{"id":81,"date":"2026-08-19T16:11:05","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T16:11:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nceducations.com\/blog\/?p=81"},"modified":"2026-08-19T16:11:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T16:11:05","slug":"what-is-ccie-enterprise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nceducations.com\/blog\/what-is-ccie-enterprise\/","title":{"rendered":"What is CCIE Enterprise? : Infrastructure, Requirements, Certification, Exam Details, it is worth it? & Salary 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Searching for “CCIE Enterprise<\/a>” often leads to confusion, because it isn’t the name of a single exam or credential of Cisco. It is a category name that covers two separate Cisco certifications with different core exams, different lab exams, and different technical focus areas. If you’ve been trying to figure out which one you actually need, or whether you’re supposed to become CCIE level expert and should take one or two exams then this guide clears that up before you invest time or money in the wrong track.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is Cisco CCIE Enterprise?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

“Cisco CCIE Enterprise” refers to a <\/span>expert-level certification category<\/b> for enterprise networking, and it contains <\/span>two separate, independently earned certifications<\/b>:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure: <\/b>It is for wired enterprise networking: like routing, switching, WAN, SD-Access, SD-WAN<\/a>, and automation.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. CCIE Enterprise Wireless:<\/b> It is for enterprise wireless networking like RF design, wireless security, mobility, and wireless automation<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Both certification of CCIE Enterprise sits at the same Expert level in Cisco’s certification hierarchy (Associate \u2192 Professional \u2192 Expert). Also both are built on top of CCNP<\/a> level knowledge with required core exam and an eight-hour, hands-on lab exam. But they are distinct credentials with different core exams, different lab exams, and different career specialisations. Someone who has earned the Infrastructure has not automatically earned Wireless, and vice versa.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Where “CCIE Enterprise” Sits in Cisco’s Certification Structure?<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Cisco organises its certifications into levels and categories. At the Expert (CCIE) tier, Cisco currently offers eight expert-level certifications across categories including Enterprise Infrastructure, Enterprise Wireless, and more. “Enterprise” is one category at top tier and unlike some other CCIE categories, it splits into two tracks rather than one.<\/span><\/p>\n

    This split exists because wired enterprise networking and enterprise wireless networking require different expertise, altough they both operate within the same enterprise network. Cisco previously consolidated more of this under CCIE Routing & Switching and CCIE Wireless as separate legacy tracks; the current structure keeps that separation but reorganises both under the “Enterprise” umbrella.<\/span><\/p>\n

    CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure vs. CCIE Enterprise Wireless<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n<\/colgroup>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Criteria<\/strong><\/td>\nCCIE Enterprise Infrastructure<\/strong><\/td>\n\n
    \n
    CCIE Enterprise Wireless<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Focus<\/td>\nWired enterprise networking: routing, switching, WAN, SD-Access, SD-WAN<\/td>\n\n
    \n
    Enterprise wireless networking: RF design, wireless security, mobility, automation<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Core exam<\/td>\n350-401 ENCOR<\/a> (Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies)<\/td>\n\n
    \n
    350-101 WLCOR (Implementing and Operating Cisco Wireless Core Technologies)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Core exam cost<\/td>\nUS$400<\/td>\nUS$400<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Core exam duration<\/td>\n120 minutes<\/td>\n120 minutes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Specialist cert earned on core pass<\/td>\nCisco Certified Specialist \u2013 Enterprise Core<\/td>\n\n
    \n
    Cisco Certified Specialist \u2013 Wireless Core<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Lab exam<\/td>\nEnterprise Infrastructure Lab v1.1<\/td>\n\n
    \n
    Wireless Lab v1.1<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Lab exam cost<\/td>\nUS$1,600<\/td>\nUS$1,600<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Lab exam duration<\/td>\n8 hours, hands-on<\/td>\n\n
    \n
    8 hours, hands-on<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Related CCNP track<\/td>\nCCNP Enterprise<\/td>\n\n
    \n
    CCNP Enterprise Wireless<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Recertification<\/td>\nEvery 3 years (exam or CE credits)<\/td>\n\n
    \n
    Every 3 years (exam or CE credits)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Note:<\/b> These two does not <\/span>share the same core exam. As per updated Cisco’s certification structure, Enterprise Wireless uses its own dedicated core exam (350-101 WLCOR) which is separate from ENCOR.<\/span><\/p>\n

    What Each Track Actually Validates?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

    CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure: <\/b>It validates that an engineer can plan, design, operate, and optimise dual-stack (IPv4\/IPv6) wired enterprise networks. Also can do campus switching, enterprise routing (OSPF, EIGRP, BGP), SD-Access, SD-WAN, and network automation. It’s the direct successor to the legacy CCIE Routing & Switching track.<\/span><\/p>\n

    CCIE Enterprise Wireless:<\/b> It check that an engineer can plan, design, implement, operate, and optimise complex enterprise wireless networks. Also understand the RF fundamentals and site survey, 802.11 standards, wireless security, mobility across deployment models, and wireless automation and telemetry.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Both exams test across the full technology lifecycle rather than isolated configuration tasks. Also both require candidates to demonstrate automation and programmability skills as part of the lab exam. Which reflects Cisco’s broader shift toward automation-aware network engineering at the expert level.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Which Track Should You Choose?<\/b><\/h2>\n

    The right track depends on where your day-to-day work actually sits, not on which one sounds more prestigious.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Choose CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure if:<\/b><\/h3>\n