Cisco Certified Design Expert

000000;">We will prepare you on all topics you will face in the CCDE lab exam. Our goal is to make students pass the Cisco CCDE lab certification exam on the first attempt by acquiring "think out of the box" skills.

666699;"> 000000;">Scenario based (similar to the exam) with little theory involved
666699;"> 000000;">Start by reading and understanding the customer requirements
666699;"> 000000;">Scenario “evolves” with email chains and other new documents and requirements
666699;"> 000000;">Answer multiple-choice questions
666699;"> 000000;">Free-Text answers
666699;"> 000000;">Draw network designs and diagrams
666699;"> 000000;">Answers will be validated by a certified CCDE Instructor
666699;"> 000000;">Discuss the possibilities in groups of equally prepared/experienced students
666699;"> 000000;">Learn to produce adequate commercial design solutions as opposed to pure technical solutions
666699;"> 000000;">Technologies include all common Routing Protocols, Tunneling, MPLS, Security, QoS, Management and others

The goal of the training is not so much to get the single right answer – but to know WHY any one answer is “the best”. (Please remember – in the real exam most answers seem somewhat correct). It is about what is important and how to analyse the questions/documents/emails/requirements to get to the right answer.

Benefits

666699;"> 000000;">Acquire an analytical thinking approach at CCDE / CTO level
666699;"> 000000;">The exam is not about pure technical knowledge – it is about analytical thinking – this is what we will teach our students, however a broad-based thorough technical background is assumed
(Written exam passed or equivalent experience.)
666699;"> 000000;">Get to know the exam structure
666699;"> 000000;">Manage your time (during the training the group will work on 30 to 50 questions every single day – including discussions – the 1 day practical exam is approximately 180 questions)

Details

The CCDE practical exam is completely different to any other exam from Cisco. It is extremely high level and compared to the written exam it is not as important to understand the very details of all technologies – but the key is to understand “what is the purpose of the network”. This training is also completely different to any other training and there won’t be any large power point presentations in the CCDE Lab Bootcamp.
Powerpoint slideshows will only be used to compliment the scenario exercises.

There will be a number of scenario’s based on practical experience (projects) of the Instructor and you will design several networks. The CCDE Trainer is “the customer”. As with the actual exam there is no single right answer to the scenarios but the process and the question asked (the “why in that way”) is the focus.

In step A students will get some information (on paper) like emails etc. and are being asked several tasks (very similar to the exam – not just a few lines, but a few pages on 8pt).

In step B students will get the chance to ask their instructor several questions and then they can continue the network design exercises.

After all students have completed the one scenario, the results and more importantly the way how those results have been achieved (and which result is preferred over another) will be discussed in a workgroup fashion. Do not expect CCIE Boot Camp training methods, where you configure the same topology again and again. The CCDE Lab Exam (although called Lab exam) is hands-off. The goal of the training is to get the methodology and approach right. A sound mixture of technical understanding and commercial awareness.

Another important point is also to “read between the lines” in the information you will receive. As with actual designs the exam tries to give you information in sort of "encrypted" ways. In between the scenarios and the workshop – the trainer will discuss technologies and approaches on the whiteboard.

CCDE Practical Blueprint covered in the CCDE Bootcamp

Gather, clarify, and analyze existing and new network requirements
- Identify requirements and determine how they shape the purpose and expectations of a given network.
- Demonstrate the ability to gather and validate information about an existing network.

Develop network designs to meet functional specifications
- Choose the correct technology to resolve a specific network design problem.
- Create a network design that minimizes / eliminates negative impact on the existing network & services.
- Create a network design that is scalable.
- Create a network design that is elegant and supportable.
- Create a network design that is resilient.

Develop a plan to implement network design changes
- Evaluate the impact of implementation options.
- Develop contingency plans for network restoration.

Convey design decisions and rationale
- Justify network design choices based on functional specifications.
- Justify technology choices based on technical requirements.