Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

CCNA or Cisco Certified Network Associate is an entry-level IT certification issued by Cisco after clearing the CCNA 200-301 exam. This certification validates a person's knowledge of networking fundamentals.

Among many Cisco Certifications, Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) lays the foundation for understanding its products' functioning and networking basics. It validates essential knowledge for designing, implementing, and managing Cisco networks.

In this guide, we will understand what CCNA is, look at the exam details, and the syllabus. We will also cover the career aspect, such as jobs and salaries of CCNA professionals, in this article.

What is CCNA?

Cisco's CCNA certification is the best entry-level networking certification. It validates a professional knowledge of basic networking concepts and allows them to explore networking job roles such as network engineer, network specialist, and network expert.

To become a Cisco Certified Network Associate, individuals must pass the 200-301 certification exam, which tests the candidate's knowledge of networking concepts like networking fundamentals, LAN and WAN, network security, IP addressing, routing and switching, and many more.

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A CCNA-certified professional has the skills and knowledge to set up, manage, fix, and troubleshoot small to medium-level networks.

After CCNA certification, you can go for specialty certification in the domains of security, enterprise, data center, collaboration, and wireless domains. The candidate can choose more advanced Cisco certifications such as the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) or the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE).

CCNA Exam Details

● Exam Name: Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions

● Exam Code: 200-301 CCNA

● Duration: 120 minutes

● Number of Questions: Approximately 100 (between 90-110)

● Passing Score: Variable, typically around 750-850 out of 1000

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CCNA Exam Syllabus

The CCNA certification exam syllabus contains the following subjects:

1. Network Fundamentals

2. Network Access

3. IP Connectivity

4. IP Services

5. Security Fundamentals

6. Automation and Programmability

The CCNA syllabus starts with network fundamentals that will tell you the different types of components used in a network, with their roles and function details. And then followed by other course topics with detailed lectures and lab practicals.

Network Fundamentals

This CCNA course topic will include all the fundamental skills and knowledge required to set up small to medium-sized networks.

Such as components of networks and their roles, topology designs of networks, different types of physical devices and cabling types, identification of cable and interface issues, TCP to UDP comparison, IPv4 and IPv6 addressing and subnetting configuration, and verification, need of IPv4 and IPv6 addressing, wireless principles, virtualization, and switching concepts.

Network Access

The network access topic will cover VLAN configuration and verification, inter-switch connectivity configuration and verification, layer 2 discovery protocols configuration and verification, EtherChannel configuration and verification, the need for spanning tree protocol and its operations, Cisco wireless architecture, WLAN components, AP, and WLC management access connections.

IP Connectivity

The IP connectivity topic will cover components of the routing table, how a router makes a forwarding decision, IPv4 and IPv6 static routing configuration and verification, OSPFv2 configuration and verification, and first-hop redundancy protocol.

IP Services

The IP services course topic will cover the configuration and verification of NAT, NTP operation, the roles of DHCP and DNS in a network, SNMP functions, use of syslog features, configuration and verification of DHCP client, configuration of network devices for remote access, and the function of FTP in the network.

Security Fundamentals

This course topic will cover security concepts, security program elements, device access control configuration, security password policy elements, remote access, site-to-site VPNs, access control list configuration and verification, layer 2 security features configuration, wireless security protocols, and WLAN configuration.

Automation and Programmability

The topic will cover automation impacts on network management, controller-based networking, and a JSON-encoded data overview.

Is CCNA Worth It?

This is the edge of cloud and virtualization, so this question may arise in your mind. To prove the worthiness of the CCNA certification, you can check the various parameters as given below:

Still, this is known as the first step of certification towards an IT career – The Cisco CCNA is the basic level foundational course that provides routing and switching, subnetting, IP services, IP addressing, network security, OSI model skills, and knowledge.

This CCNA certification is not avoidable before entering an IT networking career. These skills and knowledge are required to be a professional network engineer, cloud engineer, network specialist, or Cybersecurity specialist.

Job opportunities after CCNA: There are tons of job opportunities available in IT for CCNA-certified professionals. The certified people may apply for technical support engineer, help desk engineer, system engineer, network administrator, IT manager, senior network engineer, network security engineer, and network security specialist.

Attractive salary: CCNA certification also allows for getting an attractive salary. As a network engineer, you can get up to 6 lac per year.

Globally accepted certification: CCNA is a globally accepted certification. Its reputation is very high in the IT industry. It proves your skills in networking.

Various career paths: CCNA certification not only opens opportunities for networking careers, but it opens doors for multiple career paths such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, defense, space, virtualization, etc.

How to Get CCNA Certification?

There are several steps you can take to prepare for the Cisco CCNA certification exam and get CCNA certification on your first attempt:

1. Familiarize yourself with the exam content and format: The CCNA exam covers a wide range of topics. You can find more information about the exam content and format on the Cisco CCNA certification page.

2. Use official Cisco training resources: Cisco offers a range of training resources to help you prepare for the CCNA exam. These resources are instructor-led courses, e-learning courses, and self-study materials.

All these Cisco resources are designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the exam content and help you develop the knowledge and skills you need to pass the exam.

3. Practice with hands-on exercises: Hands-on experience is an important part of preparing for the CCNA 200-301 exam. You can practice your skills by setting up a virtual lab environment for CCNA and working through exercises and lab tasks. 

There are many online resources, such as practice exams and simulations, that you can use to test your knowledge and prepare for the exam.

4. Use third-party study materials: In addition to official Cisco resources, there are many third-party study materials, such as books, CCNA training videos, practice exams, and study guides, that can help you prepare for the CCNA exam. These materials can provide additional practice questions and resources to help you understand the exam content.

Overall, the key to preparing for the 200-301 CCNA exam is to be consistent and disciplined in your studies. By setting aside dedicated time to study and practice and using a variety of resources to help you learn, you can increase your chances of success on the exam.