Cisco Certified Architect:

How to Complete the

Journey from CCIE to
CCDE to CCAr
BRKCRT-3004

Bill Parkhurst – Chief Network Architect - Soliel CCIE #2969 CCDE #20070005 CCAr
wparkhurst@soliel.com

Elaine Lopes – Exam Product Manager - Cisco CCIE #4478

elopes@cisco.com
Agenda

• Certification Comparison - CCIE, CCDE and CCAr

• Architecture vs. Design
• CCAr Certification Process
• CCAr Preparation
• Q&A
Certification Comparison -
CCIE, CCDE and CCAr
 Overview: CCIE and CCDE Tracks
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
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
Voice
•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
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

Data Center Service Provider Wireless

•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
•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
•Expert level knowledge of WLAN
technologies
•Provides next step for individuals
interested in a career in managing or
working with Cisco wireless
technologies
Cisco Certified Design Expert
CCDE
• 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
Cisco Certified Architect
CCAr
• 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
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
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.”
 History
CCIE to CCDE to CCAr
CCDE
CCIE Design Program CCDE CCDE CCDE
CCIE Program Introduced… Development Program Program CCDE CCAr CCAr CCDE Expanded
Introduced and Retired (with Cap Gemini) On Hold Development Introduced Development Introduced v2 Footprint

1993 2000 2002 2004 2007 2008 2009 2010 2012 2014
“The CCIE Program begins
where other vendors'
certification programs leave
off," said John Chambers,
Cisco senior vice president.

The industry is moving from products to solutions to architectures

Architecture vs. Design
Audience Participation

What is
Design?
What is
Architecture?

What is the
difference?

?
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.
• Enterprise or IT Architecture
Application of IT resources to meet specific business requirements
The Big Picture

Conceptual Logical Physical

Customer Architecture Design Implementation
What How With
and Why What

Business Functional Design

Requirements Specification (A realization of
the architecture)
and Constraints (Properties of the
network to support
(Use Cases)
the use cases)
The Big Picture

Logical Physical
Without an architecture a
Design is just a guess
Design
How
? Implementation
With
What

Design
(Realization of
the ?)
Architecture Design and Deployment

Architecture CCAr
Overlap
Design CCDE
Deployment CCIE Overlap
Architecture Components
Connected Stadiums
Connected Stadium Technology
Architecture
Wireless Ticketing Stadium Physical Point of
Use Case
Access Vision Security Sale
Solutions

Digital Unified Network

Signage Communications Infrastructure Systems

Digital Content Manager Unified Communications Video Distribution Switch

Encoders Manager Access Switch
Transcoders Unified IP Phone Core/Distribution Router Products
Demodulators Multicast
Digital Media Player Traffic Separation
Stadium Vision Director
Architecture Examples
Connected Stadiums – Gather, clarify, and analyze business and technical
requirements
• Understand Business Use Cases and the solutions that support them:
• Ticketing
• Point of Sale
• Telephony
• Video
• Wireless Access
• Video Surveillance
• Building Control
Architecture Examples
Connected Stadiums – Identify critical, incomplete, conflicting, and unrealistic
requirements
• 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.)
Architecture Examples
Connected Stadiums – Develop a functional specification for the network that
supports all the required solutions
• 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
CCAr Certification
Process
Certification Process
• Step One – Application and Interview • Step Two – Board Exam
• Submit payment – USD $3,750 • Submit payment – USD $11,250
• Submit application materials: resumè, • Develop and defend an architecture
networking architecture project, which supports a given set of business
supporting project materials, 3rd party requirements
agreement, NDA • Applicant receives the scenario, prepares
• Observe Exam Topics and Evaluation and submits a solution
Criteria • Applicant presents findings and proposed
• Participate in phone interview process solution to board panel of judges
• Board introduces a scope change to which
the applicant must respond
Panel of judges Selective
determine if submission process; not all Panel of judges
meets criteria for applicants are determine if solution
expected to
admission to Board qualify for meets criteria to grant
Exam Board Review
the Cisco Certified
Architect certification
Judging - Phone Interview

• Candidate is asked a series of questions both on general network

architecture concepts and specific to their submission
• Based on a set of evaluation criteria each judge votes on whether or not the
candidate should advance to the board exam.
• Evaluation criteria includes complexity of the project, level of involvement as
an architect, and ability to communicate.
Cisco Certified Architect Exam Topics
The following topics will be assessed during the exam process.
1. Gather, clarify, and analyze requirements
a. Gather, clarify, and analyze business requirements
b. Gather, clarify, and analyze technical requirements
c. Align business and technical goals and direction
d. Perform cursory rough estimations for new or changing requirements and/or
informal what-ifs and requests
2. Develop a functional specification for the network
a. Devise a solution
b. Perform risk analysis
Cisco Certified Architect Exam Topics
The following topics will be assessed during the exam process.
3. Create a road map
a. Create a migration and transition strategy
4. Convey decisions and rationale (written and verbal)
a. Communicate to a business audience
b. Communicate to a technical audience
5. Demonstrate technical expertise
a. Technical expertise
Cisco Certified Architect Exam Topics
Example of going deeper on an exam topic
2. Develop a functional specification for the network
a. Devise a solution
i. The complexity of the network is appropriate for the business requirements
ii. The survivability of the network is appropriate for the business requirements
iii. The scalability of the network is appropriate for the business requirements
iv. The manageability of the network is appropriate for the business requirements
v. The security of the network is appropriate for the business requirements
vi. The performance of the network is appropriate for the business requirements
vii. The cost of the network is appropriate for the business requirements
Judging – Board Exam
Rubric
• A rubric is a scoring tool that explicitly represents the performance
expectations for an assignment or piece of work.
• A rubric divides the assigned work into component parts and provides clear
descriptions of the characteristics of the work associated with each
component, at varying levels of mastery.
• Rubrics can be used as scoring or grading guides, to provide formative
feedback to support and guide ongoing learning efforts, or both.
• CCAr rubrics align with the exam topics
Judging – Board Exam
• Judges independently assign a score for each rubric
• Non-adjacent scores are discussed and resolved (usually, but they don’t have
to be)
• Scores are totaled and candidate must meet the level of a Minimally Qualified
Candidate - MQC

Rubric ‘n’ - Adjacent Scoring Rubric ‘n’ - Non-Adjacent Scoring

Judge 1 Judge 2 Judge 3 Judge 1 Judge 2 Judge 3
2 2 3 1 2 3

Non-adjacent
CCAr Certification
Preparation
Preparation
• There are no formal training programs for CCAr
• Assumption is the CCAr candidate brings into the program the required experience and
expertise
• Understand what is expected
• 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
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
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
References

• CCAr overview
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/certifications/cisco_certified_archit
ect/syllabus
• CCAr blueprint: https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/docs/DOC-6356
• CCAr Application and Board exams evaluation criteria
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/certifications/cisco_certified_archit
ect/board_exam?tab=application-and-board-exam
Participate in the “My Favorite Speaker” Contest
Promote Your Favorite Speaker and You Could Be a Winner
• Promote your favorite speaker through Twitter and you could win $200 of Cisco
Press products (@CiscoPress)
• Send a tweet and include
• Your favorite speaker’s Twitter handle @elopes01
• Two hashtags: #CLUS #MyFavoriteSpeaker

• You can submit an entry for more than one of your “favorite” speakers
• Don’t forget to follow @CiscoLive and @CiscoPress
• View the official rules at http://bit.ly/CLUSwin
Complete Your Online Session Evaluation
• Give us your feedback to be
entered into a Daily Survey
Drawing. A daily winner
will receive a $750 Amazon
gift card.
• Complete your session surveys
though the Cisco Live mobile
app or your computer on
Cisco Live Connect.
Don’t forget: Cisco Live sessions will be available
for viewing on-demand after the event at
CiscoLive.com/Online
Continue Your Education
• Demos in the Cisco campus
• Walk-in Self-Paced Labs
• Table Topics
• Meet the Engineer 1:1 meetings
• Related sessions
Thank you