Whether your dream role is just starting to take shape or you’re well on your way, here is some advice from an accomplished CCIE Service Provider to help you on your path to expert certification success.
In this blog, we’ll retrace the steps of the journey that would lead Abzal Sembay to become a lead network engineer. Read on for tips, key resources, and steps you can take to follow in his footsteps and become the next certification success story.
Cisco certification success, from Associate to Professional to Expert
Abzal Sembay’s professional journey started around 2010 with his first certification: the CCNA.
Earning the CCNA, an Associate-level certification, was a significant milestone in his career. Not only did it provide him with critical foundational knowledge of networking, but it also opened doors for him in the industry.
“CCNA: The foundation that built my IT career (can be yours, too)”
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Ultimately, his CCNA helped Abzal to get the experience he needed to land his first job as an ICT systems engineer.
Then, in 2012, after one failed attempt and passing three exams, he earned his first Cisco Professional certification: CCNP Enterprise.
Fast forward to late 2020, when he began preparing for the CCIE Service Provider exams. And before the end of 2024, he stood at the pinnacle of his journey, holding the coveted CCIE Service Provider certification.
The secrets to Cisco cert success
CCIE certification is a testament to unwavering determination and relentless pursuit of excellence. In addition to being brilliant, Abzal appears to be unstoppable and resourceful.
If there’s a way to learn something, he’s sure to find it.
To begin his learning journey, we need to set the timeline back to before online learning. At that time, Abzal used Cisco Press to learn what he needed to know. He still believes that books are an excellent resource for learning.
He also attributes his CCNA certification success to Packet Tracer, a free network simulation tool provided by the Cisco Networking Academy.
Despite its simplicity, Abzal found Packet Tracer particularly useful during the foremost stage of his journey, getting acquainted with network labs and building an understanding of a network’s structure and connectivity.
To help you on your certification path, you can now get an even more realistic labbing experience for free. It’s the perfect chance to upgrade your tech toolset. Practice real-world networking scenarios, using real-world tools—including the virtual devices in the 200-301 CCNA exam—with Cisco Modeling Labs Free.
In addition, and along the way, thanks to a colleague’s recommendation, Abzal also discovered Cisco U. as a convenient way to find all the training needed in one place. His strategy: Pick the technology or exam filter and find what you need to learn.
He often used Cisco Live on-demand videos to help prepare for his expert exam. Watching the experts demonstrate in a lab environment in real time on a real device was invaluable for exam prep.
To fortify his practical skills for the CCIE Service Provider lab, Abzal added practice virtual labs to his mix of CCIE cert prep materials. He used these practice labs to run the required scenarios outlined in the exam blueprint, one technology at a time—from the beginning of the blueprint to the end. His methodology: Test it, break it, fix it, and repeat technology by technology per the blueprint.
Try it for yourself. Discover how getting the proper training and hands-on lab practice will prepare you to frame that certification. Read “Step up Your Study Strategy with CCIE Service Provider Practice Labs” by Muhammad Omar Ramzan now to find out how you can practice hands-on for the CCIE Lab in a controlled, exam-like setting. Read now
Why certify?
Abzal’s reasons for earning certifications have evolved with his professional growth. Initially, they were a stepping stone to getting a job. Next, it was to meet a work requirement for learning to support a new technology. Now, as a lead network engineer, it’s about more opportunities for career advancement.
His CCIE has already given him the visibility to get more complex and higher-level projects in the company, including the chance to step in and complete a data center interconnect deployment that was started by other engineers.
A CCIE certification holds weight in many ways
Abzal’s CCIE Service Provider certification was well worth the effort. In the networking field, a CCIE certification is not just a badge of honor; it’s a game-changer. It’s recognized and highly respected among industry leaders and employers. It also gave him more confidence and a sense of pride to be a part of the highly professional group of CCIE certification holders and a way to get valuable connections through network experts.
The proof? Since November of last year, when Abzal earned his CCIE Service Provider certification, his LinkedIn connections have significantly increased, and his profile is far more noticeable than ever before.
A glimpse into the horizon
Abzal has continued improving his overall service provider infrastructure knowledge in the last two or three years by adding mobile infrastructure to his learning goals. As a result, he now has an excellent understanding of how the technology works and is always ready for the next opportunity that comes his way where his Service Provider skills are in demand and required.
Picking the right certification
What should you do if you’re still navigating the vast landscape of certifications? According to Abzal, aligning your certification path with your daily work is key. A certification should not be the end goal but a strategic tool to enhance your skills and career prospects.
Final words of advice
Don’t just learn for the sake of getting certified. When you work towards a Cisco certification, you are placed on a learning path to get the knowledge and job-ready skills to achieve your career goals. Whether it’s enterprise, data center, or service provider, the right certification can illuminate your career path and open doors to new opportunities.
Getting Cisco Certified proves that you are ready to use the knowledge gained from preparing for certification on the job.
The reason? It’s crucial to learn networking fundamentals. And Plus, once you learn how a technology works on one type of equipment, you can easily use it on other devices and apply it to any field.
So, what should you do if you feel you’re ready for a CCIE certification? Go for it!
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