New Cisco Expert-level certification for Design: CCDE (Cisco Certified Design Expert)

During the recent Networkers-event, Cisco announced a new expert-level certification, the Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE), for high-level IT professionals who design and architect enterprise networks.  Responding to strong customer demand to collaborate on network architecture strategy, and not just implementation, Cisco is introducing the new Cisco CCDE certification for design experts. On par with the CCIE certification, CCDE applies a solutions-based educational approach and recognises the growing number of networking experts who have in-depth infrastructure design knowledge, which enables them to assess network business requirements and translate those requirements into effective network designs.

The CCDE certification provides further career advancements for networking experts in the information technology industry. Approximately 30 percent of today’s CCIE community is responsible for network design each day; however, these design experts are no longer involved in hands-on configuration, but rather in strategic design and architecture. The CCDE certification was created to provide IT professionals who specialize in network design with a prestigious credential that recognizes senior-level expertise and provides incentives for the experienced practitioner to continue his or her professional development.

Like the CCIE, the CCDE will have a qualification exam and an eight-hour hands-on exam.