CCNA: What It Means to Me, What Awaits in Cisco U.
The CCNA modified my life. This isn’t exaggeration or hyperbole. It started once more in 2001, correct proper right here in Ottawa, Canada. I was educating highschool laptop computer science (Seen Elementary!) and web design (Macromedia!) when Cisco Networking Academy approached our college board to see if we is perhaps critical about turning into a member of their fledgling program.
I knew nothing about networking then, nevertheless the folks at Cisco Networking Academy outlined that they may ship me to classes to be taught and earn one factor often called the CCNA. Little did I do know that this willpower would start an unimaginable journey with Cisco.
I was despatched once more to highschool to study the way in which routers and switches work, the way in which to terminate Ethernet cables, the way in which to subnet, and what ISDN and Physique Relay had been used for. To arrange for CCNA certification, I study Cisco Press books, reviewed the Networking Academy’s CCNA content material materials, took apply exams, and constructed labs on 2501 routers and 1924 switches the school had bought. (No, Packet Tracer wasn’t spherical once more then!)
I lastly took the CCNA examination in 2002. I was nervous, nevertheless I felt capable of try my luck. Like numerous you starting your CCNA journey, this was my first time taking a certification examination.
The examination had so many inquiries to answer in such a short time frame—multiple-choice, lab simulations, drag-and-drops—it had all of it. And there was no once more button! As soon as I lastly clicked “End Examination” and observed the “Congratulations” message, I was shocked, thrilled, and so proud.
Passing the CCNA and the Networking Academy instructor teaching meant I’d change into a Cisco Licensed Academy Instructor (CCAI), entitled to begin out educating my highschool school college students about Cisco networking. This was method larger than educating them Seen Elementary!
That one willpower once more in 2001 opened so many doorways for me. A few years later, I turned a Cisco Licensed Strategies Instructor (CCSI) accepted to supply CCNA and CCNP teaching with a Cisco Finding out Affiliate.
Over the previous few years, I’ve launched at many Cisco conferences and achieved Distinguished Speaker standing all through a lot of Cisco Dwell events in Melbourne, Amsterdam, and Las Vegas.
I’m now a Cisco Press creator, I’ve helped develop Cisco course content material materials like Implementing Cisco Enterprise Superior Routing and Suppliers (ENARSI) and Implementing Cisco SD-WAN Choices (ENSDWI), and I work for Cisco as an instructor and lead content material materials advocate in Finding out & Certifications.
I in no way may need predicted the have an effect on that decision in 2001 would have on my future, nevertheless I do know that I’m not alone. So many others have expert the flexibility of a Cisco certification, with the CCNA standing the check out of time since its launch larger than twenty years up to now.
This brings us to the most recent iteration of this foundational networking certification: the 200-301 CCNA v1.1 examination substitute. It’s going to reach on August 20, 2024, marking the first change to the examination in 4 years.
Cisco declares 200-301 CCNA v1.1 examination substitute
In April 2024, Cisco Finding out & Certifications launched a minor 200-301 CCNA examination substitute. This meant we might have appreciated to exchange the CCNA v2.0 Finding out Path you see on Cisco U. (and likewise taught by our Finding out Companions) to align with the updated CCNA v1.1 examination. Over the last few months, it’s been my privilege to information this effort and assure we get the substitute achieved sooner than the model new examination goes dwell on August 20, 2024.
I’m happy to confirm that the model new CCNA v2.1 Finding out Path is perhaps on the market in Cisco U. starting July 26, 2024.
So, what’s new inside the CCNA 2.1 Finding out Path?
Whereas we had been updating the content material materials to align with the model new 200-301 CCNA v1.1 examination issues, we decided to rebuild the CCNA Finding out Path supplied in Cisco U. The image beneath reveals the model new building:
The CCNA 2.1 Finding out Path will attribute shorter, additional focused tracks and three new packages.
New CCNA packages:
- Introducing Group Programmability
- Explaining Software program program-Outlined Networking
- Introducing AI and ML in Group Operations
Your complete CCNA 2.1 Finding out Path packages embrace newly written introductions that current which examination issues are lined in that course. As an illustration:
As per the model new CCNA examination v1.1, the CCNA v2.1 Finding out Path now incorporates further content material materials on:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Finding out (ML)
- Spanning Tree
- Cisco Meraki
- Cisco Catalyst Center
- Terraform
- Cisco Modeling Labs (CML)
- Cisco WebUI
We moreover rewrote the Automation and Programmability content material materials to be easier to understand and eradicated the content material materials on Puppet and Chef.
Start your CCNA certification journey with the requirements
We’re web internet hosting a free CCNA v1.1 webinar on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, 9–10 a.m. Pacific Time.
Whether or not or not you’re presently studying in your CCNA or critical about finding out the way in which to get started, that’s your probability to get a extra in-depth check out the model new CCNA v1.1 examination issues, the model new CCNA v2.1 Finding out Path, and the reasons the CCNA certification continues to be an essential, worthwhile certification to pursue as we communicate, larger than 25 years after its launch. (I’d know— I’m residing proof!)
I sit up for seeing you all there!
Free Webinar: Navigating the Requirements of CCNA v1.1
July 30, 2024, 9–10 a.m. Pacific Time | Register now for free of charge
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*The Packet: Cisco Strategies Particular person Journal (Vol. 6 No. 1), Cisco, 1994.
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