A few changes have occurred with regards to the CCIE Data Center certification, some on Cisco's part and a few on ours.

Cisco Makes a Change

Firstly, released a new testing rack into the system in the middle of last week, and a lot of new seats have opened up to sit for the CCIE Data Center exam. Jump online and book yours today if you've been waiting for one.

Next, Cisco made a seemingly inconspicuous change a few weeks back to the "Lab Equipment and Software Versions" document, not by adding anything, but rather by removing most minor version numbers from software that was previously listed. This doesn't go against anything Cisco has done in the past or anything that they normally let the candidate know six months ahead of time - that goes for major software revisions or hardware changes only.

For instance, the software section previously looked like this:
• NXOS v6.0(2) on Nexus 7000 Switches
• NXOS v5.1(3) on Nexus 5000 Switches
• NXOS v4.2(1) on Nexus 1000v
• NXOS v5.2(2) on MDS 9222i Switches
• UCS Software release 2.0(1x) for UCS-6248 Fabric Interconnect
• Software Release A5(1.0) for ACE 4710
• Cisco Data Center Manager software v5.2(2)

And today looks simply like this:
• NXOS v6.x on Nexus 7000 Switches
• NXOS v5.x on Nexus 5000 Switches
• NXOS v4.x on Nexus 1000v
• NXOS v5.x on MDS 9222i Switches
• UCS Software release 2.x for UCS-6248 Fabric Interconnect
• Software Release A5(1.0) for ACE 4710
• Cisco Data Center Manager software v5.x
_{(A bit funny that ACE didn't feel the love and remained untouched)}

The implications to this are that things like a 'true' Admin context in Nexus 7Ks Sup1s (Sup2(e)s already have this) as well as Native FC Zoning in UCS, Single-Wire Cable Management for UCS C-Series from FIs and the biggest of all, Northbound FCoE from the UCS, can be potentially tested in the future. We're told that for now many of these new UCS 2.1 features are not being tested, but we'll go ahead and add content for them to prepare you.

What INE is Doing About it

We will be upgrading our code following our currently full bootcamp, which will give you the option to practice with the new features, while changing nothing from the current features that you already test with on our racks. We also will be adding scenarios to our online workbooks in the coming weeks, specifically demonstrating and testing you on these new features. Finally, beginning on November 16, you will see the amount of racks we have available for rent more than double.

We'll continue to stay ahead of all major and minor changes that occur in the CCIE Data Center space and alert you as things progress.

Also, we're currently completely booked full in our Data Center classes until March, and even now March and April classes are nearing capacity. If you have any intention of getting into one of these, you'd better head over here and register for one today.