Blog | June 22, 2026

In June 2026, Ron van Riet earned his CCIE Automation certification. Only 150 people worldwide can say they’ve achieved this. Here’s how he got there. 

A techie with a question 

Ron studied electrical engineering in the early 1990s, even before the internet browser existed. From electrical engineering, he moved into the world of networking, but software continued to fascinate him just as much. That combination led him to pursue further studies in telematics: how devices communicate with each other. At Avit , he has been putting that knowledge into practice for 20 years. 

The question that has driven him all this time is always the same: what can you add? How do you build on an existing product to make it truly fit the customer’s needs? Network automation provides a concrete answer to that. Cisco lays the foundation. Network automation lets you build on top of that, tailored to the customer. 

What is the CCIE? 

The CCIE, short for Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert, is the highest networking certification issued by Cisco. The exam consists of a theory section and an eight-hour hands-on lab. In that lab, you configure complex networks under time pressure. It’s not just about understanding how it works, but also being able to execute it immediately and flawlessly. 

Approximately 80% of candidates fail on their first attempt. That’s no coincidence: the CCIE is deliberately designed to represent the pinnacle of the field.  

Ten months of preparation 

You don’t just pick up a certification like that on the side. First, there was a core exam to qualify, and then Ron spent ten months in an intensive boot camp with participants from all over the world. 

Part of the boot camp were proof labs: challenging hands-on assignments that had to be completed within ten hours. Ron did them about eight times. The first few times, it took him not ten hours, but twenty. The time investment was enormous. 

Ron has a naturally theoretical mindset. That helped with the knowledge, but the challenge lay in the speed: reading quickly, understanding, and immediately entering the correct code. On his first two attempts, he fell short by about two hours each time. He had to push himself to build up his pace, week after week. 

The turning point? The final proof lab. He completed it in nine hours and forty minutes. For the first time, he thought: maybe it’s possible after all. 

On his third attempt, he also mentored a colleague who was going through the same process—from student to instructor.

What are the benefits? 

The CCIE gave Ron deeper and broader insight, from protocol to end solution. He now sees how everything is interconnected—connections you can only see if you truly understand it from the inside out. That translates directly into better solutions for the customer. 

But just as valuable is what he learned about collaboration. Network automation is a team sport. The best solutions emerge by combining each other’s knowledge—both technical and functional. It fosters a sense of teamwork and makes the final solution stronger. 

Advice from Ron 

The bar is set high, the subject matter is broad, and the time pressure is intense. Sometimes it felt like Olympic training. But Ron’s advice is clear: make sure you enjoy it. If you have the motivation—and the will to keep going even when things get tough—you’ll get there. It doesn’t matter how many tries it takes. 

Congratulations, Ron! Welcome to a very select group.