How to Earn the Cisco CCNP Data Center Certification

The Cisco Certified Network Professional Data Center certification, more commonly known as CCNP Data Center, is designed for experienced IT professionals who implement, manage, design, automate or troubleshoot modern data centre technologies.

The certification covers important areas including data centre networking, compute platforms, storage networking, automation and security. Candidates can also specialise in areas such as Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure, data centre design, troubleshooting, network automation or infrastructure supporting artificial intelligence workloads.

To earn the CCNP Data Center certification, you must pass two exams:

1. The mandatory 350-601 DCCOR core exam
2. One CCNP Data Center concentration exam of your choice

Each exam also awards a separate Cisco Specialist certification. This means that you receive recognition for passing your first exam even before completing the full CCNP Data Center certification.

Are There Any Prerequisites for CCNP Data Center?

Cisco does not specify any formal prerequisites for the CCNP Data Center certification. You do not need to hold a current CCNA certification before taking the exams.

However, this is a professional-level certification. Cisco advises that candidates commonly have between three and five years of experience implementing data centre solutions before attempting it.

People preparing for the certification should ideally already understand areas such as:

• Ethernet and TCP/IP networking
• Routing and switching
• Server architecture
• Storage area networks and Fibre Channel
• Virtualisation and hypervisor technologies
• Cisco Nexus, MDS and Unified Computing System technologies
• Basic data centre security and automation concepts

Those who are relatively new to Cisco data centre technologies may benefit from completing the Understanding Cisco Data Center Foundations (DCFNDU) course before progressing to the professional-level courses. Cisco positions DCFNDU as foundational training that can help learners prepare for courses supporting the CCNP Data Center exams.

Step One: Pass the 350-601 DCCOR Core Exam

Every candidate must pass:

350-601 DCCOR: Implementing and Operating Cisco Data Center Core Technologies

The DCCOR exam assesses your ability to implement and operate the principal technologies found within a Cisco data centre environment. The exam covers:

• Data centre networking
• Compute platforms
• Storage networking
• Automation
• Security

The exam currently lasts 120 minutes. Passing it earns the Cisco Certified Specialist – Data Center Core certification and satisfies the core exam requirement for CCNP Data Center.

Recommended DCCOR Training

The corresponding Cisco training course is:

Implementing and Operating Cisco Data Center Core Technologies (DCCOR)

This course provides practical experience of implementing, securing, operating and maintaining Cisco data centre infrastructure. It includes technologies such as Cisco Nexus switches, Cisco MDS switches, Cisco Unified Computing System, LAN and SAN infrastructure, automation and data centre security.

The course is designed to prepare candidates for the 350-601 DCCOR exam and for advanced-level data centre roles.

Step Two: Choose a Concentration Exam

After completing the core requirement, you must pass one concentration exam. This allows you to select the specialist area most closely aligned with your responsibilities, experience and career plans.

Cisco currently provides five CCNP Data Center concentration options.

Option 1: Data Centre Design

300-610 DCID: Designing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure

The DCID exam is suited to professionals who design data centre environments and make decisions about network, compute, storage and automation architecture.

It tests your understanding of areas including:

• Data centre network design
• Compute design
• Storage network design
• Virtualisation
• Data centre interconnects
• Automation
• Traditional and AI-ready infrastructure

Passing the exam earns the Cisco Certified Specialist – Data Center Design certification and completes the concentration requirement for CCNP Data Center.

Recommended DCID Training

The corresponding course is:

Designing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCID)

This training combines technical content with design-based activities and case studies. It explores how to design scalable, reliable and secure data centres using Cisco networking, storage, compute, virtualisation and automation technologies.

This route may be particularly suitable for network designers, data centre architects, systems engineers, consulting engineers and technical solutions architects.

Option 2: Data Centre Troubleshooting

300-615 DCIT: Troubleshooting Cisco Data Center Infrastructure

The DCIT exam focuses on diagnosing and resolving problems across data centre networks, compute platforms, storage networks, automation tools, management systems and operational processes.

Passing the exam earns the Cisco Certified Specialist – Data Center Operations certification and fulfils the concentration requirement for CCNP Data Center.

Recommended DCIT Training

The corresponding course is:

Troubleshooting Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCIT)

This practical course covers troubleshooting methodologies and tools for technologies including:

• Cisco Nexus switches
• Cisco MDS switches
• Cisco Unified Computing System
• Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure
• VLANs, VXLAN and virtual port channels
• Fibre Channel and Fibre Channel over Ethernet
• Routing and high-availability protocols
• Automation and programmability

The course includes extensive hands-on troubleshooting exercises and prepares candidates for the 300-615 DCIT exam.

This concentration may be a good choice for data centre engineers, network administrators, support engineers and other professionals responsible for maintaining availability and resolving infrastructure issues.

Option 3: Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure

300-620 DCACI: Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure

The DCACI exam concentrates on implementing and managing Cisco Nexus 9000 Series switches operating in Application Centric Infrastructure mode.

It covers areas such as:

• Cisco ACI fabric infrastructure
• The ACI policy model
• Packet forwarding
• External network connectivity
• Virtual Machine Manager integration
• Layer 4 to Layer 7 service integration
• Cisco ACI management

Passing the exam earns the Cisco Certified Specialist – Data Center ACI Implementation certification and satisfies the CCNP Data Center concentration requirement.

Recommended DCACI Training

The corresponding course is:

Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (DCACI)

This course provides the knowledge and practical skills required to configure and manage Cisco ACI environments. It includes fabric discovery, access policies, endpoint groups, bridge domains, contracts, external Layer 2 and Layer 3 connectivity and VMware integration.

This route is likely to be most relevant to professionals who deploy, manage or support Cisco ACI and Nexus 9000 environments.

Option 4: Data Centre Network Automation

300-635 DCNAUTO: Automating Cisco Data Center Networking Solutions

The DCNAUTO exam is intended for professionals who want to automate and optimise Cisco data centre network operations.

Its subject areas include:

• Infrastructure as code
• Network programmability
• APIs and data models
• Python
• Ansible and Terraform
• Cisco NX-API
• NETCONF, RESTCONF and YANG
• Automated provisioning
• Network validation and testing
• AI-assisted data centre operations

Passing the exam awards a Cisco Specialist certification in data centre networking automation and fulfils the concentration requirement for CCNP Data Center.

Recommended DCNAUTO Training

The corresponding course is:

Automating Cisco Data Center Networking Solutions (DCNAUTO)

The course provides hands-on experience with programmability and automation across Cisco Nexus devices, Cisco ACI and Cisco Nexus Dashboard technologies. Candidates work with Python, APIs, Ansible, Terraform, Git, Cisco pyATS and infrastructure-as-code workflows.

This option may be particularly valuable for network automation engineers, DevNet professionals, site reliability engineers and data centre engineers moving from manual administration towards automated infrastructure management.

Option 5: Data Centre AI Infrastructure

300-640 DCAI: Implementing Cisco Data Center AI Infrastructure

The DCAI concentration focuses on the infrastructure required to support artificial intelligence and machine learning workloads.

The exam assesses knowledge of the design, implementation, monitoring and troubleshooting of AI infrastructure, including:

• High-performance data centre networks
• Compute resources
• Storage systems
• AI workload orchestration
• AI and machine learning clusters
• Infrastructure monitoring
• AI infrastructure security
• Performance and troubleshooting

Passing the exam earns the Cisco Certified Specialist – Data Center AI Infrastructure certification and fulfils the concentration requirement for CCNP Data Center.

Recommended DCAI Training

Cisco currently identifies two complementary learning paths for this exam:

AI Solutions on Cisco Infrastructure Essentials (DCAIE)

This course covers the fundamentals of deploying, migrating and operating AI solutions on Cisco data centre infrastructure. It explores AI workloads, AI clusters, high-performance Ethernet fabrics, compute and storage resources, workload placement, governance, security and sustainability.

Operate and Troubleshoot AI Solutions on Cisco Infrastructure (DCAIAOT)

This learning path focuses on monitoring and troubleshooting the compute, storage and network infrastructure supporting AI and machine learning workloads. It includes lifecycle management, telemetry analysis, log correlation and the use of tools such as Splunk.

Cisco states that these two learning paths together prepare candidates for the 300-640 DCAI exam.

Which CCNP Data Center Concentration Should You Choose?

The most appropriate concentration will depend on the work you currently perform or the area in which you would like to specialise.

Choose 300-610 DCID if you are responsible for designing data centre infrastructure.

Choose 300-615 DCIT if your role involves diagnosing faults, supporting infrastructure and maintaining data centre operations.

Choose 300-620 DCACI if you implement or manage Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure.

Choose 300-635 DCNAUTO if you want to develop data centre automation, programmability and infrastructure-as-code skills.

Choose 300-640 DCAI if you work with, or plan to work with, the infrastructure supporting AI and machine learning environments.

All five options lead to the same CCNP Data Center certification. Your chosen concentration simply determines the specialist area in which you demonstrate additional expertise.

Do You Have to Complete a Training Course?

Cisco does not require candidates to attend an official training course before taking an exam.

However, instructor-led training can provide a structured way to cover the exam objectives, practise with relevant technologies and identify areas requiring further study. Cisco’s official courses are closely aligned with the associated certification exams, although completing a course does not guarantee an exam pass.

It is also important to remember that attending a course alone does not award the certification. You must pass both the core exam and your selected concentration exam.

What Certifications Will You Receive?

The CCNP Data Center pathway allows you to earn qualifications in stages.

After passing the 350-601 DCCOR exam, you receive the Cisco Certified Specialist – Data Center Core certification.

After passing your concentration exam, you receive the corresponding Cisco Specialist certification.

Once you have passed both the core and concentration exams, you earn the full Cisco Certified Network Professional Data Center certification.

How Long Is the Certification Valid?

Cisco certifications are valid for three years. Before the certification expires, it can be renewed by completing an eligible recertification activity, such as earning Continuing Education credits or passing an appropriate Cisco examination.

Many official Cisco training courses award Continuing Education credits, allowing professionals to develop new skills while also working towards renewal of an existing certification.

Start Your CCNP Data Center Journey

The CCNP Data Center certification provides a flexible route for professionals who want to validate advanced skills across Cisco data centre technologies.

Every candidate develops a broad understanding of core network, compute, storage, automation and security technologies through the DCCOR requirement. The concentration exam then allows candidates to specialise in design, troubleshooting, Cisco ACI, network automation or AI infrastructure.

Before selecting your courses, consider your existing experience, current responsibilities and longer-term career plans. This will help you choose the concentration that provides the greatest practical value to you and your organisation.

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