The Cisco Implementing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure exam has a reputation for tripping up even experienced candidates. Working through 326 realistic practice questions from ActualCollection exposes your weak spots before exam day does.
Cisco 300-165 Exam Overview:
| Certification Vendor: | Cisco |
|---|---|
| Exam Name: | Implementing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure |
| Exam Number: | 300-165 DCII |
| Related Certifications: | Cisco Certified Specialist - Data Center Infrastructure Implementation |
| Available Languages: | English |
| Exam Price: | $300 USD |
| Exam Duration: | 90 minutes |
| Real Exam Qty: | 60-70 |
| Passing Score: | 750-850 / 1000 (approx. 70%) |
| Certificate Validity Period: | 3 years |
| Exam Format: | Simulations, Drag-and-Drop, Multiple Choice |
| Recommended Training: | Implementing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCII) v5.0 |
| Exam Registration: | Pearson VUE Registration |
| Sample Questions: | ![]() |
| Exam Way: | Online proctored or onsite at Pearson VUE test centers |
| Pre Condition: | No formal prerequisites; recommended to have 3-5 years of experience in data center infrastructure |
| Official Syllabus URL: | https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/training-events/training-certifications/exams/current-list/dcii.html |
Cisco 300-165 Exam Syllabus Topics:
| Section | Weight | Objectives |
|---|---|---|
| Topic 1: Data Center Infrastructure Security | 12% | - Key management - CoPP - Feature security hardening - AAA and RBAC - Port security |
| Topic 2: Implement Data Center Protocols | 29% | - VXLAN - LISP - DCB - FabricPath - OTV - FCoE |
| Topic 3: Maintenance, Management, and Operations | 14% | - Configuration backup/restore - High availability - Device management - Monitoring and logging - Firmware upgrades |
| Topic 4: Implement Routing and Switching Protocols | 22% | - Interface configuration - vPC - BGP - STP enhancements - OSPF - EIGRP |
| Topic 5: Infrastructure Storage | 23% | - NFS and SMB - NPV and FPort trunking - VSAN and Zoning - Fibre Channel - iSCSI |
Answers Every 300-165 Candidate Should Read First
The Cisco Implementing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure exam is the official Cisco test registered under exam code 300-165. Passing it earns you the CCNP Data Center certification, a credential at the Professional level. It is also linked to the related certification: Cisco Certified Specialist - Data Center Infrastructure Implementation. Cisco exams are valued because they test job-ready skills, so a passing score here carries real weight on a resume.
The Cisco Implementing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure exam includes 60-70 questions to be completed within 90 minutes. Do the pacing math before exam day: with that many items on the clock, you need a steady rhythm and the discipline to flag a hard question and move on instead of stalling. Two or three full timed sessions with the ActualCollection test engine will show you exactly what that pace feels like, so time pressure stops being a factor on the real day.
To pass the Cisco Implementing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure exam you need 750-850 / 1000 (approx. 70%), and the official registration fee is $300 USD. A retake is not discounted: a failed attempt means paying the full $300 USD again, so treat your first sitting as the expensive one. A sensible rule is to book your seat only after you are scoring comfortably above the passing mark on the ActualCollection practice tests, not just squeaking past it once.
No formal prerequisites; recommended to have 3-5 years of experience in data center infrastructure
Eligibility rules do change from time to time, so confirm the current requirements before you register on the official exam page.
Registration for the Cisco Implementing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure exam goes through the official channels below.
As for the delivery format, the exam is taken Online proctored or onsite at Pearson VUE test centers.
Cisco points candidates toward the following training options for Cisco Implementing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure.
Course work builds the foundation; question practice makes it stick. The 326 practice questions in the ActualCollection 300-165 package let you rehearse each topic under exam-style pressure before the real thing.
Yes. ActualCollection offers a free PDF demo of the Cisco Implementing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure material so you can judge the question quality and format before spending anything. After purchase, your license includes 365 days of free updates, and if you want to keep receiving updates after that period, renewals are available at a 50% discount.
If you take the Cisco Implementing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure exam within 60 days of your purchase and do not pass, ActualCollection backs you with a 100% money-back guarantee. The claim must match the exam your product covers: attempts taken within 3 days of purchase are not eligible (that is too little preparation time), and neither are downloaded-but-unused products, free materials, or expired orders. The candidate name must match the payer name, and you need to submit a scanned enrollment slip plus the official Score Report PDF within 2 days of the exam; claims are processed within 7 days. Prefer not to refund? You can swap instead and receive two other exam products of equal value for free while keeping the update service on your original purchase.
Delivery itself is instant: your files are downloadable right away and emailed to you within one minute of payment. If nothing arrives within 2 hours, contact customer service. There is no limit on how many computers you may install the software on.
The official Cisco Implementing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure syllabus is organized into 5 domains. Key areas include Data Center Infrastructure Security (12%), Infrastructure Storage (23%), and Implement Data Center Protocols (29%). The complete, up-to-date topic list appears in the exam topics section above; work through it line by line and flag anything you cannot yet explain in your own words.
Cisco Implementing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure Sample Questions:
Refer to the exhibit.
What do you configure to complete the LISP setup on Switch_1?
- A. map-cache entry limit of the LISH
D MTU discovery settings of the LISP router - B. source address of the LISP map request message
- C. locator address of the LISP map server
Correct Answer: C 🗳️
When implementing VSAN 10 on multiple Cisco Nexus 5600 Series switches, which configuration is required to ensure that the full zone set and the active zone set are the same across the fabric?
- A. Switch(config) zone-attribute-group name ATTR1 vsan 10switch config attribute-group)# broadcast
- B. Switch(config)# zoneset distribute vsan 33
- C. Switch (config) # zoneset distribute full vsan 10
- D. Switch(config)# zoneset activated name ZONE10 vsan 10
Correct Answer: C 🗳️
Which statement about RBAC user roles on a Cisco Nexus switch is true?
- A. The default SAN administrator role restricts configuration to Fibre Channel interfaces.
- B. On a Cisco Nexus 7000 Series Switch, roles are shared between VDCs.
- C. If you belong to multiple roles, you can execute only the commands that are permitted by both roles (logical AND).
- D. Access to a command takes priority over being denied access to a command.
- E. The predefined roles can only be changed by the network administrator (superuser).
Correct Answer: D 🗳️
Explanation: Only visible for ActualCollection members. You can sign-up / login (it's free).
Which option is supported when configuring a VACL?
- A. Egress VACL that contains decapsulated VXCLAN traffic.
- B. Redirect to a SPAN destination port
- C. Log of traffic that is matched by a VACL by using a MAC ACL.
- D. Access map entry that uses an IP or MAC ACL
Correct Answer: D 🗳️
Which implicit rules are applied to all IPv6 ACLs?
- A. permit icmp any any nd-na
permit icmp any any nd-ns
permit icmp any any router-advertisement
permit icmp any any router-solicitation
deny ipv6 any any - B. deny icmp any any nd-na
deny icmp any any nd-ns
permit icmp any any router-advertisement
permit icmp any any router-solicitation
deny ipv6 any any - C. deny icmp any any nd-na log
deny icmp any any nd-ns log
deny ipv6 any any log - D. deny icmp any any router-advertisement log
deny icmp any any router-solicitation log
deny ipv6 any any log
Correct Answer: A 🗳️






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