Dec 28, 2015
Cisco Certified Architect: How to Complete the Journey from CCIE to CCDE to CCAr
BRKCRT-3004
Bill Parkhurst – Chief Network Architect - CCIE# 2969 CCDE# 20070005 [email protected]
Elaine Lopes – CCDE and CCAr Exam Product Manager – Cisco – CCIE# 4478 [email protected]
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Agenda
• Introduction
• Overview and History of CCIE, CCDE and CCAr
• The BIG Picture – Architecture vs. Design
• Technology Architecture Examples
• CCAr Certification Process and Preparation
• Conclusion
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Overview CCIE, CCDE and CCAr
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Overview: CCIE and CCDE Tracks
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Security
• Expert level knowledge of security
and VPN solutions
• Demonstrate in-depth
understanding of Layer 2 and 3
network infrastructure; Solid
understanding of Windows, Unix,
Linux and HTTP, SMTP, FTP and
DNS
Service Provider
•Expert level knowledge of IP
fundamentals and technologies
Expertise in building an extensible
service provider network
•Expert level knowledge to
troubleshoot and maintain complex
service provider networks
Data Center
•Expert level knowledge of Data
Center Technologies, including DC
infrastructure, storage, compute and
virtualization
•Capable of building, configuring,
and troubleshooting an end-to-end
virtualized Data Center using Cisco
DC technologies
Wireless
•Expert level knowledge of WLAN
technologies
•Provides next step for individuals
interested in a career in managing or
working with Cisco wireless
technologies
Design
•Expert level knowledge of
network design principles for the
Layer 2 and 3 network
infrastructure
•Capable of assessing and
translating network business
requirements into technical
designs
Routing &
Switching • Expert level knowledge of
networking across LAN and WAN
interfaces and variety of routers and
switches
• Solve complex connectivity
problems to increase bandwidth,
improve response times, maximize
performance, and support global
operations
Collaboration
•Expert level knowledge of Cisco
Voice over IP (VoIP) products and
solutions
•Capable of building and configuring
complex end-to-end telephony
network, troubleshooting and
resolving VoIP-related problems
SP Operations
•Expert level knowledge of SP IP
NGN technologies
•Capable of troubleshooting SP
networks, managing SP processes
(incident, fault, change,
configuration, and performance),
and knowledge of NMS technology
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Cisco Certified Design Expert
• No pre-requisites
• 2-hour written exam
– Design Theory
– Protocol Operation
– Technology Operation
• 8-hour scenario-based practical exam
– Analyze design requirements
– Develop network designs
– Implement network design
– Validate and optimize network design
CCDE
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Cisco Certified Architect
• Highest-level Cisco certification
• Valid CCDE CCAr Application and Interview Board Exam CCAr
• Focused on
– Infrastructure (Technology)
– Business requirements and Long Term Architecture
– Conflict resolution and communication skills
• Not focused on
– Technology implementation
– Detailed deployment
– Processes and standards
– Application, enterprise, IT or solutions architect
CCAr
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Cisco Certified Architect - Definition
“A Cisco Certified Architect gathers the business requirements and technical objectives necessary to produce a blueprint for an integrated, large-scale, complex, possibly global network. He or she can translate business parameters and objectives into functional requirements for a network design. In addition, Cisco Certified Architects can clearly communicate and advocate proposed network architectures which meet both business and technical requirements.”
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History CCIE to CCDE to CCAr
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1993
“The CCIE Program begins
where other vendors'
certification programs leave
off," said John Chambers,
Cisco senior vice president.
CCIE Program
Introduced
2000
CCIE Design
Introduced…
and Retired
2002
CCDE
Program
Development
(with Cap Gemini)
2004
CCDE
Program
On Hold
2007
CCDE
Program
Development
2008
CCDE
Introduced
2009
CCAr
Development
2010
CCAr
Introduced
The industry is moving from products to solutions to architectures
2012
CCDE
v2
2014
CCDE
Expanded
Footprint
The BIG Picture
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Audience Participation
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What is
Architecture?
What is
Design?
What is the
difference?
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The Big Picture
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Business
Requirements
and Constraints (Use Cases)
Customer Architecture Design Implementation
Conceptual Logical Physical
What
and Why
How With
What
Functional
Specification (Properties of the
network to support
the use cases)
Design (A realization of
the architecture)
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The Big Picture
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Design Implementation
Logical Physical
How With
What
Design (Realization of
the ?)
? Without an architecture a
Design is just a guess
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Architecture Design and Deployment
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CCAr
CCDE
CCIE
Overlap
Overlap
Architecture
Design
Deployment
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Definitions
• Product
– An individual piece of hardware or software
• System
– One or more products (hardware and software) that serve a specific requirement
• Technical Solution
– The application of one or more systems to meet a business requirement.
• Design
– An integrated set of solutions that meet the business requirements of the customer
– A realization of an architecture (not THE realization)
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Architecture – Which One?
• Business Architecture
– The business strategy, governance, structure, and key business processes of the organization
• Technology (Infrastructure) Architecture
– A blueprint for an integrated, large-scale, complex, network environment
• Solution Architecture
– Description of how the functional elements of a solution are assigned to their constituent sections or subsystems, and how they interact.
• Product Architecture
– Description of how the functional elements of a product are assigned to their constituent sections or subsystems, and how they interact.
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Architecture Components
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Products
Systems
Solutions
Technology
Architectures
Technology Integration
Custo
mer R
ele
vance
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Architecture Components Connected Stadiums
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Connected Stadium
Wireless
Access
Ticketing Stadium
Vision
Physical
Security
Point of
Sale
Digital
Signage
Unified
Communications
Network
Infrastructure
Digital Content Manager
Encoders
Transcoders
Demodulators
Digital Media Player
Stadium Vision Director
Unified Communications
Manager
Unified IP Phone
Video Distribution Switch
Access Switch
Core/Distribution Router
Multicast
Traffic Separation
Use Case
Solutions
Systems
Products
Technology
Architecture
Technology Architecture – Examples from the Real World
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Architecture Examples Connected Stadiums – Gather, clarify, and analyze business and technical requirements
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Understand Business Use Cases and the solutions that support them:
• Ticketing
• Point of Sale
• Telephony
• Video
• Wireless Access
• Video Surveillance
• Building Control
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Architecture Examples Connected Stadiums – Identify critical, incomplete, conflicting, and unrealistic requirements
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Understand the network requirements and limitations of each solution and how they interact:
• Ticketing – Vendor deploys their own layer-2 network…unacceptable. All solutions must run on the same network infrastructure
• Point of Sale – PCI compliance (for ticketing too)
• Wireless Access – Unrealistic number of users, free and paid access – can we do that?
• Regulatory considerations?
• League considerations? (NBA, NFL, MLB, etc.)
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Architecture Examples Connected Stadiums – Develop a functional specification for the network that supports all the required solutions
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Be able to articulate your approach
• To a business audience
Demonstrate an understanding of the business
Tie everything in the network back to a business requirement/objective
• To a technical audience
Communicate rational for technology decisions and direction based on business objectives
Demonstrate technical expertise
Certification Process and Preparation
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Skills
• Gather, clarify, analyze requirements
– Business requirements
– Technical requirements
– Align business and technical goals and direction
– Perform cursory rough estimations for new or changing requirements and/or informal what‐ifs and requests
• Develop functional specification for network
– Devise a solution
– Perform risk analysis (Technologies, Security, Legal, Dependencies)
• Create a road map
– Create a migration and transition strategy
• Convey decisions and rationale
– Communicate to a business audience
– Communicate to a technical audience
• Demonstrate technical expertise
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Preparation
• There are no formal training programs for CCAr
– Assumption is the CCAr candidate brings into the program the required experience and expertise
• Experience is key
– Lead or co-lead more than one reasonably complex technology architecture project
– Work with the customer’s senior leadership on both the business and technical sides
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Summary
• Distinct differences exist between CCIE, CCDE, and CCAr
– Much time/effort/input spent in developing the Architect certification
• Details about CCAr
– Relationship between architecture, design, and implementation
– Important Skills: • Gathering, clarifying, and analyzing requirements
• Developing functional specification for network
• Creating a road map
• Conveying decisions and rationale
• Demonstrating technical expertise
– Process, Evaluation and Preparation
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Certification Process • Step One – Application and Interview
• Submit payment – USD $3,750
• Submit application materials: resume, networking architecture project, supporting project materials, agreement to resume and project verification, NDA
– Observe Exam Topics and Evaluation Criteria
• Participate in phone interview process
• Step Two – Board Exam
• Submit payment – USD $11,250
• Develop and defend an architecture which supports a given set of business requirements
– Applicant receives the scenario, prepares and submits a solution
– Applicant presents findings and proposed solution to board panel of judges
– Board introduces a scope change to which the applicant must respond
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Panel of judges determine if submission
meets criteria for admission to Board
Exam
Selective process; not all applicants are expected to qualify for
Board Review
Panel of judges
determine if solution
meets criteria to grant
the Cisco Certified
Architect certification
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Evaluation
• CCIE
– Candidates are evaluated on performing a series of tasks
– Specific and well defined outcomes (end-state)
• CCDE
– Good and distracter information is provided to set the context, and candidate is evaluated for making solid decisions within that context
– Multiple valid outcomes are possible (end-state and branches)
• CCAr
– Judged by a 3-person committee of CCArs
– Each judge makes an individual decision regarding the candidate within established criteria
– Judgments follow strict scoring rubrics
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Recertification
• CCAr certification is valid for 5 years
• To stay current, on the last 24 months before the expiration deadline the CCArs need to:
– Contribute to CCAr exam development; and
– Participate as judge on the Application and Interview process for 2 candidates (if not approved to progress to the Board Exam, OR on both Application and Interview and Board Exam for 1 candidate
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References
• CCAr https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/certifications/cisco_certified_architect
– Blueprint: https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/docs/DOC-6356
• CCDE https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/certifications/ccde
– Practical blueprint https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/certifications/ccde/practical_exam?tab=studylearn
– Written blueprint https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/certifications/ccde/written_exam?tab=2
– Cisco Press http://www.ciscopress.com
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