300-710 SNCF · ● Active · Professional · Cisco
A concentration exam for CCNP Security, requiring SCOR 350-701 as the core prerequisite. Tests advanced implementation, configuration, and troubleshooting of Cisco Firepower NGFW, Firepower Management Center, and threat defense architectures. Essential for security engineers specializing in next-generation firewalls and intrusion prevention.
Exam facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost | $300 USD |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Questions | ~60 (exact count varies by session) |
| Passing | Scaled score (typically 800+/1000) |
| Format | Multiple choice, multiple response, drag-and-drop, fill-in-the-blank |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE (online proctored or testing center) |
| Languages | English, Japanese |
| Valid | 3 years |
| Renewal | CE credits (40 required per 3-year period) or recertification exam |
| Prerequisites | CCNP Security core (350-701 SCOR) required to earn CCNP Security designation |
| Released | 2017 (current version v1.x) |
| Retiring | N/A — actively maintained as concentration exam |
Vendor source — Cisco SNCF Exam Page ↗ Exam objectives — Cisco Learning Network SNCF Topics ↗ Official exam blueprint — SNCF 300-710 Exam Topics ↗
About
The 300-710 SNCF (Securing Networks with Cisco Firepower) is a concentration exam for the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Security certification. Candidates must hold or earn CCNP Security core (350-701 SCOR) and pass one concentration exam to earn the full CCNP Security designation. SNCF focuses exclusively on Cisco Firepower NGFW (Next-Generation Firewall) architecture, policies, and operations. The exam covers Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) in multiple deployment modes (routed, transparent, inline), Firepower Management Center administration, Access Control Policy design, IPS tuning, SSL/TLS decryption, VPN configuration, high-availability clustering, and troubleshooting via CLI and FMC UI. This cert is ideal for security engineers working with Cisco firewalls in enterprise or cloud environments.
Domain context — Security
Network-layer threat defense and policy enforcement using next-generation firewall technology. Cisco ecosystem focus: Firepower NGFW, FTD, FMC, and integrated threat intelligence.
Read full deep dive — Cisco Ecosystem ↗
Topics covered
Based on official Cisco exam blueprint:
-
Cisco Firepower NGFW Architecture & Licensing (10%)
- Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) architecture and components
- NGFW licensing and feature enablement
- Management Center (FMC) architecture and high availability
-
Access Control Policy (ACP) Framework (20%)
- ACP rule design, rule order, and evaluation
- Security zones (trust, allow, block, interactive, logging)
- Rule actions and conditions (allow, block, monitor, interactive block)
- URL filtering and application filtering rules
-
Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (15%)
- Snort rules and rule sets
- IPS policy configuration and deployment
- Inline and monitoring modes
- Rule tuning and alert suppression
-
SSL/TLS Decryption Policy (10%)
- SSL inspection architecture
- Certificate handling and trust stores
- Decryption policies and exceptions
- Performance impact and best practices
-
Firepower Management Center (FMC) Operations (10%)
- FMC interface and navigation
- Device registration and management
- Policy deployment and updates
- Dashboards, reports, and health monitoring
-
Threat Defense (FTD) Deployment Modes (10%)
- Routed, transparent, inline, ERSPAN modes
- Mode selection and transition
- Interface configuration and data flow
-
Network Address Translation (NAT) on FTD (8%)
- Static, dynamic, and dynamic PAT
- Policy-based NAT
- NAT policy design and troubleshooting
-
VPN on Firepower (8%)
- Site-to-site IPsec VPN configuration
- Remote-access VPN (AnyConnect, clientless)
- VPN policy and encryption domain design
-
High Availability & Clustering (5%)
- Active/passive failover
- Active/active clustering
- Health monitoring and failover triggers
-
Security Intelligence, File Inspection, and AMP (2%)
- IP/URL/DNS reputation feeds
- File inspection policies
- Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) integration
-
Troubleshooting Firepower (2%)
- CLI diagnostic show commands
- Packet capture and analysis
- Common misconfigurations and resolution
Source: Cisco Learning Network SNCF Exam Blueprint ↗
Common skills at Security · Professional
Shared content for the Security domain at Professional level — not specific to this cert.
- Firewall rule creation and stateful inspection
- VPN protocol implementation (IPsec, SSL)
- IDS/IPS tuning and alert correlation
- Security operations center (SOC) workflows
- Incident response and threat hunting
- Risk assessment and security architecture design
Recommended courses at Security · Professional
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco U Training | CCNP Security SNCF Official Training | Varies | ↗ |
| CBT Nuggets | CCNP Security SNCF (300-710) | $49–$79/mo | ↗ |
| INE | CCNP Security SNCF (Firepower) | $199–$399 | ↗ |
| Udemy | CCNP Security SNCF 300-710 (multiple instructors) | $13–$80 | ↗ |
| Pluralsight | Cisco SNCF (300-710) for CCNP Security | $299+/yr | ↗ |
| LinkedIn Learning | CCNP Security Exam Prep (Firepower modules) | $30–$40/mo | ↗ |
| Keith Barker (YouTube) | CCNP Security SNCF Playlist | Free | ↗ |
Practice exams
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boson ExSim-Max | Cisco CCNP Security SNCF (300-710) | $129 | ↗ |
| Pearson Test Prep | CCNP Security SNCF 300-710 Practice Exams | $99 | ↗ |
| Whizlabs | CCNP Security SNCF (300-710) | $79–$99 | ↗ |
| Cisco Learning Network | Official practice questions (limited free) | Free–$99 | ↗ |
Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | Year | ISBN | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCNP Security SNCF 300-710 Official Cert Guide | Hemant Sharma | Cisco Press | 2023 | 978-0137914297 | ↗ |
| Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Study Guide | Official Cisco Materials | Cisco Learning | 2024 | N/A | ↗ |
Book note: The official Cisco Press guide is the primary reference for SNCF. FTD-specific study materials are available through Cisco Learning Network.
Typical job titles at Security · Professional
Cisco Firepower Engineer · Security Engineer (NGFW) · Network Security Administrator · Firewall Engineer · SOC Analyst (IPS focus) · Security Operations Engineer
(Job titles drawn from current job-board postings that list CCNP Security SNCF or Firepower expertise as required or preferred.)
Salary
| Region | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USD | $110,000–$160,000 | Glassdoor Firewall Engineer ↗ · PayScale Network Security ↗ |
| ZAR | R440,000–R760,000 (est. USD ×18) | Estimated from USD range; no regional cert-specific data available |
| GBP | £65,000–£95,000 | IT Jobs Watch ↗ · Hays ↗ |
| EUR | €75,000–€108,000 | PayScale Europe ↗ |
| AUD | A$140,000–A$195,000 | Seek ↗ |
Salary notes: Firewall/NGFW specialists command mid-to-senior-level compensation. USD figures reflect Glassdoor firewall engineer salaries (2026) and are higher than general network security roles due to specialized skill. CCNP Security SNCF adds 10–15% premium to base firewall engineering salary. Regional data interpolated where cert-specific surveys unavailable.
Skills validated
Concrete technologies this exam tests.
- Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) deployment and management
- Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC) configuration and operations
- Access Control Policy (ACP) design and rule management
- Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) with Snort rules and tuning
- SSL/TLS decryption and inspection policies
- Network Address Translation (NAT) on FTD
- Site-to-site and remote-access VPN on FTD (IPsec, AnyConnect)
- High-availability clustering and failover on Firepower
- Security Intelligence IP/URL/DNS reputation feeds
- File inspection and Advanced Malware Protection (AMP)
- FTD deployment modes (routed, transparent, inline, ERSPAN)
- Firepower CLI diagnostics and troubleshooting
- Firepower dashboards, reports, and health monitoring
Related certifications
- Stacks with: CCNP Security Core (SCOR 350-701) ↗ — required prerequisite
- Completes: CCNP Security designation (with 350-701 core + any one concentration exam)
- Alternative concentrations: SISE 300-715 ↗ (ISE) · SAUTO 300-735 ↗ (Automation) · SESA/SWSA/SVPN (retiring Aug 2026)
- Leads to: CCIE Security ↗ (requires CCNP Security + hands-on lab)
- Related specialist certs: Cisco CyberOps Professional (CBRCOR) ↗ (detection/response focus)
- Vendor overview: Cisco Vendor Overview ↗
Sources
- Cisco 300-710 SNCF Exam Page
- Cisco Learning Network SNCF Exam Topics
- SNCF 300-710 Exam Blueprint PDF
- CCNP Security SNCF 300-710 Official Cert Guide (Cisco Press)
- CBT Nuggets CCNP Security SNCF Training
- Boson SNCF Practice Exams
- Glassdoor Firewall Engineer Salary 2026
- PayScale Network Security Engineer Salary
Last verified: 2026-05-02 Parent ecosystem: Cisco Ecosystem Parent domain: Security Domain Vendor overview: Cisco Overview Related core exam: CCNP Security SCOR 350-701