Yesterday I sat for my first attempt at the new JNCIE-DC, and while I didn’t walk away with a pass, I walked away with something just as valuable: clarity, confidence, and a real sense of progress.

First, I’m genuinely proud that I managed to score points in every section despite lacking some questions due to the time shortage – I just wasn’t fast enough. This wasn’t because I didn’t know the answers, this was because I was just too slow… Anyone who has taken a lab exam knows how easy it is to misread one section, get hit with a zero, and have the whole attempt derailed instantly. Thankfully this didn’t happen to me this time, and it’s a solid indicator that my preparation and approach were on the right track. Interestingly, this turned out to be my highest “first-try” scores across all three of my expert-level attempts so far. That alone tells me a lot about how far I’ve come as an engineer and how much better I’ve become at tackling these labs with structure, discipline, and a calmer mindset. I also know exactly where I was too slow (damn I’m getting old…), where I hesitated, and where I can sharpen up my process. I left the exam with a clear plan on what to adjust before going back in again in February.

Most importantly, the exam itself was solid and fair. No tricks, no gimmicks, no hidden traps, no overwhelming setup – just a straightforward, honest test of skill. That alone makes the journey to the JNCIE-DC feel much more achievable compared to the JNCIE-ENT or JNCIE-SEC. But by all means – this doesn’t mean that the DC is “easy” – oh no! It’s the highest Certification in this Track for a reason! But for the first time in a long time, I truly feel that this is absolutely doable. After countless attempts at the JNCIE-ENT, which always felt impossibly broad, the JNCIE-DC comes with focus and a sense of direction that gives me confidence for the next round.

For me this wasn’t a failure.
It was a benchmark — one that shows I’m on the right path.
Attempt number two is coming, and I’m ready for it =)

Shoutout to my beautiful wife who took the top picture on our vacation.
If I ever stop working in IT, I’ll accept modeling jobs — my DMs are open 😀 😉