Are you thinking about how to clear your CCNA 200-301exam? If not, were you planning to appear for the exam? If yes, but you don’t know exactly what you should do, which source to prefer and don’t know all about CCNA exam right????
But don’t you worry guys. We are here to solve all your problems!!
All you have to do is just go through the below mentioned blog and let your one step ahead to your brighter future!!!
Table of content
● What is CCNA?
● What are CCNA prerequisites?
● How many CCNA exams are there?
● How much does the CCNA exam cost?
● What is the question format?
● What is the passing score required?
● Does the CCNA certificate expire?
● Is the CCNA worth it?
● How much would you expect when you get your CCNA certificate?
● How difficult is the CCNA exam?
● How to register for the CCNA exam?
● What resources do you need to pass the CCNA exam?
● How to pass this exam?
● Tips for CCNA preparation
● Conclusion
CCNA stands for Cisco certified network associate. It is provided by Cisco. Obtaining this certificate will prove that you have the core knowledge and the hands-on experience to work as a network administrator.
To test your knowledge and skills regarding network access, network fundamentals, automation and programmability, this exam is conducted.
Similar to many other certificates out there, there are no prerequisites to take the exam.
Cisco recommends that you have one or many years of experience implementing and working with Cisco solutions. They also recommend that you have a basic knowledge of IP addressing as well as you have a good understanding of network fundamentals.
There is only one exam that you need to take which is CCNA 200-301.
This is the only exam that you need to take. If you pass this exam you will get your CCNA certificate.
The exam will cost you only three hundred dollars
The exam duration is 120 minutes, that is two hours.
You would expect to get from 100 to 120 questions.
The Cisco exam is not like security plus and all the other exams out there. You can go back to the questions, so you can skip the questions that you don’t know and can go back to it later, but in cisco exam you can’t. Whenever you pass that question you can’t get back to it again but also it is doable.
Most of the questions that you will get will be multiple choice questions and drag and drop questions. Many questions are basically running a command, they will run a command for you.
For example- let’s say show an IP route and they will ask a question about that and will give you the options. Sometimes it’s going to be a single answer, sometimes it’s going to be multiple answers.
Cisco will give each a different passing score, however this score will be from 800 to 850. It’s not going to be higher than 850 and it’s going to be lower than 800.
The way Cisco grades you, they will start you with 300 points right away before you even start your exams and then you will be building from there. Another thing to mention is how you would know what the needed score for you to pass.
Before you even start your exam, they will give you some instructions and it will tell you what your passing score is.
Yes, unfortunately it does expire. You can renew it within every 3 years.
Yes, this certificate is definitely worth it for many reasons.
This is one of the things that tells you that this certificate is worth it. It’s only one certificate but it is going to open many doors for you. According to Glassdoor the average CCNA salary in the United States is $72,381.
You can also look up your country, all you need to do is just write CCNA and after that choose your country and it will tell you what the average salary is for CCNA in your country.
You yourself can answer this question. You are the only one who decides how difficult this exam could be. If you prepare the right way this exam won’t be difficult at all.
Don’t let anyone discourage you as there are many people out there, the first thing they will tell you is that this exam is so difficult and there is no way that you are going to get that certificate.
Sometimes they really don’t mean to discourage you but they want to feel accomplished by telling everyone how difficult it was and how challenging it was and they finally made it. Don’t let that stress you out.
I believe that everything is possible in life. It’s just how much work you are willing to put into it and as willing to put into it.
All you need to do is –
a. Go to Pearson and create an account.
b. After that look up CCNA 200-301 when you find the exam, you have to add it to your card.
c. You have to buy a voucher for the exam which is $300.
d. After that you can schedule your exam.
For the resources you need to buy the CCNA 200-301 official search guide volume one and volume two. You can find them on amazon, the kindle version will cost you around twenty dollars.
If you want to go for the hardcover that’s more expensive you would pay around $37 for volume one and $34 for volume two.
There is a website called o’reilly. They have a good piece of material all related to this course.
Similar to security plus, similar to many other certificates out there you need to be familiar with the wording of the questions because it doesn’t matter how knowledge you have on the field, they can trick you with some questions.
There are many questions that you think you know the answer for but the way they work the question is going to throw you off. So you should go and look for practice questions for the CCNA. If you just Google it there are many practice questions out there for this CCNA.
Tips for CCNA exam preparation-
Conclusion
So, if you want to pass your exam, go through the resources and do your own research.
You look for things that work for you. Stay committed if you really want to make it, you have to be committed, and you have to study, give yourself a minimum of three hours every day.
Not only that network should be everything in your life when you are in your car listening to some networking podcast, when you are at home and instead of watching, play any YouTube videos about networking on your TV.
So you have to go to the level!!!!!
From the time you decide to enter the world of Network and Security, the one thing that will definitely come under your vision is to achieve the CCNA certification. But is that all enough to get the designation or desired job profile in the field?
Guess Not! The biggest obstacle comes when you land on the belt of reality- the Interview.
The round where only the best of the best get the chance to move ahead and grab the chair with the credibility and trust of employers.
Preparing for a job is incomplete if you haven’t considered the preparation of CCNA interview questions with their sure and satisfying solutions. Here you can get the top 50 questions that are commonly asked in a CCNA interview question.
Q1) What is the IPX access list?
Answer: Standard, Extended
Q2) How does hold-downs work?
Answer: Its to prevent regular update message from reinstating downed by a link
Removing that link from the update message
Q3) Expand DLCI?
Answer: Data Link Connection Identifiers.
Q4) What are the types of the password used in CISCO routers?
Answer: Five types of password
Secret, virtual, Terminal, Console, Auxillary
Q5) Mention the clock rate?
Answer: Clock rate the routers or DCE to communicate appropriately.
Q6) How many types of RIP message?
Answer: Two types of message request and response.
Q7) Expand BGP?
Answer: Border Gateway Protocol.
Q8) What is the difference between the STP and RSTP?
Answer: STP to prevent the loop address; RSPT is almost the same as STP to reduce the port forwarding time.
Q9) The CISCO IOS firewall feature act as a stateful or stateless packet filter?
Answer: The CISCO IOS firewall is a stateful filter.
Q10) What are the two key features of URL filtering?
Answer: Predefined URL categories, Malware protection
Q11) Define DMZ?
Answer: Network as the inside and everything else as an outside Will be in the firewall.
Q12) What type of port is in the STP?
Answer: Root port, Designated Port, Blocking port
Q13) Expand the term MTU.
Answer: MTU stands for Maximum Transmission Control Unit.
Q14) What are the different types of memories in CISCO Router?
Answer: NVRAM, DRAM, Flash Memory
Q15) Expand the term EIGRP.
Answer: EIGRP stands for Enhanced Interior Gateway Protocol.
Q16) What Is Administrative Distance?
Answer: Administrative Distance is used for finding a trusted routing protocol.
Q17) Which router command enables IPV6?
Answer: UNICASTING ROUTING.
Q18) What are the major states in Switch?
Answer: Disabled, Blocking, Listening, Learning, Forwarding
Q16) What are the major functions of SNMPV3?
Answer: The major functions of SNMPV3 are Authentication, Encryption and Message Integrity.
Q17) Write the expanded form of NTP.
Answer: NTP stands for Network Time Protocol.
Q18) Write the command used for displaying the NVRAM contents.
Answer: The Router command used for displaying the NVRAM contents is-
SHOW START/SHOW START –CONFIG
Q19) What do you mean by the term SYSLOG?
Answer: SYSLOG is used for storing log files for popular servers.
Q20) What are the types of ACL?
Answer: STANDARD ACL, EXTENDED ACL, NAMED ACL
Q21) What are the types of VTP?
Answer: SERVER MODE, CLIENT MODE, TRANSPARENT MODE
Q22) Name the two ports of Switches.
Answer: Access Port, Trunk Port
Q23) What is the administrative distance of OSPF?
Answer: The Administrative distance of OSPF is 110.
Q24) What do you mean by Distance Vector?
Answer: Distance vector is the protocol used for sending Periodic updates after every 30 seconds.
Q25) What are the two types of cables?
Answer: Straight Cable, Cross Cable
Q26) Enlist the major functions of the Transport Layer.
Answer: Segment Fragmentation, Numbering Segment, Multi-Tasking & Flow control.
Q27) State the two types of address available.
Answer: IPV4 (Internet Protocol Version 4) & IPV6 (Internet Protocol Version 6)
Q28) What is AAA?
Answer: AAA stands for Authentication, Authorization and Accounting.
Q29) What are the different load balancing methods for VRRP?
Answer: The different load balancing methods for VRRP are: Round-Robin, Host-dependant and weighted.
Q30) Are HSRPv1 and v2 compatible?
Answer: HSRPv1 and v2 are not compatible.
Q31) What is the CISCO proprietary protocol for link aggregation?
Answer: PAgP is the CISCO proprietary protocol for link aggregation.
Q32) What is the Aging timer of the MAC address table?
Answer: The Aging timer of the MAC address table is 300s.
Q33) How many seconds is the blocking period of a switch port?
Answer: 20s is the blocking period of a switch port.
Q34) STP elects the root bridge on a basis of what?
Answer: Bridge priority is the basis to select Root Bridge.
Q35) Does VTP version 2 support Private VLANs?
Answer: No, VTP version 2 doesn’t support Private VLANs.
Q36) What is the native VLAN ID by default on a CISCO switch?
Answer: VLAN 1 the native VLAN ID by default on a CISCO switch.
Q37) Where is the VLAN configuration stored on a CISCO switch?
Answer: The VLAN configuration is stored on a CISCO switch in the “VLAN.DAT” file.
Q38) What is the default Local Preference value of a BGP router?
Answer: 100 is the default Local Preference value of a BGP router.
Q39) What is BGP’s loop prevention mechanism?
Answer: If you see your own AS number in the AS path you don’t accept it since you have a loop.
Q40) What is the External AD value for EIGRP?
Answer: The External AD value for EIGRP is 170
Q41) What is a Router ID with respect to OSPF?
Answer: Unique ID for the Router in the OSPF topology is known as the Router ID.
Q42) Which router generates LSA type 7 in OSPF?
Answer: The router that generates LSA type 7 in OSPF is ASBR.
Q43) What is AS?
Answer: AS Routers having the same administration and policy are in the same autonomous system and it indicates the same number.
Q44) What are the types of Network?
Answer: The types of Network are: Point to point, Broadcast & Non-broadcast
Q45) What is PREEMPT in HSRP?
Answer: If the active router goes down then the backup router will become active and when the active router comes up by PREEMPT command it will remain in an inactive state.
Q46) What is native VLAN?
Answer: Untagged VLANS are known as native VLANs.
Q47) What is BPDU Guard?
Answer: When an attacker is trying to send a BPDU packet with ‘0’ priority values by any tool then the port will consider it as an error invisible state. This is the working of the BPDU Guard.
Q48) How to elect Root Bridge in the switch?
Answer: These are the steps to choose Root Bridge in the switch:
Q49) What is VLAN?
Answer: VLAN is used to isolate the network or it can divide the network into a single broadcast to multiple broadcasts.
Q50) To which layer does the NetBIOS protocol belong to is the OSI model?
Answer: Session layer.
Certifications add more credibility to your resume and can make you more marketable to recruiters and managers for recruiting. They’re a perfect way to stand out from other applicants at the entry stage.
As you progress in your career, to continue your professional growth, you’ll want to consider more advanced certifications. You will know by then what specialties to concentrate on and what talents you need for your ideal career path.
Networking means building connections in ever new ways and in ever more reliable ways and repairing those links when something goes wrong. Networking certifications is not easy, which is why it has importance.
Here we will discuss about one of the most popular and globally accepted IT certification named CCNA. Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) is an associate level certification of Cisco that will prepare candidates for today’s job roles.
There is no formal prerequisite for CCNA certification exam. Through the CCNA certification, you can build your networking fundamentals strong. This certification validates the network basics, network access, IP connectivity, IP utilities, security fundamentals, and automation and programmability skills and knowledge.
Cisco CCNA provides broad range of skills and knowledge required for all IT careers. When you complete this certification you will be able to how to install, operate, configure, and verify basic IPv4 and IPv6 networks. This is very important skills required to setup basic and medium level networks in an organization.
In addition, this certification course will teach you how to configure network components such as switches, routers and wireless LAN controllers. You will also learn how to manage network devices and how to identify basic network security threats.
And finally, you will get basic concepts of network programmability, automation and SDN (software defined networking).
All these skills you can get through hands-on experience and deep theory concepts. CCNA certification training makes sure you will get in-depth concepts of network fundamentals that can prepare you for current job roles.
To become a certified CCNA, you need to pass one exam named – 200-301 CCNA.
This is 20 minutes exam that will test your skills in network fundamentals, IP connectivity, network access, internet protocol (IP) services, security basics, automation and programmability.
CCNA certification course is designed for anyone willing to do this certification. Any entry level network engineer, network administrator, network support technician, help desk technician can do CCNA certification.
Support technicians who are involved in basic network configuration, operation and verification of Cisco networks can do this certification also.
The IT industry needs all kind of resources, in all kind of roles. Only condition is that you should have related skills and knowledge. CCNA certification provides you the all required networking fundamental skills you need to build IT infrastructure to get best job in industry.
CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) is a certification from Cisco, the world’s one of the most famous company for producing and selling networking equipment. This certification guides you to become familiar with a wide range of topics, such as:
The recent exam Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) has been retired. Now at the Associate level the new CCNA, which validates a broad range of foundational information and skills. It will have just one exam covering security and networking fundamentals, as well as programmability and automation. Earlier, CCNA aspirants typically had to take multiple exams to gain one of 10 various CCNA certifications. The new CCNA exam (200-301) is now live from Feb. 24, 2020. The new CCNA has been replaced these current certifications:
Why the Changes?
For instance DevNet, Cisco’s developer program, will encompass software developers and certified network professionals in one community.
While preparing IT professionals for associate-level IT jobs, the new exam will encompass more knowledge and skills. Cisco sees the changes as incorporating software practices into networking, making one community by having developers and networker’s work together solving network issues.
Cisco will unleash new software certifications to ensure IT professionals can meet the demands for programming and automation. These innovations will further Cisco’s target of bringing network and development experts work closer together. This move reflects changes in the industry where network and automation careers are becoming closer aligned, with lot of corporation demanding this ability from IT pros.
The new exam CCNA 200-301 will be broken down in these elements:
After exam takers earn a CCNA, they can pursue various specialization ways among the Cisco Certified Specialist careers. Specialization in job roles will replace multiple certifications in the Cisco career path. IT professionals may acquire various skills needed after earning the CCNA.
Cisco hopes that the changes will inspire a lot of agility for those looking careers in IT, as the market perpetually changes and the certification processes try to keep up.
200-301 CCNA is a single exam, consisting of about 120 questions. It covers a vast range of content, like wireless networking, routing and switching, security, and even some programming concepts. As with other Cisco certifications, you’ll be able to take it at any of the Pearson VUE certification centers.
Topics Removed | |
OSI MODEL | Ethernet Frame |
Switch Stack | VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP) |
EIGRP | Inter-VLAN Routing |
OSPFv3 | RIPv2 |
PPP | MLPPP |
PPPoE | GRE |
BGP | WAN Access |
NEW CCNA 200-301 PATTERN IN EXAMINATION | |
Network Fundamentals | 20% |
Network ACCESS | 20% |
IP Connectivity | 25% |
IP Services | 10% |
Security Fundamentals | 15% |
Automation and Programmability | 10% |
Old CCNA 200-125 PATTERN IN EXAMINATION | |
Network Fundamentals | 15% |
LAN Switching Technologies | 21% |
Routing Technologies | 23% |
WAN Technologies | 10% |
Infrastructure Services | 10% |
Infrastructure Security | 11% |
Infrastructure Management | 10% |
Training
As with any certification, those looking a CCNA can improve their probabilities for achievement by enrolling in formal training that prepares them for the exam. With such important changes on the way, you’ll be able to make sure your workers are well prepared for the 2020 test by enrolling them in the right program. Some other best reasons to look formal training for the CCNA exam:
There are no formal necessities for taking the new exam. However, these are the recommendations from Cisco:
Conclusion
Cisco CCNA is the most popuar, widely accepted and demanding IT certification in the world. When you pass 200-301 CCNA exam, Cisco will reward you by the CCNA certification that can help you the most in your career.
The IT job industry is getting more crowded every day and here one of the best ways to establish yourself in the crowded IT market is with Cisco CCNA certification. If you are an IT professional or network engineer, you might be missing out a great way to enhance your career profile. Here to take the CCNA certification will help you fly high in your career with better opportunities.
IT experts always looking to increase their skills and knowledge through technology based certifications and training. A CCNA is one of the most taken and valued IT certification today and it can boost your career and take it to the next level. The majority of organizations prefers to hire skilled, certified professionals who can install, configure, manage and troubleshoot small to medium size networks.
Cisco Certified Network Associate certification validates a professional’s ability to understand, install, configure, operate, configure and troubleshoot medium size switched and routed networks. CCNA certification also includes the verification and connection implementations via a remote site using WAN.
Read Also: CCNA Certification: A Foundation That Networking Career Build Upon
Although, Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) is a foundation level certification, it still attracts a series of benefits who want to hold this certification. CCNA certification validates candidate’s particular technical skills, considerably increasing the processor’s professional credibility.
Professionals who are holding CCNA certification and who are expertise in working with networks that have fewer than 100 nodes, they have better opportunities to occupying stable job positions inside renowned and reputed IT companies. These skills, validate the candidate’s ability to work in small and medium size organizations that uses less extensive networks.
Read Also: What are Cisco CCNA, CCNP and CCIE Exam Fees in India to get Certifications?
This CCNA certification course proves candidate’s good skills and experience in installing, configuring, and operating LAN, WAN, and dial access services for less than 100 nodes based networks. CCNA routing and switching certification using technologies such as IP, IGRP, Serial, Frame Relay, VLANs, RIP, IP RIP, access list and Ethernet network protocols. IT help for installing and configuring various Cisco switches and routers in internetworks which use multiple protocols that have LAN and WAN interfaces.
This certification course helps to ensure network performance and security provides beginner level network troubleshooting services.
Job opportunities:
Cisco CCNA certification makes you solid and well skilled network engineer where this not only gives you a certificate, but it trains you in multiple technology regarding the ability to work with routed and switched networks. You may get a job as following profiles:
Read Also: Cisco CCNA R&S Training in 1 Month – Fast Track Course at UniNets
What you will learn in CCNA certification course:
Conclusion:
Opting a CCNA certification course will have a strong impact on your overall networking skills, knowledge and qualifications. CCNA certification proves the fact that the candidate is prepared for more responsibility and practical positions who can work on real time network environment. In many cases, organizations hire only CCNA certified professionals. CCNA is also acts as a prerequisite for the next level of Cisco certifications, so taking CCNA training is beneficial only, nothing more than.
CCNA certification is known as associate level of Cisco certification from where your networking career will start. It opens the door of your successful networking career, so it is called a foundation level of pillar on which you can build your successful networking career.
CCNA certification will give associate level knowledge of installation, operations and troubleshoot of enterprise network.
There are different certification courses in associate level:
Basically CCNA Routing and Switching (CCNA R&S) certification is the associate level of certification from where you can start your successful networking career. This is the certification which makes you ready to adopt your next level of skills and certification in IT industry.
Career Options for CCNA R&S Certified Engineers:
From here you can get professional level of Cisco certification (CCNP) and expert level of Cisco certification (CCIE) in routing and switching. You can also move forward to core skills to technologies like Cloud, Data Center, Wireless, Collaboration and Security. All depends on you in which direction you are interested to go.
CCNA Routing and Switching Exams:
200 – 125 CCNA (90 minutes) (60 – 70 questions)
OR
100 – 105 ICND1 (90 minutes) (45 – 55 questions)
and 200 – 105 ICND2 (90 minutes) (45 – 55 questions)
Exam Topics of 200 – 125 CCNA:
This exams tests your skills about fundamental knowledge of networks (15%), LAN switching technologies (21%), WAN technology (10%), IPV4 and IPV6 routing technology (23%), security of infrastructures (11%), services of infrastructures (10%) and infrastructure management (10%).
Topics of 100 – 105 ICND1 Exam (CCENT certification):
This exam tests your skills about network fundamentals (20%), LAN switching (26%), routing technologies (25%), and service of infrastructures (15%) and maintenance of infrastructures (14%).
Topics of 200 – 105 ICND2 Exam:
LAN switching technology (26%), Routing technology (29%), WAN technology (16%), infrastructures services (14%) and maintenance of infrastructures (15%).
You need to pass one of the above exams to get CCNA R&S certification. Either you can pass 200 – 125 CCNA exam or you can pass in 100 – 105 ICND1 first and then 200 – 105 ICND2 exam.
Prerequisite:
There is no prerequisite for CCNA routing and switching certification. Only CCENT certification is recommended.
After Certification: After getting CCNA R&S certification you will be able to install, operate and troubleshoot the small to medium level of enterprise network.
Certification Validity:
CCNA Routing and Switching certification is valid for 3 years from the date of certification issue.
Job profiles after CCNA R&S certification:
Approx Salary Package after CCNA Routing and Switching Certification in India:
CCNA R&S certified engineers may get salary package from 2,50,000 INR to 6,00,000 INR in India. This is not exact values of salary package but this is only estimated values. It may be change depending on your skills level and company profiles.
Why CCNA Certification:
Re-certification gives the best opportunity to get growth in your career.