Exam Overview

The 300-640 DCAI exam is a concentration examination in the CCNP Data Center certification path. Passing it earns the Cisco Certified Specialist - Data Center AI Infrastructure certification and satisfies an applicable concentration exam requirement.

• Exam Code: 300-640 DCAI v1.0
• Level: Professional-level concentration and Specialist certification exam
• Duration: 90 minutes. Available language(s): English.
• Passing Score: Not officially disclosed by Cisco (commonly estimated at ~825 out of 1000).
• Grading and Results: Cisco uses pass/fail grading and states that results are available online within 48 hours.

Exam Structure

The 300-640 DCAI exam follows four weighted domains covering AI fundamentals and applications, infrastructure components and architecture, deployment and data management, and operations and troubleshooting.

• Question Types: Not officially disclosed by the certification provider.
• Number of Questions: Not officially disclosed by the certification provider.
• Hands-On Questions: Not officially disclosed by the certification provider.

Exam Policies

Before completing DCAI exam registration, review Cisco's certification policies, Pearson VUE admission and identification rules, the Cisco candidate agreement, and the appointment terms displayed for the selected delivery method.

• Rescheduling: Online Proctored exams can be rescheduled up to 30 minutes before check-in. Test Center exams can be rescheduled up to 48 hours before the scheduled appointment.
• Cancellation: Online Proctored exams can be cancelled up to 30 minutes before check-in. Test Center exams can be cancelled up to 48 hours before the scheduled appointment.
• Retake Policy: After failing a Professional- or Specialist-level written exam, candidates must wait five calendar days, beginning the day after the unsuccessful attempt, before retaking the same exam.
• Retake Fee: Cisco states that candidates may retake an exam for the same cost unless an eligible safeguard, voucher, or promotion provides different terms. The full DCAI exam fee therefore normally applies to another attempt.

Certification Validity and Renewal Options

Passing the 300-640 DCAI exam earns the Cisco Certified Specialist - Data Center AI Infrastructure certification and begins Cisco's standard active certification cycle.

• Validity: Cisco states that most certifications, including Specialist credentials, remain active for three years from the date earned.
• Renewal Options: Renew the Specialist credential by earning 40 Continuing Education credits or by completing an eligible Cisco certification exam pathway under Cisco's current recertification policy.

Exam Fee

• Base Fee: The official DCAI exam fee is USD 300, excluding applicable taxes. Candidates may also redeem eligible Cisco Learning Credits during scheduling.
• Taxes: Local taxes, currency conversion, and regional checkout rules may affect the final DCAI certification cost. The payable amount is shown during registration.
• Example (India): Candidates in India are subject to 18% GST, bringing the total exam fee to USD 354 (USD 300 + USD 54 GST).

Prerequisites

Cisco publishes no formal prerequisite for the 300-640 DCAI exam. To earn CCNP Data Center, candidates must pass the 350-601 DCCOR core exam and one eligible concentration exam.

• Candidates should understand AI and machine learning workloads, GPU-accelerated compute, high-performance Ethernet, RDMA and RoCE, congestion management, Cisco UCS, scalable storage, Cisco Nexus platforms, Nexus Dashboard, Intersight, orchestration, monitoring, and systematic troubleshooting.
• Preparation should combine the official DCAI syllabus with practical experience implementing, designing, automating, or troubleshooting the technologies represented in the current blueprint.
• Cisco's official learning resources are recommended preparation for the 300-640 DCAI exam, but completing a specific course is not an exam prerequisite.

Exam Topics

The official DCAI syllabus v1.0 covers the following weighted domains:

• AI Fundamentals and Applications - 20%: RAG, training, inference, generative AI, the AI lifecycle, business use cases, cloud, hybrid, on-premises and edge deployments, infrastructure components, and Cisco AI solutions.
• AI Infrastructure Components and Architecture - 30%: Network bandwidth, latency, redundancy, scalability and security; CPU, GPU, memory and virtualization requirements; storage capacity and performance; power, cooling, sustainability; and hybrid-cloud integration.
• AI Infrastructure Deployment and Data Management - 30%: Configuring high-performance Cisco data center networks, accelerated compute and storage with Cisco UCS, AI-ready fabrics, orchestration tools, and data-management capabilities for AI workloads.
• AI Infrastructure Operations and Troubleshooting - 20%: Benchmarking, monitoring with Nexus Dashboard and Cisco Intersight, interpreting system messages and management data, and diagnosing reliability, scalability, and performance issues.
• Blueprint Scope: Cisco identifies the published objectives as general guidelines; related AI infrastructure topics may appear on a specific exam delivery.
• Official Focus: DCAI is Cisco's dedicated professional-level exam for operating AI infrastructure across network, compute, storage, orchestration, monitoring, and troubleshooting domains.

Intended Audience

The 300-640 DCAI exam is designed for professionals who design, implement, automate, operate, or support modern data center infrastructure, including:

• AI Infrastructure Engineers
• Data Center Network Engineers
• GPU Platform Engineers
• Cisco UCS Engineers
• AI Solutions Architects
• Data Center Operations Engineers
• CCNP Data Center Candidates

Career Opportunities

Passing the 300-640 DCAI exam supports specialist roles aligned with the knowledge and practical skills in the current blueprint, including:

• AI Infrastructure Engineer
• GPU Cluster Network Engineer
• AI Data Center Architect
• Accelerated Compute Engineer
• AI Platform Operations Engineer
• Data Center AI Consultant

Average Salary (Approximate)

Cisco does not publish salary data for DCAI credential holders. The ranges below use current employment-market estimates for Data Center Engineers or closely related network roles. Salaries vary by experience, employer, location, job role, and industry.

• U.S.: Approximately USD 79,202-227,870 per year for Data Center Engineers (Indeed, July 2026).
• India: Approximately INR 351,250-768,750 per year for Data Center Engineers (Glassdoor, June 2026).
• United Kingdom: Approximately GBP 27,881-47,434 per year for Data Centre Engineers (Glassdoor, July 2026).
• UAE: Approximately AED 60,000-252,000 per year in total pay for Network Engineers in Dubai, based on the published monthly range (Glassdoor, July 2026).

Exam Delivery Options

During DCAI exam registration, candidates can review the delivery methods available for the 300-640 appointment and their location.

• Pearson VUE Test Center - Take the exam in a proctored environment at an authorized Pearson VUE test center, subject to local availability.
• Online Proctored Exam (OnVUE) - Cisco written certification exams, including 300-640, can be taken online, subject to country availability, system requirements, and the appointment options shown during scheduling.
• Online Exam Rules: Run the required system test, use an approved computer with webcam and microphone, present acceptable identification, maintain a clear private workspace, and remain under live-proctor supervision.
• Test Center Rules: Arrive according to the appointment instructions, bring the required identification, store prohibited items, accept Cisco's candidate agreement, and follow all check-in and proctor directions.

Exam Registration

Follow these steps to complete DCAI exam registration:

• Open Cisco's official exam scheduling portal and sign in with the Cisco account linked to the certification profile.
• Select the 300-640 DCAI exam and choose an available Pearson VUE test center or OnVUE online-proctored appointment, where offered.
• Confirm the exam language, date, time, delivery method, identification requirements, and the rescheduling and cancellation terms shown with the booking.
• Pay the DCAI exam fee, apply an eligible voucher, or redeem Cisco Learning Credits, then save the appointment confirmation.

After Passing the Exam

After passing the 300-640 DCAI exam, review the pass/fail result and certification record in Cisco CertMetrics.

• Passing earns the Cisco Certified Specialist - Data Center AI Infrastructure certification and satisfies an applicable concentration requirement.
• Use Cisco CertMetrics to access exam history, score reports, certificates, transcripts, certification logos, and the credential's expiration information.
• To earn CCNP Data Center, also pass the current 350-601 DCCOR core exam within Cisco's applicable written-exam validity window.

Why the 300-640 DCAI Exam Is Worth It

• Earns the Cisco Certified Specialist - Data Center AI Infrastructure certification
• Satisfies an applicable concentration requirement
• Validates current Cisco data center expertise
• Demonstrates focused knowledge aligned with the official DCAI syllabus