Prepare for the CCNA 200-301 exam with this guide preview
Here's a sneak peek at what to expect from Cisco's redesigned CCNA exam directly from 'CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide, Volume 1' by author Wendell Odom.
In an era of immense networking transformation and reminiscence, Cisco's new Cisco Certified Network Associate, or CCNA, exam hits both marks.
The redesigned CCNA 200-301 exam -- rolling out Feb. 24, 2020 -- will test engineers on a solid combination of old and new materials, according to Cisco author Wendell Odom. The new exam contains material similar to an updated CCNA Routing and Switching exam, Odom said, though it is now simply called CCNA.
Wendell Odom
Odom has written every CCNA Official Cert Guide since Cisco first introduced the guides, and his newest, two-volume set begins with CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide, Volume 1. The first volume -- available Sept. 27 -- discusses the latest changes to the CCNA curriculum regarding networking fundamentals, IP routing, Ethernet and wireless LANs.
Below is a chapter excerpt from the guide: "Chapter 17: IP Routing in the LAN." This chapter focuses on several fundamental topics found in prior CCNA exams, highlighting the exam's mix of both transformation and tradition. The chapter includes three main sections for different virtual LAN routing methods:
- VLAN routing with 802.1Q trunks;
- with a Layer 3 switch using switched virtual interfaces; and
- with a Layer 3 switch using routed interfaces.
Click to learn more about this book.While this CCNA 200-301 section covers material from previous versions of the CCNA Routing and Switching exam -- now dubbed Enterprise at higher certification levels -- the material may be new to those certified in other, former CCNA tracks. However, this foundational knowledge is a solid starting point for anyone who wants to gain more experience and a higher-ranked certification.
In the months leading up to the CCNA 200-301 exam rollout, Odom suggested network pros study for the exam a little bit every day instead of cramming large chunks on a single day. One available resource can be found in the cert guides, in which each chapter offers a quiz at the start to test the reader's current knowledge of each topic.
Explore 'CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide, Volume 1'
Click here to read "Chapter 17: IP Routing in the LAN."
The new CCNA 200-301 exam encompasses both the old and the new in a streamlined way, and Odom delves into everything engineers need to know in the CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guides, Volumes 1 and 2. Volume 2 -- which will cover security, automation, architecture and IP services -- will be available in December.
