Cisco Certified DevNet Expert Lab Exam Format

The 8-hour lab exam will assess candidates’ skills through the entire software development lifecycle of designing, developing, testing, deploying and maintaining complex automation driven network scenarios.

The exam consists out of 2 modules that are fixed in time and will be delivered in a fixed sequence:

  • Module 1: Design (3 hours)
  • Module 2: Develop, Test, Deploy and Maintain (5 hours)

Candidates will be tested on varying technologies and solutions listed in the Exam Topics (Blueprint) throughout both modules. While both modules are independent from each other, there is a progressive storyline that will be built upon throughout the entire 8-hour lab exam. Candidates will not be able to navigate back and forth between modules.

Multiple-choice test, 3 hours, 37 points

Module 1: Design

The goal of this module is to measure the ability to create, analyze, validate and optimize automation-based software solution designs, which is the basis of all software deployment activities. Candidates will need to:

  • Understand capabilities of different technologies, solutions and services.
  • Translate customer requirements into solutions.
  • Assess readiness to support proposed solutions.

The module is scenario-based, without access to any devices. Candidates will be provided with a set of documentation required to discern before answering web-based items.

Examples of documentation include email threads, high-level design documents, network topology diagrams, existing code and scripts, customer requirements and restrictions, etc. Examples of web-based items include Drag-and-Drop, Multiple-Choice-Single-Answer, Multiple-Choice-Multiple-Answer, Dropdown items, etc.

During this module backward navigation will be disabled. As such, candidates will not have full visibility on all questions within this module. Point value(s) associated to each item are not displayed within this module.

Coding, 5 hours 63 points

Module 2: Develop, Test, Deploy and Maintain

In this module, candidates will be developing, testing, deploying and maintaining automated network solutions.

  • Develop and Test: Candidates will create software code according to the design specifications, customer requirements and restrictions. All steps required for successful code development and testing will be covered, as per Exam Topics (Blueprint).
  • Deploy and Maintain: Candidates will deploy and maintain network automation-based software solutions. This includes implementing existing and new code, adjusting code to improve functionality, reducing disruptions, mitigating outages, reducing operating costs, and maintaining high availability, reliability, and security, as well as diagnosing potential issues and adjusting software code to align to changing business goals and/or technical requirements.

This module provides a setup that is very close to an actual production environment and will consist of both hands-on (device access) as well as web-based items. Where possible, a virtualized lab environment will be used in this module. Please refer to the equipment and software list for more detailed information.

During this module backward navigation will be enabled.

Candidates will have full visibility on all questions within this module. Points value(s) associated to each item are displayed within this module.

Read the fantastic manual

Documentation

Cisco and applicable vendor documentation are available online during the exam. Any documentation to which candidates can navigate (when not logged in) is available during the exam. Please note this website is Cisco hosted, and access may be limited or even unavailable occasionally due to system upgrades (or for other reasons). Candidates are not allowed to bring in any outside reference material into the lab.

Exam Score Evaluation and Reports

Pass or fail?

Each module has both a minimum score and a pass score. Both minimum and pass scores are set on a per-module basis, based upon exam difficulty level.

  • The pass score corresponds with expert-level competence.
  • The minimum score is the absolute minimum score expected from an expert level candidate.

To pass the exam, candidates need to score higher than the aggregated pass score of both modules and score higher than the minimum score set on each of the modules individually.

If candidates score less than the overall aggregated pass score of both modules OR score less than the minimum score set on 1 (or more) of the individual modules, they will fail the exam. Upon passing the exam, candidates will not be provided any additional score details.

Candidates that fail the exam will be given a score report, indicating what module(s) they passed or failed. Additionally, candidates will be provided cumulative scoring percentages, based on the domain level, across both modules.