Cisco revisited its most popular certification program, CCNA Routing and Switching. We have prepared answers to some most frequently asked questions about the update.

What updates have been made to the CCNA Routing and Switching certification curriculum?

Key additions to this latest revision include an overview of Quality of Service (QoS) elements and their applicability, how virtualized and cloud services interact and impact enterprise networks, and an overview of network programmability with the related controller types and tools that are available to support software-defined network architectures.

Also included is a section on interactions and network functions of firewalls, wireless controllers, and access points, along with additional focus on IPv6 and basic network security.

 

What has changed in the Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices Part 1 (ICND1) training and exam?

The 100-101 ICND1 exam will be replaced by 100-105 ICND1 exam. The overall number of domains has changed from seven to five. The updated exam domain categories align with CCNP Routing and Switching, CCIE Routing and Switching, and other Cisco certifications.

Domain comparison

100-101 ICND1 v2.0

100-105 ICND1 v3.0

1. Operation of IP Data Networks

1. Network Fundamentals

2. LAN Switching Technologies

2. LAN Switching Technologies

3. IP Addressing

3. Routing Technologies

4. IP Routing Technologies

4. Infrastructure Services

5. IP Services

5. Infrastructure Management

6. Network Device Security

 

7. Troubleshooting

 

 

ICND1 Exam Comparison

The Troubleshooting topics have been distributed throughout various domains where applicable. Refer to the ICND1 v3.0 Exam Topics for a complete list of topics. Outlined below are the key topics that have been moved or added to the exam and training curriculum.

Key Topics Removed or Moved to ICND2 Exam:

  • OSPF (single area) and other OSPF topics were moved into ICND2, since RIP is used to introduce CCENT candidates to IP routing protocols. 

  • Dual Stack was removed, since many different IPv4‑to-IPv6 transition technologies are being used. 

  • Cisco Express Forwarding (CEF) has been removed.

Key Topics Added: 


  • High-level knowledge of the impact and interactions of infrastructure components in an enterprise network, specifically:  
    • Firewalls
    • Access points
    • Wireless controllers 

  • Awareness of the collapsed core architecture compared to traditional three-tier architectures. This option collapses distribution and core into a single tier with access as the second tier.
  • Configure and verify IPv6 Stateless Address Autoconfiguration (SLAAC). 

  • Added Anycast to the list of IPv6 addressing types. 

  • Knowledge of Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP), a Layer 2 discovery protocol used in addition to Cisco Discovery Protocol. 

  • RIPv2 for IPv4 as the primary focus for understanding how routing protocols work. 

  • Added requirements to understand DNS- and DHCP-related connectivity issues. 

  • Syslog message logging for device monitoring. 

  • Skills and knowledge of device management related to backup and restoring device configurations, IOS feature licensing, and configuring time zones. 


 

What has changed in the Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices Part 2 (ICND2) training and exam?

The 200-101 ICND2 exam will be replaced by 200-105 ICND2 exam. The overall number of domains continues to be five and they align with CCNP Routing and Switching, CCIE Routing and Switching, and other Cisco certifications.

Domain comparison

200-101 ICND2 v2.0

200-105 ICND2 v3.0

1. LAN Switching Technologies

1. LAN Switching Technologies

2. IP Routing Technologies

2. Routing Technologies

3. IP Services

3. WAN Technologies

4. Troubleshooting

4. Infrastructure Services

5. WAN Technologies

5. Infrastructure Maintenance

 

ICND2 Exam Comparison

Refer to ICND2 v3.0 Exam Topics for a complete list of topics. Outlined below are the key topics that have been removed or added to the exam and training curriculum.

Key Topics Removed:

  • Frame-Relay and Serial WAN technologies are no longer covered. 

  • VRRP and GLBP have been removed from First Hop Redundancy Protocols (FHRP). Only HSRP remains, since it is most commonly deployed. 


Key Topics Added: 


  • Knowledge of dual-homed vs. single-homed Intelligent WAN topology options.
  • Basic knowledge of external BGP (EBGP) used to connect enterprise branches.
  • Expanded VPN topics to include DMVPN, site-to-site VPN, and client VPN technologies commonly used by enterprises.
  • Understanding of how Cloud resources are being used in enterprise network architectures, including:
    • How cloud services will affect traffic paths and flows
    • Common virtualized services and how these coexist with a legacy infrastructure
    • Basics of virtual network infrastructure (Network Function Virtualization or NFV)
  • Awareness of programmable network (SDN) architectures including:
    • Separation of the control plane and data plane
    • How a controller functions and communicates northbound to network applications and southbound to the R&S infrastructure using APIs.
  • How to use the Path Trace application for ACLs. Path Trace is a new key network application enabled by the Application Policy Infrastructure Controller – Enterprise Module (APIC-EM). This tool automates the troubleshooting and resolution of complex ACL deployments.
  • QoS concepts related to marking, shaping, and policing mechanisms used to manage congestion of various types of traffic. The need for QoS and how it is used for prioritizing voice, video, and data traffic. Also, understanding of the automation provided by programmable networks to implement business-critical QoS policies.

 

Do CCNA Routing and Switching training also include any labs?

Yes. A full suite of labs have been developed for the new ICND1, ICND2 and CCNAX courses using the virtual IOS environment. They include flexible topologies that reinforce concepts with hands-on, guided discovery and challenge labs that align to each lesson module.

For every new CCNA Routing and Switching training, you get a certain amount of time that you can spend practicing on labs, even after you have finished your instructor-led training class. These amounts are:

  • ICND1 v3.0 - 60 hours of lab time within a 180-day period
  • ICND2 v3.0 - 70 hours of lab time within a 180-day period
  • CCNAX v3.0 - 120 hours of lab time within a 180-day period

 

What are the requirements for achieving a CCNA Routing and Switching certification?

You have to pass the following exams to obtain the certification:

  • 100-105 (ICND1) and 200-105 (ICND2) exam,
  • OR 200-125 (CCNA) Composite exam.

 

Can I mix and match the existing and new CCNA Routing and Switching exams and training?

Yes, you can. However, if you are beginning your CCNA Routing and Switching certification, we recommend that you take the newest ICND1 and ICND2 or CCNA exams.

If you are in the middle of completing your certification, you can choose to take either the existing or the new exams. The last day to test for the existing ICND1 100-101 and CCNA 200-120 exams will be August 20, 2016, and for the existing ICND2 200-101 exam September 24, 2016. The new CCNA Routing and Switching exams and training are available since May 17, 2016.

 

With a CCNA Routing and Switching certification, what job roles am I prepared for?

The certification prepares you for the following roles:

  • Network Administrator 

  • Network Support Engineer

  • Network Engineer Associate 

  • Network Specialist 

  • Network Analyst 


 

What are the prerequisites for the CCNA Routing and Switching certification?

There are no prerequisites. However, it is recommended that you have 1–3 years of networking experience.

 

How do I recertify my CCNA Routing and Switching certification?

The CCNA Routing and Switching certification is valid for three years. Then you will need to recertify. For detailed information, view the recertification policy for the CCNA Routing and Switching certification program.

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