300-635 DCAUTO · ● Active · Professional · Cisco
Exam facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost | $300 USD |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Questions | ~65 (exact count varies; 50 scored, 15 unscored) |
| Passing | 750/1000 scaled score (estimated) |
| Format | Multiple choice / Multiple response / Performance-based questions (PBQs) |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE / OnVUE |
| Languages | English |
| Valid | 3 years |
| Renewal | Pass higher concentration exam or recertification exam |
| Prerequisites | CSAU (Introducing Automation for Cisco Solutions) recommended; 2+ years hands-on data center experience suggested |
| Released | 2019 (v1.0) / Updated to v1.1 |
| Retiring | N/A — active, no retirement announced |
Vendor source — Cisco 300-635 DCAUTO ↗
Official exam guide — Exam topics & blueprint ↗
Exam objectives — DCAUTO v1.1 Official Objectives PDF ↗
About
The Cisco Certified DevNet Specialist – Data Center Automation and Programmability (300-635 DCAUTO) certifies professionals in automating Cisco data center solutions using programmability, orchestration, and automation tools. Launched in 2019, this exam is a concentration requirement for the CCNP Data Center and Cisco Certified DevNet Professional certifications. It targets network engineers, systems engineers, and IT professionals with hands-on experience in data center infrastructure automation, API-driven workflows, and infrastructure-as-code practices. The exam reflects real-world day-zero provisioning, on-box and off-box automation, and multi-vendor orchestration in modern data center environments.
Domain context — Data Center Programmability
Network programmability and automation are foundational to modern data center operations — enabling policy-driven provisioning, reduced manual configuration, faster deployment cycles, and consistent infrastructure-as-code governance across Cisco ACI, NX-OS, UCS, and Intersight ecosystems.
Read full deep dive — Cisco Data Center → (file not yet created)
Topics covered
Per the official DCAUTO v1.1 blueprint:
- Network Programmability Foundation (10%) — Python fundamentals, REST APIs, JSON/YAML/XML, Jinja2 templating, code repositories (Git), basic networking concepts
- Controller-Based Data Center Networking (30%) — Cisco ACI REST API, ACI object model, ACI automation, fabric management, Intent-based networking, policy deployment
- Data Center Device-Centric Networking (30%) — NX-OS programmability, NX-API (CLI & REST), Bash scripting, Guest Shell, NETCONF/RESTCONF, YANG models, event-driven automation
- Data Center Compute (30%) — Cisco UCS Manager Python SDK, UCS automation workflows, service profiles, policy-driven deployment, Intersight API, HyperFlex automation, infrastructure provisioning
Source: Official Cisco DCAUTO Exam Topics ↗
Common skills at Data Center Programmability · Professional
Shared competencies for automation-focused data center roles at professional level — not specific to DCAUTO.
- Infrastructure-as-code (IaC) design patterns and CI/CD integration
- RESTful API design, consumption, and error handling
- Data serialization formats (JSON, YAML, XML) and schema validation
- Python scripting and automation frameworks for network/compute
- Configuration templating and version control workflows
- API testing, monitoring, and troubleshooting
- Security and access control in programmatic environments
Recommended courses at Data Center Programmability · Professional
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco Learning | Implementing Automation for Cisco Data Center Solutions (DCAUI) | Varies by partner | ↗ |
| Udemy | 300-635 DCAUTO – Data Center Automation and Programmability | $14–$99 | ↗ |
| Fast Lane | Implementing Automation for Cisco Data Center Solutions (DCAUI) | Call for pricing | ↗ |
| Cisco Learning Network Store | Implementing Automation for Cisco Data Center Solutions (DCAUI) v1.2 — E-Learning | $395 | ↗ |
| Global Knowledge | 300-635 DCAUTO | Call for pricing | ↗ |
Course-selection rule: Official Cisco Learning (DCAUI) is the primary pathway. Udemy is affordable for self-paced review. Fast Lane and Global Knowledge offer instructor-led options for hands-on labs.
Practice exams
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| MeasureUp | Cisco 300-635 DCAUTO Practice Tests | $99–$149 | ↗ |
| Whizlabs | Cisco 300-635 DCAUTO Practice Exam | $49–$99 | ↗ (search for 300-635) |
| Udemy | 300-635 DCAUTO Automating and Programming Practice Tests | $14–$99 | ↗ |
| NWExam | Cisco 300-635 Certification Exam Syllabus & Sample Questions | Free–$29 | ↗ |
Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | Year | ISBN | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automating and Programming Cisco Data Center Solutions | Exam Force | Self-published | 2025 | 979-8852198136 | Amazon ↗ |
Book note: No official Cisco Press study guide exists for 300-635 DCAUTO as of 2026. The above exam-focused book is community-authored and available on demand. Candidates typically supplement with official course materials (DCAUI), Cisco Learning Network documentation, and vendor API references.
Typical job titles at Data Center Programmability · Professional
Data Center Automation Engineer · Cisco UCS Administrator · Network Automation Engineer · Infrastructure Automation Specialist · DevOps Engineer (data center focus) · Cloud Infrastructure Engineer · Solutions Architect – Data Center Automation
(Job titles drawn from current job-board postings listing 300-635 DCAUTO or equivalent data center automation experience as required or preferred.)
Salary
| Region | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USD | $130,000 – $180,000 | Glassdoor ↗ · ZipRecruiter ↗ · Indeed ↗ |
| ZAR | R437,000 – R758,000 | PayScale ZA ↗ · Glassdoor SA ↗ |
| GBP | £42,500 – £70,000 | IT Jobs Watch ↗ · Glassdoor UK ↗ |
| EUR | €45,000 – €75,000 (DE/NL/FR regional average) | LinkedIn Salary ↗ (search data center engineer by country) |
| AUD | A$120,000 – A$160,000 | Seek.com.au ↗ (regional data center roles) |
Salary rule: Ranges reflect mid-career professionals (5–10 years) with CCNP Data Center or equivalent certifications. Senior roles (architect / principal engineer) and roles with Python/API expertise command 15–25% premiums. Geographic cost-of-living adjustments apply.
Skills validated
Concrete technologies and practices tested by the 300-635 DCAUTO exam.
- Cisco ACI REST API and object model manipulation
- Cisco NX-OS programmability: NX-API (CLI & REST), Bash, Guest Shell
- Python scripting for network automation and UCS provisioning
- Cisco UCS Manager and Intersight API interactions
- NETCONF/RESTCONF protocol implementation on Nexus switches
- YANG data models for configuration and telemetry
- Jinja2 templating for infrastructure-as-code
- Ansible playbook authoring for Cisco platform orchestration
- JSON/YAML serialization and validation
- Git-based configuration management and CI/CD workflows
- Cisco HyperFlex automation and hyperconverged infrastructure provisioning
- Event-driven automation and streaming telemetry (model-driven telemetry)
- Multi-cloud data center orchestration concepts
Related certifications
- Prerequisite for: Cisco Certified Network Professional – Data Center ↗ (concentration exam; file not yet created)
- Stacks with: 300-620 DCACI (Data Center ACI) ↗ (file not yet created) and 300-625 DCSAN (Data Center SAN) ↗ (file not yet created)
- Vendor overview: Cisco Vendor Overview ↗ (file not yet created)
- Related domain: Data Center Infrastructure & Operations (file not yet created)
Sources
- Cisco 300-635 DCAUTO Exam Page
- Cisco DCAUTO Exam Topics Blueprint v1.1
- Cisco Learning Network DCAUTO Exam Topics
- Implementing Automation for Cisco Data Center Solutions (DCAUI) Training
- Cisco Learning Network Store – DCAUI v1.2 E-Learning
- MeasureUp – Cisco Practice Tests
- Udemy – 300-635 DCAUTO Data Center Automation and Programmability
- Glassdoor – Data Center Engineer Salary (USD)
- ZipRecruiter – Data Center Engineer Salary
- PayScale – Automation Engineer Salary (ZAR)
- IT Jobs Watch – Data Centre Engineer (GBP)
- Glassdoor UK – Data Centre Engineer Salary
- Global Knowledge – 300-635 DCAUTO Training
- Fast Lane – Implementing Automation for Cisco Data Center Solutions
Last verified: 2026-05-01
Parent ecosystem: Cisco Data Center (file not yet created)
Parent domain: Data Center Programmability (file not yet created)
Vendor overview: Cisco Vendor Overview (file not yet created)