In this section, I will explain the New CCNA 200-301 certification program, what are the major changes in the new CCNA syllabus, comparison between earlier CCNA and the new CCNA 200-301 certification program, an overview of the new CCNA syllabus, and how to prepare and pass new CCNA 200-301 exam.
What is new about CCNA 200-301 exam
CCNA 200-301 is a new certification exam offered by Cisco with some modification in its old CCNA curriculum and is launched on 24 Feb 2020. It is the associate level certification program conducted by Cisco. CCNA certification is the initial step to begin your career in the IT industry. It is one of the popular certifications preferred by reputed IT companies all over the world in computer networking infrastructure. CCNA curriculum has undergone many changes over the years to keep pace with the rapid growth of the IT industry and maintain excellence with the latest technology.
The earlier CCNA has many different tracks and the individual has the option to choose one or more tracks to begin the career in the specific area of interest.
The old CCNA curriculum comprises of different tracks.
- CCNA Cloud
- CCNA Collaboration
- CCNA Data Center
- CCNA Industrial
- CCNA Routing and Switching
- CCNA Service Provider
- CCNA Wireless
- CCDA (Cisco Certified Design Associate)
However, old CCNA certification tracks were replaced by a single comprehensive New CCNA v1.o 200-301 certification program. Now, you need to pass only one exam to acquire a CCNA certification.
The new CCNA syllabus has undergone drastic modification and up-gradation according to the latest technology and industry demand. Some old topics were removed, whereas new topics based on the latest technology were added to meet the growing needs of the IT industry requirement.
Let us look at what has been modified in the new CCNA curriculum.
Comparison between old CCNA and New CCNA 200-301 program
- Previous CCNA certifications with different tracked are consolidated into a single CCNA v1.0 200-301 exam.
- The new CCNA exam came alive on 24 Feb 2020.
- No prerequisites required for new CCNA, however, you must have a fundamental knowledge of computer networking.
- The fundamental topics like OSI model, Frame, VTP, switch Stack, EIGRP, RIP v2, OSPF v3, Inter-VLAN routing, PPP, MLPPP, PPPoE, GRE, BGP, etc. have been removed from the new CCNA track.
- The new syllabus includes topics on network fundamentals, network access, IP connectivity, IP services, security fundamentals, automation, and programmability.
- The new CCNA exam will be of a duration of 120 minutes.
- The candidates who had completed the earlier CCNA/CCDA exam before 24 Feb 2020, will be awarded a new CCNA 200-301 certification and a training batch in the respective technology area.
Overview of New CCNA 200-301 syllabus
The earlier CCNA covers networking topics in different tracks such as routing and switching, service provider, data centre, collaboration, etc. However, new CCNA programs cover all the different tracks of earlier topics in a single certification. The new CCNA syllabus includes network fundamentals, network access, IP connectivity, IP services, security fundamentals, automation, and programmability.
The PDF copy of the complete syllabus of the new CCNA 200-301 exam can be downloaded from Cisco official website.
Click here to download New CCNA 200-301 syllabus (Source: Cisco Official Download Link).
The core topics of the new CCNA 200-301 certification program comprises 6 modules.
- Network Fundamentals
- Network Access
- IP Connectivity
- IP Services
- Security Fundamentals
- Automation and Programmability
Module 1: Network fundamentals
The network fundamentals cover the topics on working of network components such as routers, switches, Nextgen firewalls, IPS(Intrusion Prevention System), endpoint devices, servers, and Cisco DNA (Digital Network Architecture) controllers, and WLC (Wireless LAN Controller). It also includes the 2 tier, 3 tier network architecture, TCP and UDP, Basics of IPv4, and IP v6. The topics covered in model 1 (Network fundamentals) as per the new CCNA curriculum by Cisco are as under.
Module 2: Network Access
Module 2 covers various topics on network access. The concept of VLANs, layer 2 discovery protocol such as CDP and LLDP, Ether-channel, and Spanning Tree Protocol are included in module 2. The detailed syllabus of module 2 (Network Access) as per the New CCNA curriculum is as under.
Module 3: IP Connectivity
Module 3 covers the detailed study of the IP routing table and its components like routing protocol codes, netmask, prefix, administrative distance, routing protocol metric. etc. The IP connectivity module also includes IPV4 and IPV6 routing and OSPF v2.
Module 4: IP Services
Module 4 explains various aspects of IP services such as NAT ( Network Address Translation), DNS, DHCP, SNMP, SSH, TFTP/FTP, etc. The detailed syllabus of IP Services is mentioned below.
Module 5: Security Fundamentals
Module 5 is dedicated to Security Fundamentals. It covers the topics on network security concepts such as threats, vulnerabilities, exploits, and mitigation techniques, password policies, access control lists, VPNs, layer 2 security features, and the study of wireless security protocols like WPA, WPA2, WPA3, etc. The detailed syllabus is as under.
Module 6: Automation and Programmability
The new CCNA 200-301 curriculum introduces the concept of automation and programmability. It covers the topics like the impact of automation on network management, the concept of controller-based network, software-defined architecture, characteristic Rest based APIs, and various configuration management tools, and many more. The detailed syllabus is as under.
How to pass the new CCNA 200-301 Exam
CCNA 200-301 is an online exam carried out by the Cisco Authorized Test centre all over the world. To take the exam you need to follow the process below:
- Create a login account at https://pearsonvue.com. If you are already a registered user, you can simply log in with your existing User ID and password.
- Select the certification i.e. CCNA 200-301 and register for the required exam. You have to pay the required registration fee for the said exam from the VUE website.
- Take the exam.
Exam Pattern (CCNA 200-301)
| Duration of Exam |
|
| Languages available | English, Japanese |
| Number of questions | 95 to 105 questions |
| Question Pattern |
|
| Exam Fees | $195 /- |
| Qualifying Marks | 825 out of 1000 |
Pre-requisite and Basic Knowledge required for CCNA 200-301
- You must have a basic knowledge of computer.
- Must be familiar with the latest version of the operating system and its navigation.
- You should know how to use the internet.
- Basic knowledge of computer networking fundamentals.
- One or more years of experience of work in computer networking devices and must be familiar with the handling of Cisco devices.
To qualify for the test, you need to score more than 75 % of the total. Results are declared instantly and you will get a temporary printed copy of the certification. The original certificate will be sent to your correspondence address through courier.
How to prepare for the new CCNA 200-301 exam
Before, attempting the CCNA exam, you must thoroughly prepare for the said exam. Because, once you register for the exam, the amount you have paid for the said exam will not be refundable, whether you pass the exam or not. For the next attempt, you again have to pay and register for the exam. Hence instead of losing your hard-earned money, please be sure, you are fully prepared before taking the exam.
There are various methods for preparing for the exam.
- Offline CCNA course for company or institution
Various offline classroom courses and boot camps are conducted by the IT institution. Go for the right ones with a well-organized lab environment for hands-on practice and having experienced faculties.
- Self-study and online courses
If you opt for self-study, there are various online courses that are also abundantly available on the internet by paying a small amount or even free.
Conclusion
I hope this article helps you to understand the new CCNA 200-301 certification exam in detail. In this section, I will discuss the networking basics that you must know before taking the CCNA course.
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