Cisco inks 20,003 CCIEs wouldwide!
As of 6/29/09 there is a total of 20,003 CCIEs worldwide. Of which, 6 are wireless IEs.
Interesting facts about the CCIE number !
CCIE Numbering and Recertification
Upon successful completion of the hands on lab exam, a new CCIE is awarded a CCIE number. The first CCIE number allocated (in 1993) was 1024, and has increased incrementally from there. A lower number indicates that the CCIE was awarded some time back, a higher number indicated a more recently awarded certification. As of July 2009, the highest CCIE number allocated was just under 25000.
Number 1024 was allocated to the first CCIE lab location, rather than to an individual, and featured as a plaque at the entrance to the lab. Number 1025 was awarded to Stuart Biggs, who created the first written exam and first lab exam. The first person to pass both CCIE written and lab exams was Terrance Slattery, who was consulting to Cisco at the time when the lab was being devised. Terry Slattery (CCIE 1026) was therefore the first CCIE who passed both exams, and the first CCIE who was not an employee of Cisco.
Any CCIE who obtains further CCIE certifications, is not awarded any further numbers, the new CCIE certification is awarded under the same number as the original.
Every two years a CCIE has to take a CCIE written test to retain the certification (known as recertification, or recert). If this is not done, the CCIE is then said to be in suspended status. The CCIE certification is not recognised by Cisco as current at this point. After one further year, if a written test has not been undertaken and passed, the CCIE is then revoked. The CCIE certification can then only be re-gained by taking the written exam and lab exam from scratch.
(Information provided by WiKi)