Cisco 350-401 ENCOR Exam: Key Domains, Difficulty, and Study Timeline

·2 views

The Cisco 350-401 ENCOR exam is a core requirement for the CCNP Enterprise certification, targeting experienced network engineers with at least a CCNA background. The exam covers six domains — Architecture, Virtualization, Infrastructure, Network Assurance, Security, and Automation — with Infrastructure carrying the highest weight at 30%. Candidates face 90 to 110 questions in 120 minutes, with no option to revisit locked questions, making time management critical. The exam is rated 4 out of 5 in difficulty, notably harder than CCNA, with SD-WAN, SD-Access, and automation topics posing the greatest challenges. Cisco recommends three to five years of enterprise networking experience, and suggested study periods range from 8 weeks for seasoned professionals to 20 weeks for those with limited hands-on exposure.

Read the full story at DEV Community

This is an AI-generated summary. ShortSingh links to the original source for the complete article.

Discussion (0)

Microsoft Outlines Seven-Step AI Agent Governance Framework Using Entra Agent ID

As AI agents increasingly operate within enterprise environments—accessing data, calling APIs, and running workflows—Microsoft has outlined a structured governance model to manage them at scale. The framework, detailed in a multi-part article series on DEV Community, covers eight sequential disciplines: inventory, classification, accountability, metadata, access control, governed access, lifecycle management, and monitoring. Tools such as Microsoft Entra Agent ID, Conditional Access policies, custom security attributes, and access packages form the technical backbone of the model. The guidance addresses agents originating from sources including Copilot Studio, Azure AI Foundry, third-party platforms, and shadow AI discovery. Microsoft emphasizes that enforcement policies should only be applied after agents are fully visible, classified, and assigned a responsible owner to avoid ungoverned or orphaned identities.

0 comments Read more at DEV Community

ProgrammingDEV Community ·

Three simple additions cut workshop paralysis from 8 participants to zero

A corporate trainer in Japan found that open-ended instructions — 'use any tool you like' — left 8 of 13 workshop participants completely stuck after ten minutes, while only experienced participants started immediately. Asking the frozen participants revealed they lacked a clear starting point: they didn't know which tool to choose, where to begin, or what a finished result should look like. The trainer added three low-effort supports to the brief: a named default tool, two or three finished examples in varied styles, and the first three steps written out explicitly. With only about ten minutes of additional preparation, the next session saw zero participants stuck at the same stage. The trainer notes this principle applies equally to workplace scenarios such as assigning tickets, onboarding new hires, and code review requests.

0 comments Read more at DEV Community

ProgrammingDEV Community ·

QA Engineer Uses Arduino Hobby Project to Reset Burnout During Vacation

A software QA engineer recently took a 15-day vacation to mentally recharge after the demands of detail-oriented professional work. To decompress, they returned to basics by purchasing an Arduino and writing simple code involving LEDs, buzzers, and analog buttons. The experience deliberately avoided modern practices like object-oriented programming or AI tools, focusing instead on straightforward, low-level tasks. The engineer found that revisiting simple, hands-on technology provided genuine mental relief and a sense of calm. The takeaway shared was that stepping back to something uncomplicated can help professionals reset before moving forward again.

0 comments Read more at DEV Community

ProgrammingHacker News ·

Guide explains best practices for securing internal services with TLS certificates

A technical guide published on tuxnet.dev outlines the correct approach to implementing TLS certificates for internal services. The article addresses common mistakes and recommended methods for securing private infrastructure. It was shared on Hacker News, where it received early community attention. The guide aims to help developers and system administrators avoid misconfigured or improperly trusted certificates within internal networks.

0 comments Read more at Hacker News