CCIE EI · ● Active · Expert · Cisco
The apex of Cisco enterprise networking certification. Two-part exam (350-401 ENCOR qualifying exam + 8-hour lab). Demonstrates expertise in designing, deploying, operating, and optimizing complex enterprise network infrastructure at the highest professional level.
Exam facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost | Qualifying: $400 USD. Lab: $1,900 USD per attempt |
| Duration | Qualifying (ENCOR 350-401): 120 minutes. Lab: 8 hours total (3-hour Design module + 5-hour Deploy/Operate/Optimize) |
| Questions | ENCOR: 90–110 questions (mixed format: single/multiple choice + simulations) |
| Passing | ENCOR: 825/1000 scaled score. Lab: Pass/Fail based on cumulative score across all domains |
| Format | Part 1: Multiple choice + Labs (PBQs). Part 2: Hands-on lab exam in Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) environment |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE (ENCOR at authorized test centers). Lab: Cisco-proctored in-person or online via Cisco OnVUE |
| Languages | English (primary); Japanese also available |
| Valid | CCIE certification: Lifetime (no renewal required unless the credential is retired and replaced) |
| Renewal | N/A (Lifetime validity, but optional Continuing Education (CE) available) |
| Prerequisites | None formal, but CCNP Enterprise (350-401 ENCOR + hands-on experience with complex enterprise networks) strongly recommended |
| Released | Current version (v1.1): February 2026; v1.0 retired March 18, 2026 |
| Retiring | No retirement date announced; current v1.1 includes Crosswork Network Automation and Secure Firewall Threat Defense as of April 2026 |
Vendor source — Cisco CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure ↗ Exams and training — CCIE EI Exams & Training ↗ Official exam blueprint (ENCOR) — 350-401 ENCOR Exam Topics ↗
About
The CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure is Cisco's highest-level enterprise networking certification, designed for senior network engineers and architects who design, deploy, and optimize complex enterprise network infrastructures. First released in 2016 (replacing the legacy CCIE Routing & Switching), the current v1.1 launched in February 2026 and was updated in April 2026 to include Cisco Crosswork Network Automation and Secure Firewall Threat Defense scenarios. This certification is recognized globally as one of the most prestigious in IT networking; CCIEs are in high demand and command premium salaries. Passing requires both a written core exam (350-401 ENCOR) and an 8-hour hands-on lab exam.
Domain context — Networking
Enterprise network infrastructure design, deployment, and operations at the expert level. Covers routing, switching, software-defined networking, network services (QoS, multicast), security, network automation, and assurance across large, multi-site, hybrid-cloud environments.
Read full deep dive — Cisco Ecosystem →
Topics covered
ENCOR (350-401) Blueprint Topics:
-
Architecture, Components, and Concepts (15% weight)
- Dual stack (IPv4/IPv6) design
- Virtualization and overlay/underlay concepts
- Infrastructure as Code / programmability
- Hybrid cloud connectivity
-
Routing (20% weight)
- BGP routing protocol and design patterns
- OSPF, IS-IS fundamentals
- Multicast and MCAST design
- Route filtering and policy
-
Switching (15% weight)
- VLANs, inter-VLAN routing
- Spanning Tree Protocol (STP/RSTP/MSTP)
- EtherChannel aggregation
- Switch hardware and software architecture
-
Infrastructure Services (13% weight)
- DHCP, DNS, NTP configuration
- QoS design and implementation
- High availability and redundancy
- First Hop Redundancy (FHRP)
-
Network Assurance (12% weight)
- Device monitoring and management (SNMP, NetFlow, syslog)
- Troubleshooting tools and methodologies
- Network telemetry and analytics
- Performance baselining
-
Security (13% weight)
- Access Control Lists (ACLs) and filtering
- Network Address Translation (NAT)
- IPsec VPN design
- Firewall concepts and integration
-
Automation, Programmability, and DevOps (12% weight)
- REST APIs and NETCONF/YANG
- Python scripting for network automation
- Ansible, Terraform IaC frameworks
- Model-Driven Telemetry (MDT)
CCIE EI Lab Exam (v1.1) Domains:
- Design Module (3 hours): Network architecture, service requirements mapping, topology design, technology selection
- Deploy/Operate/Optimize Module (5 hours):
- Network Infrastructure: Routing, switching, multicast deployment
- Software-Defined Infrastructure: SD-WAN, SD-Access, intent-based networking
- Transport Technologies: MPLS, segment routing, segment routing for traffic engineering
- Network Services: QoS, multicast, first-hop redundancy, load balancing
- Network Security: Firewalls, VPNs, threat defense, encryption
- Network Infrastructure Automation: Configuration management, provisioning, Crosswork Network Automation (new in v1.1 April 2026)
- Network Assurance: Monitoring, troubleshooting, analytics, AI-ops integration
Source: Official ENCOR exam guide ↗
Common skills at Networking · Expert
Shared competencies for enterprise networking at the expert level — beyond CCIE EI specifics.
- Enterprise network architecture design (multi-site, hybrid cloud, software-defined)
- Routing protocol mastery (BGP, OSPF, IS-IS) and policy-based routing
- Advanced switching and network reliability (STP variants, HA, redundancy)
- Network security design (firewalls, VPNs, threat defense, zero-trust concepts)
- Scalability and performance optimization (QoS, load balancing, traffic engineering)
- Network automation and infrastructure-as-code (API-driven, Python, Ansible, Terraform)
- Network monitoring, observability, and telemetry (SNMP, NetFlow, streaming telemetry, AIOps)
- Troubleshooting complex multi-vendor environments
- Technology evaluation and vendor selection
- Team leadership and knowledge transfer
Recommended courses at Networking · Expert
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| INE (Intellignet) | CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Learning Path | $999–$1,299/year | ↗ |
| Cisco U (Cisco Learning Network) | CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Training | Varies | ↗ |
| Micronics Training (Narbik Kocharians) | CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure v1.1 Bootcamp | $3,000–$5,000 (9 days) | ↗ |
| Orhan Ergun | CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Self-Paced Training | $600–$1,200 | ↗ |
| CBT Nuggets | CCIE Enterprise Bootcamp | $2,000–$3,500 | ↗ |
| Udemy (various instructors) | CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure courses | $15–$100 | ↗ |
Course-selection rule: INE and Micronics (Narbik) are industry gold standards for CCIE prep. Expect 12–18 months and 2,000–3,000 study hours. Lab access (Cisco Modeling Labs, GNS3, EVE-NG) is essential and costs $500–$2,000 annually.
Practice exams
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco Learning Network | Official ENCOR Practice Exam (350-401) | Free / Bundled in courses | ↗ |
| Boson | EX0-350 ExSim for CCNP/CCIE ENCOR | $99–$129 | ↗ |
| Whizlabs | CCNP Enterprise (ENCOR 350-401) Practice Tests | $49–$99 | ↗ |
| MeasureUp | 350-401 ENCOR Official Practice Test | $99–$165 | ↗ |
| Narbik/Micronics | CCIE EI Lab Workbooks & Mock Labs | Bundled in bootcamp or $500–$1,000 standalone | ↗ |
Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | Year | ISBN | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Foundation, 2nd Edition | Narbik Kocharians | Cisco Press / Pearson | 2024 | 978-0137374243 | ↗ |
| CCNP and CCIE Enterprise Core ENCOR 350-401 Official Cert Guide, 2nd Edition | Brad Edgeworth et al. | Cisco Press | 2025 | 978-0138216764 | ↗ |
| CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Official Cert Guide | Narbik Kocharios, Sean Wilkins | Cisco Press | 2017 (v1.0) | 978-1587145094 | ↗ |
Book note: Narbik's Foundation 2nd ed. (2024) is the most current and includes 40+ detailed labs for real gear and emulators. The original Official Cert Guide (2017) covers v1.0 and is being phased out; Pearson's 2nd-ed Official Cert Guide for 350-401 is the current companion for ENCOR prep.
Typical job titles at Networking · Expert
Senior Network Engineer · Network Architect · CCIE Enterprise Consultant · Cloud Network Architect · Principal Network Engineer · Lead Network Engineer · Network Solutions Architect · Infrastructure Architect · Network Automation Engineer · CCIE Network Specialist
(Job titles drawn from Cisco Learning Network career resources, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and IT Jobs Watch postings requiring or preferring CCIE EI.)
Salary
| Region | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USD | $130,000 – $250,000+ (most CCIEs fall in $140,000–$230,000 band) | Glassdoor CCIE ↗ · ZipRecruiter CCIE EI ↗ · Talent.com CCIE ↗ |
| GBP | £67,500 – £92,000+ (UK CCIE average ~£85,500; varies by London vs. regional) | IT Jobs Watch CCIE ↗ · Glassdoor UK CCIE ↗ · PayScale UK ↗ |
| ZAR | R864,000 – R1,030,000 (South African data limited; network architect equivalent roles ~R750,000–R1,200,000) | PayScale ZA ↗ · CareerJunction ZA ↗ |
Salary note: CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure is the most common CCIE track; market supply is higher than niche tracks (Security, SP) but demand remains strong. CCIE Security averages slightly higher (~$175,000 USD). Experience, geography, and employer size drive wide variation. Consulting/contract roles often pay 20–30% premium over permanent positions.
Skills validated
Concrete, hands-on technologies this exam actually tests — distinct from shared "Common skills" above.
- BGP routing policy and design (communities, route maps, path selection)
- OSPF and IS-IS protocol operation and advanced features
- Multicast (PIM, IGMP, multicast VPN)
- MPLS and segment routing (SR-MPLS, segment routing traffic engineering)
- Virtual routing and forwarding (VRF) and MPLS VPN
- SD-WAN design and deployment (Cisco vManage orchestration)
- Software-Defined Access (SD-Access / Cisco DNA Center)
- Cisco Crosswork Network Automation (new in v1.1 April 2026)
- QoS hierarchical queuing, policing, traffic shaping
- Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense (new in v1.1 April 2026)
- IPsec and GET VPN
- VXLAN and network overlays
- Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) hands-on lab platform
- REST APIs and YANG data models
- Python scripting for network automation
- Ansible, Terraform, Cisco DevNet ecosystem
- Network monitoring with Cisco Crosswork Health Insights
- Streaming telemetry (gRPC, Kafka)
- Cisco DNA Assurance analytics
Related certifications
- Prerequisite (required to take the lab): CCNP Enterprise (350-401 ENCOR) ↗
- Lateral stacks with: CCIE Security ↗ · CCIE Service Provider ↗
- Emerging equivalent (cloud networking): AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional ↗ (no direct CCIE equivalent; cloud requires pivot)
- Replaces: CCIE Routing & Switching (retired in 2016)
- Vendor overview: Cisco Vendor Overview ↗
Study plan outline (12–18 months, typical)
Months 1–3: Foundation (CCNP level)
- Complete CCNP Enterprise (ENCOR 350-401) if not already certified
- Read Narbik's Foundation 2nd ed., chapters 1–15
- Set up Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) or GNS3
- Practice ENCOR mock exams (Boson, Whizlabs)
Months 4–8: Core lab topics
- Follow INE or Micronics structured learning path
- Labs: BGP, OSPF, IS-IS, MPLS, VRF, multicast (100–200+ hours)
- Focus on design and troubleshooting, not just "make it work"
- Practice exams every 2 weeks
Months 9–12: Integration and lab format
- Study v1.1 updates (Crosswork, Secure Firewall Threat Defense)
- Full mock lab exams (8-hour timed) every 2 weeks
- Narbik workbooks (design + deploy tasks)
- Track weak topics and iterate
Months 13–18: Lab attempt readiness
- Daily mock labs and topic deep-dives
- Speed practice (complete design in 3 hours, deploy in 5)
- Join study groups (NetworkKings, INE community, Reddit r/ccna)
- Register for lab exam once confidence reaches 85%+
Total cost estimate: $3,000–$10,000 (courses $1,000–$3,000, labs $1,000–$2,000/year, exam attempts $2,300+, travel/materials $500+)
Sources
- Cisco CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Home ↗
- CCIE EI Exams & Training Details ↗
- 350-401 ENCOR Exam Topics (Official Blueprint) ↗
- 350-401 ENCOR Exam Page ↗
- Cisco Certification Exam Updates 2026 (April changes) ↗
- INE CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Training ↗
- Micronics Training / Narbik Bootcamp ↗
- CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Foundation, 2nd Ed. ↗
- Glassdoor CCIE Engineer Salary (USD) ↗
- ZipRecruiter CCIE EI Salary ↗
- IT Jobs Watch CCIE (UK/GBP) ↗
- PayScale CCIE ZA (South Africa) ↗
Last verified: 2026-05-01 Parent ecosystem: Cisco Ecosystem Parent domain: Networking Vendor overview: Cisco Vendor Overview