How I Passed the 350-401 Exam

Two weeks ago I passed my Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (350-401 ENCOR) exam. It is the core exam required for my Cisco Certified Network Professional – CCNP Enterprise certification. My next exam for the certification is 300-415 ENSDWI Implementing Cisco SD-WAN Solutions (SDWAN300). It was not at all an exam but I made it in my first attempt. Let me share my experience with you.

I’m an IT professional having CompTIA A+, Network+, and Cisco Certified Network Associate with more than 10 years of experience in the field of networking. Presently I am working as a network engineer in a multinational technology company. It is my second employer. I started my career in a network hardware distribution company. I was CompTIA A+ certified back then. During that job, I did my CompTIA Network+ as it was required by my job role. After four years of working, I got a better opportunity and I joined my present employer. I did my CCNA before joining it as it was a prerequisite for the job. So I did three professional certifications and all of those paid me well and gave me a competitive edge as well as a career boost. I started working as an associate engineer in this company. After 3 years I was promoted to the post of network engineer. I worked in the internal support department of the company.

It’s been a great experience. I learned a lot from this job. I got good exposure to working with the top networking hardware and software platforms of the industry. I learned a lot about new technologies. Two months ago my boss told me about some new openings in our corporate support department. It was a great opportunity as this new position involves dealing with large enterprise customers. Exposure with large enterprise customers means a lot of new hardware and application platforms in large deployments. Besides fixed increment, it also had the additional benefits of percentage-wise commission. Last but not least he told me that it would require me Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certification as a prerequisite.

He told me that I have three months to accomplish this task. He said that keeping in view your experience and skills you can do this well within three months. I asked him about the specialization and he advised me to go for the CCNP Enterprise saying that it would be most appropriate for my new job role. That night I consulted the Cisco training website to get detailed information about CCNP Enterprise then I came to know that it requires two exams including one mandatory core exam: Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (350-401 ENCOR) and one concentration exam.

So it was clear that whatever optional exam I choose, I have to go for Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (350-401 ENCOR) in the first place. So I downloaded the exam topics for the Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (350-401 ENCOR) exam to start working on my study plan. It was an uphill task for me by that time but I also knew that I will have to do that. The next morning I discussed it with my boss. He referred me to a senior guy in the department for guidance. The guy guided me very well. He suggested to me that I should go for the 300-415 ENSDWI Implementing Cisco SD-WAN Solutions (SDWAN300) for the optional concentration exam. He gave me some pro tips about the exam.

For the training resources, he recommended me the Marks4sure. He also promised to give some notes prepared for self-study of the (350-401 ENCOR) exam. He also suggested me to go for the complete PDF + Testing Engine package from Marks4sure saying that it would be a comprehensive bundle for the preparation of the (350-401 ENCOR) exam. That evening I downloaded the demo from Marks4sure to evaluate the content quality. I found it satisfactory. I also found that Marks4sure offers a money-back guarantee on all the training material they offer. I got the package from Marks4sure for the (350-401 ENCOR) exam. Keeping in view the shortage of time I decided to allocate 2 hours daily for the preparation.

Braindumps from the Marks4sure.com were very helpful for me as they were very carefully compiled and were exactly according to the exam outline provided by Cisco. The testing engine is a great tool to evaluate your preparation level. With the help of innovative training material and the notes provided by my senior, I was ready to go for the test after 4 weeks. For further assurance, I allocated a whole week for revision. After 5 weeks I booked the exam and got the date. Before the exam day, I slept peacefully because I was confident about my preparations by then. On the exam day, I took the exam calmly, and as expected I passed the (350-401 ENCOR) exam in my first attempt scoring 93%. Now I’m preparing for the 300-415 ENSDWI Implementing Cisco SD-WAN Solutions (SDWAN300) exam.

Following is a brief introduction to 350-401 certification exam.

Exam overview
This exam tests your knowledge and skills related to implementing core enterprise network technologies, including:

• Dual stack (IPv4 and IPv6) architecture
• Virtualization
• Infrastructure
• Network assurance
• Security
• Automation

350-401
Certification: CCNP Enterprise, CCIE Enterprise, Cisco Certified Specialist – Security Core
Duration: 120 minutes

Exam Description

Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies v1.0 (ENCOR 350-401) is a 120-minute exam associated with the CCNP and CCIE Enterprise Certifications. This exam tests a candidate’s knowledge of implementing core enterprise network technologies including dual-stack (IPv4 and IPv6) architecture, virtualization, infrastructure, network assurance, security, and automation. The course, Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies, helps candidates to prepare for this exam.

1.0 Architecture 15%
2.0 Virtualization 10%
3.0 Infrastructure 30%
4.0 Network Assurance 10%
5.0 Security 20%
6.0 Automation 15%

Conclusion

Cisco Systems is a market leader in WAN infrastructure hardware. The CCNP Enterprise and CCIE Enterprises are among the best career-oriented certifications in the Cisco certification portfolio. The exam: Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (350-401 ENCOR) is a core exam that is required for the certifications CCNP Enterprise, CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure, CCIE Enterprise Wireless, and Cisco Certified Specialist – Enterprise Core. No matter which of the above enterprise certifications you are seeking, this is a critical exam.