilities
- Automation: API, SOAP, AXL for bulk operations
I additionally strongly advocate watching Cisco Reside classes that go deep into design patterns and real-world architectures that immediately map to what you’ll see within the examination.
The DOO (Deploy, Function, Optimize) module
That is the hands-on portion—4 hours of configuring, troubleshooting, and optimizing a reside collaboration surroundings. That is the place your lab time pays off.
The DOO module now consists of Webex Calling integration duties. Which means you’ll be working with Webex Management Hub administration, Native Gateway (CUBE) registration to the Webex cloud, trunk configuration, and hybrid name routing. When you’re used to pure on-prem CUCM work, this can be a vital shift, and also you want hands-on time with these applied sciences.
Cracking DOO: Follow labs and AI as your research associate
CCIE Collaboration Follow Labs
Right here’s one thing I want existed once I was getting ready for my CCIE: official observe labs that mirror the precise examination surroundings. We’ve constructed precisely that.
The CCIE Collaboration Follow Labs supply a 4-hour session on a topology that replicates the DOO module setup. You get full administrative entry to all unified communications gadgets built-in with the Webex Cloud—CUCM, SME, Unity Connection, Expressway, CUBE, and Webex Management Hub. Fundamental community connectivity is pre-configured between endpoints, so you’ll be able to bounce straight into constructing and testing configurations.
This can be a Carry Your Personal Lab (BYOL) surroundings. There are not any inflexible, step-by-step directions telling you what to configure. As a substitute, you get the infrastructure, the documentation, and the liberty to design your individual name flows, take a look at integration situations, and break issues on objective. Non-compulsory observe duties can be found if you would like structured workouts, however the true worth is within the open-ended exploration.
Sensible recommendation:
- Guide not less than 3–5 observe lab classes earlier than scheduling your lab examination.
- Every session is 4 hours and prices $50—a small funding in comparison with what’s at stake.
- Work on getting your process completion time down to fifteen–20 minutes per commonplace configuration. Velocity issues in a timed examination.
- Follow the total stack: CUCM to Unity, CUCM to Expressway, on-prem to Webex cloud. The examination checks multi-system integration.
- Use the classes to construct your troubleshooting instincts. When one thing breaks, resist the urge to wipe the config and begin over. Diagnose it the way in which you’d need to within the examination.
Utilizing AI as a research companion
This wasn’t accessible even a few years in the past, and it’s a game-changer for CCIE preparation.
AI assistants can assist you research smarter. Use them to interrupt down complicated matters, quiz your self on configuration syntax, or stroll by means of troubleshooting situations. Caught on how CUBE trunk registration works with Webex Calling? Ask your AI assistant to elucidate the TLS handshake, the SIP REGISTER circulation, or the position of the Cisco Trusted Root Bundle. Then go validate what you discovered in your observe lab.
I’ve seen candidates use AI to generate observe situations, create flashcards for command syntax, and even simulate design discussions the place the AI performs the position of a buyer with particular necessities. It’s not a alternative for hands-on observe, but it surely’s an extremely efficient complement—particularly for reinforcing ideas between lab classes.
The mixture of AI-assisted research for deep understanding plus observe labs for hands-on execution is, in my expertise, probably the most environment friendly preparation technique accessible immediately for the DOO module.
Examination-day methods that really work
I’ve watched tons of of candidates undergo this course of, and those who go constantly share a couple of habits.
For the DOO module:
- Learn the whole module earlier than you contact a keyboard. Perceive each process, then prioritize by level worth and issue.
- Don’t get caught. Give your self a 10-minute rule—in the event you’re not making progress on a process after 10 minutes, transfer on and are available again later. Construct your confidence with wins early.
- Save configurations continually. You obtain credit score just for working options. A final-minute change that breaks one thing can value you factors you’d already earned.
- Plan for regression testing. Depart time on the finish to confirm that every part nonetheless works end-to-end.
- Use the scratch paper. Observe which duties you’ve accomplished, which you’ve skipped, and what number of factors are on the desk.
- You don’t want 100%. Goal 80–90% and allocate your time accordingly.
For the Design module:
- Learn each useful resource rigorously earlier than answering. The context is every part.
- Keep in mind, you’ll be able to’t return. Triple-read every query earlier than committing.
- Suppose like a design engineer within the PPDIO lifecycle, not like somebody taking a multiple-choice take a look at.
- Partial scoring exists on the merchandise degree, so even in the event you’re not 100% assured, make your greatest choice.
And don’t underestimate the bodily facet. The lab is a marathon. Construct your stamina with progressively longer observe classes. Get correct sleep on the three nights earlier than. Carry water and accredited snacks. Eat an actual lunch through the break. These items sound trivial till you’re 5 hours in and your mind begins to fog.
Your useful resource guidelines
I’ve put collectively the sources that will provide you with the strongest preparation. Don’t attempt to eat every part—be strategic about the place you spend your time.
Begin right here:
- CCIE Collaboration v3.1 Sensible Examination Launch Notes – perceive what’s modified
- CCIE Collaboration v3.1 Sensible Examination Subjects (Blueprint) – your research roadmap
- CCIE Collaboration v3.1 Sensible Examination Studying Matrix – maps matters to sources
For Design preparation:
For DOO preparation:
Keep related:
Be a part of the CCIE Collaboration Group—don’t research alone
One factor I’ve discovered over 25 years on this business: the individuals who succeed don’t do it in isolation. The CCIE journey is tough sufficient with out making an attempt to determine every part out by yourself.
I need to personally encourage you to affix the Cisco CCIE Collaboration Community on the Cisco Studying Community. This isn’t simply one other discussion board to lurk in—it’s a spot the place candidates from around the globe share what’s working for them, ask questions on difficult matters, and help one another by means of the preparation course of. I’m energetic there myself, and so are many different licensed engineers and examination stakeholders.
However right here’s my ask: don’t simply eat—contribute. Submit about your preparation expertise. Share what sources helped you. Ask the questions you suppose are too primary—likelihood is, fifty different folks have the identical query and haven’t requested but. If you get caught on a configuration or a design idea, put it on the market. And if you’ve figured one thing out, pay it ahead by serving to another person.
The worldwide CCIE Collaboration neighborhood will get stronger each time somebody shares their data. Whether or not you’re simply beginning your preparation otherwise you’re every week away out of your lab date, your perspective has worth. Be a part of the research group, take part within the discussions, and let’s construct this neighborhood collectively.
The CCIE modified my life. It could actually change yours.
The examination is completely different immediately than it was in my ISP Dial days. It’s advanced with the know-how—cloud-native architectures, AI-powered Webex platforms, hybrid calling environments, and clever contact facilities. However the core of what makes the CCIE useful hasn’t modified: it proves you are able to do the work, not simply speak about it. And as Cisco continues to push into AI-driven collaboration—suppose real-time assembly intelligence, automated workflows, predictive analytics for community high quality—the professionals who maintain this certification would be the ones main these implementations. This isn’t only a credential for immediately; it’s a strategic funding in the place this business is heading.
You’ve sources accessible to you that I may solely dream of once I was getting ready. Follow labs that replicate the examination surroundings. AI instruments that may speed up your studying. A neighborhood of candidates and authorized engineers who share data freely. The trail has by no means been clearer.
So guide that first observe lab session. Pull up the examination blueprint. Begin placing within the hours. The CCIE Collaboration certification is ready for you—and belief me, what’s on the opposite facet is value each late night time and each irritating lab session.
See you within the CCIE Group.
