Exam Format

• Exam Code: NS0-176
• Certification Level: Specialist
• Exam Duration: 90 minutes
• Passing Score: Not officially disclosed by Cisco (score report provided after completion)
• Unscored Content: The exam may include unscored questions for research purposes. These do not affect your score and are not identified.

Exam Details

• Question Types: Multiple choice, multiple response
• Number of Questions: Approximately 55–65 questions (Cisco does not publish exact count)
• Hands-On Questions: No hands-on lab simulations — focuses on implementation, configuration, and administration concepts.

Exam Policies

• Offline Proctoring: Must be rescheduled or canceled at least 48 hours before the scheduled exam time.
• Online Proctoring: Must be rescheduled or canceled at least 30 minutes before the scheduled exam time.
• Waiting Period: A minimum 5-calendar-day wait is required after a failed attempt before retaking the exam.
• Retake Fee: Full exam fee must be paid for each retake.

Certification Validity and Renewal

• Validity: 3 years
• Renewal Options: Recertify by passing another Cisco professional or specialist exam or earning Cisco Continuing Education credits.

Exam Fee

• Base Fee: $300 USD (excluding taxes)
• Taxes: Country-specific VAT may apply
• Example: In India, 18% tax applies, making the total $354 USD ($300 + $54 tax)

Prerequisites

• Understanding of data center infrastructure concepts
• Knowledge of Cisco UCS servers, Cisco Nexus switching, and NetApp storage systems
• Experience implementing or managing converged infrastructure solutions
• Familiarity with virtualization and enterprise networking technologies

Exam Topics

• FlexPod Architecture and Components — Cisco UCS architecture, Cisco Nexus networking, NetApp storage components, FlexPod solution overview
• Compute Implementation and Administration — Cisco UCS configuration, service profiles, server deployment, and system management
• Network Implementation — Cisco Nexus switching configuration, LAN/SAN connectivity, network setup, and management
• Storage Implementation — NetApp ONTAP configuration, storage provisioning, data protection, storage protocols (NFS, iSCSI, Fibre Channel)
• Virtualization Integration — Hypervisor deployment and integration with FlexPod infrastructure
• FlexPod Deployment and Administration — Installation, configuration, monitoring, troubleshooting, and operational best practices

Intended Audience

• The Cisco and NetApp FlexPod Implementation and Administration Specialist certification is designed for professionals responsible for deploying and managing FlexPod environments, including:
  • Data Center Engineers
  • Infrastructure Engineers
  • Systems Engineers
  • Network Engineers
  • Technical Support Engineers

Career Impact

Jobs You Can Get:

• Data Center Engineer, Infrastructure Engineer, Systems Administrator, Network Engineer, Converged Infrastructure Specialist

Average Salary:

• U.S.: $85,000–$120,000 USD,
• India: ₹6,00,000–₹14,00,000 INR,
• United Kingdom: £38,000–£65,000 GBP,
• UAE: 140,000–260,000 AED per year.

Why It’s Valuable:

• Validates implementation and administration expertise in Cisco and NetApp FlexPod environments, demonstrates converged infrastructure deployment skills, recognized by organizations using FlexPod data center solutions.

Exam Mode

• In-person at authorized Pearson VUE test centres
• Online through Pearson VUE’s online proctoring system

Exam Booking Link

• Book your Cisco and NetApp FlexPod Implementation and Administration Specialist exam via Pearson VUE — Click here (https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/cisco.html)

Once you pass the exam:

• Download your certification from Cisco Certmetrics
• Processing Time: Certificate available within 24 to 48 hours after passing the exam
• Log in to Cisco Certmetrics: https://cp.certmetrics.com/cisco/en/login
• Navigate to the Certifications section
• Download your certification (PDF format)

Offers