CCIE R & S Lab Exam v4.0

The eight-hour lab exam tests your ability to configure actual equipment and troubleshoot the network in a timed test situation. You must pass the lab ‘within three years’ of passing the written to achieve certification. Your first lab attempt must be made ‘within 18 months’.

Configuring a network to given specifications

The CCIE lab exam is an eight-hour, hands-on exam which requires you to configure a series of complex networks to given specifications. Knowledge of troubleshooting is an important skill and candidates are expected to diagnose and solve issues as part of the CCIE lab exam. You will not configure end-user systems, but are responsible for all devices residing in the network (hubs, etc.). Point values and testing criteria are provided.

Update to the CCIE Lab Question Format and Scoring

Core Knowledge Questions Removed for CCIE R&S and Voice Lab Exams
Cisco has decided to eliminate the Core Knowledge questions from the current CCIE R&S v4.0 and CCIE Voice v3.0 Lab Exams. Beginning on May 10, 2010, CCIE R&S and CCIE Voice Lab Exams, in all global locations, will no longer include the four open-ended Core Knowledge questions. The total lab time will remain eight hours. For the CCIE R&S Lab Exam, this means candidates will begin with the two-hour Troubleshooting section, followed by a six-hour Configuration section. For CCIE Voice, candidates will have the full eight hours to complete the integrated exam. At this time, only the R&S and Voice certifications have been designed and validated to allow removal of Core Knowledge.

Troubleshooting

Beginning October 18, 2009, the CCIE R&S lab exam will feature a two-hour troubleshooting section. Candidates will be presented with a series of trouble tickets for preconfigured networks and need to diagnose and resolve the network fault or faults. As with the configuration section, the network must be up and running for a candidate to receive credit. Candidates who finish the troubleshooting section early may proceed on to the configuration section, but they will not be allowed to go back to troubleshooting since their equipment will need to be reinitialized for the configuration portion.

Lab Equipment and IOS for Version 4.0

The lab exam tests any feature that can be configured on the equipment and the IOS versions indicated below. You may see more recent IOS versions installed in the lab, but you will not be tested on the new features of a release unless indicated below.

* 1841 series routers – IOS 12.4(T) – Advanced Enterprise Services
* 3825 series routers – IOS 12.4(T) – Advanced Enterprise Services
* Catalyst 3560 Series switches running IOS version 12.2 – Advanced IP Services

Cost

Lab exams cost US$1400 per attempt, not including travel and lodging expenses. Costs may vary due to exchange rates and local taxes (VAT, GST). You are responsible for any fees your financial institution charges to complete the payment transaction.

Price not confirmed and is subject to change until full payment is made. Please reference the CCIE Policies for more information.

Lab Environment

The Cisco documentation CD is available in the lab room, but the exam assumes knowledge of the more common protocols and technologies. As of March 2006, the documentation can only be navigated using the index; the search function has been disabled. No outside reference materials are permitted in the lab room. You must report any suspected equipment issues to the proctor during the exam; adjustments cannot be made once the exam is over.

Lab Exam Grading

Each question on the lab has specific criterion. The labs are graded by proctors who ensure all the criterion are met and points are awarded accordingly. The proctors use automatic tools to gather information from the routers to perform some preliminary evaluations, but the final determination of a correct or incorrect configuration is done by a trained proctor.

Results

You can review your lab exam results online (login required), usually within 48 hours. Results are Pass/Fail and failing score reports indicate major topic areas where additional study and preparation may be useful.

CCIE ROUTING AND SWITCHING TRACK
Lab Exam Blueprint v4.0

Download blueprint PDF

Frequently Asked Questions:-

Q: What exactly is being changed on the CCIE R&S lab exam?
A: The CCIE R&S v4.0 lab exam will be refreshed with new questions to reflect the current job role expectations of employers. The equipment in the testing lab will be updated with Cisco 1800 and 3800 Series Integrated Services Routers running Cisco IOS® Software Version 12.4(T) and Cisco Catalyst® 3560 Series Switches running Cisco IOS Version 12.2 Advanced IP Services. The biggest change will be the testing of hands-on troubleshooting for the first two hours of the eight-hour exam. Candidates will be presented with a series of trouble tickets for preconfigured networks, and they will need to diagnose and resolve the network fault or faults—a realistic and challenging job task. Candidates who finish the troubleshooting section early can move on to the configuration section, but they will not be allowed to go back to the troubleshooting section, since their equipment will need to be reinitialized for the configuration portion of the exam.

To make time for new material, CCIE R&S v4.0 exams will put less emphasis on equipment operation and concepts generally understood at the professional level. These skills are still assumed, but will not be the sole objective of CCIE test questions.

Q: What can a candidate expect in the troubleshooting portion of the lab exam?
A: Troubleshooting is allotted two of the eight hours required for the CCIE lab exam. Candidates will be presented with a series of trouble tickets for preconfigured networks and will need to diagnose and resolve the fault or fault
s. As with previous CCIE labs, the network will need to be up and running for the candidate to receive credit. Candidates who finish the troubleshooting section early can move on to the configuration section, but they will not be allowed to go back to the troubleshooting section.

Q: Does a candidate have to pass both the troubleshooting and configuration sections in order to pass the entire CCIE R&S v4.0 lab exam and earn a CCIE?
A: Candidates will receive a single pass/fail grade on the entire exam, including both configuration and troubleshooting. Failing score reports will give an indication of where the candidate scored lower, to help the candidate prepare for another attempt.

Q: Will the CCIE R&S mobile lab exam also be updated?
A: Yes, CCIE R&S mobile labs use the same lab version as Cisco office locations, and they will switch to the v4.0 lab exam on October 18, 2009 as well.

Q: Which exam will be used for recertification?
A: As of October 18, 2009, CCIEs who take the CCIE R&S written exam for recertification will be given the v4.0 exam and should prepare using the exam topics found on the Cisco Learning Network.