CCNP study guide: how to prepare from Cisco’s exam topics
Every CCNP study guide is built on one source: the exam topics Cisco publishes for each exam. This page sets out what those topics contain for the ENCOR core exam and the ENARSI concentration, how to judge other study material against them, and how to plan your preparation.
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Start with Cisco’s exam topics
Cisco publishes an exam topics document for each CCNP exam. It is the closest thing to an official syllabus: a list of domains, their weights and the subtopics under each. Cisco describes the topics as “general guidelines for the content likely to be included on the exam”, adds that other related topics may also appear, and states that the guidelines may change at any time without notice.
Two consequences follow. First, any study guide is only as good as its match with the current topic list. Second, check the version before you start: Cisco’s ENCOR exam page currently shows v1.1, while its ENCOR course page and the latest topic document refer to v1.2. The domain weights are identical in both documents, but some subtopics differ.
Source: Cisco — 350-401 ENCOR exam. Checked 9 October 2026.
ENCOR (350-401) topics and weights
ENCOR is a 120-minute exam that tests implementing core enterprise network technologies, including dual-stack IPv4 and IPv6 architecture, virtualization, infrastructure, network assurance, security and automation. The v1.2 topic list weights six domains:
- Architecture — 15%: enterprise network design and high availability, SD-WAN and SD-Access principles, QoS
- Virtualization — 10%: hypervisors and virtual machines, virtual switching, VRF, GRE and IPsec tunnels, LISP, VXLAN
- Infrastructure — 30%: Layer 2 trunking, EtherChannel and spanning tree; EIGRP, OSPF, eBGP and policy-based routing; NTP and PTP, NAT and PAT, first-hop redundancy, multicast
- Network Assurance — 10%: troubleshooting tools, Flexible NetFlow, SPAN, RSPAN and ERSPAN, IP SLA, Catalyst Center, NETCONF and RESTCONF
- Security — 20%: device access control, AAA, ACLs, CoPP, REST API security, network security design
- Automation and Artificial Intelligence — 15%: Python basics, JSON, YANG, Catalyst Center and SD-WAN Manager APIs, REST response codes, EEM applets, agent and agentless tools
Source: Cisco — 350-401 ENCOR exam topics v1.2. Checked 9 October 2026.
ENARSI (300-410) topics and weights
If you choose the advanced routing concentration, ENARSI is a 90-minute exam on implementing and troubleshooting advanced routing technologies and services. Its v1.1 topic list has four domains: Layer 3 technologies (35%), VPN technologies (20%), infrastructure security (20%) and infrastructure services (25%).
The other five concentrations — ENSDWI, ENSLD, ENAUTO, ENCC and ENNA — each have their own topic document. Whichever you pick, study it as a second, separate exam rather than an extension of ENCOR.
Source: Cisco — 300-410 ENARSI exam topics v1.1. Checked 9 October 2026.
How to judge CCNP study guides
Cisco lists its own preparation options for CCNP Enterprise: Cisco U. learning paths, instructor-led training, Cisco Press titles, the learning catalog and the Cisco Learning Network forums. For any of these, and for CCNP study guides from other sources, the same checks apply:
- Version: it names the exam version you will sit, and covers the subtopics in that version’s document.
- Weighting: it spends time roughly in proportion to the domain weights — infrastructure alone is 30% of ENCOR.
- Hands-on work: it includes labs or configuration exercises, because both exams test implementation and troubleshooting.
- Currency: product names match the current topics, for example Catalyst Center and SD-WAN Manager in ENCOR v1.2.
Source: Cisco — CCNP Enterprise certification. Checked 9 October 2026.
A study plan that follows the topics
Work domain by domain from the topic list, keeping notes in the same numbering so you can see what is covered and what is not. Practise each configuration task on real or virtual equipment; Cisco’s ENCOR course alone lists 31 labs, which gives a sense of how much hands-on work the core exam assumes.
Cisco publishes no study-hour figure, no passing score and no question count for these exams, and grading is pass/fail. Readiness therefore has to be measured on your side: test yourself against every domain and only book when no domain is a weak spot.
In Certsqill’s CCNP Enterprise question bank, every question explains each answer option and your results show a readiness score per domain.
Source: Cisco — ENCOR course. Checked 9 October 2026.
CCNP Enterprise study guide: questions people ask
Is there an official CCNP study guide?
Cisco’s exam topics document for each exam is the official definition of scope. Cisco also lists Cisco U. learning paths, instructor-led courses and Cisco Press titles as preparation options. Checked 9 October 2026.
What are the ENCOR domain weights?
Architecture 15%, virtualization 10%, infrastructure 30%, network assurance 10%, security 20%, and automation (named Automation and Artificial Intelligence in v1.2) 15%. Source: Cisco exam topics, checked 9 October 2026.
How long should I study for CCNP?
Cisco publishes no study-hour figure. It depends on your experience with enterprise routing, switching and automation; Cisco recommends knowledge of enterprise LAN networks, basic routing and switching, and basic Python scripting before the ENCOR course.
