This article is a part of my DevNet Expert Journey blog series
- Part 1: This post
- Part 2: Intensive Study Period - Part 1
- Part 3: Intensive Study Period - Part 2
- Part 4: 1st Exam Attempt
- Part 5: 2nd Exam Attempt
- Part 6: 3rd Exam Attempt
Intro #
Every CCIE-certified engineer knows the effort required to tackle the Lab Exam. It’s incredibly demanding, unforgiving and swiftly reveals any gaps in the candidate’s knowledge.
This post marks the beginning of a series documenting my preparations for the DevNet Expert Lab Exam.
In these articles, I hope you’ll find a wealth of useful information to help you draw your conclusions, learn from my mistakes, and decide whether It’s worth starting your own preparation journey, especially if you’re still unsure or have doubts.
I want to share everything I wish I had known at the start of my journey. The DevNet Expert journey has been one of the greatest challenges I’ve ever undertaken, and I’ve learned a tremendous amount along the way.
How it all started #
Network Engineering #
Looking back, I remember my very beginnings in IT. When I was 16 and attending technical school, I knew I was going to be a Network Engineer in the future. I recall the excitement of connecting to a Cisco 2801 Router through the console cable and configuring RIPv2 between three routers in the rack. And the moment the routes were advertised between them? Wow…
At 20, I moved to Warsaw to start my very first position in IT as a Helpdesk Specialist. I gained an understanding of what it’s like to work in a large company. A few months later, I enrolled in the NetAcad CCNA Course. Once I completed the course, I decided to find a place where I could put my knowledge into practice. I was hired by DPD Poland as a Junior Network Administrator, where I learned a lot about network administration.
Afterward, I passed the CCNA exam and with no extra due I started pursuing CCNP R&S. I successfully passed all three exams: ROUTE, SWITCH, and TSHOOT.
By the way, I enjoyed the TSHOOT exam the most. :grinning_face:
First thought about CCIE #
After passing my CCNP, I noticed the CCIE logo in the exam hierarchy on the Cisco website and thought that maybe this was the next step. However, once I understood the prerequisites and what was required to pass the exam, I quickly gave up before even starting. With only 1-2 years of experience with network devices, I realized I wasn’t ready. It was a wise decision at the time, but from that moment, I always aspired to become CCIE certified and be recognized as an expert in the industry. Although I chose not to begin my preparations, the seed had been sown…
Biggest challenge in my career #
At the beginning of 2020, I was hired by a company where my very first task turned out to be a crazy one: I had to implement Cisco ACI with zero prior knowledge about it. The hardware was mounted in racks with minimal configuration, and that was all I had to start with. I had to understand the current network topology and then implement ACI to fit seamlessly with the rest of the network.
I can’t even count how much time I spent trying to understand how ACI works, how many tutorials I watched, articles and books I read, and how many times I wiped APICs, Leafs, and Spines. I wanted to have a well-designed Policy Model with a proper naming convention, without leftovers from repeatedly adding and removing initial config objects. I feel nostalgic about watching Lukas Krattiger’s Cisco Live presentations and reading Chris Welsh’s Rednectar’s blog and the Unofficial ACI Guide blog.
This was one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced and a key point in my career where I began dealing with Network Automation in earnest.
Expert in DataCenter field #
After spending a tremendous amount of time understanding ACI, it became natural for me to want to explore more and understand the more sophisticated and complex parts of ACI. I started my preparations for the DCACI exam. The “seed” of pursuing the CCIE certification resurfaced, but this time, I considered the Data Center track since it aligned better with my career goals at that time. I set a goal: once I passed the DCACI, I would begin preparations for the CCIE. However, I quickly gave up again. This time, there was a better reason – network automation had become a more attractive topic for me than traditional network engineering.
After considering the CCIE twice, I told myself that the CCIE was not for me. I let the seed wither, thinking I was not skilled enough or self-disciplined enough to pursue it again.
Network Automation #
My first network automation project was in 2018 when I started using Ansible. Frustrated with repetitive tasks, I automated changing BGP metrics on a Core VPN Router for branch offices, which had to be done several times daily due to ISP issues. Without IP SLAs, we managed manually, making automation essential. I learned to configure Juniper SRX via Ansible using NETCONF, appreciating Ansible’s simplicity despite not fully understanding NETCONF at the time.
Implementing Cisco ACI highlighted the need for automation in managing large-scale infrastructure. Configuring objects through the GUI was error-prone and risky; a single mistake could make the Data Center unavailable. To reduce human error and enforce standards, I automated frequent ACI tasks using Ansible and AWX. This project marked the true start of my network automation journey.
Around the same time, I began writing Python scripts to generate reports from ISE and Umbrella and automate other tasks. Surprisingly, I started enjoying programming, and each subsequent small project brought me closer to enjoying it even more.
It’s time to move on #
I have always admired (and still do!) my dear friend A., who is the best SysOps/DevOps engineer I’ve met. I always wanted to be like him, but it was hard for me to just stop what I was doing and start learning the concepts of DevOps, automation, and more. I would likely have had to start over from a junior position. As someone who enjoys tackling hard and challenging things, starting from a junior position was not an option for me. I planned to slowly transition towards automation and DevOps.
I discovered the DevNet community, and automation became a very attractive topic for me. I saw it as a great chance to put my plans for Automation/DevOps culture into reality. At the end of 2021, I decided it was time to stop mounting switches, stressing over on-calls, and being present at every maintenance window in the middle of the night. It was time to slowly move out of Network Engineering.
Network Automation Engineer #
I began searching for a career opportunity that would allow me to focus more on network automation. When I got hired by DSV, my journey truly began. Now I feel like my creativity has been unleashed - no longer confined by specific commands and protocols. In programming, there are endless ways to solve problems.
Joining DSV was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and it took my career to a whole new level.
DevNet Expert - it’s my turn! #
Two years as a Network Automation Engineer at DSV flew by, and by August 2023, I started considering the DevNet Expert certification. I’ve always admired those determined enough to become CCIE-certified, and reading their stories motivated me to begin my journey. They all emphasize that it’s about the journey, and I wanted to experience it myself.
I had already covered some blueprint topics through my experience at DSV, where I learned about Terraform, Docker, and other tools, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity and timing to start. My experience managing and deploying network solutions, especially ACI, would also be beneficial.
DEVCOR being a prerequisite for the lab exam gave me a chance to build a solid foundation. I passed the DEVCOR exam on December 6, 2023, removing the last barrier to preparing for the DevNet Expert Lab Exam.
January 8th marked the first day of my intensive study period when everything changed.
Making the decision #
My own “WHY” #
First, I asked myself, “Why am I doing this?”.
It’s crucial to define your goal and understand your motivation. Simply saying, “I want to be CCIE-certified” isn’t enough — I learned that the hard way in the past.
I wrote down my reasons for wanting to become DevNet Expert certified and the benefits of being certified. Trust me, this exercise saved me and kept me from giving up. Whenever I struggled to return to my studies, I opened my notebook and revisited those bullet points. Those reasons helped me to stay motivated and not give up and reminded me why I’m doing this and why It’s worth keeping it up.
So, why did I decide to pursue the DevNet Expert certification? Here are my reasons.
Understanding the Journey: I wanted to truly experience the process, to see if I could maintain consistency and self-discipline over an extended period. Most CCIE-certified individuals say the same — it’s all about the journey. The process helped them reach their goals and dreams, not just those related to becoming CCIE certified.
Learning New Things: This is the primary reason people pursue certifications. The DevNet Expert certification covers many commonly used solutions for automation and DevOps. Additionally, I wanted to learn about time management, strategic thinking, architectural approaches, risk assessment, and planning.
Benefit that comes with certification programs is that they provide a clear pathway to what is required to learn a specific subject. I always used these as a guide to avoid studying chaotically and to have a study plan organized.
Challenging Myself with a CCIE-Level Exam: I love challenges as they push me to improve daily. I believe this is the best and fastest way to upskill. I wanted to feel it on my skin what it takes to pass that exam. Also, my goal was to become CCIE-certified by 30 (I’m 29 now, so close!). This idea seemed out of reach until August 2023, when I decided to pursue it.
Testing My Consistency: I struggle with consistency. I wanted to see if I could persevere through months of studying and lab work. Discipline and consistency are crucial in this process. Taking on this challenge would require me to develop these skills, which would benefit my future career by enabling me to study more efficiently.
Discovering Strengths and Weaknesses: I see this process as a valuable opportunity to discover my strengths, weaknesses, and knowledge gaps.
Understand How to Study More Effectively: My journey was a great opportunity to learn from my mistakes and streamline the learning process. Before my journey began, my study habits were chaotic — I would switch between topics frequently, try to memorize things by rote, and then forget what I had just read 30 minutes later. I knew I needed to change my approach to effectively prepare for the extensive range of topics I needed to study since the list of skills required to pass the exam is HUGE.
Identify your “WHY” #
I suggest you do the same — assess where you are right now, and try to find the pros and cons of being DevNet Expert certified. Identify your reasons why would you start - please don’t cheat yourself and have an honest conversation with yourself.
In my opinion, this is essential for staying motivated. If you don’t believe in your goal, why would you wake up early or stop watching TV series every day to study? If you don’t see the benefits and force yourself to study, the journey will be extremely difficult. We feel uncomfortable when forced to do things, and our efficiency drops significantly. Try to make the process enjoyable.
If you were to ask me whether this certification is worth pursuing, I’d start by asking you a few questions. Here are some examples that might help you make a decision.
- What is your motivation behind this?
Are you aiming for a pay raise? That’s fine, but are you sure you’ll enjoy the entire journey? If not, is it worth forcing yourself just for a pay increase? Perhaps there’s another topic that interests you more and can help you upskill in areas you truly enjoy.
Do you want to be recognized? That’s also valid, but are you prepared for colleagues to seek your help because of your expertise? Are you ready to work as part of a team and support them? After all, you’re aiming to be CCIE/Expert certified, right?
- Are you ready to be fully focused on this?
Candidates often need hundreds or thousands of hours for lab work, reading books, and going through RFCs, documentation, and articles. This question is closely linked to the next one.
- Do you have space in your personal life for it?
In my opinion, studying just 2 hours per week isn’t enough. It will take ages, and you’ll quickly forget what you’ve learned without consistent review and daily immersion. This means dedicating most of your free time to studying. I decided to skip most parties, events, and other activities that weren’t beneficial in the long term in favor of studying. You need to be aware of consequences like this.
- Have you informed your family and friends about this?
This is one of the most important topics to address. Your family and friends need to know the challenge you’re about to undertake and understand why. Their support is crucial. Explain carefully what this is about and why you want to pursue it. I talked with my family, my girlfriend, and friends, gave them a heads-up, and asked for their support and understanding.
This will reduce the risk of neglecting your social life and not giving your family and friends enough attention. It doesn’t mean asking them to be patient if you disappear completely. Take care of them and find a balance between family and your studies — family should always come first. Keep that in mind, as it’s easy to become overwhelmed and forget everything happening around you.
Treat these questions as encouragement to verify if this process is right for you. My intention isn’t to tell you that it’s too hard or that you won’t make it. Instead, I want you to be aware of the reality. I’m just sharing the facts.
If you are sure and ready, start by defining your study plan as soon as possible.
Learn from those who achieved that #
Asking questions costs you nothing. In the worst-case scenario, your question will be rejected or got unanswered. In the best-case scenario, you’ll get an answer that could save you hours of searching for information or help you avoid potential problems.
During my career, I’ve met a few CCIEs and always tried to ask them about their journey. This helped me understand how to prepare for the exam and what challenges to expect.
I remember a conversation with J., who is CCIE Collaboration certified. We had a few meetings where we discussed his CCIE experience (thank you for sharing with me your very personal point of view and life experience). One sentence stood out to me:
You can’t prepare for the exam in your free time. If you are in this process, there is no free time.
This sentence made me realize how much effort must be put into the preparations. You need to spend many hours studying, labbing, coding, reading, and writing. You also need to learn how to manage your free time and allocate it effectively for studying. Sometimes, it’s about finding an acceptable compromise.
Summary #
Thank you for reading this far. In the next post, I’ll share how each month of my study journey looked like. I learned a lot during these months, and I hope my experiences will help you not only in preparing for the DevNet Expert but also for other certifications.