- What the ENAUTO Certification Actually Is
- Exam 300-435 v2.0 at a Glance
- How the Five Domains Divide the Exam
- Device-Level Automation: What You Must Master
- Controller-Based Automation: The Heaviest Domain
- Operations and AI in Automation
- Where the Specialist Award Fits in Your Career Path
- Registration, Fees, and Delivery Mechanics
- Keeping the Credential Current
- A Domain-Weighted Preparation Sequence
- Frequently Asked Questions
- ENAUTO here means Cisco exam 300-435, Automating and Programming Cisco Enterprise Solutions, version 2.0, effective February 3, 2026.
- Controller-Based Network Automation carries 30% of the exam, the largest of five domains; Device-Level Network Automation follows at 25%.
- The exam costs USD 300 plus applicable tax, runs 90 minutes, and is delivered through Pearson VUE.
- Passing earns Cisco Certified Automation Specialist - Enterprise Automation and Programmability, valid three years with 40 CE credits for renewal.
What the ENAUTO Certification Actually Is
The acronym ENAUTO is shared by several unrelated credentials in the industry, so precision matters. On this site, the ENAUTO certification refers to one thing only: Cisco's Automating and Programming Cisco Enterprise Solutions (ENAUTO) (300-435) exam. It is a concentration exam in Cisco's professional-level certification track, and passing it earns the Cisco Certified Automation Specialist - Enterprise Automation and Programmability award.
The exam tests whether you can automate and program enterprise networks, not just describe how automation works. Expect to read code, interpret API responses, reason about controller behavior, and choose the right tool for a given operational problem. If you are new to the terminology, our explainers on what ENAUTO certification is and what ENAUTO stands for cover the naming in more detail.
Exam 300-435 v2.0 at a Glance
Version 2.0 of the exam became effective on February 3, 2026, a date Cisco confirmed in its August 2025 insider post on the ENAUTO 2.0 changes. Anything you read describing the older blueprint should be treated with caution, since the domain structure and emphasis changed, most visibly with the addition of a dedicated AI in Automation domain.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exam code and version | 300-435 ENAUTO v2.0 |
| Effective date | February 3, 2026 |
| Provider | Pearson VUE |
| Fee | USD 300 plus applicable tax |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Languages | English and Japanese |
| Delivery | Test center or eligible OnVUE online proctoring |
| Prerequisites | None formally required |
| Passing threshold | Determined statistically by Cisco |
| Credential earned | Cisco Certified Automation Specialist - Enterprise Automation and Programmability |
The exam is proctored and closed-book. Cisco's examination policies apply, including confidentiality rules about exam content. Because Cisco sets passing thresholds statistically rather than publishing a fixed percentage, you should not rely on any claimed cut score; see our discussion of the ENAUTO passing score for how to think about this.
How the Five Domains Divide the Exam
The official objectives split the exam into five domains whose weights sum to 100%. The distribution tells you where to spend time: more than half the exam sits in just two domains.
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1. Network Automation Foundation | 10% |
| 2. Device-Level Network Automation | 25% |
| 3. Controller-Based Network Automation | 30% |
| 4. Operations | 20% |
| 5. AI in Automation | 15% |
Domains 2 and 3 together account for 55% of scored content, so weakness in either one is very hard to offset elsewhere. The foundation domain is the smallest at 10%, but it underpins everything else: if you cannot read a data model or interpret an HTTP exchange, the heavier domains become far harder. For a full walkthrough of each content area, see the ENAUTO exam domains guide.
Domain 1: Network Automation Foundation (10%)
This domain establishes the vocabulary and mechanics the rest of the exam assumes. Treat it as the base layer rather than a throwaway section.
- Core programming constructs and reading Python used to drive network operations
- Data formats such as JSON, XML, and YAML, and how to parse and interpret them
- REST API fundamentals: methods, status codes, authentication, and payload structure
- Version control and the software-development practices that apply to network code
Device-Level Automation: What You Must Master
Domain 2 covers automating individual network devices directly, at 25% of the exam. Questions here tend to be code-reading and configuration-interpretation problems: given a snippet, a model, or a response, what happens, or what is wrong?
Domain 2: Device-Level Network Automation (25%)
Candidates should be comfortable working with device programmability interfaces and the model-driven approach to configuration and telemetry.
- Model-driven programmability with YANG data models, and how models map to configuration and operational state
- NETCONF and RESTCONF: operations, transport, and when each applies
- Model-driven telemetry concepts, including subscription styles and what data is streamed
- On-device and off-device scripting for configuration and verification tasks
- Configuration management tooling for repeatable, idempotent changes across devices
A common trap is memorizing definitions without being able to apply them. You should be able to look at a NETCONF payload or a RESTCONF URI and reason about which YANG node it targets and what operation it performs. Hands-on practice against a device or sandbox does more here than rereading notes.
Controller-Based Automation: The Heaviest Domain
At 30%, Controller-Based Network Automation is the single largest slice of the exam. This domain is about automating through Cisco's centralized platforms instead of touching devices one by one, and it rewards candidates who have actually called controller APIs and handled the responses.
Domain 3: Controller-Based Network Automation (30%)
Expect scenarios built around enterprise controller platforms and their northbound APIs, where the task is to pick the correct call, interpret the output, or sequence an automated workflow.
- Authenticating to controller APIs and managing tokens in scripts
- Using controller APIs to retrieve inventory, topology, and health data
- Automating provisioning workflows such as templates, site and fabric operations, and policy
- Working with asynchronous tasks, where a call returns a task identifier you must poll
- Handling pagination, filtering, and error responses in real API interactions
- Understanding how controller-driven intent translates into device-level configuration
Operations and AI in Automation
Domain 4: Operations (20%)
Operations covers what happens after automation is built: running it safely, validating it, and troubleshooting when it misbehaves. This is where network engineering judgment meets software practice.
- Testing and validating automation before and after it touches production
- Pipeline-style workflows, change control, and safe rollout practices for network changes
- Monitoring and observability of automated environments, including interpreting telemetry
- Troubleshooting failed API calls, authentication problems, and unexpected automation behavior
- Maintaining and documenting automation so it remains reliable over time
Domain 5: AI in Automation (15%)
This domain is the clearest signal of how v2.0 differs from earlier versions of the exam. At 15%, it is not a footnote. It reflects Cisco's view that enterprise automation increasingly involves AI-assisted workflows, and candidates should be able to reason about where AI fits, what it can and cannot be trusted to do, and how to integrate it responsibly with network operations.
Key Takeaway
Read the AI in Automation objectives line by line in Cisco's official blueprint instead of relying on secondhand summaries. It is the newest domain, third-party materials lag behind it most, and 15% of the exam is too much to leave to guesswork.
Where the Specialist Award Fits in Your Career Path
ENAUTO is a concentration exam, which means it can serve two different routes:
| Route | Core exam | Concentration | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCNP Automation | AUTOCOR | ENAUTO (300-435) | CCNP Automation certification |
| CCNP Enterprise | ENCOR | ENAUTO (300-435) | CCNP Enterprise certification |
Passing ENAUTO on its own earns the Specialist award immediately, even if you have not yet passed a core exam. That makes it a useful standalone credential for engineers who want to validate automation skills, and a stepping stone for those building toward a full CCNP. If you are weighing the investment, our analysis of whether the ENAUTO certification is worth it and the ENAUTO salary guide look at the return side, and ENAUTO jobs covers the roles that look for this skill set.
Typical employers and roles are those running Cisco enterprise networks at scale: network automation engineers, network reliability and DevOps-leaning network engineers, and infrastructure engineers at enterprises, service integrators, and Cisco partners who need to demonstrate programmability skills alongside traditional networking knowledge.
Registration, Fees, and Delivery Mechanics
Registration runs through Pearson VUE, Cisco's exam delivery provider. The fee is USD 300 plus applicable tax; tax varies by location, so the final amount at checkout may differ. For a fuller picture of costs beyond the exam fee, including retakes and preparation resources, see the ENAUTO certification cost breakdown.
You can generally choose between a Pearson VUE test center and eligible OnVUE online proctoring from your own location. Both are proctored, closed-book environments with confidentiality obligations. If you plan to test online, check the OnVUE system and environment requirements well before exam day rather than on it. Scheduling windows and deadlines are covered in the ENAUTO exam dates guide.
There are no formal prerequisites to sit the exam. Cisco recommends practical experience, but nothing blocks you from registering. Our ENAUTO requirements article explains what recommended preparation looks like in practice.
Keeping the Credential Current
The Specialist award has three-year validity. To renew it, you complete 40 continuing education (CE) credits before the credential expires. Full CCNP credentials also run on a three-year cycle, but with an 80-CE requirement. Cisco's recertification program lets you earn CE credits through approved activities, and passing a qualifying exam can also extend certification.
A Domain-Weighted Preparation Sequence
Rather than a generic schedule, sequence your study around how the domains depend on each other and how heavily they are weighted. This is one possible eight-week arrangement; compress or stretch it to match your experience.
Foundation, then device-level start
- Shore up Domain 1: JSON, XML, YAML, REST mechanics, and Python reading skills
- Begin YANG, NETCONF, and RESTCONF so Domain 2 is not rushed later
Finish device-level work
- Practice model-driven telemetry and configuration management tooling
- Write and run scripts against a sandbox or lab device
Controller-based automation
- Spend the most hands-on time here, since it is 30% of the exam
- Practice authentication, inventory calls, provisioning workflows, and task polling
Operations and AI in Automation
- Cover validation, troubleshooting, and monitoring (Domain 4)
- Work through the Domain 5 objectives directly from the official blueprint
Integration and practice exams
- Take timed practice tests under the 90-minute limit
- Revisit whichever domain your results show is weakest
Front-loading Domains 1 and 2 matters because the controller-based material assumes you already read API payloads comfortably. For a deeper study framework, see the ENAUTO study guide, and keep the ENAUTO cheat sheet handy for last-week review. When you are ready to test yourself under realistic conditions, the ENAUTO practice tests are built around the exam's domains, and you can also use them to gauge readiness against what the ENAUTO difficulty guide describes.
Frequently Asked Questions
It refers to Cisco's Automating and Programming Cisco Enterprise Solutions (ENAUTO) exam, code 300-435, currently version 2.0. Passing earns the Cisco Certified Automation Specialist - Enterprise Automation and Programmability award.
The exam fee is USD 300 plus applicable tax, and the exam lasts 90 minutes. It is delivered through Pearson VUE at test centers or through eligible OnVUE online proctoring, in English and Japanese.
No. There are no formal prerequisites, so you can register and sit ENAUTO directly. It is a concentration exam that counts toward CCNP Automation with AUTOCOR or CCNP Enterprise with ENCOR.
Controller-Based Network Automation is largest at 30%, followed by Device-Level Network Automation at 25%. Operations is 20%, AI in Automation is 15%, and Network Automation Foundation is 10%.
The Specialist award is valid for three years and requires 40 continuing education credits completed before it expires. Full CCNP credentials also run three years but require 80 CE credits.