Everyone who works in any field of IT knows how quickly things change. It's a cliché, but we're constantly faced with this. Manufacturers are constantly developing, which the operator side must then follow.
The now significantly revamped CCNA certification was originally introduced by Cisco in 1998 and remains one of the most well-known and widely accepted industry certifications to this day. In the 22 years that have passed – a particularly long time in IT terms – we have seen several updates to the curriculum and the content and weighting of the associated international exam, following changing trends.
Now, however, a more significant modification has arrived: the entire training system is changing, and the possibilities for advancing between the individual certification levels are becoming simpler. As the technological side is updated, it is also worth reviewing our teaching/learning methods. Therefore, instead of the 2×5-day (ICND1, ICND2) classroom training in the system that has been in operation so far, we will encounter a five-day CCNA 1.0 curriculum (yes, the version numbering has also restarted).
There was overlap in the previous 10 days of material, the change in content meant that in addition to the appearance of new topics, older ones were also eliminated, so half the time spent on intensive learning was not enough (5 days instead of 10 days), so in the end the official position became 5 + 3 days. The 5 classroom days – spent with an instructor – are supplemented by 3 days of “self-study”, self-training, learning and practicing according to your own schedule.
The most important topics continue to be obtaining stable network foundations (the wireless topic has also returned), and the confident use of IPv4 and IPv6 protocols. In addition to operating IP services, the material also includes network security basics, and virtualization, automation, and programmability, which are winking towards CCNP certification.
Cisco's clear goal is to demonstrate that by obtaining the new CCNA certification, we have a particularly broad, stable theoretical and practical foundation in the concepts and tools that appear in today's modern systems.
Of course, the knowledge we have acquired so far will not be lost, our live certifications will remain valid for the usual three-year period.
The new CCNA exam code 200-301 is now available, and the requirements have not changed. For perfect preparation, the Training360 training center offers several options. In addition to the official classroom - LVC (Live Virtual Classroom) format, we have prepared the full 5+3-day e-learning curriculum - including the self-study chapters - which is also available in a lab environment.