Certifications / CCNP ENCOR guide
CCNP ENCORCertification Guide for Canada & US Students
CCNP ENCOR is the core enterprise networking certification for engineers who already understand routing and switching and want to operate at a more senior level. CISNET's CCNP ENCOR training gives you live instruction, guided labs, and a direct path into roles tied to $85,000 - $120,000.
Reviewed by Mani Poopal· Lead Networking Instructor· Updated June 2026Who CCNP ENCOR is for
- CCNA-level engineers moving into enterprise implementation or design
- Network administrators preparing for senior engineer responsibilities
- Students planning a CCIE Enterprise or advanced Cisco track
What you will cover
- Introduction ENCOR, Routing, Switching and GNS3 LAB software.
GNS3 LAB software introduction • IPv4 vs IPv6 differences
- Advanced Switching and LAB
MAC address vs IP Address • VLAN, VTP, Trunking(DTP, ISL, 802.1Q)
- Routing Protocols introduction & LAB
OSPF Routing concepts(Area's, Router Type, LSA's) • EIGRP Routing Concetps(ASN#, DUAL alogoritm)
- Multicast Routing and IPv6
Unicast, Broadcast vs Multicast. • Multicast PIM-Modes(sparse, Dense and sparce-Dense)
- QOS, IP Services and Over-lay tunnels
Introduction to QOS(TOS byte, IP Precedense, DSCP) • Traffic Classification & Marking
- LAN, WAN, SD-ACCESS & SD-WAN
Introduction to LAN and WAN • SD-ACCESS(L2-SDN) Fabric introduction
CCNP ENCOR jobs and salary paths
Use CCNP ENCOR to position yourself for roles that align with networking work in Canada.
Senior Network Engineer
$85,000 - $120,000
High
Network Architect
$100,000 - $140,000
Medium
How to prepare effectively
- Treat ENCOR as an engineering exam, not an entry-level overview.
- Spend extra lab time on routing, SD-WAN, wireless, and automation topics.
- Tie every topic back to real troubleshooting scenarios and design decisions.
Explore this certification cluster
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Popular training locations
CISNET teaches CCNP ENCOR online live, so students can join from major Canadian markets without waiting for a city-specific classroom schedule.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between CCNA and CCNP ENCOR?
CCNA covers networking fundamentals while CCNP ENCOR (350-401) covers advanced enterprise networking, dual-stack architecture, virtualization, infrastructure, network assurance, security, and automation at scale.
Do I need CCNA before taking CCNP ENCOR?
Cisco recommends 3-5 years of networking experience and a CCNA certification before attempting CCNP ENCOR. Our course assumes solid CCNA-level knowledge.
How long is the CCNP ENCOR course?
Our CCNP ENCOR training is 30 hours of live instruction, delivered in weekly weekend sessions, see the schedule for the current cohort's dates.
Need help deciding if CCNP ENCOR is the right next step?
Talk to CISNET and get a practical recommendation based on your current experience and target role.
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