Exciting changes are coming to the CCDE exams in 2025. You’ll still take both the CCDE written and practical exams to earn your CCDE certification – However, beginning February 2025, passing the written exam earns you the CCDE Expert Specialist certification, and passing the practical exam will earn you an Expert Specialist certification in at least one area of your choice: AI Infrastructure (new!), Large Scale Networks, On-Prem and Cloud Services, or Workforce Mobility. You can decide which of these electives you’d like to pursue when you begin the practical exam. Cisco Live attendees will be able to test for the new AI Infrastructure elective on February 9, 2025, as well as all other expert-level exams, like CCIE and DevNet Expert.
Overview
Passing this exam earns you the Cisco Certified Specialist - Design Core, and can also be used to meet the core exam requirements for the Cisco Certified Design Expert certification. Passing this exam also can be used towards your recertification goals.
The Cisco Certified Design Expert written exam (400-007 CCDE v3.0) is a 2-hour, multiple-choice test with 90-110 questions. This exam shows you have the expert-level skills integral to designing even the most complex network solutions. Be ready to gather and clarify network functional requirements, design networks to meet these requirements, develop implementation plans, and convey design decisions and their rationale.
