Huawei HCIP-Datacom Certifications Retired in 2026: Official Replacement Exam H12-831

Huawei has officially announced the End of Marketing (EOM) and End of Service (EOS) schedule for several HCIP-Datacom certification tracks. This update directly impacts candidates planning Datacom certifications in 2025–2026 and beyond. If you are currently preparing for HCIP-Datacom exams - or already hold one of these certifications - here's what you need to know and how to plan your next step.

HCIP-Datacom Certifications Ending in 2026

According to the official notice from Huawei, the following HCIP-Datacom certification products will be retired:

Certifications to Be Retired

●HCIP-Datacom - Network Automation Developer

●HCIP-Datacom - SD-WAN Planning and Deployment

●HCIP-Datacom - Enterprise Network Solution Design

●HCIP-Datacom - WAN Planning and Deployment

Key Dates

End of Marketing (EOM): March 30, 2026 

(Last date to register or schedule new exams) 

End of Service (EOS): September 30, 2026 

(Exams stop completely; no service delivery) 

Maximum Certificate Validity: Until September 30, 2029

Important: Certificates already earned remain valid throughout their original validity period, even after EOS.

Official Replacement Certification: HCIP-Datacom – Advanced Routing & Switching Technology (H12-831)

Huawei has clearly defined a unified replacement path for all retiring HCIP-Datacom tracks.

Recommended Alternative

H12-831 is now the official and recommended successor exam for HCIP-Datacom candidates.

Recertification & Transition Rules (Very Important)

Huawei has also published clear transition and recertification policies:

Certificates Remain Valid

All HCIP-Datacom certificates earned before EOS remain valid until their expiration date.

Automatic Certificate Upgrade Option

After EOS, if you:

●Pass HCIP-Datacom - Core Technology, or

●Pass HCIP-Datacom - Advanced Routing & Switching Technology (H12-831)

You will be granted the HCIP-Datacom - Advanced Routing & Switching Technology certificate, and future renewals will follow the H12-831 recertification rules.

Core Technology Exam Only

If you only pass the Core Technology exam after EOS:

●Your written exam result remains valid

●You may still complete another Datacom track within the validity period to earn a certificate

Single Exam (Non-Core) = Risk

If you pass only one non-core exam and do not complete certification before EOS:

●That exam result becomes invalid

●Huawei strongly recommends completing certification before September 30, 2026

Best Long-Term Choice

Huawei officially advises candidates to select HCIP-Datacom – Advanced Routing & Switching Technology (H12-831) as the primary certification path moving forward.

What Should Candidates Do Now?

If you are preparing in 2025–2026:

●Finish your current HCIP-Datacom track before EOS, or

●Switch early to H12-831 for long-term relevance

If you are starting fresh:

●Skip retiring tracks

●Go directly for HCIP-Datacom - Advanced Routing & Switching Technology (H12-831)

If you already hold an HCIP-Datacom certificate:

●No immediate action required

●Plan future renewals based on H12-831

Huawei's decision to consolidate HCIP-Datacom tracks reflects a stronger focus on advanced routing and switching skills, aligning with enterprise network evolution and real-world deployment needs.