Cisco Designing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCID 300‑610) Practice Exams
About the Cisco DCID 300-610 exam
Exam at a glance
Professional tier. DCID 300-610 is the design exam for the CCNP Data Center track and pairs with the 350-601 DCCOR Core exam — passing both earns the CCNP Data Center certification. 55–65 questions, 90 min, $300 USD, scaled passing score, 3-year validity with Continuing Education (CE) recertification option.
Domain weighting
- Network Design — 35%
- Compute Design — 25%
- Storage Network Design — 20%
- Automation Design — 20%
How DCID fits the CCNP Data Center track
CCNP Data Center = Core (350-601 DCCOR) + one Concentration. The Concentration options are:
- 300-610 DCID — Designing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (this exam)
- 300-615 DCIT — Troubleshooting
- 300-620 DCACI — ACI Implementation
- 300-635 DCNAUTO — Automation
- 300-625 DCSAN — Storage Area Networks
Prerequisites
No formal prerequisites for the exam itself, but Cisco strongly recommends working knowledge of CCNP Data Center Core (350-601 DCCOR) topics — Nexus switching, UCS compute, MDS storage, and ACI fundamentals. Most candidates take DCCOR first.
Why take this certification
- Highest-paying enterprise infrastructure track. CCNP Data Center holders earn an average of $128,000–$148,000 USD per year in the United States, with senior data center architects reaching $160,000+ in large-enterprise and service-provider roles.
- Design role differentiation. While DCCOR proves you can operate Nexus + UCS + ACI, DCID proves you can design them — a distinction hiring managers explicitly look for on Solutions Architect and Pre-Sales Systems Engineer job descriptions.
- Direct path to CCIE Data Center. DCID + DCCOR knowledge maps cleanly onto the CCIE Data Center v3.1 written and lab blueprints, making it the natural mid-point between Associate and Expert tiers.
- Continuing Education recertification. Unlike many vendor exams, Cisco lets you recertify via training credits — pass once, then maintain via CE activities (training, content authoring, instructor work) rather than re-sitting the exam every cycle.
What you'll learn in DCID 300-610
DCID is a scenario-driven design exam — most questions describe a customer requirement (latency target, scale, compliance, integration constraint) and ask you to pick the architecture that fits. You won't be asked to type CLI; you will be asked to choose between VXLAN/EVPN vs traditional FabricPath, ACI vs NX-OS, UCS B-Series vs X-Series, FC vs FCoE, and to justify the trade-off.
Network design
- VXLAN/EVPN overlay design — control-plane (BGP EVPN), data-plane (VXLAN VNI), underlay (OSPF/IS-IS), anycast gateway, multi-site stretching.
- Nexus 9K / 7K topology design — leaf-spine vs three-tier, vPC vs single-homed, FEX placement, port-channel sizing.
- ACI fabric design — APIC cluster sizing, leaf-spine fabric, tenant/VRF/BD/EPG hierarchy, contracts and policy design, L4-L7 service insertion.
- Multi-site and DCI — VXLAN Multi-Site, OTV (legacy awareness), ACI Multi-Pod vs Multi-Site, dark fiber vs MPLS Layer 2 VPN.
Compute design
- UCS Manager and Intersight — when to use UCSM-managed domains vs Intersight Managed Mode (IMM), migration considerations, claim/onboarding design.
- Cisco UCS B-Series + C-Series + X-Series — blade vs rack vs modular, X-Fabric design, when to recommend each form factor for a given workload.
- Service profiles and templates — stateless compute, profile hierarchy, pool-based identity (MAC/UUID/WWPN/WWNN), updating vs initial templates.
- Fabric Interconnects (FI) — 6400/6500 FI sizing, end-host vs switching mode, uplink port-channel design.
Storage network design
- Fibre Channel (FC) fabric design — single vs dual-fabric, ISL/TE/F port roles, zoning (single-initiator multi-target), VSAN design.
- FCoE and unified fabric — DCB (PFC, ETS, DCBX), LLDP/DCBX exchange, FCoE-on-UCS vs native FC.
- iSCSI and NVMe-oF — when to choose IP storage over FC, NVMe/TCP vs NVMe/FC vs NVMe/RoCEv2 trade-offs.
- Cisco MDS storage switches — MDS 9700/9300/9100/9148 sizing, SAN extension (FCIP), SAN analytics.
Automation, security, integration
- ACI integration with hypervisors — VMM domain integration with VMware vCenter/NSX, Microsoft Hyper-V/SCVMM, OpenStack (Neutron ML2 plugin).
- Data center automation — Intersight policy/profile model, NDFC (formerly DCNM) for NX-OS fabric management, Terraform providers for ACI and Intersight, Ansible network modules.
- Data center security design — Control Plane Policing (CoPP), ACL design (port/VLAN/router ACL), MACsec for east-west encryption, TrustSec (SGT/SGACL) for policy-based segmentation.
How the practice exams help
Each free question and every premium exam mirrors the scenario format Cisco uses — long stem with customer requirements, four to six plausible options, one or more correct. Detailed explanations cover not just why the chosen architecture is right but why each alternative would underperform — so you learn the design trade-offs, not just the answer key.
How to prepare for DCID 300-610
A realistic DCID study plan combines design-pattern review, official documentation, and hands-on exposure to Nexus, UCS, ACI, and Intersight. Recommended approach:
- Review the official blueprint (week 1). Download the current Cisco DCID 300-610 exam topics and map every bullet to a known concept. Anything you can't explain in one sentence becomes a study target. The blueprint is the contract — Cisco only asks what's listed.
- Core text (weeks 2–6). Work through the Cisco Press CCNP and CCIE Data Center Core DCCOR 350-601 Official Cert Guide alongside the design-focused chapters of the Designing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCID 300-610) Official Cert Guide. Cisco Press is the only source aligned chapter-by-chapter with the blueprint.
- Hands-on with CML and dCloud (weeks 6–10). Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) Personal covers Nexus 9000v — build leaf-spine fabrics, VXLAN/EVPN underlays, and vPC pairs. Cisco dCloud offers free time-bound ACI and UCS lab pods. You don't need to configure for the exam, but reasoning through a question is much faster once you've actually built the topology.
- Whitepapers and design guides (weeks 10–12). Read the Cisco Validated Designs (CVDs) for VXLAN/EVPN, ACI Multi-Pod, and UCS X-Series. CVDs are exactly the design patterns Cisco bakes into exam scenarios.
- Practice exams (weeks 12–16). Take timed practice tests to surface weak domains. Aim for consistent 80%+ across all five domains before scheduling. Pay extra attention to Storage Network Design — it's often the lowest-scoring domain because candidates with primarily routing/switching backgrounds underweight FC/FCoE prep.
Recommended timeline
12–16 weeks of focused study (10–12 hours per week) for candidates with prior CCNP Data Center Core (350-601 DCCOR) experience. Allow 16–20 weeks if you're coming directly from CCNA without DCCOR background.
Official resources
Download the official Cisco DCID 300-610 exam topics and the CCNP Data Center program page before starting. The DCID 300-610 self-paced course on Cisco Learning Network Store maps directly to exam topics.
Frequently asked questions
Are these actual exam questions?
No. All Nex Arc Cisco DCID 300-610 practice questions are original content based on Cisco's published exam topics, official documentation, and real-world data center design scenarios. We do not offer brain dumps, leaked questions, or actual exam content. Using or distributing real exam questions violates Cisco's certification agreement and can result in certification revocation.
How many questions are in the Cisco DCID 300-610 exam?
The Cisco DCID 300-610 exam contains 55-65 questions delivered in 90 minutes. Question formats include multiple choice (single answer), multiple choice (multiple answer), drag-and-drop, and testlet/simlet scenarios. Cisco does not publish the exact question count in advance — it varies slightly per delivered form.
What's the DCID 300-610 passing score?
Cisco does not publish a fixed passing score for 300-610. Scoring uses a scaled model (typically 750-850 out of 1000 as reported by candidates), and Cisco intentionally withholds the cut score so candidates focus on overall competence rather than memorizing answers. Aim for consistent 80%+ on practice exams before scheduling.
How do I access the full DCID 300-610 practice exam?
Click the Buy Now button in the sidebar to purchase the complete Cisco DCID 300-610 course. You'll get instant access to 17 practice exams with detailed explanations and lifetime access to the question bank.
What are the prerequisites for DCID 300-610?
There are no formal prerequisites for the 300-610 exam itself, but Cisco strongly recommends a working knowledge of CCNP Data Center Core (350-601 DCCOR) topics — Nexus switching, UCS compute, MDS storage, and ACI fundamentals. Most candidates take 350-601 DCCOR first because passing DCCOR plus any one Data Center Concentration exam (including 300-610) earns the CCNP Data Center certification.
How long is the DCID 300-610 certification valid?
CCNP Data Center is valid for 3 years from the date you pass your final qualifying exam. Cisco offers a Continuing Education (CE) program — you can earn CE credits through training, content authoring, or instructor activities to recertify without retaking the exam. Alternatively, you can recertify by passing any Professional or Expert level exam, or pass any two Specialist exams, within the 3-year window.
What's the exam cost and can I retake it if I fail?
The Cisco DCID 300-610 exam costs $300 USD (plus local taxes), delivered through Pearson VUE at testing centers or via online proctoring. If you fail, you must wait 5 calendar days before retaking. Cisco caps total attempts at 4 per 12-month rolling period — if you fail four times, you must wait 180 days before another attempt. Each retake is full price.
How does DCID 300-610 fit into the CCNP Data Center track?
CCNP Data Center requires two exams: the 350-601 DCCOR core exam plus one Concentration exam. 300-610 DCID (Designing) is the design-focused Concentration — it pairs with DCCOR's implementation focus. Other Concentrations include 300-615 DCIT (troubleshooting), 300-620 DCACI (ACI implementation), 300-635 DCNAUTO (automation), and 300-625 DCSAN (SAN). DCID is the natural choice for architects and design engineers; DCIT suits operations roles; DCACI is for ACI-heavy environments.
What topics are most heavily tested on DCID 300-610?
Per Cisco's published blueprint, the five domains are: Network Design (~25%, including VXLAN/EVPN, Nexus 9K/7K topologies, ACI fabric design), Compute Design (~25%, UCS B/C/X-Series, service profiles, Intersight), Storage Network Design (~20%, FC, FCoE, iSCSI, NVMe-oF, MDS), Automation Design (~10%, Intersight, NDFC, Terraform), and Security Design (~20%, CoPP, ACL design, MACsec, TrustSec). Network and Compute together account for half the exam, so prioritize Nexus and UCS scenarios first.
Do I need hands-on lab access to pass DCID 300-610?
300-610 is a design exam, not a configuration exam — there are no lab simulations. However, hands-on exposure significantly helps you reason through scenario questions. Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) Personal license covers Nexus 9000v and is the most accessible option. Cisco dCloud also offers free time-bound ACI/UCS lab pods. If your employer has a Cisco DevNet sandbox subscription, use it for Intersight and NDFC practice.