CCNA Exam information
What it is, what's tested, and how it's scored.
CCNA exam details
The Cisco Certified Network Associate (200-301 CCNA): Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions prepares and certifies candidates for a career in information technology (IT). Earning the certification involves passing an exam that covers foundational topics in IT and Cisco systems administration, including the latest networking technologies, security, and automation.
The CCNA exam is constantly evolving, with test administrators adapting the content to reflect rapidly changing technologies and industry standards. The topics covered on the test include network fundamentals and access, IP connectivity and services, cloud network management, generative AI, and machine learning.
The CCNA exam is hosted by Cisco / Pearson VUE and costs $300 to register. Participants have 2 hours to answer Approximately 100 multi-format questions. The passing score is 800-850 (out of 1000).
Time
2 hours
Format
Approximately 100 multi-format questions
Exam fee
$300
Passing score
800-850 (out of 1000)
Details
The CCNA is scored on a scale of 300 to 1000, and you must answer approximately 80-85% of questions correctly to pass. The passing score varies from exam to exam to account for differences in the number and difficulty of questions. Each exam contains approximately 100 questions, including multiple-choice, drag-and-drop, and performance-based simulation labs.
The CCNA offers an accessible path into higher-level IT roles, with no formal prerequisites in place for the exam. However, candidates will benefit from having at least one year of work experience with exposure to networking fundamentals, IP addressing, and Cisco solutions.
The CCNA exam covers the following content areas:
1. Introduction to networking — Introduces foundational networking concepts, including how devices communicate in a TCP/IP network, the TCP/IP model layers, transport protocols (TCP vs. UDP), and basic network architectures such as topology design, cloud computing, and virtualization.
2. Administering Ethernet LANs — Covers wired LAN operation, including Ethernet communication, ARP, VLANs, trunking, Spanning Tree Protocol, EtherChannels, and configuration of Cisco switches using IOS.
3. IP connectivity — Explains IPv4 addressing, subnetting with VLSM, routing fundamentals, static and OSPFv2 routing, first hop redundancy protocols, and configuration of Cisco routers to connect LANs and WANs.
4. Network services — Examines key network services such as ACLs, NAT, DHCP, DNS, QoS, and NTP, along with how they are configured and used to control and optimize traffic.
5. IPv6 — Introduces IPv6 addressing, address configuration methods such as Modified EUI-64, and basic IPv6 routing concepts.
6. Wireless networking — Covers wireless LAN fundamentals, Cisco wireless architectures and access point modes, and how to configure and verify WLAN deployments.
7. Network management and administering network devices — Focuses on managing and monitoring devices using Telnet, SSH, CDP, LLDP, Syslog, and SNMP.
8. Network security fundamentals — Introduces core security principles and security features for Cisco devices, firewalls, IPS, VPNs, and Layer 2 security, including port security, DHCP snooping, and Dynamic ARP Inspection.
9. Network automation and programmability — Explores Software Defined Networking, automation of network management, and the growing role of AI in modern networking environments.
CCNA exam summary
Network Fundamentals
20% of exam
20-24 questions
Covers the roles and functions of network components such as routers, Layer 2 and Layer 3 switches, and servers; the characteristics of network topology architectures; physical interface and cabling types; wireless Internet principles; and more.
Network Access
20% of exam
20-24 questions
Tests knowledge of VLAN configuration and verification, interswitch connectivity, Cisco Wireless Architecture, network device management access, and related topics.
IP Connectivity
25% of exam
25-30 questions
Assesses skills related to interpreting components of routing tables, router forwarding decisions, configuring static routing, single area OSPFv2, and first hop redundancy protocols.
IP Services
10% of exam
10-12 questions
Focuses on configuring and verifying inside source NAT, NTP operating, the role of DHCP and DNS, SNMP, syslog features, forwarding per-hop behavior PHB for QoS, configuring remote devices using SSH, and the functions of TFTP/FTP.
Security Fundamentals
15% of exam
15-18 questions
Requires candidates to relay knowledge of key security concepts, program elements, device access control, password policies, authentication, wireless security protocols, and other elements of network security and configuration.
Automation and Programmability
10% of exam
10-12 questions
Involves understanding how automation impacts network management, AI and machine learning in network operations, characteristics of REST-based APIs, configuration of management mechanisms, and components of JSON-encoded data.
Achievable CCNA content outline
1
Introduction to networking
Introduces foundational networking concepts, including how devices communicate in a TCP/IP network, the TCP/IP model layers, transport protocols (TCP vs. UDP), and basic network architectures such as topology design, cloud computing, and virtualization.
2
Administering Ethernet LANs
Covers wired LAN operation, including Ethernet communication, ARP, VLANs, trunking, Spanning Tree Protocol, EtherChannels, and configuration of Cisco switches using IOS.
3
IP connectivity
Explains IPv4 addressing, subnetting with VLSM, routing fundamentals, static and OSPFv2 routing, first hop redundancy protocols, and configuration of Cisco routers to connect LANs and WANs.
4
Network services
Examines key network services such as ACLs, NAT, DHCP, DNS, QoS, and NTP, along with how they are configured and used to control and optimize traffic.
5
IPv6
Introduces IPv6 addressing, address configuration methods such as Modified EUI-64, and basic IPv6 routing concepts.
6
Wireless networking
Covers wireless LAN fundamentals, Cisco wireless architectures and access point modes, and how to configure and verify WLAN deployments.
7
Network management and administering network devices
Focuses on managing and monitoring devices using Telnet, SSH, CDP, LLDP, Syslog, and SNMP.
8
Network security fundamentals
Introduces core security principles and security features for Cisco devices, firewalls, IPS, VPNs, and Layer 2 security, including port security, DHCP snooping, and Dynamic ARP Inspection.
9
Network automation and programmability
Explores Software Defined Networking, automation of network management, and the growing role of AI in modern networking environments.