Exam Format

CCIE Lab locations update

Our CCIE and CCDE lab locations are opening. The health and safety of our customers,
partners, and employees continue to be our top concern. The reopening of lab facilities
will be based on local conditions, regulations, Cisco Corporate, and medical guidance.  
Learn more

 
The 8 hours lab exam will assess candidate's skills through the entire network lifecycle of designing,
deploying, operating and optimizing complex network scenarios.
The exam consists out of 2 modules that are fixed in time and will be delivered in a fixed sequence:
• Module 1: Design (3 hours)
• Module 2: Deploy, Operate and Optimize (5 hours)
Automation and Network Programmability skills, as per Exam
Topics, are an integral part of both modules.
Candidates will be tested on varying technologies and solutions
listed in the Exam Topics throughout both modules. While both
modules independent from each other, there is a progressive
storyline that will be built upon throughout the entire 8 hours lab
practical exam. Candidates will not be able to navigate back-and-
forward between modules.

 
Module 1: Design (3 hours)
The goal of this module is to measure ability to create, analyze, validate and optimize network designs,
which is the base for all deployment activities. Candidates will need to:
• Understand capabilities of different technologies, solutions and services.
• Translate customer requirements into solutions.
• Assess readiness to support proposed solutions.
The module is scenario-based, without access to any devices. Candidates will be provided with a set of
documentation required to discern before answering web-based items.
Examples of documentation include email threads, high-level design, network topology diagrams,
customer requirements and restrictions, etc. Examples of web-based items include Drag-and-Drop,
Multiple-Choice-Single-Answer, Multiple-Choice-Multiple-Answer, Dropdown items, etc.
During this module backward navigation will be disabled. As such, candidates will not have full
visibility on all questions within this module. Points value(s) associated to each item are not displayed
within this module.
 

Module 2: Deploy, Operate and Optimize (5 hours)

In this module, candidates will be deploying, operating and optimizing network technologies and
solutions.
• Deploy: Candidates will build the network according to the design specifications, customer
requirements and restrictions. All steps required for a successful network implementation will
be covered, including configuring, integrating and troubleshooting the commissioning of
technologies and solutions, as per Exam Topics.
• Operate and Optimize: Candidates will operate and optimize network technologies and
solutions. This includes monitoring network health, network performance, configure the
network to improve service quality, reduce disruptions, mitigate outages, reduce operating costs,
and maintain high availability, reliability, and security, as well as diagnose potential issues and
adjust configurations to align to changing business goals and/or technical requirements.
This module provides a setup that is very close to an actual production network environment and will
consist of both hands-on (device access) as well as web-based items. Where possible, a virtualized lab
environment will be used in this module. Please refer to the equipment and software list for more
detailed information.
During this module backward navigation will be enabled.
Candidates will have full visibility on all questions within this module. Points value(s) associated to
each item are displayed within this module.
 
Documentation
Cisco documentation is available on-line during the exam using the Product Pages. Any documentation
that can be navigated to (when not logged in), is available during the exam. Please note this website is
Cisco hosted, and access may be limited or even unavailable occasionally due to system upgrades (or
for other reasons). Candidates are not allowed to bring in any outside reference material into the lab.
 

Exam Score Evaluation and Reports

Each module has both a minimum score and a pass score. Both minimum and
pass scores are set on a per-module basis, based upon exam difficulty level.
• The pass score corresponds with expert level competence.
• The minimum score is the absolute minimum score expected from an
expert level candidate.
To pass the exam, candidates need to score higher than the aggregated pass score of both modules and
score higher than the minimum score set on each of the modules individually.

If candidates score less than the overall aggregated pass score of both modules OR score less than the
minimum score set on 1 (or more) of the individual modules, they will fail the exam.
Upon passing the exam, candidates will not be provided any additional score details.
Candidates that fail the exam will be given a score report, indicating what module(s) they passed or
failed. Additionally, candidates will be provided cumulative scoring percentages on a per domain level,
across both modules.