Implementing DevOps Solutions and Practices Using Cisco Platforms DEVOPS 300-910: Everything You Need to Know to Prepare and Pass the Exam

In this article, I am going to cover every bit of detail that you need to get started, to prepare and pass the Implementing DevOps Solutions and Practices Using Cisco Platforms or the Cisco DEVOPS 300-910 exam. You can take the DEVOPS exam and the DEVCOR 350-901 exam to earn your DevNet Professional certification. If you are already up to speed on what this exam is all about, you can go ahead and download my 50-hour DEVOPS learning plan by submitting the form shown below.

Introduction

The Implementing DevOps Solutions and Practices Using Cisco Platforms or the DEVOPS 300-910 exam is one of the many new exams that Cisco announced in June 2019 as part of their most sweeping career certification program update since inception (all the way back to 1993!). Not only did Cisco announce newer exams, they also revised rules for recertification as well as introduced the brand new Cisco DevNet certification. All exam and rule changes went into effect on February 24 2020.

The Implementing DevOps Solutions and Practices Using Cisco Platforms or DEVOPS 300-910 is one of the DevNet Professional concentration exams. As we discussed, to become a DevNet Professional, you need to pass the Cisco DEVCOR 350-901 exam and one of the eight DevNet Professional concentration exams.

DEVOPS Exam Topics or Objectives

The Cisco DEVOPS 300-910 exam topics includes four sections. Based on my analysis of the official DEVOPS exam blueprint, 38% of the exam topics covered within the official DEVOPS exam blueprint contain theoretical topics and the other 62% of the topics necessitate some level of hands-on activity.

1. CI/CD Pipeline
2. Packaging and Delivery of Applications
3. Automating Infrastructure
4. Cloud and Multicloud
5. Logging, Monitoring, and Metrics
6. Security

Let’s now cover each of the exam sections as defined in the official Cisco DEVOPS exam blueprint.

CI/CD Pipeline

This section includes topics such as the build/deploy tools, creation and integration testing CI/CD pipeline, deployment strategies such as canary or blue/green and diagnosing code dependency including API, tool chain and libraries. About 66% of the content in this section is about theory, whereas 33% requires hands-on.

Packaging and Delivery of Applications

This section comprises of topics such as using the containerization, microservice applications, safe handling practices, Docker files, and golden images to deploy applications. About 66% of the content in this section is about theory, whereas the other 33% requires hands-on.

Automating Infrastructure

This section consists of network core related topics such as the DevOps practices, configuration management tools, Ansible playbooks, Terraform configuration, IaC, pre-check validation for CI/CD pipeline, DevOPs vs. NetDevOps, and application software scaling requirements. About 55% of the content in this section is about theory, whereas the other 45% requires hands-on.

Cloud and Multicloud

This section comprises of topics such as the Kubernetes deployment and validating success, public cloud adoption, and cloud service strategies (build vs. buy). About 63% of the content in this section is about theory, whereas 37% requires hands-on.

Logging, Monitoring, and Metrics

This section comprises of topics such as the elements of log and metric systems, implementing log collection and reporting for telemetry applications, AppDynamics, chaos engineering, making API calls using Python scripts, Kubernetes logging, monitoring, and metrics and integration of logging, monitoring and alerting into a CI/CD pipeline design. About 40% of the content in this section is about theory, whereas 60% requires hands-on.

Security

This section comprises of topics such as the securing an application infrastructure during production and testing in a CI/CD pipeline and secure software development life cycle .Everything in this section is theory related.

Cisco DevNet Professional Concentration Exams

To become Cisco DevNet Professional certified, you need to pass DEVCOR 350-901 as well as one of the following eight DevNet concentration exams. All concentration exams carry 300 series, i.e. DEVOPS exam is numbered as the 300-910.

1. CLAUTO
2. DCAUTO
3. ENAUTO
4. SAUTO
5. SPAUTO
6. DEVOPS
7. DEVWBX
8. DEVIOT

DEVOPS Exam and Job Task Analysis (JTA)

JTA is about the exam alignment with the actual role that you’re required to perform as a network and data center automation engineer. So, what are the actual roles that are out there that you can work in network or DC automation space today.

1. Network Automation Engineer
   1. Enterprise/SP focused
   2. DC focused
   3. Security focused
   4. Collaboration focused
2. Network DevOps
3. Network Reliability Engineering (NRE)

Now, based on those three roles, we can easily see that the DEVOPS exam perhaps could be a match for skills needed to work as a NetDevOps or a NRE. The exam also contains foundational knowledge for a generic network automation engineer role as well.

DEVOPS and Concentration Exam Costs or Fees

Each attempt at DEVOPS exam costs $300, like it is for all 300 series CCNP and DevNet Professional concentration exams.

Cisco DevNet Certification and Recertification Costs or Fees

Given that you need to pass DEVOPS and the DEVCOR 350-901 exam, DevNet Professional certification would cost you $700.

For recertification, things get more interesting, since you’ve multiple options.

Cisco DevNet Professional

1. Pass the DEVCOR exam again ($400)
2. Pass any 2x professional concentration exams ($600)
3. Pass the Cisco DevNet lab exam (not available today)
4. Use Cisco Learning Credits >=80

It is worth noting that in the newer Cisco certification program format, all certification cycles last three years.

DEVOPS Exam Preparation

It is a tough exam, and your background matters a lot.

So, if you are a Cisco DevNet Associate, you will find some of the topics familiar but at a higher difficulty level. During my analysis, I found out that the amount of exam topics overlap with the Associate and DEVCOR exams is only about 7% and 15% respectively. What does that mean for you? Well, it makes sense to complete your DevNet Professional certification by passing the exam in the following order.

1. DevNet Associate (DEVASC 200-901)
2. DevNet Core (DEVCOR 350-901)
3. Implementing DevOps Solutions and Practices Using Cisco Platforms (DEVOPS 300-910)

Cisco DEVOPS 76-Hour Learning and Study Plan

Now, to help you get started, I have put together a comprehensive 76-hour learning plan that you can follow to guide your DEVOPS exam prep. Watch the video below where I cover the DEVOPS learning plan in detail.

DEVOPS Practice Test

Cisco DEVOPS Sandboxes

Currently Cisco offers CI/CD pipeline, MindMeld and DEVBOX related learning labs. You can get started by checking out the Cisco’s Open source and DevOPS sandboxes.