CCIE -> Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert
The "Doctorate Degree of Networking"
Cisco refers to the CCIE certification as the, "Doctorate Degree of Networking" and for good reason. Fewer than 3% of Cisco certified networking professionals attain the top-level CCIE certification. This is not because they don't try either. Just about every person who takes the CCIE exam for the first time will fail. This is a testament to the past and present CCIEs who are working in the networking field today. Cisco has pages of CCIE resources covering the different tracks (Routing and Switching, Security, Service Provider, Storage Networking and Voice), exams, courses and recertification. If you have chosen networking as your field of specialization in the world of IT, then the CCIE cert should be the light at the end of your tunnel.