Introduction
Cisco is once more leading the way in building a workforce capable of moving with technological changes through the evolution of its certification programs. Changes to the Expert-Level (CCIE/CCDE) programs will enable candidates to bridge their core technology expertise with knowledge of the evolving technologies that organizations are adopting at an accelerated pace, such as cloud, IoT, and network programmability.
Combining this book with the other Cisco Press certification books that are written for a specific track will provide a complete source of knowledge to help CCIE and CCDE candidates succeed on their written exams.
Goals and Methods
The most important and somewhat obvious goal of this book is to help you pass the written CCIE and CCDE exams. One key methodology used in this book is to help you discover the exam topics that you need to review in more depth, to help you fully understand and remember those details, and to help you prove to yourself that you have retained your knowledge of those topics. This book does not try to help you pass by memorization, but helps you truly learn and understand the topics.
Who Should Read This Book?
This book is not designed to be a general networking topics book, although it can be used for that purpose. This book is intended to tremendously increase your chances of passing the evolving technologies components of the CCIE and CCDP written exams. Although other objectives can be achieved from using this book, the book is written with one goal in mind: to help you pass the exam.
How This Book Is Organized
Although this book could be read cover to cover, it is designed to be flexible and allow you to easily move between chapters and sections of chapters to cover just the material that you need more work with.
The chapters, Chapters 1 through 3, cover the following topics:
Chapter 1, “Internet of Things”—This chapter discusses the Internet of Things (IoT) from a perspective of business transformations, connectivity, and methods of securing it. Most IoT networks share similarities with Enterprise Networks, but are different in behavior and operational aspects.
Chapter 2, “Cloud Fundamentals”—This chapter provides a holistic overview of cloud environments using virtual machines (VMs) or containers in a public, private, or hybrid model. Topics include cloud service models, connectivity, security, scalability, and high availability designs.
Chapter 3, “Foundational Network Programmability Methods”—This chapter covers modern programmability and automation methods that can be used to interact with different applications and devices through the use of APIs. This chapter also focuses on the Cisco DevNet developer community as well as other important tools to help readers on their programmatic journey.
Certification Exam Topics and This Book
The questions for each certification exam are a closely guarded secret. However, we do know which topics you must know to successfully complete the evolving technologies portion of all CCIE/CCDE-level written exams. Cisco publishes them as an exam blueprint for CCIE/CCDE Evolving Technologies. Table I-1 lists each exam topic listed in the blueprint along with a reference to the book chapter that covers the topic. These are the same topics you should be proficient in when working with Cisco wireless LANs in the real world.
Table I-1 CCIE/CCDE Evolving Technologies Topics and Chapter References
CCIE/CCDE Evolving Technology Exam Topic |
Chapter(s) in Which Topic Is Covered |
|
1.0 |
Cloud |
|
1.1 |
Compare and contrast public, private, hybrid, and multicloud design considerations |
|
1.1.a |
Infrastructure, Platform, and Software as a Service (XaaS) |
|
1.1.b |
Performance, scalability, and high availability |
|
1.1.c |
Security implications, compliance, and policy |
|
1.1.d |
Workload migration |
|
1.2 |
Describe cloud infrastructure and operations |
|
1.2.a |
Compute virtualization (containers and virtual machines) |
|
1.2.b |
Connectivity (virtual switches, SD-WAN, and SD-Access) |
|
1.2.c |
Virtualization functions (NFVi, VNF, and L4/L1) |
|
1.2.d |
Automation and orchestration tools (CloudCenter, DNA Center, and Kubernetes) |
|
2.0 |
Network Programmability |
|
2.1 |
Describe architectural and operational considerations for a programmable network |
|
2.1.a |
Data models and structures (YANG, JSON, and XML) |
|
2.1.b |
Device programmability (gRPC, NETCONF, and RESTCONF) |
|
2.1.c |
Controller-based network design (policy-driven configuration and northbound/southbound APIs) |
|
2.1.d |
Configuration management tools (agent and agent-less) and version control systems (Git and SVN) |
|
3.0 |
Internet of Things |
|
3.1 |
Describe architectural framework and deployment considerations for Internet of Things (IoT) |
|
3.1.a |
IoT technology stack (IoT network hierarchy, data acquisition, and flow) |
|
3.1.b |
IoT standards and protocols (characteristics within the IT and OT environment) |
|
3.1.c |
IoT security (network segmentation, device profiling, and secure remote access) |
|
3.1.d |
IoT edge and fog computing (data aggregation and edge intelligence) |
|
Each version of the exam can have topics that emphasize different functions or features, and some topics can be rather broad and generalized. The goal of this book is to provide the most comprehensive coverage to ensure that you are well prepared for the exam. Although some chapters might not address specific exam topics, they provide a foundation that is necessary for a clear understanding of important topics.
It is also important to understand that this book is a “static” reference, whereas the exam topics are dynamic. Cisco can and does change the topics covered on certification exams often.
This exam guide should not be your only reference when preparing for the certification exam. You can find a wealth of information available at Cisco.com that covers each topic in great detail. If you think that you need more detailed information on a specific topic, read the Cisco documentation that focuses on that topic.
Note that as technologies continue to evolve, Cisco reserves the right to change the exam topics without notice. Although you can refer to the list of exam topics in Table I-1, always check Cisco.com to verify the actual list of topics to ensure that you are prepared before taking the exam. You can view the current exam topics on any current Cisco certification exam by visiting the Cisco.com website, hovering over Training & Events, and selecting from the Certifications list. Note also that, if needed, Cisco Press might post additional preparatory content on the web page associated with this book at http://www.ciscopress.com/title/9780789759726. It’s a good idea to check the website a couple of weeks before taking your exam to be sure you have up-to-date content.
Taking the CCIE/CCDE Certification Exam
As with any Cisco certification exam, you should strive to be thoroughly prepared before taking the exam. There is no way to determine exactly what questions are on the exam, so the best way to prepare is to have a good working knowledge of all subjects covered on the exam. Schedule yourself for the exam and be sure to be rested and ready to focus when taking the exam.
The best place to find out the latest available Cisco training and certifications is under the Training & Events section at Cisco.com.
Tracking Your Status
You can track your certification progress by checking http://www.cisco.com/go/certifications/login. You must create an account the first time you log in to the site.
How to Prepare for an Exam
The best way to prepare for any certification exam is to use a combination of the preparation resources, labs, and practice tests. This guide has integrated some practice questions and example scenarios to help you better prepare.
Assessing Exam Readiness
Exam candidates never really know whether they are adequately prepared for the exam until they have completed about 30 percent of the questions. At that point, if you are not prepared, it is too late. The best way to determine your readiness is to work through the “Review Questions” at the end of each chapter and review the corresponding section for any questions you answered incorrectly. It is best to work your way through the entire book unless you can complete each subject without having to do any research or look up any answers.
Book Content Updates
Because Cisco occasionally updates exam topics without notice, Cisco Press might post additional preparatory content on the web page associated with this book at http://www.ciscopress.com/title/9780789759726. It is a good idea to check the website a couple of weeks before taking your exam, to review any updated content that might be posted online. We also recommend that you periodically check back to this page on the Cisco Press website to view any errata or supporting book files that may be available.