Arista’s view of what defines an Expert is a forward thinking approach, moving away from the current focus, which is too much on CLI configuration tasks, and moving to a model which matches what our customers and the industry expects in the near future. The ACE Expert certifications program gives employers security in knowing they are hiring lead engineers who not only have sound knowledge but can effortlessly assess problems and implement creative design and architecture solutions. Arista boldly deviates from the market standard which simply offers exams designed to make engineers focus their studies around mastering tricky and obscure requirements that are, in reality, unwanted in a production environment.
ACE:L6
Engineers begin their Expert certifications journey with ACE:L6. This is a practical design and review board. There are no prerequisites to take the L6 exam, however we encourage engineers coming from other vendor expert programs to carefully review the course details in ACE:L3-L5 to ensure they understand the differences in our approaches on best practice with core Data Center, Campus, Service Provider and Automation concepts.
The engineer will be given a scenario shaped in the form of an RFP request from a customer; they will then assume the lead architect position in answering the RFP.
The ACE:L6 Design and Architecture exam covers all architectures taught in ACE:L1-L5; including Leaf-Spine, Data Center, Campus, Service Provider connectivity, automation, and management.
After registration, your personal concierge will contact you and schedule your Expert Review Panel video conference. This is integral and will determine and initiate your program timeline. Upon confirmation, you will receive a written scenario and have 14 days to submit questions; additional information will be provided based on the questions submitted. You will then have a further two weeks before final solutions must be submitted for analysis. Arista Training will review your submission for completeness and initial grading. If your submission satisfies the exam requirements, you will be required to present your solutions and answer any clarifying questions during your video conference.
This exam does not require a lab configuration.
Program Timeline and Response
Submission Process
Two Response Components:
- Follow-up questions to the RFP. The RFP purposely excludes important information necessary to design a solution for the customer. As a candidate you are expected to request this additional information.
- Your final design (details follow).
Keep in mind that your goal is to completely satisfy the RFP’s requirements whilst simultaneously demonstrating your mastery of the included technologies. We strongly encourage you to compare solutions to the proposed requirements in your submission. You are only required to submit diagrams for the chosen solution.
Your Final Design Submission Must Include:
- A brief overview of your response indicating an understanding of the key requirements (a basic Cover Letter is sufficient).
- An “RFP Response”detailing the high-level design and product selections, including an explanation for why these choices were made.
- Supporting diagrams showing the customer how to connect the equipment. It is recommended to use at least one diagram for each solution: for example, Data Center, Campus, WAN, etc.
- Sample device configurations as requested in the document.
- Requested procedure documents showing processes such as upgrades, expansion of solutions, or telemetry gathering.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Q1.Is there a budget component to my response? How much money does the customer have to spend?
This is not a budgetary exam. You are encouraged to select the best Arista product for each requirement while keeping in mind product capabilities and cost. Do not over-engineer the solution. Overengineering a solution is nearly as wrong as not meeting the customer’s requirements.
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Q2.Which Arista products are in scope? Which are not?
Any currently orderable Arista product is eligible to be included in your response.
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Q3.Do I need the typical “RFP fluff?”
No. You can skip the portion of the RFP response where you introduce yourself, your company, and your credentials.
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Q4.Which format should I deliver my response?
Please save your response as a single-file PDF, formatted for printing.
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Q5.What tool should I use to create diagrams?
Use whatever you are comfortable with, but please have them formatted for printing purposes. Either landscape or portrait orientation is fine for diagrams. If you do not use Arista-standard icons, please provide a reference identifying each icon’s purpose (switch, router, access-point, etc.).
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Q6.How are you graded?
Grading is based on three main criteria:
- Initial questions to clarify and augment the RFP information
- RFP response
- Review board presentation
Register for the Arista Expert Certification Program
Contact Information
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