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CISCO

Cisco Certified Network Professional Service Provider

350-501

The Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Service Provider certification validates your ability to configure, verify, and optimize next-generation service provider IP network infrastructures. This professional-level credential is designed for network engineers who architect and operate service provider networks, covering core architecture, services, automation, QoS, security, and network assurance. Earning it demonstrates the advanced skills needed to manage complex service provider environments and opens the path to expert-level CCIE certification.

Practice Free Questions

869 practice questions · Updated 2026-07-30

5Domains
33Objectives
267Concepts
869Questions

350-501 Curriculum

Every domain, objective, and concept the 350-501 exam measures.

1.1 Describe service provider architectures

15 concepts · 42 questions
  1. Metro Ethernet Architecture
  2. MPLS Architecture
  3. Unified MPLS
  4. Segment Routing (SR)
  5. Segment Routing Traffic Engineering (SRTE)
  6. Segment Routing IPv6 (SRv6)
  7. xDSL Technologies
  8. DWDM Technology
  9. DOCSIS Technology
  10. TDM Technology
  11. xPON Technologies
  12. Packet Core Architecture
  13. RAN Fronthaul Transport
  14. ORAN Transport
  15. Routed Optical Network

1.2 Describe Cisco network software architecture

4 concepts · 33 questions
  1. IOS architecture
  2. IOS XE architecture
  3. IOS XR architecture
  4. Comparison of IOS, IOS XE, and IOS XR

1.3 Describe service provider virtualization

8 concepts · 37 questions
  1. NFV infrastructure components
  2. NFV architecture and reference points
  3. VNF lifecycle management
  4. VNF resource requirements and performance
  5. Container fundamentals
  6. Container orchestration
  7. Application hosting models
  8. Application hosting on NFV

1.4 Describe QoS architecture

12 concepts · 35 questions
  1. MPLS QoS Pipe Model
  2. MPLS QoS Short Pipe Model
  3. MPLS QoS Uniform Model
  4. MPLS TE QoS MAM
  5. MPLS TE QoS RDM
  6. MPLS TE QoS CBTS
  7. MPLS TE QoS PBTS
  8. MPLS TE QoS DS-TE
  9. DiffServ QoS Model
  10. IntServ QoS Model
  11. Trust Boundaries in Enterprise and SP Environments
  12. IPv6 Flow Label

1.5 Configure and verify control plan security

6 concepts · 28 questions
  1. Control Plane Protection Techniques (LPTS and CoPP)
  2. BGP TTL Security and Protocol Authentication
  3. BGP Prefix Suppression
  4. LDP Security (Authentication and Label Allocation Filtering)
  5. BGPsec
  6. BGP Flowspec

1.6 Describe management plane security

4 concepts · 33 questions
  1. Traceback
  2. AAA and TACACS
  3. RestAPI security
  4. DDoS

1.7 Implement data plane security

8 concepts · 35 questions
  1. uRPF operation and configuration
  2. uRPF caveats and troubleshooting
  3. ACL fundamentals for data plane
  4. ACL design and implementation
  5. RTBH concept and trigger
  6. RTBH configuration with BGP
  7. MACsec fundamentals
  8. MACsec configuration and verification

2.1 Implement IS-IS (IPv4 and IPv6)

7 concepts · 29 questions
  1. IS-IS route advertisement fundamentals
  2. IS-IS area addressing and NETs
  3. IS-IS Level 1 and Level 2 routing
  4. IS-IS single topology
  5. IS-IS multitopology
  6. IS-IS metric types and configuration
  7. IS-IS metric propagation and route selection

2.2 Implement OSPF (v2 and v3)

13 concepts · 31 questions
  1. OSPF neighbor adjacency states
  2. OSPF neighbor discovery and hello protocol
  3. OSPF adjacency requirements
  4. OSPF neighbor relationship types
  5. OSPF route advertisement process
  6. OSPF LSA types
  7. OSPF flooding and synchronization
  8. OSPF multiarea design
  9. OSPF route types in multiarea
  10. OSPF area addressing and summarization
  11. OSPF virtual links
  12. OSPF metric calculation
  13. OSPF metric types for external routes

2.3 Describe BGP path selection algorithm.

11 concepts · 26 questions
  1. BGP path selection overview
  2. Highest weight
  3. Highest local preference
  4. Locally originated routes
  5. Shortest AS path
  6. Origin type
  7. Lowest MED
  8. Prefer eBGP over iBGP
  9. Lowest IGP metric to next hop
  10. Maximum paths and load balancing
  11. Tie-breaking rules

2.4 Implement BGP (v4 and v6 for IBGP and EBGP)

9 concepts · 16 questions
  1. BGP Neighbor Configuration
  2. BGP Neighbor States and Timers
  3. Prefix Advertisement Fundamentals
  4. BGP Address Family Configuration
  5. BGP Path Selection Algorithm
  6. BGP Attributes Manipulation
  7. BGP Route Redistribution
  8. BGP Additional Paths
  9. BGP PIC (Prefix Independent Convergence)

2.5 Implement routing policy language and route maps (BGP, OSPF, IS-IS)

6 concepts · 11 questions
  1. Routing Policy Language (RPL) Basics
  2. Route Map Configuration
  3. BGP Policy Implementation
  4. OSPF Policy Implementation
  5. IS-IS Policy Implementation
  6. Policy Application and Verification

2.6 Troubleshoot routing protocols

6 concepts · 10 questions
  1. BGP neighbor adjacency troubleshooting
  2. OSPF neighbor adjacency troubleshooting
  3. IS-IS neighbor adjacency troubleshooting
  4. BGP route advertisement troubleshooting
  5. OSPF route advertisement troubleshooting
  6. IS-IS route advertisement troubleshooting

2.7 Describe IPv6 transition (NAT44, NAT64, CGNAT, MAP-T and DS Lite)

5 concepts · 24 questions
  1. NAT44
  2. NAT64
  3. CGNAT
  4. MAP-T
  5. DS Lite

2.8 Implement high availability

5 concepts · 22 questions
  1. NSF (Non-Stop Forwarding)
  2. Graceful Restart
  3. NSR (Non-Stop Routing)
  4. BFD (Bidirectional Forwarding Detection)
  5. Link Aggregation

3.1 Implement MPLS

8 concepts · 25 questions
  1. LDP sync
  2. LDP session protection
  3. LDP neighbor discovery and establishment
  4. LDP neighbor states and parameters
  5. Unified MPLS architecture
  6. Inter-AS and inter-area MPLS options
  7. MPLS OAM tools
  8. MPLS OAM fault management

3.2 Describe traffic engineering

8 concepts · 23 questions
  1. IS-IS extensions for TE
  2. OSPF extensions for TE
  3. RSVP-TE signaling
  4. RSVP-TE path selection and setup
  5. RSVP-TE resource reservation
  6. Fast Reroute (FRR) overview
  7. FRR backup path computation
  8. FRR protection mechanisms

3.3 Describe segment routing

12 concepts · 35 questions
  1. Segment types
  2. SR control plane with BGP
  3. SR control plane with OSPF
  4. SR control plane with IS-IS
  5. Segment routing traffic engineering
  6. TI-LFA
  7. PCE-PCC architectures
  8. Flexible algorithm
  9. SRv6 locator
  10. SRv6 micro-segment
  11. SRv6 encapsulation
  12. SRv6 interworking gateway

4.1 Describe VPN services

11 concepts · 29 questions
  1. EVPN Overview
  2. EVPN Components and Operation
  3. EVPN Route Types
  4. EVPN Multihoming and Redundancy
  5. Inter-AS VPN Models
  6. Inter-AS VPN Configuration and Operation
  7. Carrier Supporting Carrier (CSC) Overview
  8. CSC Implementation and Operation
  9. Multicast VPN (mVPN) Overview
  10. mVPN Signaling and Data Plane
  11. mVPN Profiles and Inter-AS Operation

4.2 Configure L2VPN and Carrier Ethernet

14 concepts · 39 questions
  1. E-Line service
  2. E-Tree service
  3. E-Access service
  4. E-LAN service
  5. IEEE 802.1ad (QinQ)
  6. IEEE 802.1ah (MAC-in-MAC)
  7. ITU G.8032 Ethernet Ring Protection
  8. Ethernet OAM protocols
  9. Connectivity Fault Management (CFM)
  10. Ethernet Link OAM (IEEE 802.3ah)
  11. Performance monitoring (Y.1731)
  12. VLAN tag manipulation techniques
  13. QinQ tag manipulation
  14. VLAN translation

4.3 Configure L3VPN

10 concepts · 26 questions
  1. Intra-AS VPN architecture
  2. Route targets and route distinguishers
  3. MP-BGP VPNv4 route exchange
  4. VRF configuration
  5. PE-CE routing protocols
  6. MPLS label stack for VPN
  7. Shared services concept
  8. Extranet VPN design
  9. Internet access via L3VPN
  10. Route leaking and filtering

4.4 Implement multicast services

6 concepts · 13 questions
  1. PIM-SM
  2. PIM-SSM
  3. PIM-BIDIR
  4. PIMv6
  5. IGMP v1/v2/v3
  6. MLD

4.5 Implement QoS services

7 concepts · 19 questions
  1. Classification and marking fundamentals
  2. Classification techniques
  3. Marking mechanisms
  4. Congestion avoidance techniques
  5. Traffic policing
  6. Traffic shaping
  7. Policing vs. shaping comparison

5.1 Describe the programmable APIs used to include Cisco devices in network automation

10 concepts · 31 questions
  1. Programmable API Overview
  2. REST API Fundamentals
  3. Cisco NX-API
  4. Cisco IOS XE RESTCONF and NETCONF
  5. Cisco IOS XR APIs
  6. Cisco DNA Center APIs
  7. Cisco Meraki APIs
  8. Cisco SD-WAN vManage APIs
  9. Cisco APIC APIs
  10. Authentication and Security in APIs

5.2 Interpret an external script to configure a Cisco device using a REST API

7 concepts · 19 questions
  1. REST API fundamentals
  2. HTTP methods and status codes
  3. Authentication and authorization
  4. API endpoints and URL structure
  5. Request and response payloads
  6. Interpreting external scripts
  7. Error handling and troubleshooting

5.3 Describe the role of Network Services Orchestration (NSO)

5 concepts · 28 questions
  1. NSO Overview
  2. NSO Architecture
  3. Service Models
  4. Service Lifecycle Management
  5. NSO and Network Automation

5.4 Describe the high-level principles and benefits of a data modeling language, such as YANG

4 concepts · 25 questions
  1. Purpose of data modeling languages
  2. YANG as a data modeling language
  3. Benefits of using YANG
  4. High-level principles of YANG

5.5 Describe configuration management tools, such as Ansible and Terraform

8 concepts · 24 questions
  1. Configuration management tools overview
  2. Ansible fundamentals
  3. Ansible playbooks and YAML
  4. Ansible for network devices
  5. Terraform fundamentals
  6. Terraform configuration language (HCL)
  7. Terraform for network infrastructure
  8. Comparison of Ansible and Terraform

5.6 Describe Secure ZTP

8 concepts · 25 questions
  1. ZTP Overview
  2. ZTP Process
  3. DHCP-based ZTP
  4. Configuration File Delivery
  5. Secure ZTP Mechanisms
  6. PKI and Certificates in ZTP
  7. Secure Boot and Image Verification
  8. ZTP Troubleshooting

5.7 Configure dial-in/out, TCP, TLS and mTLS certificates using gRPC and gNMI

6 concepts · 24 questions
  1. gRPC and gNMI Overview
  2. Dial-in and Dial-out Configuration
  3. TCP Transport Configuration
  4. TLS Certificate Configuration
  5. mTLS Certificate Configuration
  6. Certificate Management and Validation

5.8 Configure and verify NetFlow/IPFIX

6 concepts · 21 questions
  1. NetFlow/IPFIX fundamentals
  2. NetFlow/IPFIX configuration
  3. Flow record and exporter configuration
  4. Flow monitor application
  5. NetFlow/IPFIX verification
  6. Troubleshooting NetFlow/IPFIX

5.9 Configure and verify NETCONF and RESTCONF

10 concepts · 29 questions
  1. NETCONF protocol overview
  2. RESTCONF protocol overview
  3. NETCONF configuration operations
  4. RESTCONF resource operations
  5. NETCONF and RESTCONF datastores
  6. YANG data modeling
  7. NETCONF configuration verification
  8. RESTCONF configuration verification
  9. NETCONF and RESTCONF authentication and security
  10. Troubleshooting NETCONF and RESTCONF

5.10 Configure and verify SNMP (v2c/v3)

8 concepts · 22 questions
  1. SNMP versions and architecture
  2. SNMPv2c configuration
  3. SNMPv3 security models
  4. SNMPv3 configuration
  5. SNMP MIBs and OIDs
  6. SNMP traps and informs
  7. SNMP verification commands
  8. SNMP troubleshooting
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Percentages reflect share of the current practice bank, not official exam weightings — no structured per-skill weight is published for 350-501, so none is invented.