IPexpert is a BETTER VALUE than Internetwork Expert
A report by the IT Industry's Leading Provider of Third-Party Validation
Background Story
This summer, IPexpert and Internetwork Expert made public claims to being the "leader" in CCIE training. These claims sparked entertaining conversations internally at our company, and a scurry for stats at Internetwork Expert.
We conducted a poll to learn which criteria were actually important to CCIE hopefuls as they select a training partner. Since both camps have their own set of loyal customers that will defend their vendor-of-choice, we thought it would be valuable to have a third-party, unbiased entity evaluate the two vendor offerings and provide feedback.
The Solution
IPexpert sought out the foremost name in the IT industry for conducting independent comparison studies, then reporting the results of their findings, good or bad. The Tolly Group has been commissioned by reputable firms such as:
- Cisco
- Nortel
- 3COM
- Riverbed
- Symantec
- Foundry Networks
- Siemens
- and hundreds more!
A trusted analyst, based upon their Fair Testing Charter, The Tolly Group was selected by IPexpert to conduct a review of the competitive offerings from the perspective of a CCIE candidate assessing the top training vendors.
The Criteria
Comparative analyses are valuable only in "apples-to-apples" scenarios and in specific areas where both are serious contenders. In the interest of complete fairness, recognizing that Internetwork Expert (IE) has historically been primarily focused on the CCIE R&S track, the comparative study was primarily focused on this track alone.
Believing that fair-minded people would acknowledge that both IPexpert and IE provide quality training products and courses, that fact is not contested in this review. We commend IE for providing great CCIE R&S materials.
That said, The Tolly Group evaluated the value (what you get for the money) delivered by each vender, based on five criteria:
- Classroom Training: What types of classes are offered and at what frequency?
- Self-Study Programs: What programs / materials are available and at what cost?
- Rack Rental Options: What equipment resources are available to students for lab purposes? A what costs?
- Success Stories (the topic that sparked the debate!): How many students have earned certification through the vendcor traiing programs? In what technical areas have they been certified? Have students come back to a trainng vendor for additinoal certifications?
- Service Guarantees: What programs does the training provider put in place to guarantee to the student that his / her training investment is protected and that the student will receive the proper training and preparation to pass the CCIE lab exam?
The Results
To our delight, but certainly not to our surprise, Tolly Group found that IPexpert delivers a more cost-effective set of training solutions for the CCIE Routing and Switching track than Internetwork Expert.
It is doubtful that hard-core IE fans could be swayed by any evidence, and that's fine. However, for those candidates evaluating vendors, this evaluation authored by The Tolly Group may be a more valuable tool than the emotionally-charged rallying by individuals on various online communities.
