- SNCF is the Cisco 300-710 exam, now titled Securing Networks with Cisco Firewalls.
- Passing earns the Cisco Certified Specialist credential and satisfies the CCNP Security concentration requirement.
- Deployment and Configuration each carry 30% of the exam; Management and Troubleshooting carries 25%.
- The exam costs USD 300 plus tax, runs 90 minutes, and is closed book.
What a SNCF Actually Is
In this context, SNCF stands for Securing Networks with Cisco Firepower, the Cisco exam with code 300-710. It is a concentration exam in the CCNP Security track, and it tests whether you can deploy, configure, manage, troubleshoot and integrate Cisco's next-generation firewall platform. The acronym is shared with unrelated organizations and credentials elsewhere, so it is worth being precise: everything on this page concerns the Cisco 300-710 exam and nothing else.
The exam is aimed at network and security engineers who work hands-on with Cisco firewalls. It is not a theory-only test. Candidates are expected to understand how policies are built, how traffic is inspected, how a deployment is sized and placed in a network, and how to diagnose problems when something breaks. If you have been searching for related explanations, our companion pages on what SNCF is and what SNCF stands for cover the naming question from other angles.
The Name Cisco Uses Today
Cisco now calls this same exam Securing Networks with Cisco Firewalls. The 300-710 code and the SNCF shorthand remain, which is why you will see both "Firepower" and "Firewalls" in study materials, forum threads and older course listings. If a resource refers to "SNCF Firepower" it is describing the same exam, just under its earlier title.
The practical consequence is that you should check the publication date of anything you study from. The current objectives are published as version 1.2 of the exam topics, effective August 27, 2026, and they differ from older Firepower-era blueprints. Material written for earlier versions may under-cover newer topics, which are listed below. For a deeper look at how the domains are organized, see our complete guide to all four SNCF content areas.
What Passing Earns You
Passing the 300-710 exam earns the Cisco Certified Specialist - Securing Networks with Cisco Firewalls credential. It also satisfies the concentration-exam requirement for CCNP Security. To earn the full CCNP Security certification, you must additionally pass the core exam, 350-701 SCOR. In other words, SNCF is one of the concentration choices that completes the professional-level credential, and it is also valuable on its own as a specialist certification.
| Item | What it means for SNCF |
|---|---|
| Exam code | 300-710 |
| Credential earned on passing | Cisco Certified Specialist - Securing Networks with Cisco Firewalls |
| CCNP Security role | Satisfies the concentration requirement |
| Additional exam for full CCNP Security | 350-701 SCOR |
| Formal prerequisites | None required |
| Mandatory training | None required |
Cisco does not require any prior certification or any specific course before you sit the exam. Our SNCF requirements guide explains how eligibility works in practice, and whether the credential justifies the effort is analyzed in our ROI breakdown.
The Four Exam Domains
The current blueprint divides the exam into four weighted domains. Two of them are jointly the largest, so a candidate who is strong on deployment and configuration has already secured the majority of the available weight.
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| Domain 1: Deployment | 30% |
| Domain 2: Configuration | 30% |
| Domain 3: Management and Troubleshooting | 25% |
| Domain 4: Integration | 15% |
Domain 1: Deployment (30%)
This domain is about getting the firewall into the network correctly. You need to understand how devices are placed, how they are registered and managed, and how they behave in different deployment modes.
- Choosing and implementing an appropriate deployment approach for a given network design
- Understanding how managed devices relate to their management platform
- Recognizing the effect of placement on what traffic the firewall can see and inspect
Domain 2: Configuration (30%)
Configuration is where most hands-on skill is tested. Expect scenario-style questions about building and tuning policy rather than reciting definitions.
- Access control and related inspection policies
- Encrypted traffic visibility, including the Encrypted Visibility Engine
- ZTNA and VPN configuration
Domain 3: Management and Troubleshooting (25%)
This domain rewards candidates who have actually diagnosed failing deployments. It covers keeping the platform healthy and finding the cause of unexpected behavior.
- Operating firewalls through Cisco Security Cloud Control Firewall Management
- Interpreting events, logs and health information to isolate faults
- Methodical troubleshooting of policy, connectivity and inspection issues
Domain 4: Integration (15%)
The smallest domain, but one tied closely to newer content in the blueprint.
- Cisco XDR and Splunk integration
- Using AI-driven threat intelligence alongside firewall telemetry
Cisco cautions that related topics may also appear on the exam and that the objectives may change, so treat the blueprint as the core of your preparation rather than an exhaustive boundary.
Exam Format, Fee and Booking
The 300-710 is a proctored, computer-delivered written exam lasting 90 minutes. It is closed book: Cisco's candidate rules exclude personal books and notes, and current policies require you to accept the confidentiality agreement before testing.
- Fee: USD 300 plus tax. Cisco Learning Credits are accepted as payment. Our SNCF certification cost breakdown covers the surrounding expenses.
- Delivery: Pearson VUE test centers, or eligible OnVUE online-proctored appointments.
- Language: The individual exam page lists English, while the CCNP Security catalog also lists Japanese. Verify the language offered for your specific booking before you pay.
- Retake rule: After a failed attempt you must wait five calendar days, beginning the following day, before retaking the same exam.
Cisco also does not publish a fixed numeric passing score; standards are determined statistically and can change. That is why you will not find a single authoritative cut-off. Read our explanations of the SNCF passing score and the SNCF pass rate for what can and cannot be said responsibly. Scheduling details are in our exam dates and deadlines guide.
Concrete Topics to Master
Because the exam is closed book and scenario-driven, recognition is not enough. You should be able to reason through a situation and choose the correct action. The following areas deserve the most attention, drawn directly from the current objectives.
Encrypted Visibility Engine
Modern traffic is largely encrypted, so a firewall's usefulness depends on how well it can classify and act on traffic it cannot fully decrypt. Understand what the Encrypted Visibility Engine is designed to do, what it can and cannot reveal, and how it complements traditional inspection.
ZTNA and VPN
Remote access is explicitly in scope. Be comfortable distinguishing zero-trust network access from conventional VPN, knowing when each is appropriate, and recognizing the configuration elements involved in standing them up.
Cisco Security Cloud Control Firewall Management
Management has moved toward cloud-delivered control. Know how this platform fits into day-to-day operation, how it relates to the devices it manages, and what a healthy versus unhealthy deployment looks like from the management side.
XDR, Splunk and AI-driven threat intelligence
Integration questions test whether you understand how firewall data feeds broader detection and response workflows. Focus on what each integration contributes, rather than memorizing menu paths.
Key Takeaway
Weight your hands-on lab time toward Deployment and Configuration, which together account for 60% of the exam, then use Management and Troubleshooting to test whether your configurations actually work under fault conditions.
Who Hires for This Skill Set
Firewall engineering is a core function in nearly every organization with a network perimeter or distributed workforce. Roles that draw on 300-710 skills include network security engineer, firewall administrator, security operations engineer and infrastructure engineer with a security remit. Employers include enterprises running Cisco estates, managed security service providers, systems integrators and Cisco channel partners, all of which need people who can deploy and maintain firewalls for clients.
The credential signals practical competence on a specific, widely deployed platform, which is why it appears in job postings that mention Cisco security. We have gathered the types of positions and employers in our SNCF jobs overview, and the compensation picture is discussed qualitatively in the SNCF salary guide. We deliberately avoid quoting unverified figures here.
Sequencing Your Preparation
Cisco's current exam page recommends the SFWIPF course followed by SFWIPA. A consolidated SNCF course has been announced for the end of calendar year 2026, but that announcement does not establish that it is available today, so confirm current availability before planning around it. Training is optional, not mandatory. Our SNCF training page compares the routes.
If you plan your time by domain weight, a sensible order looks like this:
Deployment
- Build a lab and practice placing and registering devices
- Compare how different deployment approaches change visibility
Configuration
- Build access control policy end to end
- Work through encrypted visibility, ZTNA and VPN setups
Management, Troubleshooting and Integration
- Deliberately break your lab configuration and diagnose it
- Review XDR, Splunk and threat intelligence integration concepts
Deployment comes first because every later task assumes a working install. Troubleshooting comes after configuration because you cannot fix what you have not yet built. Finish with practice questions on the main practice test site to check readiness, and keep our one-page SNCF cheat sheet handy for last-minute review. For a fuller plan, read the SNCF study guide, and for a realistic sense of effort see how hard the SNCF exam is.
Renewal and the Three-Year Window
The Specialist certification is valid for three years. Renewal through Cisco Continuing Education requires 40 credits before expiry, compared with 80 credits for Professional-level certifications such as CCNP. A qualifying concentration exam pass earns 40 CE credits, and a core exam pass earns 80, so exam-based or combined renewal routes are both possible.
One point that often causes confusion: the separate three-year window for combining CCNP exam passes is not extended by CE renewal. Renewing your Specialist credential does not give you extra time to finish a CCNP by passing the other required exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. SNCF is the shorthand for Securing Networks with Cisco Firepower, exam code 300-710. Cisco now titles the exam Securing Networks with Cisco Firewalls, but it is the same exam.
You earn the Cisco Certified Specialist - Securing Networks with Cisco Firewalls credential, and the pass satisfies the CCNP Security concentration requirement. Full CCNP Security also requires passing 350-701 SCOR.
No. Cisco lists no formal prerequisite qualifications and no mandatory training. The exam page recommends SFWIPF followed by SFWIPA, but they are recommendations, not requirements.
The fee is USD 300 plus tax, and Cisco Learning Credits are accepted. The exam lasts 90 minutes, is closed book, and is delivered through Pearson VUE test centers or eligible OnVUE online appointments.
You must wait five calendar days, beginning the following day, before retaking the same exam. Use the waiting period to review the domains where your scenario reasoning was weakest, then rebook.