To prepare for D-NWR-DY-02, Dell’s NetWorker Deploy exam available since October 23, 2026, follow four steps:
- Confirm the new topic list on Dell’s exam page.
- Take one of Dell’s 3 recommended training paths.
- Practice deployment tasks in a lab.
- Finish with Dell’s official practice test.
This Dell D-NWR-DY-02 exam preparation guide shows you how to do each step, and why the retired D-NWR-DY-01 outline should not drive your study plan.
What is the D-NWR-DY-02 exam?
D-NWR-DY-02 is the qualifying exam for Dell’s NetWorker Deploy certification, part of the Proven Professional program behind most Dell Certifications. It tests whether you can deploy Dell NetWorker, Dell’s enterprise backup and recovery software.
Despite the code, it is not a networking exam. “NWR” stands for NetWorker. If a study resource is about switching, VLANs or routing, it was written for a different Dell exam.
D-NWR-DY-02 exam details at a glance
| Detail | What to know |
| Exam code | D-NWR-DY-02 (NetWorker Deploy) |
| Replaces | D-NWR-DY-01, the Dell NetWorker Deploy v2 exam, retired October 22, 2026 |
| Available since | October 23, 2026 |
| Delivery | Proctored at Pearson VUE test centers or online through OnVUE |
| Official practice test | Unproctored and web-based, offered by Dell |
| Credential record | Dell CertTracker, with a digital badge through Credly |
| Fee, duration, questions, passing score | Confirm on Dell’s D-NWR-DY-02 page or in Pearson VUE scheduling before you book |
All of the above comes from Dell’s NetWorker Deploy exam page. Prep sites currently publish conflicting passing scores for this exam, so treat any figure you see elsewhere as unconfirmed.
Read More: The Dell EMC Certification Path Has Changed: Your 2027 Roadmap
The 40/40/20 trap: why the old outline can mislead you
On November 5, 2026, 13 days after D-NWR-DY-02 launched, Dell’s NetWorker Deploy page still showed the retired D-NWR-DY-01 exam number and its topic weights:
| Retired D-NWR-DY-01 topic | Weight |
| NetWorker Installation and Initial Configuration | 40% |
| NetWorker Cloud Enablement | 40% |
| NetWorker and VMware (vProxy with vCenter) | 20% |
If you plan your hours from this table, you may give cloud features far more time than the new exam rewards. Several prep sites describe D-NWR-DY-02 as organized around deployment stages instead, but none links to a Dell source for it.
The safe approach is to study the full deployment lifecycle now and re-weight your plan once Dell posts the official D-NWR-DY-02 topics.
Which Dell training path fits you?
Dell’s NetWorker Deploy recommended training document lists 3 curriculum options. The document is undated and names no exam code, so check that it is the one linked from the D-NWR-DY-02 page.
| Path | What it includes | Best for |
| Option 1: on demand | 7 courses and labs: NetWorker Concepts (MR-1WP-NWFUN), Implementation (ES101DPS01760) plus lab (ES101DPS01761), Administration (ES102DPS01486) plus lab (ES102DPS01705), Cloud Enablement (MR-1WP-NWCLD) plus lab (ES101DPS01728) | Newcomers to NetWorker and self-paced learners |
| Option 2: instructor-led | Implementation (ESDPSS08361) and Administration (ESDPSS08362) classes, plus the on-demand Cloud Enablement course and lab | Storage or VMware admins who want guided lab time |
| Option 3: one combined class | Implementation and Administration (MR-1LP-NWIM), plus the on-demand Cloud Enablement course and lab | Working NetWorker admins filling gaps quickly |
Dell also names 4 reference guides it used to build the exam, all on Dell Support:
- NetWorker 19.10 Administration Guide
- NetWorker 19.10 Installation Guide
- NetWorker 19.10 Security Configuration Guide
- NetWorker and VMware 19.10 Integration Guide
Confirm whether D-NWR-DY-02 targets a newer NetWorker release before you build your lab on 19.10.
For More Information: Dell Certification Requirements by the Numbers: 3 Credential Types, $230 Exams and a 21-Day Retake Clock
Dell D-NWR-DY-02 exam preparation guide: the 4-stage study plan
This plan follows the order of a real NetWorker deployment, so your effort pays off whatever the final topic weights turn out to be.
- Confirm and self-rate. Copy Dell’s official D-NWR-DY-02 topics into a checklist. Mark each one as confident, shaky, or new, and give the “new” items the most time.
- Learn the architecture. Understand the NetWorker server, storage nodes, clients, and daemons, and the management tools (NMC and NWUI). Learn how backup data flows from client to device.
- Deploy in a lab. Install, license, and secure NetWorker. Then configure devices, policies, and VMware protection. The checklist below covers this stage.
- Validate and troubleshoot. Run backups and restores, intentionally cause failures, and fix them using the logs. Then sit Dell’s practice test and revisit any topic you missed.
Steady weekly lab sessions work better than cramming. Deployment exams reward people who have installed and repaired the product.
Readiness checklist: 10 tasks to complete before you book
If you can do all ten in a lab without notes, you are close to ready:
- Install the NetWorker server, NMC and NWUI.
- License NetWorker.
- Configure authentication for local and external users.
- Add client resources for the systems you protect.
- Create a backup device (disk or Data Domain).
- Build a protection policy with a workflow, action and group.
- Run a backup and read its status and logs.
- Recover data to the original and to a different location.
- Deploy vProxy and register vCenter, then back up a virtual machine.
- Diagnose a failed backup, fix it and record what you changed.
Switching from D-NWR-DY-01 prep?
| Your situation | What to do |
| Passed D-NWR-DY-01 before October 22, 2026 | Check your credential status in CertTracker |
| Studied for D-NWR-DY-01 but did not sit it | Keep your lab skills and re-map your notes once Dell publishes the D-NWR-DY-02 topics |
| Bought D-NWR-DY-01 practice material | Ask the provider whether it now covers D-NWR-DY-02; old-outline material may miss new topics |
| New to NetWorker | Start with Option 1, beginning with the NetWorker Concepts course |
Verdict
- Experienced NetWorker admin: take Option 3, run the 10-task checklist, then book once Dell’s practice test feels comfortable.
- New to NetWorker: take Option 1 from the Concepts course onward, and budget the most time for stage 3.
- Studying from D-NWR-DY-01 material: keep your lab skills, but do not let the old 40/40/20 weights decide where your hours go.
FAQs
Can I still take D-NWR-DY-01?
No. Dell retired it on October 22, 2026, and all scheduling and delivery had to finish by then. D-NWR-DY-02 is the current exam.
What is the D-NWR-DY-02 passing score and duration?
Use Dell’s D-NWR-DY-02 exam page or the Pearson VUE scheduling flow for both. Prep sites publish conflicting passing scores, so do not rely on a third-party number.
How much does the D-NWR-DY-02 exam cost?
Check the current fee when you schedule through Pearson VUE or on Dell’s exam page. If you are also buying training, Dell’s Learn All subscription includes one Proven Professional exam voucher.
Can I take D-NWR-DY-02 online?
Yes. Dell’s skills certification exams are proctored at Pearson VUE test centers or online through OnVUE.
Which NetWorker version should I study?
Dell’s training document lists NetWorker 19.10 guides as references. Confirm on Dell’s D-NWR-DY-02 page whether the new exam targets a later release.
Is D-NWR-DY-02 hard?
It is hardest for people without hands-on NetWorker time. Candidates who can complete the 10-task checklist in a lab usually find the content familiar; candidates who only read about NetWorker usually struggle with deployment scenarios.
