Cisco DCACI 300-620 exam-day guide
Cisco DCACI 300-620 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the exact ID name that matches your registration. For online proctoring, use a government-issued photo ID; confirm accepted ID types and name-match rules with the provider before test day, since policies vary by delivery method and region.
Know your exam appointment logistics
Write down the appointment time in your local time zone, whether it is at a test center or online-proctored, and the check-in window. Arrive or log in early; late arrival can forfeit the seat and fee. Confirm the specific cutoff with the provider.
Quiet, private room and stable internet (online-proctored)
If testing remotely, use a private room with a closed door, clear desk, and reliable wired or strong Wi-Fi. Run the system test on the same machine and network you will use. Confirm room and equipment rules with the provider.
Compatible computer and webcam/microphone
Run the provider's system check at least 24 hours ahead. Update the browser and disable VPNs, virtual machines, and extra monitors. Some proctoring tools block certain OS versions; verify requirements with the provider.
Review the exam blueprint and weak domains
300-620 covers Cisco ACI implementation: fabric setup, tenant policies, packet forwarding, external connectivity, integrations, and troubleshooting. Spend the last days on your two weakest domains rather than re-reading everything.
Practice CLI and GUI navigation mentally
Be ready to reason about APIC GUI paths, object relationships (tenant, VRF, BD, EPG, contract, filter), and show commands. You will not have a live fabric, so rehearse how objects relate and how faults appear.
Prepare permitted scratch materials
Some deliveries provide an on-screen whiteboard or erase board; physical paper is usually not allowed. Do not assume; confirm what is permitted with the provider before the exam.
Plan breaks, water, and medication
Scheduled breaks are not standard on most Cisco associate-level exams. Eat and hydrate before check-in, and request any accommodation well in advance. Confirm break and accommodation policy with the provider.
Remove prohibited items from the testing area
Phones, smart watches, notes, and second screens must be out of reach or off. For online proctoring, keep only the allowed ID and approved items on the desk.
Know the question format and scoring
Expect multiple-choice, multiple-answer, and drag-and-drop items. Read whether a question asks for one or multiple answers; unanswered multi-select items usually score zero. Confirm the current passing score and item types with the provider.
Plan the day
Take one timed practice set under exam conditions and review every miss by topic, not by memorizing the answer. Build a short list of the three concepts you keep getting wrong, such as contract scope, VRF leaking, or fabric discovery, and study those specifically.
Re-derive the core object model from memory: tenant contains VRF and bridge domains; EPGs sit in bridge domains and attach to application profiles; contracts and filters govern communication between EPGs; external connectivity uses L3Outs and border leafs. If you can explain the relationships cleanly, most scenario questions become easier.
Review packet-forwarding and policy basics: how endpoint learning works, the role of the spine as a forwarding fabric, and how contracts are applied at the EPG level. Also review fabric access policies (VLAN pools, AAEPs, interface and switch profiles) because setup questions often hinge on the order of these objects.
Stop learning new material. Do a light review of your error list, confirm your appointment time and location or login link, run the system test if online-proctored, and charge devices. Sleep on a normal schedule.
Prepare your ID, confirm the exact name on the registration, and lay out the testing space. Decide how you will get to the test center or where your quiet room will be, and tell household members not to disturb you during the window.
Eat a normal meal, avoid cramming new topics, and arrive or log in early per the provider's instructions. Have your ID ready, close background apps, and silence devices. Do a final two-minute skim of your error list only.
Read each question twice and note whether it is single- or multi-select. For scenario items, identify the layer first (fabric access, tenant policy, external connectivity, integration, troubleshooting), then eliminate answers that violate the object model. Flag uncertain items and return to them if the interface allows.
Pace yourself: if there are roughly 60 questions in 90 minutes, that is about 90 seconds each. Do not let one hard drag-and-drop item consume five minutes. Use remaining time to revisit flagged questions and confirm multi-select answers are complete.
Note which domains felt weak while it is fresh. If you did not pass, use the score report's domain breakdown to plan a retake; confirm waiting-period and retake policies with the provider.
Rules to check
Bring valid government-issued photo ID with a name matching your registration exactly. If your ID name differs, resolve it with the provider before test day; do not assume a secondary document will be accepted.
Do not bring notes, phones, smart watches, or unauthorized materials into the testing room. For online proctoring, keep the desk clear except for approved items, and confirm what is allowed with the provider.
Follow all proctor instructions. Behavior such as leaving the camera view, talking, or using unauthorized devices can lead to a conduct review or score cancellation; the exact consequences are set by the provider, so confirm the policy.
Breaks are generally not scheduled on Cisco associate-level exams, and the clock usually keeps running if you leave. Request accommodations in advance and confirm break rules with the provider rather than assuming.
Scoring is criterion-referenced against a passing score set by the exam owner, not a fixed percentage of correct answers. Multi-select and drag-and-drop items typically require fully correct responses to earn credit; confirm the current passing score and scoring rules with the provider.
Do not attempt to record, screenshot, or share exam content. Exam content is confidential, and sharing it violates the candidate agreement.
If technical problems occur during an online-proctored exam, pause and contact the proctor or support immediately rather than troubleshooting alone; document what happened. The provider decides whether a retake is granted.
Plan a retake buffer. If you do not pass, there is typically a waiting period before you can retest and a fee applies; confirm the current waiting period, fees, and recertification rules with the provider.