NPS
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Cheat sheet
Keep the key ideas within reach.
ExploreKey terms
Get comfortable with the vocabulary.
ExploreStudy plan
Give each week a clear focus.
ExploreCommon mistakes
Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
ExploreCase studies
Put your knowledge to work in context.
ExploreExam-day guide
Prepare for the day ahead.
ExploreAbout this exam
The Nutanix Platform Specialist (NPS) credential is aimed at IT professionals who design, deploy, and operate Nutanix hyperconverged environments day to day - typically systems administrators, virtualization engineers, and data-centre operations staff who already touch AHV, Prism, and the cluster's storage layer rather than candidates meeting the platform for the first time. The exam tests breadth across the whole stack rather than deep specialisation in one corner: how a cluster is architected and how nodes, disks, and metadata interact; how the distributed storage fabric stores and protects data through replication and policies; how virtual networking and the virtual switch are configured and segmented; how VMs are created, migrated, and retired on AHV; how Prism Element and Prism Central divide management responsibilities; and how to read cluster health signals, raise support cases, and work through a fault methodically. Expect scenario-style multiple-choice items that ask you to predict an outcome or pick the next troubleshooting step, not just recall a menu path. Preparation works best in layers: get fluent in the architecture and storage fundamentals first, because networking, VM operations, and troubleshooting questions all assume that grounding. Then practise in a lab - build a cluster, break something, and recover it - and revisit the official Nutanix documentation for any area where your hands-on experience is thin. The certifying body publishes current exam logistics on its own site; this page covers scope and study strategy only.
What you'll study
About NPS preparation
What is the exam format?
It is delivered as a multiple-choice exam covering the six published topic areas. The certifying body's own site is the authoritative place to confirm the current delivery method, registration process, and any testing-centre or online-proctoring options before you book.
How many questions are there, and how long do I get?
Those details are set by the certification programme and change between releases, so they are not stated here. Check the official Nutanix certification page for the current question count, seat time, and any scheduled breaks before scheduling your appointment.
What score do I need to pass, and what does it cost?
Passing thresholds and exam fees are published by the certifying body and are not fixed permanently. Refer to the official certification page for the current passing score, price, and any regional pricing or voucher programmes rather than relying on second-hand figures.
How hard is it in practice?
Candidates with real operational exposure usually find it manageable; those who have only read documentation find it tough. The difficulty comes from scenario items that chain concepts - for example, predicting how a replication factor change affects capacity, then how a node failure is handled under that new policy.
If I fail, can I retake it?
Retake rules, waiting periods, and any associated fees are set by the certification programme and vary over time. Confirm the current retake policy on the official site before you sit the exam, and treat a first attempt as diagnostic rather than a formality.
In what order should I study the domains?
Start with core architecture and the distributed storage fabric - those two underpin everything else. Layer networking next, because VM operations and troubleshooting questions assume you understand the virtual switch. Finish with Prism management and troubleshooting, and keep revisiting architecture as you go.
Do I need hands-on lab experience, or is reading enough?
Hands-on is close to essential. Reading explains what a setting does; a lab teaches you what happens when you change it on a running cluster. Build a small environment, deliberately misconfigure or saturate something, then diagnose it using the same health and log views the exam expects you to reason about.
What are the most common failure modes?
Three recur: treating Prism Element and Prism Central as interchangeable when a task clearly belongs to one; misunderstanding how replication factor and capacity interact under failure; and answering troubleshooting items with the most thorough action instead of the correct next diagnostic step. Read each stem for the words "first" and "next".
How do I know when I am ready to book?
You are ready when you can explain, unaided, how data is written and protected across a cluster, how traffic flows through the virtual switch, and how you would triage a degraded cluster. If any of those still requires a document, spend another week in the lab first.
Does the certification expire, and how do I renew?
Validity periods and recertification paths are administered by the certifying body and are subject to change. Check the official Nutanix certification page for the current validity term and renewal or recertification requirements rather than assuming the credential is permanent.