Aegis-GPU

NCP-ARI · Professional · 120 min · 70 questions · $400

AI Rack and Interconnect

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More study tools

  • Ask Aegis: the tutor button at the bottom right answers from the course content with citations.
  • Xid error reference: every in-use NVIDIA Xid code with NVIDIA's recommended actions.
  • HGX hardware guide: a beginner's tour of an 8-GPU server.

Exam facts

Level
Professional
Duration
2 hours
Questions
70
Price
$400
Delivery
Not stated / unverified
Language
English
Validity
Two years from issuance
Scoring
Pass/fail (no numeric score is reported)
Prerequisites
Not stated / unverified

Exam facts verified against NVIDIA's NCP-ARI page on 2026-10-08. Unverified: study_guide_url, prerequisites. Always confirm on nvidia.com before booking.

Official blueprint

AI Infrastructure Basics for Data Centers — 20%
  1. 1.1 Verify power and cooling capacity in the data center.
  2. 1.2 Describe the difference between AC- and DC-powered racks.
  3. 1.3 Balance the rPDUs for AC-powered racks.
  4. 1.4 Verify power redundancy per rack.
  5. 1.5 Verify the power capacity by PDU type.
  6. 1.6 Describe CDUs for liquid-cooled racks.
  7. 1.7 Verify grounding.
  8. 1.8 Differentiate between hot-aisle and cold-aisle cooling.
Pre-Deployment Planning and Site Assessment for AI Data Centers — 11%
  1. 2.1 Describe physical network design documentation.
  2. 2.2 Conduct site surveys for cable management infrastructure (load capacity, clearances).
  3. 2.3 Verify environmental readiness (rack spacing, power, cooling, thermal zones).
  4. 2.4 Describe inventory check procedures.
Rack Infrastructure Preparation for AI Platforms — 10%
  1. 3.1 Describe extra-wide racks for AI platforms.
  2. 3.2 Install cable management accessories (vertical/horizontal ducts, bend radius managers).
  3. 3.3 Coordinate power and data cable pathways (EMI mitigation).
  4. 3.4 Verify rack containment clearance (front-post to front door and front-post to rear-post or inter-rack posts).
High-Density Cabling Installation for AI Clusters — 30%
  1. 4.1 Describe the difference between NVIDIA cables vs. others.
  2. 4.2 Describe the different transceiver form factors (OSFP vs. QSFP).
  3. 4.3 Describe the difference between MMF and SMF.
  4. 4.4 Describe the transceiver requirements across the various SMF distances.
  5. 4.5 Deploy InfiniBand NDR/XDR copper cables.
  6. 4.6 Install MPO/APC fiber optic cables.
  7. 4.7 Implement 50/50 left-right cable routing strategy.
  8. 4.8 Bundle and dress cables professionally (hook and loop fasteners, soft ties, color coding).
  9. 4.9 Install fiber optic transceivers and clean connectors.
Cable Support Systems and Weight Management — 7%
  1. 5.1 Define a team orientation plan for the cabling workflow.
  2. 5.2 Design cable support systems for ultra-high-density loads.
  3. 5.3 Install overhead cable support infrastructure.
  4. 5.4 Implement cable slack management.
  5. 5.5 Understand the causes of unexpected visual results.
  6. 5.6 Update the extent attribute of a mesh after updating its points.
Testing, Verification, and Documentation for AI Cabling — 12%
  1. 6.1 Perform cable continuity and link testing (optical power meter, link status, differentiate between NVIDIA vs. non-NVIDIA cabling).
  2. 6.2 Conduct final deployment quality inspection (bend radius, labeling, airflow).
  3. 6.3 Document cable deployment with photos and as-built diagrams.
  4. 6.4 Troubleshoot signal integrity issues (dirty connectors, over-bending, BER, link down vs. high BER issues).
Safety, Standards, and Compliance for Data Centers — 10%
  1. 7.1 Adhere to electrical safety practices (LOTO, PPE, 120 kW+ environments).
  2. 7.2 Comply with fire safety and cable flame ratings (NEC plenum requirements).
  3. 7.3 Follow NVIDIA-specific installation standards (DU-10438, warranty compliance).
  4. 7.4 Implement ESD protection for sensitive components.

Study roadmap

  1. Baseline. Read the official exam page and study guide, then skim every domain below to find gaps.
  2. High-Density Cabling Installation for AI Clusters (30%). Study the NVIDIA training and docs linked below for this domain; keep notes per objective.
  3. AI Infrastructure Basics for Data Centers (20%). Study the NVIDIA training and docs linked below for this domain; keep notes per objective.
  4. Testing, Verification, and Documentation for AI Cabling (12%). Study the NVIDIA training and docs linked below for this domain; keep notes per objective.
  5. Pre-Deployment Planning and Site Assessment for AI Data Centers (11%). Study the NVIDIA training and docs linked below for this domain; keep notes per objective.
  6. Rack Infrastructure Preparation for AI Platforms (10%). Study the NVIDIA training and docs linked below for this domain; keep notes per objective.
  7. Safety, Standards, and Compliance for Data Centers (10%). Study the NVIDIA training and docs linked below for this domain; keep notes per objective.
  8. Cable Support Systems and Weight Management (7%). Study the NVIDIA training and docs linked below for this domain; keep notes per objective.
  9. Exam rehearsal. Re-read your weakest domain notes and the study guide.

Official resources

From NVIDIA