The latest version of the CCIE DC LAB exam (v3.1) officially took effect on February 24, 2026, and the exam will fully adopt the new question bank from February 26, 2026.

SPOTO courses and question banks have been upgraded according to the latest version to adapt to the latest exam question types and content.

1. Core Question Changes Overview

Version Upgrade: Upgraded from v3.0 to v3.1, a minor version revision (overall content adjustment <20%), using Cisco's newly launched agile revision process to quickly adapt to industry technology changes.

Exam Format: No structural changes; still an 8-hour lab exam, including a design module (3 hours) and a deployment/operation/optimization module (5 hours), maintaining the original exam process and scoring criteria.

Core Adjustment Principles: The weight of the seven core areas remains unchanged; outdated technologies are being phased out, and mainstream technologies are being added to ensure the exam is synchronized with actual industry needs.

2. Detailed Changes in Seven Major Areas

(1) Data Center L2/L3 Connections (20%)

New Exam Points: BGP adds Local-AS number configuration and application to resolve AS number conflicts and routing control scenarios

Others: Existing exam points such as path selection, internal/external peering, route reflectors, peer templates, and multi-hop EBGP remain unchanged; only the descriptions are optimized for clarity

(2) Data Center Architecture Fundamentals (15%)

New Exam Points: Physical architecture adds Multi-tier architecture design requirements

The original Fabric policies are renamed ACI policies, and a new Fabric policies sub-item is added. Monitoring policies are integrated into access and fabric policies.

The original Tenant Policies are renamed Overlay policies, and Endpoint Security Groups (ESGs) vzAny functionality is added for examination.

Software Upgrade: ACI version updated to v5.x, adapting to the new policy model

(3) Data Center Fabric Connections (15%)

Complete Restructuring: Fully adapts to ACI and VXLAN EVPN dual architectures. The structural adjustments are as follows:

Added Overlay Fabrics sub-item (3.1), including ACI and VXLAN EVPN

L3Out renamed to External connectivity, expanding its applicability to dual architectures

Transit Routing integrated into BGP sub-item

Virtual POD removed (no longer under development), Multi-Site optimized for dual architectures, ACI remote leaf added for examination

Overlays sub-item removed (3.4), content integrated into the new structure

(4) Data Center Computing (15%)

Core replacement: HyperFlex hyperconverged solution replaced by Nutanix (Cisco no longer develops HyperFlex)

Management extension: Compute management sub-item added (4.3), including UCS Manager and Intersight management platforms

Generalization adjustment: Computing policies / configuration files / templates (4.1.a) generalized, adapting to both UCSM and Intersight

(5) Data Center Storage Protocols and Features (10%)

Major adjustment: All iSCSI-related examination points removed; RoCE v2 over IP networks examination scope significantly expanded

Added details: RoCE v2 Added key features such as DCQCN congestion control, PFC (priority flow control), and ECN (explicit congestion notification) to adapt to the high throughput and low latency requirements of AI/ML clusters

(6) Data Center Security and Network Services (10%)

No major structural changes, only detailed (R) SPAN/ERSPAN specification descriptions, other test points remain unchanged

(7) Data Center Automation and Orchestration (15%)

Complete overhaul: This is the part with the largest adjustment in this field, almost completely restructured:

Script tasks (7.1) added Terraform support, alongside Python and Ansible

Orchestration tools (7.2) Completely replaced:

Added Nexus Dashboard (including Orchestrator v4.x, Fabric Controller v12.x, Insights 6.x)

Added Cloud Network Controller (formerly Cloud ACI/APIC)

Removed DCNM (renamed NDFC), UCSD, CloudCenter Suite (all no longer under development)

The original Intersight Content (7.2.c) is transferred to the computing domain (4.3)

3. Hardware and Software Environment Changes

(1) Hardware Removal

Nexus 2348 Fabric Extender

Cisco HyperFlex HX220c M5, replacing HyperFlex with Nutanix in the corresponding computing domain

(2) Software Upgrade

Nexus 9000 NX-OS upgraded from 9.x to 10.x, supporting new BGP features and RoCE v2 enhancements

ACI upgraded from 4.x to 5.x, adapting to the new ACI policy model and ESGs vzAny functionality

Nexus Dashboard upgraded to 3.x, adding Orchestrator, Fabric Controller, and Insights service configuration and maintenance

Components DCNM/UCSD/CloudCenter were removed; outdated tools are no longer considered, and the entire system is now based on NDFC and Nexus Dashboard.

4. Core Impact of Exam Changes

Mastery of automation and cloud-native technologies will become a core indicator differentiating candidates' abilities.

Short-term challenges:

The automation domain has become significantly more difficult, with the addition of Terraform and Nexus Dashboard, requiring mastery of the new toolchain.

The storage domain has shifted its focus from iSCSI to RoCE v2, requiring relearning of AI/ML cluster network characteristics.

The computing domain is replacing hyperconverged solutions; Nutanix configurations differ significantly from HyperFlex, requiring additional learning.

In the first 3-6 months after the new exam version is implemented, the pass rate may slightly decrease (approximately 5-10%) as candidates need time to adapt to the new exam content and tools.

Long-term advantages:

The overall adjustment is small (<20%), the core knowledge system remains stable, and there is no need to completely overturn existing preparation foundations.

Outdated technologies are eliminated, reducing ineffective learning content and focusing more on current mainstream enterprise architectures.

Detailed descriptions of exam points reduce ambiguity and improve exam fairness.

As preparation resources improve and candidates adapt, the pass rate will gradually recover to the historical level of 20-30%, comparable to version v3.0.

5. SPOTO Recommended Study Timeline (8-12 Weeks)

The new exam emphasizes practical operational scenarios, strengthening troubleshooting training and improving problem localization and resolution capabilities.

The SPOTO course has been updated to version 3.1 based on the latest study strategies, prioritizing key areas and focusing on scoring points.

Weeks 1-2: Comprehensively review the list of changed questions, mark added/deleted/replaced test points, and develop a personalized study plan.

Weeks 3-5: Focus on mastering the three core adjustment areas (automation, storage, and computing), completing at least 3 full lab exercises. Automation is key to differentiating yourself; it is recommended to dedicate at least 2 hours daily to practicing Terraform and Nexus Dashboard operations.

Weeks 6-8: Consolidate existing core test points, conduct full-domain mock tests using the new software version, clearly distinguish the differences between old and new versions, and avoid confusing outdated technologies.

Weeks 9-12: Strengthen weak areas, complete at least 5 full sets of the new LAB mock tests, and familiarize yourself with the exam rhythm.

Summary: The changes to the CCIE DC LAB v3.1 exam are targeted adjustments, with the core purpose of eliminating outdated technologies and introducing mainstream ones, making the exam more aligned with actual business needs.

The SPOTO curriculum is updated promptly to the latest version. We have made the latest preparation adjustments, prioritizing the learning of new tools and technologies while maintaining the original core knowledge system, ensuring you are fully prepared for the new exam.