Background Overview

D‑ISM‑FN‑23, part of Dell's Proven Professional program, certifies the candidate’s comprehensive understanding of storage infrastructure in modern data centers. It encompasses concepts integral to digital transformation, such as cloud services, edge computing, Big Data, IoT, AI/ML, and 5G, along with practical technologies like intelligent storage systems, software-defined data centers, storage networking, data protection, and storage security & management. A portion of questions relates to Dell product examples used during training to reinforce conceptual clarity.

Key Details

The exam lasts 90 minutes and features approximately 60 multiple-choice questions, with a pass score of 60%.

It was introduced as a replacement for the older DEA‑1TT5 (Associate – Information Storage and Management v5.0) exam, which retired on February 2, 2024. The new D‑ISM‑FN‑23 was launched on February 3, 2024.

Exam Topics and Weightings

*Modern Data Center Infrastructure (~18%): Topics include data classification, data center components, digital transformation technologies (Big Data, AI/ML, IoT, Edge, 5G), cloud models, and software-defined data centers.

*Storage Systems (~23%): Covers intelligent storage system components, RAID, storage provisioning, tiering, block/file/object/unified storage systems.

*Storage Networking Technologies (~19%): Focus includes SAN technologies (FC SAN), iSCSI, FCIP, FCoE, NVMe over Fabrics, and software-defined storage/networking.

*Backup, Archive, and Replication (~24%): Topics include data availability/fault tolerance techniques, backup architectures and methods, deduplication and archiving, replication and migration techniques.

*Security and Management (~16%): Addresses storage security goals and terminology, security domains, threats, and management functions and controls for storage infrastructure.

Industry and Market Impact

The D‑ISM‑FN‑23 certification equips IT professionals with validated expertise in managing modern storage infrastructures. As business operations increasingly rely on robust, scalable, and secure data storage, certification holders stand out for their readiness to support critical workloads, ensure business continuity, and safeguard infrastructure.

Recommended Preparation

Dell recommends candidates complete one of the following training courses:

Information Storage and Management v5 (On-Demand) (Course ID: ESOCMD03294)

Information Storage and Management v5 (Classroom/Virtual) (Course ID: ESOCMS03293; available from January 2022)

Additionally, practice tests, community engagement, and hands-on experience significantly reinforce exam readiness.