CCNA 200-301 is Cisco's associate-level networking certification. It covers the fundamentals of switching, routing, IP services, security, and automation, and it rewards practice over memorisation.
The six domains
- Network fundamentals (topologies, cabling, IPv4 and IPv6 addressing).
- Network access (VLANs, trunking, EtherChannel, wireless).
- IP connectivity (routing tables, OSPF, static routes, first-hop redundancy).
- IP services (NAT, DHCP, NTP, DNS, QoS).
- Security fundamentals (device hardening, access control lists, VPN concepts).
- Automation and programmability (REST APIs, configuration management, controller-based networking).
Subnetting is non-negotiable
Subnetting shows up across the whole exam, not in one section. Drill it until you can convert masks to host counts and derive network, broadcast, and range addresses in seconds. A few minutes of practice every day beats a single long session.
Practise on real devices or a simulator
Configuration questions assume you know the commands. Build small labs: two switches and a router, a VLAN with a trunk, a static route, then OSPF between routers. Reading a command is not the same as typing it under exam pressure.
Suggested study routine
- Week 1-2: Network fundamentals and subnetting drills.
- Week 3-4: Switching and network access, with labs.
- Week 5: Routing and IP services.
- Week 6: Security and automation, then timed practice exams.
Book the exam only when you can consistently pass full-length practice runs and explain why each wrong answer is wrong.
