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CCNA 200-301 Crash Course

Published by Pearson

Beginner content levelBeginner

Get Ready to Crush the Cisco CCNA 200-301 Exam

  • Want to begin or improve your computer networking career or get attention when seeking internal and external job postings? Take and pass the CCNA exam and show your CCNA skills with the CCNA digital credentials
  • Learn the basic core skills needed by anyone pursuing a career in computer networking
  • Learn from the nine-time CCNA Official Cert Guide author Wendell Odom (CCIE 1624)

Earning the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification proves that you have the foundational knowledge and skills required of all networking professionals. Cisco Systems, the dominant networking vendor, defines CCNA, and over the years, CCNA has come to represent the ideal skillset for entry-level networkers. The CCNA 200-301 Crash Course has one goal in mind: To help you learn the content covered by the Cisco 200-301 exam to achieve your CCNA certification. This course covers the CCNA exam topics, emphasizing essential topics to prepare you for the exam better.

The CCNA Crash Course uses an intense, fast-paced approach. Each day includes lectures and demonstrations to help you learn and absorb as much of the CCNA content as possible during course hours. Additionally, to complete your CCNA preparation, the course includes take-home exercises and labs to help during the course event, with a study plan to help you finish your exam preparation after the course.

What you’ll learn and how you can apply it

  • Ethernet and wireless LANs: Cabling, switching, VLANs, VLAN trunking, spanning tree, and wireless architectures
  • IP addressing and routing: IP version 4 addressing, subnetting, static routing, OSPF, with IP version 6 addressing and static routing
  • Services and Security: IP Access Control Lists, switch port security, NAT, DHCP
  • Architecture and Automation: LAN, WAN, and cloud architecture, software-defined networking (SDN), and REST

And you’ll be able to:

  • Configure, verify, and explain frame flows and overhead protocols used in an Ethernet LAN that uses VLANs, VLAN trunks, and Rapid STP (RSTP)
  • Configure, verify, and explain IP addressing and OSPF routing in a network of Cisco routers and endpoint hosts
  • Configure, verify, and explain security services like IP ACLs, switch port security, and DHCP Snooping.
  • Explain network automation tools including REST APIs, network controllers, and configuration management systems

This live event is for you because...

  • You are preparing to take the CCNA 200-301 exam.
  • You are an entry-level networking professional who wants to acquire foundational knowledge and skills.
  • You want to advance in your career as a network administrator or network engineer.

Prerequisites

  • CCNA is an entry-level certification, so there are no prerequisite networking skills. However, meeting these prerequisites will give you a better experience.
  • Basic computer user skills (opening and closing applications, finding and opening files, using a web browser.)
  • The ability to open Cisco Packet Tracer, download a supplied Packet Tracer file, open the file in Packet Tracer, and navigate within the Packet Tracer app. You can learn these skills via a free course. See the link in the upcoming “Course Set-up” section for details.

Course Set-up:

  • Cisco Packet Tracer (free simulator): This course uses the free Cisco Packet Tracer application, specifically version 8.0.1 or later. You can attend the course without using PT, but you can learn more during and after class using PT. Follow this link for the specifics to find, install, and test your Packet Tracer installation.
  • Note-taking Tools: Arrive at class ready to take notes with your preferred note-taking tools.

Recommended Preparation:

The course covers the CCNA exam topics, but given the fast pace in the course, learning some CCNA topics beforehand will make your class experience more productive. To that end, consider these optional resources for learning prior to the class:

Recommended Follow-up:

Schedule

The time frames are only estimates and may vary according to how the class is progressing.

Day 1:

Segment 1: Introduction to Networking (60 Minutes)

This section explains the basics of networking, including LANs, WANs, and IP routing, so that you know the required context for the following seven segments of the course. Specifically:

  • TCP/IP networks, architecture, protocols, and messages
  • Ethernet Local Area Network (LAN) fundamentals, including cabling and switching
  • Wide Area Network (WAN) fundamentals and the basics of how routers forward packets from LANs, over WANs, to other LANs
  • Break (10)

Segment 2: Implementing Basic Ethernet LANs (75 Minutes)

Segment 1 sets a broad foundation. Segments 2 and 3 explore the details of Ethernet LAN switching, with Segment 2 introducing fundamental switch features and how to implement those features on Cisco switches.

  • Using the Command Line Interface (CLI)
  • Analyzing Ethernet LAN Switching
  • Configuring LAN Switch Management Features
  • Implementing Switch Interfaces (Ports)
  • Break (10)

Segment 3: Implementing VLANs and Spanning Tree Protocol (75 minutes)

Segment 3 continues to explore Ethernet LAN switching in more depth, focusing on two valuable features used every day in almost every network: Virtual LANs (VLANs) and Spanning Tree Protocol (STP).

  • Implementing Virtual LANs (VLANs)
  • Implementing Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) and Rapid STP (RSTP)
  • Implementing Ethernet Channels (EtherChannels)

Day 2:

Segment 4: Implementing IPv4 Addressing (60 minutes)

Both Ethernet and IP Version 4 (IPv4) define and use addresses. Devices that use Ethernet come with pre-defined valid Ethernet addresses so that you can deploy Ethernet devices with no need for additional configuration. In contrast, IPv4 addresses require planning and assignment based on decisions made at each company so that IPv4 functions do not work until you plan and implement IPv4 addressing. Segment 4 explores IPv4 addressing to the level needed for CCNA.

  • Needs and Goals of Enterprise IP Address Planning
  • Finding Facts about IPv4 Class A, B, and C Networks
  • Finding Facts about Existing IPv4 Subnets
  • Break (10)

Segment 5: Implementing IPv4 Routing (75 minutes)

Routers receive and forward messages – IPv4 packets – using a process called IPv4 routing. Segment 5 introduces Cisco router devices, how they perform IPv4 routing, and how to configure different variations of IPv4 routing.

  • Cisco router hardware basics
  • Configuring router IPv4 addresses and static routes
  • Configuring IPv4 routing between LAN subnets
  • Break (10)

Segment 6: Implementing OSPFv2 (75 minutes)

Routers use an IP routing table – a list of destination IP subnets and forwarding instructions – as part of the IP routing process. Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), a routing protocol, fills each router’s routing table with good IP routes.

  • Understanding routing protocols and OSPF link-state logic
  • Implementing OSPF basics
  • Additional OSPF Features

Day 3:

Segment 7: Implementing IP Version 6 (50 minutes)

IP Version 6 (IPv6) will replace IPv4 slowly, with a decades-long period in which the world uses both. Segment 7 explains IPv6 to CCNA-depth, which is less depth than its older cousin IPv4.

  • IPv6 fundamentals
  • IPv6 addressing and subnetting
  • Implementing IPv6 addressing on routers
  • Implementing IPv6 routing
  • Break (10)

Segment 8: Implementing Wireless LANs (50 minutes)

Segment 8 circles back to discuss LANs again, but now wireless LANs (WLANs). WLANs fit into the Ethernet LAN while also using IP in surprising ways.

  • Wireless LAN fundamentals
  • Wireless LAN architectures
  • Wireless LAN security
  • Implementing Wireless LANs
  • Break (10)

Segment 9: Implementing IPv4 Access Control Lists (50 minutes)

Segments 9, 10, and 11 move on to popular optional features many companies add to their routers and switches. In Segment 9, the course examines one specific router tool - Access Control Lists (ACLs) – which can interrupt the usual routing process to choose to discard a packet instead of forwarding it.

  • Introducing TCP/IP transport and application layer protocols
  • Implementing basic IP ACLs
  • Implementing advanced IP ACLs
  • Break (10)

Segment 10: Implementing Network Security (50 minutes)

Engineers must consider security in any network, and Cisco has added more and more security to CCNA over the years. This segment explores several features implemented on LAN switches - some that help secure layer 2 while others help secure layer 3.

  • Securing network devices
  • Implementing Switch Port Security
  • Implementing DHCP

Day 4:

Segment 11: Implementing Network Services (60 minutes)

Routers and switches have a primary function to receive and forward messages, but they can also perform various other services simultaneously. Segment 11 examines some of those optional services that happen to be part of the CCNA 200-301 blueprint.

  • Managing devices with Syslog, Network Time Protocol (NTP), CDP, and LLDP
  • Implementing Network Address Translation (NAT)
  • Break (10)

Segment 12: Understanding Network Architectures (60 minutes)

How should you build a network? Segment 12 examines the basics of network design and architecture while introducing a variety of technology not yet discussed in the course.

  • Understanding LAN architecture
  • Understanding WAN architecture
  • Understanding Cloud architecture
  • Break (10)

Segment 13: Understanding Network Automation (60 minutes)

Vendors like Cisco have been transforming networks to make them more easily managed using software automation. To better automate networks, vendors have shifted how they build networking products. Segment 13 discusses some of the network technologies that enable network automation.

  • Understanding controller-based networking
  • Cisco Software-Defined Access (SDA)
  • Understanding REST
  • Understanding Ansible, Puppet, and Chef

Segment 14: Preparing for Your CCNA Exam (30 minutes)

You need to absorb what you heard in this class, learn a few more topics, practice, and gain confidence. This closing section gives you study strategies and specific tasks for finishing the job and passing the CCNA exam.

  • The CCNA exam: Exam topics and scoring
  • Content: Which topics to learn in more depth
  • Skills: Which topics to practice, practice, practice
  • Exam Day: How to approach the exam

Your Instructor

  • Wendell Odom

    Wendell Odom, CCIE No. 1624, creates many of the best-selling Cisco certification products of their types, particular in the routing and switching space. He has pioneered the authorized Cisco Certification Guide series at Cisco Press and has written every edition of the leading CCNA Certification Guides. He has written over 30 editions of networking books, video, and software products, ranging in depth from introductory level to CCIE. Wendell has worked as an instructor, course developer, network engineer, and consultant. Find links to more study tools and resources (including his blogs) at www.certskills.com.

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Skill covered

CCNA (200-301)