Cisco Certified Network Professional Data Center

350-601 DCCOR · ● Active · Professional · Cisco

Exam facts

Vendor source — Cisco Learning Network ↗
Official exam guide — 350-601 DCCOR Exam Guide ↗
Exam objectives — DCCOR Exam Topics ↗

About

The CCNP Data Center (core exam 350-601 DCCOR) validates advanced expertise in designing, deploying, and operating data center infrastructure — including Nexus switches, UCS compute, storage networking, automation, and security. Released in 2020, it replaced the legacy CCNP Data Center track and now forms the foundation for specialized concentration exams (DCID, DCIT, DCACI, DCSAN, DCAUTO). Target audience: senior network engineers, data center architects, and infrastructure specialists with 3+ years of hands-on DC experience.

Domain context — Networking / Data Center

Enterprise data center networking: on-premises and hybrid infrastructure spanning Ethernet switching, storage fabrics, compute virtualization, and orchestration. Cisco dominates this market through Nexus (switching), UCS (blade servers), and MDS (SAN). This certification is foundational for Cisco-centric shops and strongly preferred in large enterprises.

Read full deep dive — Cisco Ecosystem →

Topics covered

Core domains (from official blueprint):

• Networking (25%) — VLAN, STP, LAG, QoS, BGP, OSPF, underlay/overlay design
• Compute (25%) — UCS architecture, server profiles, vNIC/vHBA, firmware, licensing
• Storage Networking (20%) — Fibre Channel, FCoE, NVMe-oF, MDS switches, zoning
• Automation (15%) — Ansible, Python, REST APIs, Puppet, Chef, JSON/YAML
• Security (15%) — ACLs, port security, 802.1X, RADIUS/TACACS+, encryption

Source: Cisco DCCOR Exam Topics ↗

Common skills at Networking · Professional

Shared competencies for the Networking domain at Professional level — not specific to this cert.

• Enterprise switching design and configuration (VLAN, spanning-tree, redundancy)
• BGP and OSPF routing protocols (multi-area, policy-based, convergence)
• Network monitoring, troubleshooting, and analysis (NetFlow, syslog, SNMP)
• QoS and traffic engineering (marking, queuing, policing)
• Security filtering and access control (ACLs, firewall policies, device hardening)
• Network automation and IaC (Ansible, Python, API integration)

Recommended courses at Networking · Professional

Course note: Hands-on labs (packet tracer, UCS simulator, Nexus emulation) are critical. CBT Nuggets and INE both emphasize lab scenarios.

Practice exams

Practice exam rule: Boson and Pearson are the gold standards for data center exams. Aim for 80%+ on both before test day.

Books

Book note: The official Pearson cert guide is essential for deep domain knowledge. Concentrate exam guides are optional if pursuing a specialty track.

Typical job titles at Networking · Professional

Senior Data Center Engineer · Data Center Network Architect · Senior Network Engineer (Infrastructure) · Cloud Infrastructure Engineer · Nexus/UCS Specialist · Senior DevOps Engineer (DC-focused)

(Job titles drawn from Cisco job-board postings and enterprise hiring that list CCNP DC as required or strongly preferred.)

Salary

Salary note: Ranges reflect mid-to-senior professional levels. Cisco ecosystem expertise commands premium pay in Fortune 500 and managed service provider (MSP) markets. Regional variation is significant; ZAR data reflects enterprise DC roles in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Skills validated

• Nexus switching architecture (5000 series, 7000 series, 9000 series ACI)
• UCS blade server design (service profiles, vNIC/vHBA templates, firmware)
• Fibre Channel and FCoE protocols (MDS switches, zoning, fabric redundancy)
• VLAN, spanning-tree, LAG, and ECMP at enterprise scale
• BGP and OSPF for underlay/overlay networks
• QoS and traffic engineering (priority queuing, policing, marking)
• Data center automation (Ansible playbooks, REST API integration, Python scripting)
• Storage networking protocols (FC, iSCSI, NVMe-oF)
• 802.1X, RADIUS, TACACS+, and device hardening
• Data center security (port security, ACLs, uACL, micro-segmentation concepts)

Related certifications

• Stacks with (choose 1 concentration):

  • 300-610 DCID (Data Center Design) ↗ (file not yet created)
  • 300-615 DCIT (Troubleshooting) ↗ (file not yet created)
  • 300-620 DCACI (ACI) ↗ (file not yet created)
  • 300-625 DCSAN (Storage Networking) ↗ (file not yet created)
  • 300-635 DCAUTO (Automation) ↗ (file not yet created)

• Prerequisite for: CCIE Data Center (written + lab exam; requires this core + lab proficiency)

• Builds on: CCNA or equivalent foundation in switching, routing, and basic data center concepts

• Equivalents at this level:

  • CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) ↗ (infrastructure/security angle, not exact equivalent)
  • No direct equivalent in pure data center specialization; AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional and Azure Solutions Architect Expert are cloud-focused, not on-prem DC

• Vendor overview: Cisco Ecosystem Overview →

Concentration exams detail

After passing 350-601 DCCOR, candidates must pass one of five 2-hour concentration exams to earn the full CCNP DC:

Concentration exams are not optional; earning the full CCNP DC requires DCCOR + 1 concentration.

Study strategy recommendations

1. Foundation (weeks 1–2): Review CCNA or equivalent. Data center exams assume solid layer 2/3 knowledge.
2. Core topics (weeks 3–8): Work through the Pearson official cert guide chapter-by-chapter. Lab heavily with Cisco Learning Network labs or INE bundled labs.
3. Hands-on labs (weeks 5–10, parallel): UCS simulator, Nexus emulation, Ansible playbooks on Linux. Boson reports labs are critical.
4. Concentration track (weeks 9–12): Choose one concentration based on role and lab the specific topics.
5. Practice exams (weeks 11–13): Take Boson and Pearson practice tests under timed conditions. Aim for 80%+ before registering for the real exam.

Typical study timeline: 200–300 hours (core + 1 concentration). Data center is hands-on heavy; expect 40% labs, 60% theory and practice exams.

Career trajectories post-CCNP DC

• Senior Data Center Engineer → Data Center Architect → Principal Infrastructure Architect
• Network Engineer (DC) → Senior Network Engineer → Network Operations Manager
• Cloud Infrastructure Engineer (on-prem focus) → Hybrid Cloud Architect
• DevOps Engineer (infrastructure angle) + DCAUTO concentration → Infrastructure Automation Lead
• Storage Engineer + DCSAN concentration → Storage Architect / SAN Lead

CCNP DC is a credible stepping stone to CCIE Data Center (the expert-level lab exam) but also satisfies hiring requirements for senior individual contributor roles in large enterprises and MSPs.

Industry context

Cisco maintains ~60–70% market share in enterprise data center switching (Nexus) and blade compute (UCS) in North America and Western Europe. Adoption is strongest in Fortune 500, financial services, and telecom operators. The CCNP DC certification is highly valued in these verticals but less common in cloud-native and startup environments (where AWS / Azure certs dominate). The introduction of ACI (Application-Centric Infrastructure) in 2013 and the DCACI concentration exam have shifted modern DC roles toward intent-based networking — making the DCAUTO and DCACI paths increasingly relevant.

Renewal and continuing education

CCNP DC is valid for 3 years. Renewal options:

• CE credits: Accumulate 120 CE credits over the 3-year period (pursuing advanced Cisco courses, attending conferences, publishing technical content, teaching, or passing another Cisco professional-level exam).
• Retake: Simply retake the 350-601 exam (no concentration required for renewal).

Most engineers find the CE credit route more practical than retesting.

Sources

• Cisco Learning Network — CCNP Data Center
• Cisco Certified Associate & Professional Exam Policies
• Pearson VUE — Cisco Exam Delivery
• Boson ExSim Practice Exams
• INE CCNP Data Center Course Bundle
• CBT Nuggets CCNP Data Center
• Cisco Press — Official Cert Guides
• Glassdoor Salary Data
• Robert Half 2026 Salary Guide

Last verified: 2026-05-01
Parent ecosystem: Cisco Ecosystem Overview
Parent domain: Networking / Data Center Domain
Vendor overview: Cisco Overview