Cisco CCNP Data Center


The CCNP Data Center exams have been completely updated as of January 17th, 2017. Through July 3, 2017, candidates may choose to take either the version 5 exams, or the version 6 exams or a combination of both depending upon the individual’s goals. To assist you during this period, please refer to the CCNP Data Center v1.0 to v6.0 Exam Highlights and the CCNP Data Center Exam Migration Tool. This tool will provide the exam options to complete in order to achieve a CCNP Data Center certification.

The CCNP Data Center certification and training program offers comprehensive certification and Professional-level skills focused on the data center solutions, technologies and best practices to design, implement, and manage a modern data center infrastructure.

IT practitioners who are Cisco trained and certified are uniquely qualified for key roles in complex data center environments, with expertise utilizing technologies including policy-driven infrastructure, virtualization, automation and orchestration, unified computing, data center security, and integration of cloud initiatives. CCNP Data Center certified professionals are highly qualified for senior roles chartered with enabling digital business transformation initiatives.

Exams & Recommended Training

  • 642-999 DCUCI Implementing Cisco Data Center Unified Computing (DCUCI) v5.0
  • 300-175 DCUCI Implementing Cisco Data Center Unified Computing (DCUCI) v6.0
  • 642-997 DCUFI Implementing Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric (DCUFI) v5.0
  • 300-165 DCII Implementing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCII) v6.0
  • 300-170 DCVAI Implementing Cisco Data Center Virtualization and Automation (DCVAI) v6.0
  • 642-998 DCUCD Designing Cisco Data Center Unified Computing (DCUCD) v5.0
  • 642-996 DCUFD Designing Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric (DCUFD) v5.0
  • 300-160 DCID Designing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCID) v6.0
  • 642-035 DCUCT Troubleshooting Cisco Data Center Unified Computing (DCUCT)
  • 642-980 DCUFT Troubleshooting Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric (DCUFT)
  • 300-180 DCIT Troubleshooting Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCIT) v6.0

642-999 DCUCI

Last day to test: July 3, 2017

This exam tests a candidate's knowledge of implementing Cisco Data Center Unified Computing. It will include concepts like setup of the computing environment in a standalone and rack-mountable configuration, provisioning of storage resources, backup, management functions and deployment of a virtualized environment.

642-997 DCUFI

Last day to test: July 3, 2017

This exam tests a candidate's knowledge of implementing Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric architecture, security, management, high availability, virtualization in the network.

642-998 DCUCD

Last day to test: July 3, 2017

This exam tests a candidate's knowledge of designing Cisco Data Center Unified Computing, including design concept in a server virtualization environment, scalability, reliability, performances, management.

642-996 DCUFD

Last day to test: July 3, 2017

This exam tests a candidate's knowledge of designing Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric solutions, including reference network topologies, routing protocols, traffic design concepts, storage and storage networking architectures, scalability, and availability; security and management architectures.

642-035 DCUCT

Last day to test: July 3, 2017

This exam tests skill of troubleshooting a virtualized computing environment based on Cisco Unified Computing System platform, focusing on features like storage and network connectivity, installation, memory issues, booting issues, drivers, BIOS and adapters connectivity issues.

642-980 DCUFT

Last day to test: July 3, 2017

This exam tests a candidate's troubleshooting skills in the Unified Fabric domain, troubleshooting connectivity issues, convergent I/O, Storage issues, as well as issues related to specific features like OTV (overlay transport virtualization).

300-175 DCUCI

This exam tests a candidate's knowledge of implementing Cisco data center technologies including unified computing, unified computing maintenance and operations, automation, unified computing security, and unified computing storage.

300-165 DCII

This exam tests a candidate's knowledge of implementing Cisco data center infrastructure including key protocols, routing and switching protocols, maintenance, management, operations, security, and storage.

300-170 DCVAI

This exam tests a candidate's knowledge of implementing Cisco data center infrastructure including virtualization, automation, Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI), ACI network resources, and ACI management and monitoring.

300-160 DCID

This exam tests a candidate's knowledge of Cisco data center infrastructure design pertaining to deployment requirements and options for network connectivity, infrastructure, storage network, compute connectivity, and compute resource parameters.

300-180 DCIT

This exam tests a candidate's knowledge of troubleshooting Cisco data center infrastructure including data network protocols, network virtualization and automation, Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI), storage, compute platforms, and management and operations.

Cisco Professional-level certifications (CCDP, CCNP Cloud, CCNP Collaboration, CCNP Data Center, CCNP Routing and Switching, CCNP Security, CCNP Service Provider, and CCNP Wireless) are valid for three years.

To recertify, pass ONE of the following before the certification expiration date:

  • Pass any current 642-XXX Professional-level or any 300-XXX Professional-level exam, or
  • Pass any current CCIE Written Exam, or
  • Pass the current CCDE Written Exam OR current CCDE Practical Exam, or
  • Pass the Cisco Certified Architect (CCAr) interview AND the CCAr board review to extend lower certifications