There are no formal prerequisites for CCIE certification. Other professional certifications or training courses are not required. Instead, candidates must first pass a written qualification exam and then the corresponding hands-on lab exam. You are expected to have an in-depth understanding of the topics in the exam blueprints and strongly encouraged to have three to five years of job experience before attempting certification. You can review the exam preparation materials included on this page for more information.

Step One: CCIE Storage Networking Written Exam
You must pass the two-hour, written qualification exam which covers storage networking concepts, features, design, applications, management and device operations before you are eligible to schedule the lab exam.

Step Two: CCIE Storage Networking Lab Exam
The eight-hour lab exam tests your ability to get the storage area network running in a timed test situation. You must pass the lab within three years of passing the written to achieve certification. Your first lab attempt must be made within 18 months.