DevNet

Network automation engineers earn $113,000 on average in 2026, with senior roles reaching $160,000–$180,000 and CCIE Automation holders commanding $170,000+ as staff architects. The career path from writing your first Python script to holding a CCIE Automation is the fastest-growing trajectory in network engineering — and the February 2026 DevNet-to-CCIE Automation rebrand just made it significantly more credible on resumes. Key Takeaway: The strongest automation engineers aren’t developers who learned networking — they’re network engineers who learned to code. The career path from NOC engineer to CCIE Automation architect pays $80,000 to $170,000+ and typically takes 5–8 years of deliberate skill-building. ...

Building your first CCIE Automation practice lab with Python and NETCONF on Cisco CML takes about 30-60 minutes and gives you a hands-on environment that directly mirrors the exam. The CCIE Automation lab exam (formerly DevNet Expert) is an 8-hour test where you write real code against real devices — and the only way to prepare is by writing real code against real devices. Key Takeaway: The fastest path to CCIE Automation lab readiness starts with a CML topology, three IOS-XE routers with NETCONF enabled, and a single Python ncclient script. Master that foundation first, then expand to RESTCONF, Ansible, and Terraform. ...

CCIE Automation holders earn $155,000–$170,000 on average in 2026, with top performers clearing $225,000. That’s a 40–60% premium over non-certified network automation engineers, who average $96,000–$129,000 depending on the source. The February 2026 rebrand from DevNet Expert to CCIE Automation has strengthened the credential’s market recognition, and demand for engineers who can bridge networking and code is at an all-time high. Key Takeaway: The CCIE Automation salary premium isn’t just about the certification — it’s about being the rare engineer who can troubleshoot OSPF adjacencies AND write Ansible playbooks to prevent them from breaking in the first place. ...

If you’ve been tracking Cisco’s certification ecosystem, you already know something big dropped in February 2026: DevNet Expert is now CCIE Automation. This isn’t just a name change — it’s a strategic signal from Cisco that automation has earned its place at the expert-level table alongside Enterprise Infrastructure, Security, Data Center, and Service Provider. Let’s break down exactly what changed, what stayed the same, who should care, and how to position yourself for this new track. ...