Exam Overview

The 350-401 ENCOR exam is Cisco’s professional-level enterprise core exam and a key requirement in the CCNP Enterprise and CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure certification paths.

• Exam Code: 350-401 ENCOR v1.2
• Level: Professional core exam; awards a Cisco Specialist certification
• Duration: 120 minutes. Available languages: English and Japanese.
• Passing Score: Not officially disclosed by Cisco (commonly estimated at ~825 out of 1000).
• Unscored Content: Not officially disclosed by the certification provider.

Exam Structure

The 350-401 ENCOR exam measures implementation knowledge across the six weighted domains in the current ENCOR syllabus.

• 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 ENCOR exam registration, candidates should review Cisco’s written-exam policies, Pearson VUE rules, and the terms provided with their appointment.

• 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 a failed Professional- or Specialist-level written exam, candidates must wait five calendar days, beginning the day after the attempt, before retaking the same exam.
• Retake Fee: A retake is charged at the same exam price. The full ENCOR exam fee applies unless an authorized promotion or voucher explicitly provides different terms.

Certification Validity and Renewal Options

After passing the 350-401 ENCOR exam, the earned Cisco Specialist certification remains active for Cisco’s standard certification cycle.

• Validity: The Cisco Certified Specialist – Enterprise Core certification is valid for three years. The passed written exam is also valid for three years while completing the remaining requirements for an associated certification.
• Renewal Options: Recertify during the active period by passing an eligible Cisco exam or earning 40 Continuing Education credits, which is Cisco’s current requirement for Specialist-level certification renewal.

Exam Fee

• Base Fee: The official ENCOR exam fee is USD 400, excluding applicable local taxes, or candidates may use Cisco Learning Credits.
• Taxes: Local taxes may apply according to the testing location and are shown during checkout. These charges affect the final ENCOR certification cost.
• Example (India): Candidates in India are subject to 18% GST, bringing the total exam fee to USD 472 (USD 400 + USD 72 GST).

Prerequisites

There are no formal prerequisites for the 350-401 ENCOR exam or the CCNP Enterprise certification path.

• Cisco notes that CCNP Enterprise learners often have three to five years of experience implementing enterprise network solutions.
• Recommended preparation includes experience implementing enterprise LANs and a basic understanding of enterprise routing and switching.
• Basic Python scripting knowledge is also recommended before working through the automation and artificial intelligence portion of the ENCOR syllabus.

Exam Topics

The official ENCOR syllabus v1.2 contains six weighted domains:

• Architecture – 15%: Enterprise design, high availability, Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN, Cisco SD-Access, and interpretation of quality-of-service configurations.
• Virtualization – 10%: Hypervisors, virtual machines, virtual switching, VRF, GRE and IPsec tunneling, LISP, and VXLAN.
• Infrastructure – 30%: 802.1Q trunks, EtherChannel, spanning tree, EIGRP and OSPF concepts, OSPFv2/v3, eBGP, policy-based routing, time services, NAT/PAT, FHRPs, and multicast.
• Network Assurance – 10%: Diagnostic tools, Flexible NetFlow, SPAN/RSPAN/ERSPAN, IP SLA, Cisco Catalyst Center workflows, NETCONF, and RESTCONF.
• Security – 20%: Device access control, local and AAA authentication and authorization, ACLs, CoPP, REST API security, threat defense, endpoint security, next-generation firewalls, TrustSec, and MACsec.
• Automation and Artificial Intelligence – 15%: Python, JSON, YANG, Cisco Catalyst Center and SD-WAN Manager APIs, REST API results, EEM applets, and agent versus agentless orchestration.

Intended Audience

The 350-401 ENCOR exam is well suited to professionals building core enterprise networking expertise, including:

• Entry- to Mid-Level Network Engineers
• Network Administrators
• Network Support Technicians
• Help Desk Technicians
• Routing and Switching Professionals
• Systems Engineers
• CCNP Enterprise and CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Candidates

Career Opportunities

Passing the 350-401 ENCOR exam supports professional-level work with enterprise infrastructure, automation, assurance, and security, including roles such as:

• Network Automation Engineer
• Systems Engineer
• Network Support Technician
• Enterprise Network Engineer
• Network Administrator
• Help Desk Technician

Average Salary (Approximate)

Cisco does not publish salary ranges for holders of this certification. Compensation varies by role, experience, employer, location, and industry.

• U.S.: Not officially disclosed by the certification provider.
• India: Not officially disclosed by the certification provider.
• United Kingdom: Not officially disclosed by the certification provider.
• UAE: Not officially disclosed by the certification provider.

Exam Delivery Options

During ENCOR exam registration, candidates can review the delivery methods available for their location and appointment.

• Pearson VUE Test Center – Take the exam at an authorized Pearson VUE testing center, subject to local appointment availability.
• Online Proctored Exam (OnVUE) – Cisco supports online proctoring; confirm that the 350-401 appointment and your location are eligible when scheduling.
• Online Exam Rules: Use a supported Windows or macOS computer with one display, webcam, microphone, speaker, and a stable connection. Run the system test and use a private, clear testing space with valid government-issued photo identification.
• Test Center Rules: Follow Pearson VUE admission instructions and bring the required identification. Cisco’s written-exam process captures a digital photo and signature and requires acceptance of the candidate rules agreement.

Exam Registration

Follow these steps to complete ENCOR exam registration:

• Visit Cisco CertMetrics and select the 350-401 ENCOR exam.
• Choose an available delivery method: Pearson VUE test center or online proctored testing, where offered.
• Select an available date, time, and testing location.
• Pay the ENCOR exam fee, apply an eligible voucher or Cisco Learning Credits, and confirm the booking.

After Passing the Exam

After passing the 350-401 ENCOR exam, review the result and certification record in Cisco CertMetrics.

• Passing earns the Cisco Certified Specialist – Enterprise Core certification. Cisco states that pass/fail results are available online within 48 hours.
• Use Cisco CertMetrics to access exam history, score reports, certificates, transcripts, and certification logos.
• The exam also satisfies the core requirement for CCNP Enterprise and CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure. CCNP Enterprise additionally requires one concentration exam, while CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure additionally requires the corresponding lab exam.

Why the 350-401 ENCOR Exam Is Worth It

• Earns the Cisco Certified Specialist – Enterprise Core certification
• Completes the core-exam requirement for CCNP Enterprise
• Serves as the qualifying written exam for CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure
• Validates broad enterprise expertise across architecture, infrastructure, assurance, security, automation, and artificial intelligence