CNNP/CCIE Enterprise Core

[paul driver]

Hello
Just completed the Enterprise Encor exam 350-401 and wanted to share my experience, As I guess anyone with an active professional/ccie R/S cert like myself will need to take this exam sometime soon to keep accredited.

This exam replaced the old R/S CCIE written which having taken multiple times previously I would say was lot more in delph then this exam.
I sat this exam from home for the first time and it didn’t go smoothly, I did the prep test for you laptop/pc compatibility  and cleared my office/desk space of clutter then waited for the proctor to open up the exam, However they didn’t, I waited for nearly 50 mins sat at my desk not able to move until a proctor responded saying I needed to remove my watch and piece of paper/pencil I had on my desk.
After an hour after my scheduled exam start time, I began completing in 100 mins with a pass score or 897 (passing demark is 823)
I got 103 questions, mixture of single, multiple choice, drag and drop  but no simulets, (as expected as you didn’t get any on the old ccie R/S written plus you only have 2hrs to clear the whole exam so wouldn’t really expect simulets on such a long written exam.

As I have already stated this exam didn’t seem that complex to the previous R/S ccie written however I expected and did struggle around the new topics (automation, virtualisation, programming and fabric concepts) as having no real previous hands on exposure to these technologies it was going to be all text based learning, so this was where I focused my study on.

The worst part of this exam is the grammar of the questions, Cisco really need to up their game here
some of the questions were very misleading or not clear enough for me to understand as to what they were asking, This doesn’t help me in the slightest for I am dyslexic and struggle most times reading reading/writing text. (Hence why I am forever editing my OP’s on here)
I studied the official 350-401 press book, CCO documentation and Cisco live pdf’s, then finally the very well trusted Boston practice and Pearson prep exams.
I don’t have any suggestion how yourself can clear this exam but just to know what your strong at and focus on the subjects you unfamiliar with, however review all topics.

[Martin L]

Congrats!

not sure why he ask you to remove "piece of paper/pencil I had on my desk".  Did you have access to on screen Calculator ?

In normal exam room setup, you get a paper/pencil or erase board and marker.  So, not sure why yo cannot use piece of paper to write notes.

Thanks for sharing;

[paul driver]

Hello @Martin L 
Not sure why myself, And yes as you have stated you get access to at least some  writing material in test centers, But I guess you could in theory have something already wrote down or hidden on/in-between the paper when your sat at home.

Yes had access to calculator. 

[christophenkurunziza]

Did you have to pass a professional concentration exam after the technology core exam to fully recertify your CCIE R/S ?

[paul driver]

Hello

No you dont, passing the encor exam will recertify your old ccnp/ccie certification.

[behzad bayat]

Hello Paul

What workbook is good for CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure lab exam? 

(especially about new topics such as (automation, virtualisation, programming and fabric concepts))

thanks

[paul driver]

Hello

I used the offical press book, various CCO documentation and Cisco live pdf’s then finished off with Boston practice and Pearson prep exams.