Huawei HCIE-Datacom study plan
Huawei HCIE-Datacom · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Datacom
Map the full HCIE-Datacom written and lab blueprint into a personal checklist of every listed technology area
Build a home lab topology plan covering routing, switching, WAN, and controller-based components before touching configuration
Configure and verify OSPF multi-area adjacencies, LSA types, and stub/NSSA areas in the lab
Explain from memory how OSPF area design affects convergence and scalability
Your checkpoint
A one-page lab topology diagram plus a written OSPF area-design note explaining LSA flooding scope and stub/NSSA trade-offs
Datacom
Configure IS-IS levels, wide metrics, and route leaking between L1 and L2
Compare OSPF and IS-IS convergence behavior using captured adjacency and SPF logs
Tune BGP peerings with route reflectors, confederations, and prefix/AS-path filters
Diagnose and resolve a deliberately broken BGP route-reflection scenario
Your checkpoint
A troubleshooting log documenting the broken BGP scenario, root cause, and the exact configuration change that fixed it
Datacom
Implement route control using policy-based routing, route maps, and administrative distance manipulation
Configure MPLS L3VPN with MP-BGP, VRFs, and RD/RT design
Verify label switching end to end and interpret the LFIB and LIB on provider and PE routers
Explain how MPLS forwarding differs from traditional destination-based IP forwarding
Your checkpoint
A verified MPLS L3VPN lab with captured show command output proving end-to-end label forwarding between two customer sites
Datacom
Configure EVPN-VXLAN with a controller-free distributed gateway and verify MAC/IP learning
Compare EVPN route types and explain which type carries MAC, IP, and prefix information
Implement network automation with NETCONF/YANG and a Python script against a lab device
Diagnose a VXLAN tunnel failure caused by an underlay routing or MTU issue
Your checkpoint
A working Python NETCONF script that retrieves and modifies interface configuration on a lab device, with output saved as evidence
Datacom
Design and configure QoS marking, queuing, and congestion avoidance for a multi-service network
Configure and verify IPv6 routing including OSPFv3 and BGP IPv6 address families
Implement network security controls such as ACLs, uRPF, and DHCP snooping in the lab
Explain how segment routing or SRv6 differs from LDP-based MPLS in forwarding behavior
Your checkpoint
A QoS design table mapping traffic classes to marking, queue, and drop policy, validated with lab traffic tests
Datacom
Complete a full timed mock written exam and score it against the blueprint
Categorize every missed question by technology area and rank gaps by frequency
Re-study the two weakest areas and reconfigure them in the lab
Practice explaining design decisions aloud as if presenting to a customer
Your checkpoint
A scored mock exam report with a ranked gap list and a remediation plan for the top three weak areas
Datacom
Rehearse full lab scenarios end to end under time pressure without notes
Practice structured troubleshooting: gather evidence, isolate layer, form hypothesis, verify fix
Review controller-based campus and WAN deployment workflows and their verification commands
Document recurring mistakes and the correct command or concept for each
Your checkpoint
A personal error log of at least 20 recurring mistakes, each paired with the correct configuration or concept
Datacom
Run two full timed lab simulations and score them against a self-built rubric
Close remaining gaps from the error log by reconfiguring each item from scratch
Summarize design and troubleshooting reasoning for the highest-weight blueprint areas
Finalize exam-day logistics, timing strategy, and a pre-exam review sheet
Your checkpoint
A final readiness report with simulation scores, closed gaps, and a one-page pre-exam review sheet
Milestones
Week 2: Can configure and troubleshoot OSPF, IS-IS, and BGP from a blank topology without reference material
Week 4: MPLS L3VPN and EVPN-VXLAN labs pass end-to-end verification, and the NETCONF automation script runs successfully
Week 6: Timed mock written exam completed with a scored gap analysis ranking the top three weak areas
Week 8: Two timed lab simulations completed with documented scores and all error-log items reconfigured successfully