The CCNA modified my life. This isn’t exaggeration or hyperbole. It began again in 2001, proper right here in Ottawa, Canada. I used to be instructing highschool pc science (Visible Primary!) and net design (Macromedia!) when Cisco Networking Academy approached our faculty board to see if we might be desirous about becoming a member of their fledgling program.
I knew nothing about networking then, however the of us at Cisco Networking Academy defined that they might ship me to courses to be taught and earn one thing referred to as the CCNA. Little did I do know that this choice would begin an unbelievable journey with Cisco.
I used to be despatched again to highschool to learn the way routers and switches work, the right way to terminate Ethernet cables, the right way to subnet, and what ISDN and Body Relay had been used for. To organize for CCNA certification, I learn Cisco Press books, reviewed the Networking Academy’s CCNA content material, took observe exams, and constructed labs on 2501 routers and 1924 switches the college had purchased. (No, Packet Tracer wasn’t round again then!)
I ultimately took the CCNA examination in 2002. I used to be nervous, however I felt able to attempt my luck. Like a lot of you beginning your CCNA journey, this was my first time taking a certification examination.
The examination had so many inquiries to reply in such a brief period of time—multiple-choice, lab simulations, drag-and-drops—it had all of it. And there was no again button! Once I lastly clicked “Finish Examination” and noticed the “Congratulations” message, I used to be surprised, thrilled, and so proud.
Passing the CCNA and the Networking Academy teacher coaching meant I’d develop into a Cisco Licensed Academy Teacher (CCAI), entitled to start out instructing my highschool college students about Cisco networking. This was manner higher than instructing them Visible Primary!
That one choice again in 2001 opened so many doorways for me. A couple of years later, I turned a Cisco Licensed Methods Teacher (CCSI) approved to offer CCNA and CCNP coaching with a Cisco Studying Companion.
Over the previous few years, I’ve introduced at many Cisco conferences and achieved Distinguished Speaker standing throughout a number of Cisco Stay occasions in Melbourne, Amsterdam, and Las Vegas.
I’m now a Cisco Press creator, I’ve helped develop Cisco course content material like Implementing Cisco Enterprise Superior Routing and Providers (ENARSI) and Implementing Cisco SD-WAN Options (ENSDWI), and I work for Cisco as an teacher and lead content material advocate in Studying & Certifications.
I by no means might have predicted the impression that call in 2001 would have on my future, however I do know that I’m not alone. So many others have skilled the ability of a Cisco certification, with the CCNA standing the check of time since its launch greater than 20 years in the past.
This brings us to the most recent iteration of this foundational networking certification: the 200-301 CCNA v1.1 examination replace. It can arrive on August 20, 2024, marking the primary change to the examination in 4 years.
Cisco publicizes 200-301 CCNA v1.1 examination replaceÂ
In April 2024, Cisco Studying & Certifications introduced a minor 200-301 CCNA examination replace. This meant we would have liked to replace the CCNA v2.0 Studying Path you see on Cisco U. (and in addition taught by our Studying Companions) to align with the up to date CCNA v1.1 examination. Over the previous few months, it’s been my privilege to steer this effort and guarantee we get the replace executed earlier than the brand new examination goes stay on August 20, 2024.
I’m comfortable to substantiate that the brand new CCNA v2.1 Studying Path can be out there in Cisco U. beginning July 26, 2024.
So, what’s new within the CCNA 2.1 Studying Path?
Whereas we had been updating the content material to align with the brand new 200-301 CCNA v1.1 examination subjects, we determined to rebuild the CCNA Studying Path supplied in Cisco U. The picture beneath reveals the brand new construction:
The CCNA 2.1 Studying Path will characteristic shorter, extra targeted tracks and three new programs.
New CCNA programs:
- Introducing Community Programmability
- Explaining Software program-Outlined Networking
- Introducing AI and ML in Community Operations
All the CCNA 2.1 Studying Path programs include newly written introductions that present which examination subjects are coated in that course. For instance:
As per the brand new CCNA examination v1.1, the CCNA v2.1 Studying Path now contains additional content material on:
- Synthetic Intelligence (AI) and Machine Studying (ML)
- Spanning Tree
- Cisco Meraki
- Cisco Catalyst Middle
- Terraform
- Cisco Modeling Labs (CML)
- Cisco WebUI
We additionally rewrote the Automation and Programmability content material to be simpler to grasp and eliminated the content material on Puppet and Chef.
Begin your CCNA certification journey with the necessities
We’re internet hosting a free CCNA v1.1 webinar on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, 9–10 a.m. Pacific Time.
Whether or not you’re at the moment finding out in your CCNA or desirous about studying the right way to get began, that is your likelihood to get a more in-depth have a look at the brand new CCNA v1.1 examination subjects, the brand new CCNA v2.1 Studying Path, and the explanations the CCNA certification continues to be an important, worthwhile certification to pursue in the present day, greater than 25 years after its launch. (I’d know— I’m residing proof!)
I look ahead to seeing you all there!
Free Webinar: Navigating the Necessities of CCNA v1.1Â
July 30, 2024, 9–10 a.m. Pacific Time | Register now free of charge
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*The Packet: Cisco Methods Person Journal (Vol. 6 No. 1), Cisco, 1994.
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