Cisco Certified Architect: How to...

© 2012 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. BRKCRT-8862 Cisco Public

Cisco Certified Architect: How to Complete

the Journey from CCIE to CCDE to CCAr BRKCRT-8862

2


Agenda

CCAr Program Overview and History

The BIG Picture

Technology Architecture – Examples from the Real World

Certification Process and Preparation

3


Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert CCIE

No prerequisites

8 tracks

‒ Routing and Switching

‒ Service Provider

‒ Service Provider Operations

‒ Voice

‒ Storage

‒ Wireless

‒ Security

‒ Data Center (Sept 2012)

2-hour written exam

1-day lab

‒ Configuration and troubleshooting

4


Cisco Certified Design Expert CCDE

No prerequisites

2-hour written exam

‒ Design Theory

‒ Protocol Operation

‒ Technology Operation

8-hour computer based practical exam

‒ Analyze design requirements

‒ Develop network designs

‒ Implement network design

‒ Validate and optimize network design

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Cisco Certified Architect CCAr

Requires a CCDE

Highest level Cisco certification

Application Interview and Board Exam

Infrastructure focused

‒ Not an application, enterprise, IT or solutions architect

Focused on

‒ Business requirements and Long Term Architecture

‒ Conflict resolution and Communication Skills

Not focused on

‒ Technology implementation

‒ Detailed deployment

‒ Processes and standards

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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


Agenda

CCAr Program Overview

The BIG Picture



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The Big Picture

9

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)


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


PPDIOO Six Phases of the Cisco Lifecycle Services Approach

Prepare

Plan

Design

Implement

Operate

Optimize

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CCAr

CCDE

CCIE

Overlap

Overlap


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

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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

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Products

Systems

Solutions

Technology

Architectures

Technology Integration

Cu

sto

me

r Re

leva

nce

Components


Agenda


The BIG Picture



15


Architecture Examples

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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

Connected Stadiums


Connected Stadiums Infrastructure Architecture Considerations

Regulatory Environment

‒ MLB, NFL, NHL, NBA, etc.

‒ State and local

‒ Payment Card Industry - PCI

Scalability

‒ Wireless

‒ Video – Stadium Vision

Access Constraints

‒ Ticketing

‒ Vendors

‒ Wireless

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Architecture Examples Connected Energy Networks

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Residential Networks Building Networks Private Microgrid Networks In-vehicle Networks

Neighborhood Area Networks

Distribution Automation SubNetworks

Electric Vehicle SubNetworks

Urban Field Area Networks

Rural Field Area Networks

Intra-Substation Networks



Inter-Substation Networks

Enterprise Networks

Inter-control Center Networks

Wid

e A

rea

Mo

nit

ori

ng

and

C

on

tro

l Sys

tem

Net

wo

rks

Trans-Regional Networks Interchange Networks Control Area Networks


Connected Energy Networks Infrastructure Architecture Considerations

Regulatory Environment

‒ North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Protection – NERC CIP

‒ State Utility Commissions

Scalability

‒ Data

‒ Smart Meters

‒ Routing

Response Times

‒ Teleprotection

‒ Phasor Measurement Unit - PMU

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Agenda


The BIG Picture



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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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Process

Step One – Application and Interview

Submit payment

Submit application materials (resume,

agreement to resume verification,

summary of one or more architecture

projects, supporting project materials,

non disclosure agreement)

Participate in interview process

Step Two – Board Review

Submit payment

Submit Architectural Challenge

documents

Participate in Board Review

‒ Present findings and proposed

solution to board panel of judges

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Panel of judges determine if submission

meets criteria for admission to Board

Review

Selective process; not all applicants are expected to qualify for

Board Review

Panel of judges

determine if submission

meets criteria to pass the

Cisco Certified Architect

exam


Evaluation

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CCIE

‒ Graded

‒ Specific and well defined outcomes

CCDE

‒ Graded

‒ Multiple valid outcomes possible

CCAr

‒ Judged by a 3 person committee of CCArs

‒ Each judge makes an individual decision regarding the candidate


Preparation

There are no formal training programs for CCAr

Experience is the 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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Conclusion

Distinct differences exist between CCIE, CCDE, and CCAr; Much

time/effort/input spent in developing design 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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References

CCAr https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/certifications/cisco_certified_architect

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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https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/certifications/cisco_certified_architect



https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/certifications/ccde/practical_exam?tab=studylearn

https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/certifications/ccde/written_exam?tab=2

https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/certifications/ccde/practical_exam?tab=studylearn

http://www.ciscopress.com/



Next Exam Dates

CCAr Certification Timeline Date(s)

Application and Interview Process

Registration required and application fee paid By August 8, 2012

Completed applications due to Cisco By August 27, 2012

Phone interviews conducted with applicants Between September 24-26, 2012

Applicants notified of approval to proceed to Board Review By October 5, 2012

Board Review Process

Architecture challenge materials provided to candidates By October 12, 2012

Completed architecture documentation due to Cisco By November 2, 2012

Live presentations to Architect Board December 5, 2012 or

December 6, 2012

Candidates notified of Pass or Fail decision By January 7, 2013

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Become a Cisco Subject Matter Expert

If you consider yourself a Subject Matter Expert

AND

Would like to lend your expertise to the Cisco Certification Program

Send your resume and tell us which Certification Exams you are interested in contributing

[email protected]

We’ll contact you about opportunities as they come up and based on the information you provide us!

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