In this guide: what it is · exam facts · v1.1 or v2.0 · exam topics · question types · study plan · practice test · are you ready?
What CCNA is and who it is for
CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) shows that you can install, configure and troubleshoot an enterprise network: switches, routers, IP addressing, services such as DHCP, DNS and NAT, network security and the basics of automation. You earn it by passing a single exam, 200-301.
It is often the first certification for people moving into networking, infrastructure support or a network operations center, and a solid base for cloud or cybersecurity. Cisco has no formal prerequisites: the questions set the level.
CCNA 200-301 v2.0 exam facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exam code | 200-301, version 2.0 |
| Available from | February 3, 2027 (v1.1 remains the exam until February 2, 2027) |
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Format | Multiple-choice, drag-and-drop and hands-on simulations |
| Number of questions | Not published by Cisco |
| Passing score | Not published by Cisco; the result is pass or fail |
| Languages | English or Japanese |
| Where | At a Pearson VUE test center or online from home with remote proctoring |
| Price | Check Cisco's website |
Because Cisco does not publish a passing score, be wary of any "official" number you see online. What helps is a comfortable margin on full practice exams and well-rehearsed simulations.
Should you take v1.1 or wait for v2.0?
Until February 2, 2027, only v1.1 is available. From February 3, 2027, candidates take v2.0. Most of the content carries over: subnetting, VLANs, trunks, OSPF, NAT, ACLs and Layer 2 security remain at the core.
Reading the public v2.0 exam topics, the main changes are:
- New or expanded: AI in network operations (agentic AI and prompting), OSPFv3, first-hop redundancy with HSRP and VRRP, DNS record types, secure file transfer with SFTP and SCP, storm control and RA guard.
- Removed or reduced: v1.1 topics such as QoS, REST and JSON, and Terraform.
If your exam date is before February 2027, study the v1.1 topics. If you can wait, v2.0 is the version that will stay current.
CCNA v2.0 exam topics: five areas and their weight
| Area | Weight | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Network infrastructure and connectivity | 25% | OSI and TCP/IP models, Ethernet, copper and fiber cabling, interface errors, IPv4 addressing and subnetting with VLSM, IPv6. |
| 2 Switching and network access | 25% | VLANs, 802.1Q trunks, inter-VLAN routing, Rapid PVST+, EtherChannel with LACP, CDP and LLDP, and wireless basics. |
| 3 IP routing | 20% | The routing table, IPv4 and IPv6 static routes, OSPFv2 and OSPFv3, and redundancy with HSRP and VRRP. |
| 4 Network services and security | 20% | DHCP, DNS, NAT and PAT, ACLs, Layer 2 security (DHCP snooping, DAI, port security), AAA, SSH, SCP and SFTP, syslog, SNMP and IPsec VPN basics. |
| 5 AI, network operations and management | 10% | Management approaches (from CLI to controller), virtualization, Ansible, infrastructure as code and AI in network operations. |
The area names above are our plain-English summary; check Cisco's exam topics document for the exact wording. The first two areas make up half the exam and everything else builds on them: if subnetting and VLANs are not fast and automatic, the rest gets harder.
Question types and simulations
Besides multiple-choice, the exam includes drag-and-drop questions and simulations where you configure or troubleshoot devices with Cisco IOS commands. Theory is not enough there: you need the IOS modes, abbreviations, ? help, and the ability to read show output quickly.
That is why hands-on practice should start on day one: configure a VLAN, bring up an OSPF neighbor or fix a trunk that blocks a VLAN, again and again, until it is automatic.
CCNA study plan
The HacksinCodigos course covers the topics in 30 days of about two hours each. If you are starting from zero, slow down: one course day every two or three days, over 8 to 10 weeks.
| Block | Topics | How to practice |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1–8 | Networking basics, Cisco IOS, Ethernet, IPv4, subnetting, VLSM, IPv6 | Subnet every day until you can do it in your head |
| Days 9–15 | VLANs, trunks, inter-VLAN routing, Rapid PVST+, EtherChannel, CDP and LLDP | Build an office with several VLANs and troubleshoot Layer 2 faults |
| Days 16–20 | Routing table, static routes, OSPFv2, OSPFv3, HSRP and VRRP | Connect several sites with OSPF and a backup route |
| Days 21–26 | DHCP, DNS, NAT and PAT, ACLs, Layer 2 security, SSH and AAA, wireless and VPN | Give a site internet access and lock it down |
| Days 27–30 | Network management, Ansible, AI, end-to-end troubleshooting and review | Full timed practice exams and review of your weakest area |
CCNA 200-301 practice test
The course includes two full 120-minute practice exams in the real exam format: multiple-choice, ordering, matching and classification questions, and simulations on a network of routers and switches that respond like Cisco equipment. You get a score from 100 to 900 and a report of your weakest area.
To try the format, take the CCNA 200-301 practice test, which includes two hands-on network simulations. The questions are original, written from the public exam topics. Avoid leaked questions ("dumps"): Cisco's rules prohibit them and candidates who use them risk losing their certification.
How to know you are ready
- You score 825 or more out of 900 on full practice exams, with a 120-minute timer. That is the target we use in the course so you go in with a margin.
- You subnet without a calculator in under a minute.
- You solve simulations without hints: you read
showoutput and know what is wrong and which command fixes it.
The HacksinCodigos CCNA course follows this plan with 30 lessons, browser-based labs and practice exams, online from any country. It is taught in Spanish; the practice exams are in English, like the real exam.