350-501 · ● Active · Professional · Cisco
Exam facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost | USD $400 |
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Questions | 90–110 multiple choice (scored) |
| Passing | 825 / 1000 (scaled score) |
| Format | Multiple choice, some with multiple correct responses |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE |
| Languages | English |
| Valid | 3 years |
| Renewal | Continuing Education (CE) credits or passing higher-level CCIE SP exam |
| Prerequisites | CCNA recommended; no formal requirement |
| Released | 2020 |
| Retiring | N/A |
Vendor source — Cisco SPCOR exam page ↗
Official exam guide — CCNP SPCOR 350-501 Official Cert Guide ↗
Exam objectives — 350-501 SPCOR v1.1 Exam Topics ↗
About
The CCNP Service Provider (CCNP SP) certification validates expertise in implementing and operating Cisco service provider network core technologies. A candidate passing the 350-501 SPCOR core exam earns the "Cisco Certified Specialist — Service Provider Core" credential and must then pass one of four concentration exams (SPRI, SPVI, SPAUTO, or SPCNI) to achieve the full CCNP SP professional-level certification. This path is designed for network engineers deployed in ISP, carrier, and service provider backbone environments running MPLS, segment routing, and multi-service architectures.
Domain context — Networking
Service Provider Networking (ISP/Carrier backbone operations) is a specialized branch of enterprise networking focused on high-scale, mission-critical infrastructure: MPLS core networks, BGP routing at internet scale, VPN services, QoS, and automation of carrier-grade systems. CCNP SP is the vendor-certified professional standard for this domain.
Read full deep dive — Cisco Ecosystem →
Topics covered
The 350-501 SPCOR exam blueprint covers:
- Architecture (15%) — Service provider network topology, modular design, scalability, redundancy
- Networking (30%) — BGP, OSPF, IS-IS, MPLS/Segment Routing, IPv6, IP addressing, multicast, forwarding
- Services (20%) — Layer 2 VPN (VPLS, E-Line), Layer 3 VPN (MPLS L3VPN, 6VPE), EVPN
- Automation (10%) — NETCONF/YANG, programmability, infrastructure automation for service provider operations
- Security (10%) — BGP security, MPLS security, uRPF, control-plane protection, DDoS mitigation
- Network Assurance (15%) — monitoring, logging, analytics, SLA verification, telemetry, troubleshooting
Source: Cisco Learning Network SPCOR Exam Topics ↗
Common skills at Networking · Professional
Shared content for the Networking domain at Professional level — not specific to this cert.
- BGP and IGP routing (OSPF, IS-IS, RIP) at scale
- MPLS architecture and Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) signaling
- VPN technologies: site-to-site, remote access, Layer 2, EVPN
- Troubleshooting routing and forwarding behavior in complex topologies
- Quality of Service (QoS) configuration and policy enforcement
- Network security: ACLs, IP filtering, control-plane protection
- Monitoring and telemetry (syslog, SNMP, NetFlow, Telemetry APIs)
Recommended courses at Networking · Professional
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco Learning Network | Implementing and Operating Cisco Service Provider Network Core Technologies (CCNP SP SPCOR) | Included in training bundle | ↗ |
| CBT Nuggets | CCNP Service Provider Core (350-501 SPCOR) | $299–$599 subscription | ↗ |
| INE | CCNP Service Provider (SPCOR & Concentrations) | $299–$699 | ↗ |
| Pluralsight | Cisco SPCOR (350-501) for CCNP Service Provider | $199–$399 annual subscription | ↗ |
| Udemy | CCNP Service Provider SPCOR (350-501) Practice Tests & Practice Exams | $12–$50 | ↗ |
Practice exams
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pearson IT Certification | CCNP SPCOR 350-501 Official Practice Test (included in Premium Edition) | $60–$100 | ↗ |
| MeasureUp | Cisco 350-501 SPCOR Practice Test | $80–$120 | ↗ |
| Boson | (No dedicated Boson exam available; Boson specializes in CompTIA and other vendors) | N/A | — |
Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | Year | ISBN | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCNP SPCOR 350-501 Official Cert Guide | Bradley Riapolov, Mohammad Said Saleh Khalil | Cisco Press / Pearson | 2024 | 978-0-13-532486-8 | ↗ |
Typical job titles at Networking · Professional
Service Provider Network Engineer · Carrier Network Engineer · ISP Network Engineer · MPLS Engineer · IP Core Network Engineer · Backbone Engineer · Network Architect (Service Provider)
(Job titles drawn from current job-board postings that list this cert as required or preferred.)
Salary
| Region | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USD | $85,000–$120,500 | ZipRecruiter ↗ · PayScale ↗ · Glassdoor ↗ |
| ZAR | R238,000–R735,000 | PayScale ZA ↗ · Jobted ZA ↗ |
| GBP | £23,831–£61,430 | Glassdoor UK ↗ · IT Jobs Watch ↗ |
Note: Service Provider roles often command higher salaries in carrier-heavy markets (North America, Europe) due to the criticality of backbone infrastructure. Regional salary variance can be significant.
Skills validated
Cert-specific — what this exam actually tests.
- Implementing and scaling BGP in service provider networks
- MPLS Label Switching and LDP/RSVP signaling
- Segment Routing (SR) for simplified MPLS operations
- Layer 3 VPN (MPLS L3VPN) and 6VPE (IPv6 over MPLS)
- EVPN (Ethernet VPN) for multi-service delivery
- Layer 2 VPN services (VPLS, E-Line, Ethernet over MPLS)
- IP Core network design and optimization
- Quality of Service policy implementation (DiffServ, traffic shaping, policing)
- Service Provider security: uRPF, BGP authentication, control-plane ACLs
- Network automation using NETCONF/YANG
- Operational metrics and telemetry (Streaming Telemetry, Flexible NetFlow)
- Troubleshooting at scale using logs, syslog, SNMP, and analytics
Related certifications
- Stacks with: Cisco CCNP SP Concentration exam (one required: SPRI, SPVI, SPAUTO, or SPCNI) ↗
- Prerequisite for: Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Service Provider ↗ (file not yet created)
- Recommended before: CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) ↗ or equivalent routing/switching knowledge
- Equivalents at this level: Juniper JNCIP-SP ↗ (file not yet created) · Arista Certified Network Professional ↗ (file not yet created)
- Vendor overview: Cisco Vendor Overview →
Concentration exams (one required for full CCNP SP)
- 300-510 SPRI — Implementing Cisco Service Provider Advanced Routing Solutions (focus: BGP, IGP, IPv6, routing optimization)
- 300-515 SPVI — Implementing Cisco Service Provider VPN Services (focus: L3VPN, EVPN, VPN scaling)
- 300-535 SPAUTO — Automating Cisco Service Provider Solutions (focus: NETCONF/YANG, automation frameworks, orchestration)
- 300-540 SPCNI — Designing and Implementing Cisco Service Provider Cloud Network Infrastructure (focus: cloud integration, hybrid networks)
Sources
- Cisco SPCOR exam page
- CCNP SPCOR 350-501 Official Cert Guide
- Cisco Learning Network SPCOR Exam Topics
- ZipRecruiter CCNP Service Provider Salary
- PayScale CCNP Salary (US)
- PayScale CCNP Salary (ZA)
- Jobted Network Engineer Salary (ZA)
- CBT Nuggets CCNP SP Core
- INE CCNP Service Provider
- Pluralsight Cisco SPCOR 350-501
- MeasureUp Cisco 350-501 Practice Test
Last verified: 2026-05-01 Parent ecosystem: Cisco Ecosystem Parent domain: Networking