CORE ENCOR 350-401 EXAM
Well, ENCOR or Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (ENCOR 350-401) exam is a big deal because of the following reasons.
ENCOR exam consists of topics from six domains of knowledge, i.e. Architecture, Virtualization, Automation, Infrastructure, Network Assurance and Security. It is slated to go into effect starting February 24 2020.
ENCOR serves triple purpose as CCNP Core, and CCIE Infrastructure Lab and CCIE Wireless Lab qualification exam. CCIE recertification requirements are now different from the initial qualification.
It is the mandatory Core exam for CCNP Enterprise track. You will become CCNP Enterprise certified when you pass one of the professional Concentration exams (such as ENARSI) in addition to ENCOR.
It obsoletes old CCNP R&S exams (300-101 and 300-115), and CCIE written exams for both R&S (400-101) and Wireless (400-351) tracks.
It is a 120-minute exam that costs $400 (USD) per attempt, which is $100 more compared to 300-series CCNP exams today, but significantly cheaper than $450 per attempt for 400 series qualification or “written exams”.
Each successful attempt at ENCOR will recertify your CCNP for three years, which is same as today. However, CCNP Recertification exam cost will change from $300 (passing one exam) to either passing one core exam ($400) or passing two exams ($700), i.e. you may pay up to x2 more in new versus old format. There are other possible exam combinations for recertification including Continuing Education (CE) credits.
Each successful attempt at ENCOR plus any one Professional concentration exam such as ENARSI will recertify your CCIE Enterprise for a period of three years. However, recertification exam cost will change from $450 (one exam) to $700 (2 exams i.e. 1 core and 1 concentration exam such as ENARSI) or $900 (3 concentration exams), i.e. up to x2 more in new versus old format. Again, there are other possible exam combinations for recertification including Continuing Education (CE) credits.
Well, if you’ve not caught up on Cisco’s recent changes to CCIE, CCNP and CCNA certification programs, I’d suggest you do so now. Cisco rolled out massive certification changes on June 10th at Cisco Live 2019 San Diego. All Cisco Certification changes, and new exams are going into effect simultaneously starting February 24, 2020.For Cisco CMO, Routing and Switching nomenclature is apparently not cool enough anymore so they have come up with “Enterprise” as the new name for “Routing and Switching” going forward. Anyhow, what’s in a name, let’s deep dive into the ENCOR 300-401 exam topics
