What is New in Updated CCNP ENCOR v1.2 Exam?

CCNP ENCOR 350-401 Exam is the required exam for CCNP ENCOR (Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies) or CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Certification. Various network lessons are covered in this exam and now, these topics are updated. The latest Updated CCNP ENCOR Exam is, CCNP ENCOR 350-401 v1.2 and in this post, we will cover what is new in CCNP ENCOR v1.r Exam? We will compare it with the previous CCNP ENCOR v1.1 Exam.

 

You can find the the full topics of CCNP ENCOR v1.2 Exam and the summary of new topics at the end of this article.

 

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You can enroll CCNP ENCOR Training on IPCisco CCNP ENCOR 350-401 Course Page.

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CCNP ENCOR 350-401 Exam Details

Before this comparison, let’s give a brief information about CCNP ENCOR 350-401 v1.2 Exam. CCNP ENCOR 350-401 Exam duration is 120 minutes and candidates reply 100 questions in the exam. The passing score is 825/100 (%82) for CCNP ENCOR 350-401 Exam. And the cost is 400 USD.

 

There are six common modules on CCNP ENCOR 350-401 Exam. These modules and their ratios are given below:

• Architecture – %15
• Virtualization – %10
• Infrastructure – %30
• Network Assurance – %10
• Security – %20
• Automation – %15

 

There are different lessons under these six modules and some of them has changed recently with CCNP ENCOR 350-401 v1.2. Here, we will focus on what are the topics of Updated CCNP Exam, what is new in CCNP ENCOR v1.2 Exam by compairing the previous CCNP 350-401 ENCOR v1.1 Exam.

 

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Updated CCNP 350-401 ENCOR v1.2 Exam Topics

In new version of CCNP ENCOR 350-401 Exam, some of the previous lessons has changed, some new lessons has  added and some of them are removed. In this new CCNP version, updated CCNP ENCOR v1.2, which topics are changed and which ones are remaining? What are the newly added topics and which topics are removed? Let’s check all the updated ccnp lessons and then learn these changes module by module.

• 1.0 Architecture

• • 2.1 Describe device virtualization technologies
    • 2.1.a Hypervisor type 1 and 2
    • 2.1.b Virtual machine
    • 2.1.c Virtual switching

• • 2.2 Configure and verify data path virtualization technologies
    • 2.2.a VRF
    • 2.2.b GRE and IPsec tunneling

• • 2.3 Describe network virtualization concepts
    • 2.3.a LISP
    • 2.3.b VXLAN

• • 3.1 Layer 2
    • 3.1.a Troubleshoot static and dynamic 802.1q trunking protocols
    • 3.1.b Troubleshoot static and dynamic EtherChannels
    • 3.1.c Configure and verify common Spanning Tree Protocols (RSTP, MST) and Spanning Tree enhancements such as root guard and BPDU guard

• • 3.2 Layer 3
    • 3.2.a Compare routing concepts of EIGRP and OSPF (advanced distance vector vs. link state, load balancing, path selection, path operations, metrics, and area types)
    • 3.2.b Configure simple OSPFv2/v3 environments, including multiple normal areas, summarization, and filtering (neighbor adjacency, point-to-point, and broadcast network types, and passive-interface)
    • 3.2.c Configure and verify eBGP between directly connected neighbors (best path selection algorithm and neighbor relationships)
    • 3.2.d Describe policy-based routing
  • 3.3 IP Services
    • 3.3.a Interpret network time protocol configurations such as NTP and PTP
    • 3.3.b Configure NAT/PAT
    • 3.3.c Configure first hop redundancy protocols, such as HSRP, VRRP
    • 3.3.d Describe multicast protocols, such as RPF check, PIM SM, IGMP v2/v3, SSM, bidir, and MSDP

• 4.0 Network Assurance

• • 4.1 Diagnose network problems using such as debugs, conditional debugs, traceroute, ping, SNMP, and syslog

• • 4.2 Configure and verify Flexible NetFlow

• • 4.3 Configure SPAN/RSPAN/ERSPAN

• • 4.4 Configure and verify IPSLA

• • 4.5 Describe how Cisco Catalyst Center (formerly Cisco DNA Center) is used to apply network configuration, monitoring, and management using traditional and AI-powered workflows

• • 4.6 Configure and verify NETCONF and RESTCONF

• 5.0 Security

• • 5.1 Configure and verify device access control
    • 5.1.a Lines and local user authentication
    • 5.1.b Authentication and authorization using AAA

• • 5.2 Configure and verify infrastructure security features
    • 5.2.a ACLs
    • 5.2.b CoPP

• • 5.3 Describe REST API security

• • 5.4 Describe the components of network security design
    • 5.4.a Threat defense
    • 5.4.b Endpoint security
    • 5.4.c Next-generation firewall
    • 5.4.d TrustSec and MACsec

• 6.0 Automation and Artificial Intelligence

• • 6.1 Interpret basic Python components and scripts

• • 6.2 Construct valid JSON-encoded files

• • 6.3 Describe the high-level principles and benefits of a data modeling language, such as YANG

• • 6.4 Describe APIs for Cisco Catalyst Center and SD-WAN Manager

• • 6.5 Interpret REST API response codes and results in payload using Cisco Catalyst Center and RESTCONF

• • 6.6 Construct an EEM applet to automate configuration, troubleshooting, or data collection

• • 6.7 Compare agent vs. agentless orchestration tools

 

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Changes With CCNP 350-401 ENCOR v1.2

Architecture Module Changes

In this table, you can find a comparison between old CCNP ENCOR v1.1 and updated CCNP ENCOR v1.2.

 

Category	ENCOR v1.1	ENCOR v1.2	Change
SD-WAN Terminology	Cisco SD-WAN solution	Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN solution	Cisco rebranding update reflecting Catalyst ecosystem integration.
QoS Objective	Interpret wired and wireless QoS configurations with detailed policy/components.	Interpret QoS configurations.	Simplified objective with less wireless-specific detail.
Enterprise Network Design	2-tier, 3-tier, fabric and cloud designs.	Same.	Kept largely unchanged.
High Availability	Redundancy, FHRP and SSO.	Same.	No major change.
SD-Access	Control/data planes and traditional campus interoperability.	Same.	Core concepts preserved.
Wireless Architecture	Larger wireless design coverage.	Significantly reduced.	Major reduction in wireless internals.
Switching Mechanisms	Included in Architecture domain.	Removed/reduced.	Scope trimmed in v1.2.
QoS Depth	More detailed wired/wireless split.	More general QoS interpretation.	Streamlined blueprint.
Overall Architecture Scope	Broader architecture coverage.	Leaner and more focused.	Less wireless internals, more enterprise WAN/access focus.

 

 

What was removed?
– Wireless design principles are no longer in the blueprint:
– Wireless deployment models (centralized, distributed, controller-less, controller-based, cloud, remote branch)
– Location services in WLAN design
– Client density
– The detailed split of QoS into wired vs. wireless configs, and components/policy subsections, is simplified.
– Hardware/software switching mechanisms (CEF, CAM, TCAM, FIB, RIB, adjacency tables) are gone from the Architecture section. (Note: some of these topics still exist in ENCOR overall, but not as “Architecture.”)

What was changed?
SD-WAN wording updated:
– v1.1: Cisco SD-WAN solution
– v1.2: Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN solution
→ This reflects Cisco’s rebranding (Viptela SD-WAN → “Catalyst SD-WAN”) and subtle emphasis on
Catalyst platform integration.
QoS objective slimmed down:
– v1.1: Interpret wired and wireless QoS configurations with details on components/policy
– v1.2: Just Interpret QoS configurations (simplified, less split detail)

What was kept?
– Enterprise network design principles (2-tier, 3-tier, fabric, cloud)
– High availability (redundancy, FHRP, SSO)
– SD-Access (control/data planes, interoperability with traditional campus)

Summary
– v1.1 → v1.2 trims scope: wireless design, deep QoS breakdown, and switching mechanisms are dropped.
– SD-WAN rebranded to “Catalyst SD-WAN,” but fundamentals (control/data planes, pros/cons) remain.
– Architecture domain overall is leaner in 1.2 — less focus on wireless internals, more on big-picture WAN/Access/QoS design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Architecture Module, the below lessons will be changed. They will be removed and new ones will be included instead of them.

OLD: 1.1.a Enterprise network design such as Tier 2, Tier 3, and Fabric Capacity planning

NEW: 1.1.a High-level enterprise network design such as 2-tier, 3-tier, fabric, and cloud

 

OLD: 1.4.b Traditional WAN and SD-WAN solutions

NEW: 1.3.b Benefits and limitations of SD-WAN solutions

 

OLD: 1.7 Differentiate hardware and software switching mechanisms

1.7.a Process and CEF

1.7.b MAC address table and TCAM

1.7.c FIB vs. RIB

NEW: 1.6 Describe hardware and software switching mechanisms such as CEF, CAM, TCAM, FIB, RIB, and adjacency tables

The below lesson will be removed:

1.3 Differentiate between on-premises and cloud infrastructure deployments

 

The below lesson will be added:

1.2.c Client density

 

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Infrastructure Module Changes

In Infrastructure Module, the below lessons will be changed. They will be removed and new ones will be included instead of them.

 

OLD: 3.2.b Configure and verify simple OSPF environments, including multiple normal areas, summarization, and filtering

NEW: 3.2.b Configure simple OSPFv2/v3 environments, including multiple normal areas, summarization, and filtering

 

OLD: 3.4.a Describe Network Time Protocol (NTP)

NEW: 3.4.a Interpret network time protocol configurations such as NTP and PTP

 

 

The below lessons will be added to Infrastructure module:

3.2.d Describe policy-based routing

3.3.f Describe wireless segmentation with groups, profiles, and tags

Additions to existing lessons:

• Spanning Tree enhancements such as root guard and BPDU guard
• EIGRP and OSPF Area Types
• Multicast Protocols RPF Check

 

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Security Module Changes

On Security Module, there will be one change and one addition.

 

OLD: 5.4.a EAP

NEW: 5.4.a 802.1X

 

5.4.d EAPOL (4-way handshake)

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Network Assurance Module Changes

On Network Assurance module, one lesson will be removed only.

 

4.2 Configure and verify device monitoring using syslog for remote logging (Also included in existing lesson)

On Virtualization and Automation modules, there will be no changes, additions and remove.

 

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Summary Of Updated CCNP ENCOR Topics

You can find the summary of these new updated CCNP ENCOR Topics below:

1.2.c Client density

3.1 Configure and verify Root Guard BPDU Guard

3.2 Compare EIGRP and OSPF Area Types

3.2.d Describe policy-based routing

3.3.f Describe wireless segmentation with groups, profiles, tags

3.4.a Interpret Precision Time Protocol (PTP) Configuration

3.4 Multicast RPF Check

5.4.d EAPOL (4-way handshake)

In this post, we have learned what is new in CCNP ENCOR v1.1 Exam, updated CCNP ENCOR v1.1 topics by comparing this new version with the previous version CCNP ENCOR v1.0 Exam topics. If you would like to prepare for CCNP ENCOR v1.1, you can follow IPCisco CCNP ENCOR 350-401 Course.