CANNES, France (Networkers 2005), December 12, 2005 - Cisco Systems® today announced the availability of the CCIE® Assessor Lab for Routing and Switching, the first CCIE practice lab and assessment developed and offered by Cisco. With CCIE Assessor Lab, candidates can assess their strengths and weaknesses and improve exam readiness using Cisco equipment and lab scenarios-all from their own desktop.

Designed as an option for exam preparation, the four-hour CCIE Assessor Lab features remote access to live equipment using a Web-based, lab management tool and configuration scenarios which simulate the format and difficulty of the actual CCIE lab exam. After completing the lab, candidates receive a detailed assessment of their performance, including the correct command lines and suggestions for further study.

"The eight-hour lab exam, performed in a Cisco office, is commonly perceived to be rigorous and stressful, especially for first-time candidates," said Mike Quinn, vice president, Technical Support Group at Cisco. "The pre-lab assessment is an invaluable tool for candidates to identify gaps in their preparation and devise an effective test-taking strategy from their own desktop - at a quarter of the cost of the lab exam."

Pricing and Availability

The CCIE Assessor Lab for Routing and Switching is available to candidates worldwide using standard Web access tools. For a limited introductory period, Cisco will offer CCIE Assessor Lab for US$279, a discount of US$70 off the list price. Online purchases and pre-scheduling for four-hour sessions are available beginning December 12, 2005.

More information on the CCIE Assessor Lab, details on scheduling a session, access requirements, and assessment results can be found on the CCIE Website at http://www.cisco.com/ccie/assessor/.

About Cisco Career Certifications

The widely respected Cisco Career Certifications bring valuable, measurable rewards to network professionals, their managers and the organizations that employ them. Cisco offers three levels of general certification: Associate, Professional and Expert in various tracks such as Routing and Switching, Network Security and Service Provider. A variety of Cisco Specialist focused certifications are also available to show knowledge in specific technologies, solutions or job roles. For Cisco Career Certifications information, visit http://www.cisco.com/en/US/learning.

About the CCIE Certification Program

For over twelve years, CCIE certification has identified internetworking professionals with the highest level of expertise, those capable of tackling the most challenging assignments. Find out more about CCIE certification in Routing & Switching, Security, Service Provider, Voice and Storage Networking at http://www.cisco.com/ccie/.