CISCO 350-501 SPCOR Exam Questions 2025

What is the Cisco 350-501 SPCOR Exam, and What Will You Learn from It?

The Cisco 350-501 SPCOR (Implementing and Operating Cisco Service Provider Network Core Technologies) exam is the core (or “core technology”) exam for the CCNP Service Provider and CCIE Service Provider tracks. It verifies your knowledge and skills in implementing and operating key service provider network technologies, covering architecture, routing, MPLS/segment routing, VPNs, security, automation, and assurance. 

By passing this exam, you will demonstrate that you can:

• Design and operate service provider core network architectures (e.g. MPLS, SR, unified MPLS)
• Configure and troubleshoot routing protocols (OSPF, IS-IS, BGP) in SP environments
• Deploy MPLS, segment routing, and traffic engineering solutions
• Implement VPN services (L2VPN, L3VPN, EVPN, multicast) in a service provider setting
• Apply quality of service (QoS) at scale
• Use automation, programmability (REST, NETCONF, gNMI, APIs), and assurance methods
• Secure the control, management, and data planes in service provider networks

The exam ensures that you understand both traditional network technologies and how modern programmability and assurance integrate into SP architecture.

Exam Snapshot

Prerequisites Before Taking the 350-501 SPCOR Exam

There are no mandatory prerequisites enforced by Cisco to sit for 350-501, but to prepare well, you should:

• Have strong experience or knowledge in IP networking, routing, and service provider technologies
• Be familiar with MPLS, traffic engineering, VPNs, and multicast
• Understand network security fundamentals (ACLs, control plane protection, uRPF)
• Be acquainted with automation / programmability protocols (REST, NETCONF, YANG, gRPC)
• Practice in lab environments (emulators, virtual routers, SP topology setups)
• Read Cisco’s official exam topics and service provider architecture/design guides

Many candidates first build a foundation via executive-level SP roles or earlier certifications before attempting SPCOR

Main Objectives and Domains You Will Study for 350-501 SPCOR

Based on Cisco’s SPCOR exam topics (v1.1) and public documentation, here are the main domains and approximate weightings:

These domains reflect the broad scope of the exam, and cover both traditional SP networking and modern automation / assurance integration.

Topics to Cover in Each SPCOR Exam Domain

Here’s a deeper breakdown of key topics you should master per domain:

1. Architecture

• Core SP architectures: Metro Ethernet, MPLS, unified MPLS, SR, SRv
• Transport technologies: DWDM, xDSL, DOCSIS, TDM, xPON, optical routing
• Mobility and RAN / xHaul transport (5G fronthaul/backhaul
• SDN / virtualization: NFV, VNFs, containers, network functions virtualization
• QoS architecture (Pipe / Short-Pipe / Uniform, MPLS TE QoS, DiffServ
• Security: control plane protection (LPTS, CoPP), BGP/LDP security, management plane, data plane (uRPF, ACLs, RTBH, MACsec)

2. Networking

• IS-IS (IPv4, IPv6): adjacency, metrics, multi-topology 
• OSPF v2/v3: adjacency, area types, metrics, multi-area
• BGP (IBGP, EBGP, address families, route advertisement, path attributes
• Routing policy / route maps, redistribution, policy language
• High availability: NSF/GR, NSR, BFD, link aggregation 
• IPv6 transition techniques (NAT44, NAT64, DS-Lite, MAP, etc.)

3. MPLS and Segment Routing

• MPLS fundamentals: LDP, label assignment, session protection, synchronization
• Traffic Engineering (RSVP, FRR) 
• Segment Routing (SR): segment types, control plane integration (IGP, BGP, IS-IS/OSPF), SR TE, TI-LFA, flex-algorithms, SRv6 
• PCE / PCC architectures

4. Services

• VPN services: EVPN, mVPN, inter-AS VPN, CSC 
• L2VPN and Carrier Ethernet services: E-Line, E-Tree, E-Access, E-LAN, VLAN tagging, Ethernet OAM, G.8032, 802.1ad / 802.1ah
• L3VPN: VRF, PE-CE routing, shared services, route target import/export, redistribution 
• Multicast: PIM (SM, SSM, BIDIR), IGMP / MLD, multicast in VPNs 
• QoS services: classification, marking, policing, shaping, congestion avoidance 

5. Automation & Assurance

• Programmability APIs (REST, NETCONF, gRPC), model-driven data (YANG) 
• Interpreting external scripts to configure devices via APIs 
• Network Services Orchestration (NSO) role and high-level integration 
• Configuration tools: Ansible, Terraform, Chef, Puppet 
• Secure ZTP (zero-touch provisioning) 
• Telemetry / assurance: NetFlow / IPFIX, streaming telemetry, SNMP v2/v3, analytics tools 

Register and Schedule Your 350-501 SPCOR Exam

To schedule:

1. Log in or create your Cisco Candidate ID / account
2. Visit the Cisco 350-501 SPCOR exam page on Cisco’s certification site or via Pearson VUE
3. Select the test language, date, and delivery mode (in person or online proctored)
4. Pay the exam fee
5. Get confirmation and exam day instructions

You typically receive exam results immediately after completion.

350-501 Exam Cost & Discount Options

• Standard Price: US $400 (or local equivalent
• Discount options might include vendor training bundles, academic or corporate vouchers, or Cisco promotions

Exam Policies You Should Know

• Valid government-issued ID required at the exam site or for remote proctoring
• No unauthorized materials (notes, devices) allowed
• Must follow Cisco’s retake policies and waiting periods
• Certification validity: 3 years; recertify via exam or continuing education
• Strict rules around exam integrity (no cheating, no content sharing)

What to Expect on Exam Day (350-501)

• Duration: 120 minutes 
• The exam will include multiple-choice, scenario-based, simulation-like questions, and possibly interpretation tasks (e.g. API, telemetry outputs)
• Time management is important due to the breadth of topics
• You may be asked to analyze scripts, interpret configurations, or reason about automation flows

Study Plan: 5 Tips to Prepare for 350-501

1. Build a study timeline (8–10 weeks), allocating domains by weight
2. Use the official SPCOR exam topics PDF as your syllabus
3. Hands-on labs are critical—deploy routing, MPLS, segment routing, VPNs, telemetry setups
4. Practice scripts, API calls, telemetry parsing regularly
5. Take timed practice exams by Cert Empire that mirror the depth and breadth of SPCOR

Pro Tip: Whenever you learn a concept (like segment routing TE or telemetry), immediately build a small lab or use a simulator to test and observe behavior.

Recommended Study Resources for 350-501 SPCOR

• Cisco’s official SPCOR (350-501) Exam Topics document
• Cisco documentation on SP technologies (MPLS, SR, VPN, telemetry)
• Cisco Press: CCNP SPCOR 350-501 Official Cert Guide 
• Training platforms: INE, CBT Nuggets, Cisco Learning Network
• Emulation / lab platforms to practice SP topologies, routers, controllers
• Practice exams / question banks that follow the SPCOR blueprint
• Study groups / community forums (e.g. Cisco DevNet, Reddit “r/ccnp”)

Career Opportunities After Earning SPCOR (350-501)

With SPCOR certification, you become eligible (or better qualified) for roles like:

• Service Provider Network Engineer / Architect
• SP Routing & MPLS Specialist
• SP Automation / Programmability Engineer (with automation skills)
• Solutions Architect in telecom / SP domain
• Candidate step toward CCIE Service Provider

When combined with other SP concentration exams or automation certifications, your career path can become quite specialized and advanced.

Certifications to Pursue After 350-501

After passing SPCOR, logical next steps include:

• Complete CCNP Service Provider (by adding a concentration exam)
• Work toward CCIE Service Provider
• Add automation-focused SP certifications (e.g. 300-535 SPAUTO)
• Expand into cloud, DevOps, or multi-domain network automation certifications

How 350-501 SPCOR Compares with Other Cisco / Automation Exams

In other words: SPCOR tests your mastery of SP core networking fundamentals plus automation/assurance, while SPAUTO zooms in on automation.