9/9/2003 -- Cisco Systems recently renamed its CCIE Communications and Services title to CCIE Service Provider. The company said in a Web site statement that the renaming aligns the credential more closely with the segment of the IT community that it serves.

The certification proves knowledge specifically in the fundamentals of IP and core IP technologies, as well as specialized service provider topics, including dial, DSL, cable, optical, WAN switching, and IP telephony.

A candidate must pass a two-hour, multiple-choice written exam, about half of which is unique to the Service Provider CCIE. The other half is relevant to all of Cisco's CCIE tracks. Once that's achieved, the candidate then goes through an eight-hour lab exam that tests the person's ability to get the network running to a designated specification in a timed environment. This lab exam is the same as the one for Routing & Switching.

To read more about Cisco's CCIE program and this announcement, click here. - Dian Schaffhauser