Project 525 CCIE Data Center

Lead the Infrastructure Behind Modern Data Centers

Prepare for CCIE Data Center through a structured 12-month journey combining Cisco U. learning, CCIE-certified mentorship and extensive hands-on practice.

Develop the expert-level capability to plan, design, deploy, operate and optimize complex data center networks.

Why CCIE Data Center?

Modern data centers bring together networking, compute, storage, security, automation and application-driven fabrics. They must also support increasingly demanding cloud, AI and machine learning workloads.

CCIE Data Center validates your ability to:

  • Integrate network, compute and storage infrastructure

  • Design scalable data center fabrics and overlays

  • Secure and troubleshoot complex environments

  • Automate infrastructure deployment and operations

  • Support high-performance and latency-sensitive workloads

Who Should Pursue This Track?

This pathway is designed for experienced professionals working with advanced data centre infrastructure, including:

  • Senior data center network engineers

  • Data center architects and consultants

  • Network and systems engineers

  • Cisco ACI and fabric specialists

  • Compute and storage infrastructure engineers

  • Technical solutions architects

  • Professionals operating at or beyond CCNP Data Center level

Project 525 Entry Requirement

Candidates must have passed the 350-601 DCCOR: Implementing and Operating Cisco Data Center Core Technologies exam and hold a valid core certification for the duration of the cohort.

Cisco recommends substantial experience designing, deploying, operating and optimizing data centre technologies and solutions.

What You Will Develop

Project 525 builds practical capability across major CCIE Data Center domains:

Data center networking

Implement resilient routing, switching and connectivity across complex environments

Network fabrics

Design and operate Cisco ACI and VXLAN EVPN architectures

Compute infrastructure

Deploy and manage Cisco UCS and integrated compute environments

Storage networking

Support Fibre Channel, FCoE and modern storage connectivity

Infrastructure security

Apply access controls, segmentation and data center security practices

Operations and assurance

Monitor, troubleshoot and optimize infrastructure performance

Automation

Use APIs, scripting and infrastructure automation tools to improve consistency and scale

AI infrastructure

Support scalable, low-latency networks for demanding AI and machine learning workloads

Why Prepare With Project 525?

Project 525 gives experienced data center professionals a disciplined route to CCIE lab readiness. Your track-specific journey includes:

  • Structured Cisco U. learning

  • Guidance from CCIE-certified mentors

  • Data Center-focused lab exercises

  • CCIE Data Center practice labs

  • Intensive bootcamp preparation

  • Practice simulations where applicable

  • Progress tracking and readiness reporting

  • CCIE lab exam voucher

Programme components and voucher terms are subject to the applicable cohort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Project 525 candidates must hold a valid 350-601 DCCOR core exam certification before entering the CCIE Data Center programme.

Not necessarily. Passing DCCOR meets the core-exam requirement, but candidates should already possess advanced data center knowledge and practical experience.

The eight-hour hands-on lab assesses your ability to plan, design, deploy, operate and optimize complex data center networks.

No. Project 525 provides structure, mentorship and practical preparation, but certification depends on your readiness, participation and exam performance.

Turn Data Center Experience Into Expert Capability

Build the cross-domain knowledge, practical discipline and confidence required to lead complex data center environments.

Speak With a Programme Advisor

+60 11-5119 6631

Start My CCIE Data Center Journey