NetApp certification program (NCP) policies and FAQs

This agreement must be read and agreed to before beginning any NetApp certification exam.

For passed exams

• A candidate who passes an exam must wait 18 months before retaking the exam.
• A candidate whose passing score has been revoked must wait 30 days before retaking the exam.

For failed exams

• First failure: A candidate can immediately retake the exam.
• Multiple failures: A candidate must wait 14 days before retaking the exam.

Once earned, certifications are active for 24 months.

Linked Hierarchal Certifications

• The NetApp Certified Support Engineer is linked to the NetApp Certified Support Engineer – ONTAP Specialist.
• There are three Specialist level certifications that are linked to the NetApp Certified Data Administrator ONTAP Professional-level certification.
• The NetApp Certified Data Administrator ONTAP professional level certification may be automatically renewed in these three instances:

1. NetApp Certified Implementation Engineer - Data Protection Specialist (NCIE Data Protection)
2. NetApp Certified Implementation Engineer - SAN Specialist, ONTAP (NCIE SAN ONTAP)
3. NetApp Certified Support Engineer, ONTAP Specialist (NCSE ONTAP)

It’s important to remember that linked logic only works if you hold an active NetApp Certified Data Administrator ONTAP certification when earning the higher-level certification. Linked logic cannot/will not revive an already expired certification.

Example: if a candidate earns the Professional-level NCDA certification on June 1, 2023, the expiration date for this certification is June 1, 2025 (24 months later). If the candidate then earns the Specialist-level NCIE SAN certification on February 1, 2024 (which has an expiration date of February 1, 2026). The earning of the Specialist-level certification (NCIE SAN) extends the expiration date of the Professional-level certification (NCDA) to February 1, 2026.

NetApp is committed to maintaining the credibility and value of the NetApp Certification Program (NCP) and the NCP brand. Individuals and organizations that commit exam fraud as described below undermine the value of the NCP for all participants. NetApp reserves the right to take action it deems appropriate against violators of the NCP Exam Security Policy. This benefits the credential holder in many ways:

• Achieving certification is not easy. Individuals work very hard to prepare for and attain NCP certification. When others commit exam fraud, they undermine the hard work that the majority of candidates put into achieving certification.
• NetApp works to identify and take action when individuals are suspected of exam fraud. NetApp strives to ensure that those who earn the right to use the NCP brand have demonstrated their proficiency with NetApp products and technologies and have the actual knowledge and skills to confidently and successfully work with NetApp products and technologies.

Exam fraud comes in many forms. The following are examples of actions that NetApp considers to be exam fraud; in any form, whether done with intent or knowledge:

• Using live (currently active) exam questions and/or exam answers to prepare for the exam
• Disclosing and/or distributing NetApp confidential exam material; this includes sharing exam questions and/or answers with other exam takers, members of your training class, colleagues, etc.
• Requesting access to exam questions, answers, screen captures, or other protected exam material in forums or other social networking sites
• Enlisting others to take an exam on your behalf
• Giving or receiving unauthorized assistance when taking an exam
• Possessing or using unauthorized materials when taking an exam (e.g., notes, recording devices, photographic devices, or any other means)
• Taking an exam in violation of the NCP Certification Candidate Agreement
• Read the NCP Certification Candidate Agreement here
• Taking an exam in violation of the NCP exam retake policy
• Altering exam scores and/or score reports
• Reproducing exam materials by any means, including reconstruction through memorization
• Purchasing or using exam materials that were gained by the above methods to prepare for the exam

This list is not intended to be exhaustive. NetApp may take action in other circumstances where it deems that exam fraud has occurred, compromising exam security in any way. Actions may include revocation of your certification or barring you from future participation in the program. This policy may be updated from time to time without specific notice to you. NetApp asks that you review it regularly.

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Internal and external organizations that pursue the NetApp Certification Program (NCP) designations require status reports regarding individual and organizational progress. The following guidelines outline the policies and procedures for processing these requests for information. Specific requests outside these guidelines will be reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis by the NCP office.

Individual certification status is confidential. Individuals’ will find their records and status in their CertCenter account.

Certification status is reported to internal NetApp teams as required to support partner programs and customer requests. NetApp considers the following information as public information to NetApp internal teams:

• Number certified by certification
• Number certified by certification and/or organization
• Number certified by certification and/or audience
• Partner status by certification
• Partner, customer, and employee individual certification status

Customers and partners make significant investments in training and testing related to the NetApp Certification Program. Status reports directly related to their investment may be requested to assess corporate status and partner qualifications. To request status information on customers and partners, the requestor must submit in writing a brief description of what information is required and the business justification. All submissions should be sent to ncp@netapp.com for approval and follow-up.

NetApp will, under approved situations described above, share certified status. We will not share individual exam-level information such as fail information, individual score, exams attempted, or number of exam attempts.

Any questions or requests related to this policy should be sent to ncp@netapp.com.

To ensure that your certification data is connected to your Learning Center account, it is critical that you click here to enter your Certification ID.

• If you have a question about how to find your Certification ID, please contact us at ncp@netapp.com.

NetApp may sell or distribute NetApp exam vouchers. We do not guarantee the authenticity of certification vouchers that are obtained from any individuals or entities other than NetApp, NetApp Authorized Learning Partners and Pearson VUE. Individuals who acquire and use counterfeit certification vouchers and/or certification vouchers obtained from an unauthorized source may be subject to sanctions at the discretion of NetApp, up to and including a lifetime ban on taking all future exams and the nullification of all previous exam results and certifications. NetApp will not compensate candidates for counterfeit vouchers or vouchers obtained from an unauthorized source.

NCP exam vouchers are provided in advance as future payment for registration for NCP exams. At the time of exam registration, the exam voucher value is applied to the exam fee.

NetApp exam voucher terms of use:

1. Can be used by one person, one time, for one exam discount/fee.
2. Are not valid after the expiration date.
3. Cannot be extended past the expiration date.
4. Become void if altered or revised in any way.
5. May not be canceled or redeemed for cash, credit or refund.
6. Cannot be resold.

Neither NetApp Authorized Learning Partners nor NetApp and its partners are responsible for vouchers that are lost or stolen.

NetApp vouchers are non-refundable, non-transferable, non-exchangeable and cannot have their expiration date extended. NetApp reserves the right to take appropriate actions against individuals who do not abide with the NetApp Certification Program policies.

• Helpful resources / FAQs
• Online Testing with OnVUE
• Test accommodations request
• Purchase NetApp vouchers