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Cisco · Data Center & Virtualization · Professional

Cisco CCNP Data Center exam guide

Exam 350-601 DCCOR (core) + one concentration: 300-610 DCID, 300-615 DCIT, 300-620 DCACI or 300-635 DCNAUTO

CCNP Data Center proves professional-level skill implementing and operating data center networking, compute, storage networking, automation and security on Cisco Nexus, ACI and UCS. You earn it with the DCCOR core exam plus one concentration in design, troubleshooting, ACI or automation.

QuestionsSee official page
Time limitSee official page
Passing scoreSee official page
Exam fee$700 USD
Valid for3 years
DeliveryProctored at a test center or online, scheduled through Cisco's certification portal

Format: Multiple choice (single and multiple answer), drag-and-drop, and simulation/testlet-style items; pass/fail. Fee note: Total for core ($400, 120 min) plus one concentration ($300, 90 min); Cisco Learning Credits accepted.

Who it's for

Data center engineers with 3-5 years of hands-on Nexus, UCS or ACI experience.

What the exam covers

DCCOR: Network—
DCCOR: Compute—
DCCOR: Storage Network—
DCCOR: Automation—
DCCOR: Security—

A dash means the vendor does not publish a weight for that domain.

Eligibility & prerequisites

Required: None.

Recommended: Three to five years of experience implementing solutions in this technology area.

Keeping it active

Valid 3 years. Recertify with 80 Cisco Continuing Education (CE) credits, or by passing one professional core exam, or two concentration exams, or 40 CE credits plus one concentration exam, or a CCIE lab or CCDE practical.

Skills & careers

Skills it validates

  • Nexus switching: vPC, VXLAN EVPN, FabricPath concepts
  • OSPF/BGP in data center fabrics
  • ACI fabric concepts and policy model
  • UCS service profiles and fabric interconnects
  • Fibre Channel, FCoE and storage networking
  • Data center automation with Python, Ansible and APIs
  • Data center security: RBAC, AAA, segmentation

Job roles

Data Center Network EngineerData Center EngineerCloud Infrastructure EngineerNetwork ArchitectUCS/Compute EngineerAI Infrastructure Network Engineer

Where it fits in your path

Planning a degree too? See how this cert earns college credit in the College Credit Navigator.

Build my study plan

  1. Weeks 1-3: DCCOR network: Nexus, vPC, VXLAN EVPN and routing in fabrics; lab with Nexus 9000v.
  2. Weeks 4-5: DCCOR compute and storage networking: UCS, Intersight, FC/FCoE.
  3. Week 6: DCCOR automation and security; practice exams and book the core.
  4. Weeks 7-10: Concentration: DCACI for ACI shops, DCNAUTO for automation, DCID for design, DCIT for operations.
  5. Weeks 11-12: Concentration practice and review.

Make it yours: pick your exam date and weekly hours. We'll split your time by domain weight and give you a printable plan.

Exam-day tips

  • Take DCCOR first; it earns the Data Center Core Specialist and qualifies for the CCIE Data Center lab.
  • Storage networking (FC zoning, VSANs) trips up network-only candidates; lab it.
  • Know VXLAN EVPN route types and their purposes.
  • Choose the concentration that matches your platform: ACI vs NX-OS standalone.

Key terms for this exam

All 38 terms Study with thinQcards™

Commonly confused on this exam

Frequently asked questions

How much does CCNP Data Center cost?

US$700: $400 for DCCOR plus $300 for one concentration.

Which concentration should I take?

DCACI if you run ACI, DCNAUTO for automation, DCID for design and AI-ready infrastructure, DCIT for troubleshooting roles.

Is CCNP Data Center relevant for AI infrastructure?

Yes. Cisco has added AI workload design content (for example in DCID), and high-performance Ethernet fabrics for AI clusters build on the same Nexus skills.

Do I need CCNA?

No formal prerequisite, but CCNA-level knowledge is assumed.

How long is it valid?

3 years, renewed with 80 CE credits or qualifying exams.

Official page: www.cisco.com. Reviewed November 2026. Vendors change fees and objectives, so confirm with the vendor before you book. Spot something out of date? Tell us.