10/12/2004 -- Cisco Systems recently announced that beginning in January it will no longer test VoIP on its Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Routing & Switching lab exam.

A new version of the CCIE R&S lab -- sans VoIP -- will be launched sometime in December, the company said.

"VoIP was originally included in CCIE R&S exams when it emerged as a new use for enterprise IP networks...In September 2003 Cisco began specifically certifying CCIEs in Voice. With the availability of CCIE certification in Voice, the CCIE R&S exam will now refocus on core networking issues," the company said on its Web site.

A beta of the new CCIE R&S closed in September. New topics on this version include IPv6.

For more details on this change, go here. -Becky Nagel