I saw this today in the Cisco Learning Online store.
How do you feel ?
Its nice to know that the CCIE program can be bundled up into a single mouse click. Have you got your credit card ready ?
Lets look a little bit deeper into this.
It is a one-year subscription training program that includes more than 300 hours of e-learning:
The study package consists of:
- one four hour “find yourself” lab
- 20 hours of video
- 2000 page study guide
- four practice labs
- 25 lab scenarios
- and an online mentoring program
Now, here the special part:
Upon purchase, students will be assigned a participating, authorized Cisco 360 CCIE R&S Learning Partner who delivers mentor services and provides a program introduction. The package includes a one-year subscription and a 10-day setup and download grace period.
And how much would this cost ? Yes, [insert ShamWow voice here] it’s ONLY$5999.00 for ONE YEAR.
Since most people take more than a year, that is going to cost some real money.
Is it good value ?
Probably not. Given that you could get much better value for money from IPexpert or InternetworkExpert. Looking at the Internetwork Expert packages, you can get a lot more for USD$3495.00:
You get a lot more than 20 hours of video, and lot of proven and reliable workbooks, plus Mock Exams, Class-on-Demand and other goodies. And they keep updating their material. It is my understanding that the subscription lasts for a lot longer than one year.
Cisco isn’t in the business of training
In October 2008 I said Cisco is not going to be a training company and the pricing suggests that this is true. They have taken someone elses product, put a good margin on top and selling it with their name on it.
This is a good thing. Cisco training companies can be reassured that their businesses are secure. The reason for Cisco offering these packages is o that resellers can use rebates and training certificates to buy CCIE study. For many Cisco reseller partners, they think this form of funding for training is a type of “free money” and is the only way that reseller engineers (who have a very tough life) can get training.
Wrap up
That is why this product exists. I am sure it is a quality product, but you would not buy it at this price. I would continue to recommend you to IPexpert or Internetwork Expert for you CCIE training resources.1
Footnotes
- I am not a customer or paid by either company in any capacity [back]
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About Greg Ferro
I guess I would ask you this: What is your definition of a training company? Cisco Advanced Services Sells training right?
It’s not training as I understand it. Advanced Services would provide training in the same way that i provide training during an engagement with the customer. That is, if the customer buys my time and wants to use for training, then that is what I would do. But as for delivering on prepared courseware to a given curriculum, I don’t think that they would do that.
If I’m wrong, let me know.
Well … the Advanced Services Education main landing page is at: http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le31/ase/about.html
“ASE training courses focus on the deployment and integration of Cisco advanced technologies. Classroom sessions, led by Cisco ASE team members, include intensive, hands-on lab work on network connectivity, device configuration, and troubleshooting”
I would also consider going to one of the other Bootcamp-providers like CCBootcamp, Heinz Ulm or Nabrik for my CCIE-preparation. Regarding their websites they also seem to provide good quality training.