Effectively, it appears that evidently we’ve got arrived in a brand new period of networking, and boy, did it come up on us rapidly. Wasn’t it simply 5 years in the past we have been navigating the “Programmability Age?” Community automation, cloud, and NetDevOps have been all the trend, and we have been celebrating the launch of the Cisco DevNet Certifications. Community engineers around the globe have been studying the enjoyment of Python, APIs, and Ansible…
Wait… it was simply 5 years in the past… February 24, 2020, to be actual. What a 5 years it has been…
However that is not a weblog put up about previous success tales. It’s not a stroll down reminiscence lane about how, as CCIEs, we navigated main transitions in networking. Although we should always give ourselves some credit score, we actually have performed a bang-up job in previous transitions.
No… this can be a weblog put up at the beginning of the subsequent main transition in networking. Okay, perhaps this isn’t THE begin… and AI is actually not only a transition in networking, however there may be undoubtedly a highway in entrance of us all, and I’m strolling this highway with every one in all you. So seize your knapsack, and let’s go!
For these of you who won’t know me, my title is Hank Preston, and I’m a proud Cisco Licensed Internetwork Professional (CCIE). I earned my CCIE in Routing and Switching on February 25, 2013, and later turned the primary Cisco Licensed DevNet Professional on Might 2, 2022.
Once I assume again on my journey to grow to be “an skilled,” it was my ardour for understanding how issues work, diving deep underneath the covers of advanced methods to comply with the packet (or code) circulate, having fun with the artistry of a debug output… Scratch that final one. 🙂
The journey to turning into an skilled is all about what my boss, David Mallory, CCIE #1933, describes as “deliberate follow.” By the point you might be “an skilled,” you could have designed, constructed, and operated tons of of various networks. You will have made so many errors—after which fastened them. You will have earned the information and talent by means of focus and time.
And once you grow to be “an skilled,” you understand that nobody actually is “an skilled.” There’s all the time extra highway in entrance of us, new challenges, and new issues to be taught. Which brings us again to immediately’s matter: How can we navigate the AI period as a CCIE?
Navigating the AI period as a CCIE
Little question you’ve heard claims that “synthetic intelligence means we received’t want CCIEs anymore.” Nevertheless, this chorus is one we’ve heard time and time once more.
Cloud was going to be the tip of the CCIE.
Software program Outlined Networking was going to be the tip of the CCIE.
Programmability was going to be the tip of the CCIE.
These are simply examples from the final 15 years. Little question there have been claims that TCP/IP was going to be the tip of the CCIE again when AppleTalk, ATM, DecNet, and so on., have been all the trend. So, no. AI isn’t going to be the tip of CCIEs. At the least it’s not except AI is the tip of every thing… however I’m attempting to be an AI optimist today.
CCIEs, AI, and Cisco Stay Amsterdam 2025
I not too long ago returned from Cisco Stay EMEA 2025, which befell in Amsterdam. Whereas it received’t be a shock to anybody studying this that AI was a central focus throughout the present flooring, what is perhaps a shock to these of you who weren’t there was that technical experience—and particularly CCIEs—was additionally a spotlight throughout the week.
In the course of the opening keynote, Oliver Tuszik, President of Cisco EMEA, took time to acknowledge the worth CCIEs need to each Cisco and our prospects and companions. He even took time to speak to 2 CCIEs, Michael, who earned his CCIE in 1993, and Esar, who earned his CCIE just some months in the past in 2024.
Michael was one of many first CCIEs ever. When Oliver requested him why he continues to worth and stay a CCIE over 30 years later, I cherished his reply:
“[Cisco] by no means stopped educating me about new rising applied sciences and conserving me within the entrance line of expertise.”
Thanks, Michael. I couldn’t have mentioned it higher myself.
There’s yet one more CCIE-specific spotlight from Cisco Stay that I need to spotlight. For the primary time at Cisco Stay EMEA, CCIEs who have been additionally NetVets have been invited to an unique Ask Me Something (AMA) Session with a bunch of Cisco Executives, together with Chintan Patel (CTO EMEA), Tim Carnes (SVP World SEs), Matt Gillies (Fellow and Chief Architect), Phil Wolfenden (VP CX World TAC), and Oliver Tuszik (President EMEA). The same AMA session has lengthy been held at Cisco Stay within the US. Oliver particularly reached out to the Studying & Certifications and Cisco Stay EMEA groups to arrange the occasion for CCIEs in EMEA.
These classes actually are “ask me something,” and the CCIEs in attendance didn’t maintain again. A CCIE requested Phil how he and the Cisco Technical Help Middle (TAC) group have been getting ready for the AI transition. Did they nonetheless see a necessity for CCIEs on their very own crew? The session isn’t recorded, so I can’t give Phil’s actual reply, however the gist was emphatic:
“CCIEs are completely nonetheless wanted. Like automation, AI is turning into superb at tackling routine, widespread points and issues. However by the character of how AI is skilled, issues which are new, distinctive, or advanced require human experience, creativity, and ingenuity. There’s and all the time be an enormous worth positioned on CCIEs throughout the Cisco TAC and CX group.”
I completely agree with Phil right here.
On the AI highway with Studying & Certifications
For 32 years, the Studying & Certifications crew has been strolling the highway of community evolution with every one in all us. And as new applied sciences are born, the CCIE program and assets for CCIEs have advanced alongside the best way. As a member of the Studying & Certifications crew, I can inform you we’ve got all fingers on deck to help and navigate our entrance into the AI period proper alongside you.
I received’t inform you that we’ve got all of the solutions or that we all know what obstacles we’ll face alongside the journey. That wouldn’t be sincere. Issues are altering quick, and I haven’t acquired a crystal ball. However like we very not too long ago did with community automation and programmability, as a neighborhood, we’ll dive into AI, constructing our experience on a stable basis of deliberate follow, technical studying, sharing with one another, and fixing so many errors and errors. There is perhaps a couple of debugs alongside the best way as properly.
The most important place you’ll be able to see how we’re taking AI severely throughout the CCIE program is the addition of AI Infrastructure as a brand new space of experience within the CCDE certification. Designing the infrastructure required to help GenAI workloads and information facilities includes distinctive community, safety, and compute issues. Organizations in each geography and vertical are investing in AI, and having specialists able to serving to them quickly design and make this funding is a vital hurdle. The certification crew moved quick to grasp these challenges and convey them to the CCDE and the neighborhood.
However how do you “be taught” these expertise? Our technical coaching crew has been working simply as laborious and quick to assist there as properly, and the brand new Cisco U. Studying Path AI Options on Cisco Infrastructure Necessities (DCAIE) has been launched. Even higher, the DCAIE Studying Path is obtainable FOR FREE till March 24, 2025, as a part of our ongoing Rev As much as Recert program. Benefit from this brand-new AI studying and earn 34 Persevering with Training credit when you are at it!
Rev As much as Recert: AI
AI Options on Cisco Infrastructure Necessities | DCAIE
Study and earn 34 CE credit (in 34 hours) totally free, February 7 – March 24, 2025
Along with the brand new DCAIE Studying Path, there are plenty of free AI tutorials and different content material obtainable on Cisco U.
Yet one more nice (and free) possibility obtainable to get began with Synthetic Intelligence is the Introduction to Trendy AI course from Cisco Networking Academy. Don’t let the “NetAcad” location make you overlook this useful resource. This course gives a superb introduction, with hands-on workouts to be taught key AI ideas and create some fundamental AI-enabled purposes. Construct confidence in just some hours—and have enjoyable when you are at it.
There can be far more to return within the close to future from myself and the Studying & Certifications crew. I’m personally wanting ahead to the subsequent yr as I return to high school myself, studying and absorbing every thing I can about AI. And you’ll ensure I’ll be round in additional blogs, movies, dwell streams, and conferences, sharing with every one in all you. Let’s benefit from the highway collectively!
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