AVIXA ANP Exam Exam Study Guide (2026)
Everything the Audiovisual Network Professional (ANP) tests, topic by topic: what each section covers, the facts that come up most, and how to study it. Pair it with the free 15-question practice test.
The exam at a glance
| Questions | 115 four-option multiple-choice questions: 100 scored and 15 unscored pilot questions you cannot identify |
|---|---|
| Time | 150 minutes, plus a brief on-screen tutorial before and a brief survey after |
| Passing score | Scaled score of 350 on a 0 to 500 scale, set by a criterion-referenced process. The scale is fixed, so 350 is not exactly 70% of questions on every form |
| Format | Closed book; an on-screen calculator and a non-erasable note board are provided, and no references or personal calculators are allowed |
| Certifying body | AVIXA Certification Committee |
| Test provider | Pearson VUE test centers only (secure, in person; no remote option) |
Mind map: the whole exam on one screen
Read the complete AVIXA ANP Exam study notes for “Needs Analysis for AV Networks”
Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 12 minutes of reading: Defining the scope of work · Validating the technology plan and topology · Identifying functional requirements · Working with IT, a worked exam example, the traps examiners use and a one-minute recap. Create a free account to read it and see how premium notes work before you decide.
1. Needs Analysis for AV Networks
Duty A, 16 of 100 scored items: define and develop the scope of work (7), review and validate the client's technology master plan and network topology (3), and identify use expectations and functional requirements (6).
Key facts
- Start with the client's IT team: existing topology, address plan, VLANs, security policy, change control and who owns which devices.
- Client network policies, such as no multicast on the core, are constraints recorded in the scope and designed around.
- Functional requirements are measurable: resolution, frame rate, latency, number of simultaneous streams, audio channels and availability.
- The scope of work states deliverables, responsibilities (AV vs IT), assumptions and exclusions.
- Benchmarking against similar spaces and user stories helps clients express what they need.
- Decide early whether AV runs on a converged network, a separate VLAN or a physically separate network.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Look for answers that involve IT early and write requirements as numbers. Product names in a requirement are a red flag.
2. Hardware Network Topology
Duty B, 19 items: align hardware requirements (3), check infrastructure for multicast, QoS and switch energy management (4), verify switch architecture meets bandwidth (3), determine environmental and power needs (3), budget PoE (3) and validate hardware interoperability (3).
Key facts
- Add up simultaneous stream bandwidth on every link, including uplinks, and keep headroom; link aggregation balances by flow, not by packet.
- PoE allocation at the switch (PSE): Class 1 4 W, Class 2 7 W, Class 3 15.4 W, Class 4 30 W, Class 6 60 W, Class 8 90 W.
- Device-end (PD) power is lower: Class 3 13 W, Class 4 25.5 W, Class 6 51 W, Class 8 71.3 W.
- 10GBASE-SR multimode reach: about 33 m OM1, 82 m OM2, 300 m OM3, 400 m OM4. 10GBASE-LR uses single-mode to 10 km.
- Check stacking bandwidth, backplane capacity, transceiver compatibility and port count against the design.
- Environmental: heat in BTU/h (W x 3.41), fan noise near rooms, rack space, and power circuits and grounding for switches.
- Switch energy-saving features such as Energy Efficient Ethernet can disrupt time-critical AV traffic.
Flashcards
Exam tip: For any bandwidth question, multiply streams by rate, compare with the link, then check uplinks. The bottleneck is usually between switches.
3. Software Network Topology
Duty C, 15 items: align software requirements (3), set switch and port designations such as QoS, CoS, routing and IGMP snooping and querier (3), develop a traffic management strategy (3), validate software interoperability (3) and define the VLAN strategy (3).
Key facts
- IGMP snooping forwards multicast only to ports that joined the group; it needs one IGMP querier per VLAN to keep group tables current.
- Without snooping, multicast floods every port in the VLAN like broadcast.
- QoS: mark at the source (DSCP at Layer 3, CoS at Layer 2), trust the markings, and use strict priority for clock and real-time audio.
- Dante default DSCP: PTP clock CS7 (56) high priority, audio EF (46) medium; Audinate advises disabling Energy Efficient Ethernet.
- VLANs separate AV, control and user traffic; moving traffic between VLANs requires routing.
- AES67, Dante, AVB and SMPTE ST 2110 have different clocking and network needs; confirm interoperability and PTP profiles.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Multicast stopping after a few minutes points to a missing querier; multicast reaching every port points to snooping being off.
Test yourself on these topics
Take the free 15-question AVIXA ANP Exam test, then save your results to unlock your Readiness Score and the mistakes bank.
4. System Deployment
Duty D, the largest at 27 items: verify site readiness (4), test physical infrastructure (4), deploy switches and routers (3), deploy AV endpoints (3), and verify endpoint (5), primary network (5) and redundant network communications including fault state (3).
Key facts
- Confirm power, racks, cooling, dust-free rooms and existing network access before deployment.
- Certify copper and fiber to the category or link limits the application needs; continuity alone does not prove performance.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Deployment questions often describe a symptom. Map it to a layer: cabling, port and VLAN, addressing, then multicast and QoS.
5. Verifying System Performance
Duty E, 13 items: validate system functions against the initial design requirements (5), verify stability over time and load (4) and demonstrate to the client that the system performs to the design requirements (4).
Key facts
- Verification is measured against the documented requirements, so each requirement needs a test and a pass criterion.
- Soak tests run all streams at design load for an extended period while logging packet loss, errors and dropouts.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Convert latency requirements in frames to milliseconds before comparing. Most errors come from using the wrong frame rate.
6. Project Closeout and Risk
Duty F, 10 items: finalize AV network documentation such as configurations, passwords, hardware, IP addresses, performance results and manuals (4), train end users by skill level (3) and identify and communicate risks and vulnerabilities in the deployed design (3).
Key facts
- Closeout documentation includes switch configurations, IP and VLAN tables, firmware versions, hardware lists, test results and manuals.
- Change default credentials and hand them to the owner securely under the client's policy.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Security findings at closeout are reported with recommendations, not ignored because the system works.
How to pass
- Hardware topology (19 items) and software topology (15 items) together are about a third of the exam: switching, bandwidth, PoE budgets, transceivers, VLANs, QoS and IGMP.
- System deployment is the largest single duty at 27 items, with 13 of them on verifying that endpoint, primary and redundant network communications work as designed.
- Expect arithmetic: stream bandwidth against link capacity, PoE class budgets and latency in frames. 115 questions in 150 minutes is about 78 seconds each.
- Retest after 30 days at US$150, up to two retests, then a 90-day wait. The exam authorization is valid for 120 days from approval.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I study for the AVIXA ANP Exam exam?
Most working candidates need 4 to 8 weeks at 45 to 60 minutes a day. Book your exam once your Readiness Score has stayed at 80 or higher for about a week.
Can I take the AVIXA ANP Exam exam online?
BICSI's v15 handbook describes the RCDD exam at Pearson VUE test centers, not remote proctoring. Format: closed book; an on-screen calculator and a non-erasable note board are provided, and no references or personal calculators are allowed. Check pearsonvue.com/bicsi for the options in your country.
What score do I need to pass the AVIXA ANP Exam exam?
Scaled score of 350 on a 0 to 500 scale, set by a criterion-referenced process. The scale is fixed, so 350 is not exactly 70% of questions on every form. The exam has 115 four-option multiple-choice questions: 100 scored and 15 unscored pilot questions you cannot identify and a time limit of 150 minutes, plus a brief on-screen tutorial before and a brief survey after.
What are the most tested topics?
The outline covers needs analysis for av networks, hardware network topology, software network topology, system deployment, verifying system performance, project closeout and risk. Use the free practice test to see which ones you need most.
The premium AVIXA ANP Exam study path
Premium AVIXA ANP Exam prep is studied one topic at a time. Each step starts with that topic's key notes and flashcard deck, then its own question sets of 25, so you master one topic before you move to the next. When every topic is strong, the 6 full mock exams show you're ready.
Your step-by-step study path
- 1Needs Analysis for AV Networks10 key notes, 135 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Notes free with an account
- 2Hardware Network Topology10 key notes, 135 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Premium
- 3Software Network Topology10 key notes, 135 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Premium
- 4System Deployment10 key notes, 135 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Premium
- 5Verifying System Performance10 key notes, 130 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Premium
- 6Project Closeout and Risk10 key notes, 130 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Premium
- Final step: 6 full mock exams115 questions each, timed like test day. Pass them, then book your exam.Premium
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- 3,000 practice questions + 6 full mock exams per exam
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- Spaced repetition + mistakes bank
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- Video lessons as they release
- Content updates during your access
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Renews once a year until you cancel. We email you before each renewal. Cancel any time from your account; you keep access until the end of the year you've paid for.
Summarized from BICSI's official candidate information and the rules cited, checked October 2026. Confirm current requirements with AVIXA Certification Committee.