Post by Fabian Müller

CCIE, what a journey. "It takes a village to raise a child." and "Standing on the shoulders of giants." come to mind. 29th June 2026 was the key date. The third attempt of CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure. I have been preparing for this since December 2024 but the path to get here took a lot more than just the preparation. Since late 2019, I have had the opportunity not only to observe but also to actively contribute and shape my own path. It takes special people to bring out special qualities. One of these special people is my partner Azadeh Foroozandeh who has lived through all of the highs and lows over the past one and a half years. She has supported and pushed me to achieve great things and helped me to keep my head above water. Without you this journey would have been unbearable. The networking team of the Competence Center at Bechtle Darmstadt as well as former colleagues have gone out of their way from the very beginning to welcome me and teach me whatever they could. People who have been part of this journey from day one but also those that became part of it later on. My eternal gratitude goes out to Sven Gluesing, Ralph Puttke, Wilfried Olthoff, Johannes Grimm, Mike Winkler, Matthias Dorsch, Abdul-Majid Daoud-Alsaghir, Benedikt Bersch, Eduardo Alanis, Abdullah Kabir, Daniela Enes, Leon Andreas Brandt, Lionel Djomatcho Djeukam, Patrick Dylong, Aleksandar Savić, Leon W.. Praise and gratitude also goes out to Terry Vinson. Countless exchanges about exam topics, invaluable lessons and also sometimes a savior in times of need when the chaos of the CLI becomes overwhelming. My advice: If you ever think about stepping into the journey of becoming a CCIE, be it Enterprise or Data Center, reach out to him. It is worth every second. CCIE #70483. 29th June 2026. A number and a day that will be stuck in my memory for eternity.