The Cisco Certified Network Associate exam is 200-301 CCNA v1.1, a 120-minute test of six domains: Network Fundamentals (20%), Network Access (20%), IP Connectivity (25%), IP Services (10%), Security Fundamentals (15%), and Automation and Programmability (10%). It has no prerequisites, is offered in English and Japanese, and earns the CCNA certification, which is valid for three years. The last date to test on v1.1 is February 2, 2027; v2.0 begins February 3, 2027, so check which blueprint applies before you schedule. Prepare by pairing each domain with hands-on configuration in an isolated lab and verifying results with show commands.
What the CCNA exam covers and which version applies
The exam is Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions (200-301 CCNA) v1.1, and passing it earns the CCNA certification.
Cisco describes 200-301 CCNA v1.1 as a 120-minute exam testing knowledge and skills related to network fundamentals, network access, IP connectivity, IP services, security fundamentals, and automation and programmability. Passing this exam earns you the CCNA certification, and the exam can also be used toward recertification goals.
Version matters for your study plan. Cisco's exam topics page states that the last date to test for v1.1 is February 2, 2027, and the first date to test for v2.0 is February 3, 2027. If you schedule before that boundary, v1.1 objectives apply; after it, download the v2.0 topics and restart your mapping. The v1.1 update itself was a minor revision that added AI, machine learning, and Terraform while keeping changes deliberately small.
- Exam code and version: 200-301 CCNA v1.1, titled Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions
- Certification earned: Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
- Version deadline: last v1.1 test date February 2, 2027; v2.0 testing from February 3, 2027
- Official topic list: the downloadable CCNA exam topics PDF linked from Cisco's exam topics page
Sources: Cisco Certified Network Associate - Cisco — Exam page: overview, duration, price, languages; Cisco: CCNA v1.1 release notes — Blueprint change summary, go-live August 20, 2024; Cisco Learning Network: 200-301 CCNA v1.1 Exam Topics — Version dates, domain weights, question types, exam details
Format, cost, and results
The exam runs 120 minutes, is offered in English and Japanese, and produces pass/fail results online, typically within 48 hours.
Cisco's exam page lists a 120-minute exam in English and Japanese. Its certification page says pass/fail results are typically available online within 48 hours, lists no prerequisites, and states that certification is valid for three years.
One detail conflicts across Cisco's own pages: the exam page lists the price as US$300, while the CCNA certification page lists US$400. Both mention paying with Cisco Learning Credits. Rather than guess which figure applies to your region or exam delivery, check the current price on the official exam page when you schedule. The Cisco pages checked for this guide do not state the number of questions or the passing score, so treat any specific figure you find elsewhere as unverified; the official pages describe only the question formats.
- Duration: 120 minutes
- Languages: English, Japanese
- Results: pass/fail, typically online within 48 hours
- Validity: three years, renewable through Continuing Education credits or retaking exams
- Question formats: performance-based, multiple choice, and drag-and-drop; the question count and passing score are not stated on the pages checked for this guide
- Price: listed as US$300 on the exam page and US$400 on the certification page, so verify at scheduling
Sources: Cisco Certified Network Associate - Cisco — Exam page: overview, duration, price, languages; CCNA - Cisco — Certification page: cost, prerequisites, validity, results; Cisco Learning Network: 200-301 CCNA v1.1 Exam Topics — Version dates, domain weights, question types, exam details
The six domains and their weights
IP Connectivity carries the largest weight at 25%, followed by Network Fundamentals and Network Access at 20% each.
Cisco's exam topics page publishes an explicit weight for each of the six domains. Use these weights to allocate study time, but do not treat them as a promise about individual questions; a 10% domain still contains objectives you can be tested on.
The v1.1 release notes summarize exactly what changed from v1.0. The Rapid PVST+ objectives were unchanged. Device management access broadened from AP and WLC access to network device management access, adding cloud-managed to Telnet, SSH, HTTP, HTTPS, console, and TACACS+/RADIUS. The REST API objective now includes authentication types alongside CRUD, HTTP verbs, and data encoding. Configuration management moved from Puppet, Chef, and Ansible to Ansible and Terraform, and the old Cisco DNA Center comparison objective became AI and machine learning in network operations.
- v1.1 additions: AI (generative and predictive) and machine learning in network operations
- v1.1 additions: Terraform alongside Ansible for configuration management; authentication types in REST-based APIs
- v1.1 additions: cloud-managed devices in the network device management access objective
| Domain | Exam weight |
|---|---|
| 1.0 Network Fundamentals | 20% |
| 2.0 Network Access | 20% |
| 3.0 IP Connectivity | 25% |
| 4.0 IP Services | 10% |
| 5.0 Security Fundamentals | 15% |
| 6.0 Automation and Programmability | 10% |
Sources: Cisco: CCNA v1.1 release notes — Blueprint change summary, go-live August 20, 2024; Cisco Learning Network: 200-301 CCNA v1.1 Exam Topics — Version dates, domain weights, question types, exam details
Network Fundamentals: decide whether two addresses share a subnet
Subnetting questions reduce to one decision: apply the mask to each address and compare the resulting network portions.
Cisco's subnetting documentation explains the underlying rule: any address bits with corresponding mask bits set to 1 represent the network ID, and the rest represent the host ID. Practically, you AND each address with the mask and compare results. That single comparison answers 'same subnet or different subnets', which is what most addressing questions turn on.
The mask's length controls the trade-off. Extending a Class C mask from /24 to /27 creates eight subnets of 32 addresses, 30 usable, because host IDs of all zeros and all ones are not assigned to devices. Cisco's documentation also covers the exceptions you should recognize: a /31 mask gives a point-to-point link exactly two usable addresses by dropping the network and broadcast addresses, and a /32 describes a single host, used for interfaces such as loopbacks.
Exercise
Two devices are configured with 172.16.37.5/20 and 172.16.44.200/20. Are they on the same subnet or different subnets? Show the reasoning and state how you would verify it in a lab.
Show answer
They are on the same subnet: 172.16.32.0/20. A /20 mask is 255.255.240.0, so only the first four bits of the third octet belong to the network portion. The third octets 37 and 44 both begin with 0010 in binary, so both addresses AND to 172.16.32.0.
This mirrors the method in Cisco's own subnetting exercise for 172.16.x.x/20 addresses. The common error is comparing the dotted-decimal numbers by eye; 37 and 44 look like different 'blocks' but fall inside the same /20. In a lab, place the two addresses on two separate hosts in the same VLAN and confirm connectivity with a ping. Then read show ip route connected on the router or Layer 3 switch serving that VLAN, which lists 172.16.32.0/20 as a connected route.
- 172.16.37.5/20: third octet 37 = 00100101; AND with 240 = 00100000 = 32, so the subnet is 172.16.32.0/20
- 172.16.44.200/20: third octet 44 = 00101100; AND with 240 = 00100000 = 32, so the subnet is also 172.16.32.0/20
- Conclusion: both devices belong to the same subnet, with host portions 5.5 and 12.200 in that /20
Sources: Configure IP Addresses and Unique Subnets for New Users - Cisco — Subnetting method, exercises, VLSM, /31 and /32 special subnets; IP Addressing Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE 17.x - Configuring IPv4 Addresses — Addressing structure, subnetting, 31-bit prefixes, configuration tasks
Network Access: a complete router-on-a-stick lab
Inter-VLAN routing with a Layer 2 switch needs one trunk, one router subinterface per VLAN, and correct host gateways.
Cisco's inter-VLAN routing document describes the standard pattern: when your switch is Layer 2 only, an external router routes between VLANs over an 802.1Q trunk. One VLAN, called the native VLAN, is carried untagged, and Cisco's document stresses that the native VLAN must be configured the same on each side of the trunk, calling the mismatch a common mistake. It also warns that workstations need correctly set default gateways for the inter-VLAN pings to succeed.
Build the lab below in an isolated simulator or Cisco Modeling Labs environment. The switch puts two access ports in VLAN 10 and VLAN 11, and the router reaches each VLAN through a subinterface. Each workstation's gateway is the subinterface address in its own subnet, not the other VLAN's address. This example carries VLANs 10 and 11 as tagged traffic and leaves VLAN 1 as the default native VLAN; keep the native VLAN consistent at both ends. Interface names and supported commands vary by lab device. If a switch supports only 802.1Q, it may not offer the trunk-encapsulation selection command.
Switch (Layer 2):
vtp mode transparent
vlan 10
vlan 11
interface gigabitEthernet 0/1
switchport mode access
switchport access vlan 10
interface gigabitEthernet 0/0
switchport mode access
switchport access vlan 11
interface gigabitEthernet 0/2
switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q
switchport mode trunk
Router (trunk to Gi0/2):
interface GigabitEthernet1
no shutdown
interface GigabitEthernet1.10
encapsulation dot1Q 10
ip address 10.10.10.1 255.255.255.0
interface GigabitEthernet1.11
encapsulation dot1Q 11
ip address 10.10.11.1 255.255.255.0
Hosts:
VLAN 10 workstation: 10.10.10.10/24, gateway 10.10.10.1
VLAN 11 workstation: 10.10.11.10/24, gateway 10.10.11.1- Topology: one Layer 2 switch, one router, hosts in VLAN 10 (10.10.10.0/24) and VLAN 11 (10.10.11.0/24)
- Verification on the switch: show vlan brief to confirm port assignments, and show interfaces switchport to confirm trunk mode and native VLAN agreement
- Verification on the router: show ip route to see both connected subnets via the subinterfaces
- End-to-end test: ping between the two workstations; success requires the trunk, both subinterfaces, and each host's default gateway to be correct
Sources: Cisco: Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions course and lab outline — Training description, objectives, outline, lab outline; Configure Inter VLAN Routing with the Use of an External Router - Cisco — 802.1Q trunking, native VLAN requirement, configurations, verification commands
IP Connectivity: static routes and the default route
A static route names one destination precisely; a default route to 0.0.0.0/0 catches everything the table cannot match.
Cisco's initial router configuration guide shows the two commands side by side: ip route 192.168.24.0 255.255.255.0 172.28.99.2 establishes a static route, and ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 172.28.99.1 creates a static route to network 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 for the gateway of last resort. When dynamic default information is not being passed, this static default is one of the ways Cisco documents for selecting the gateway of last resort.
The study decision is prediction: before you configure, state which entry the router will use for a given destination, then check yourself with show ip route. A specific static route matches only its own prefix, so the default route applies only when no more specific entry matches. Verification is direct, because show ip route displays the current routing table, including a gateway of last resort line when one is set.
Exercise
A router has both commands from the section above configured. For each destination, state which route entry forwards the packet: (a) 192.168.24.77, (b) 203.0.113.9. Which command verifies your answer?
Show answer
(a) The static route 192.168.24.0/24 via 172.28.99.2, because it is the more specific match. (b) The default route 0.0.0.0/0 via 172.28.99.1, because no more specific entry matches. Verify with show ip route and confirm the selected entry and the gateway of last resort line.
The decision is specificity, not preference between the two commands. Both are static routes in this lab, so the only differentiator is which prefix matches the destination. The default route exists precisely to match everything the specific entries do not, which is why Cisco's guide pairs the two commands when configuring a gateway of last resort.
- Configure: ip route 192.168.24.0 255.255.255.0 172.28.99.2 and ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 172.28.99.1
- Predict before checking: a packet to 192.168.24.x should use the specific static route; a packet to an unrelated address should use the default
- Verify: show ip route, looking for the S entries and the gateway of last resort indication
Sources: Cisco: Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions course and lab outline — Training description, objectives, outline, lab outline; IP Addressing Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE 17.x - Configuring IPv4 Addresses — Addressing structure, subnetting, 31-bit prefixes, configuration tasks; Cisco 4000 Series ISRs Software Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE 17 - Configure Initial Router Settings — Enable secret, vty lines, static and default routes, verification
IP services and security: choose the next lab
Use the course lab list to turn an exam objective into a task you can configure and verify.
Cisco's aligned course includes DHCP and NAT configuration, NTP, system monitoring, image backup, secure console and remote access, and port security. Choose a lab that matches the objective you are reviewing, then follow the instructions for your device and software version.
For each lab, record its starting configuration, expected result and verification command. After a change, compare the observed result with your prediction. Keep practice in an isolated environment; this checklist is a study routine, not a complete device-security configuration.
- For an IP services objective, select its corresponding DHCP, NAT, NTP or monitoring lab.
- For a security objective, select the course activity for secure console access, remote access or port security.
- Write down what you expect to observe before running the verification step.
Automation and Programmability: what v1.1 expects
Study this 10% domain at recognition depth: know the protocols, the API characteristics, and the configuration management tools by name and role.
The v1.1 blueprint keeps the automation objectives but reshapes them. You should recognize the capabilities of configuration management mechanisms such as Ansible and Terraform, describe characteristics of REST-based APIs including authentication types, CRUD operations, HTTP verbs, and data encoding, and explain AI, generative and predictive, and machine learning in network operations.
Cisco's course outline frames the underlying idea: the need for network programmability in enterprise networks, common programmability protocols, and configuration management tools, plus an introduction to AI and ML in network operations. Treat this as vocabulary-and-concept territory: you are learning what each mechanism does and where it fits, not writing production automation code for this exam.
- REST-based APIs: authentication types, CRUD, HTTP verbs, and data encoding
- Configuration management: recognize the capabilities of Ansible and Terraform
- New in v1.1: AI (generative and predictive) and machine learning in network operations
Sources: Cisco: Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions course and lab outline — Training description, objectives, outline, lab outline; Cisco: CCNA v1.1 release notes — Blueprint change summary, go-live August 20, 2024; Cisco Learning Network: 200-301 CCNA v1.1 Exam Topics — Version dates, domain weights, question types, exam details
Preparing for the exam
Cisco offers official learning paths, instructor-led training, practice exams, and Cisco Modeling Labs; combine one structured path with regular hands-on labs.
Cisco's exam page lists the official preparation options: a Cisco U. learning path with pre- and post-assessments, instructor-led training through Cisco and its Learning Partners, a practice exam in Cisco U. to check exam readiness, and Cisco Modeling Labs for designing, building, and troubleshooting real network environments, with a free way to get started. The certification page adds Cisco Networking Academy free courses and Cisco Press titles.
One adaptable sequence, offered as advice rather than an official requirement: first pass on Network Fundamentals until subnetting by hand is routine; second pass on switching with the router-on-a-stick lab built and broken deliberately; third pass on routing with static and default routes, then the course outline's OSPF and ACL labs; final pass on services, security hardening, and the automation concepts. The retrieved CCNA preparation discussion asks how much configuration practice is enough; a useful personal benchmark is that you can predict a command's effect, run it in an isolated lab, and confirm the result with the matching show command before you look anything up.
- Cisco U. learning path: guided learning with pre- and post-assessments
- Practice exam in Cisco U.: check readiness before exam day
- Cisco Modeling Labs: hands-on design, build, and troubleshooting practice, free to start
- Instructor-led training: through Cisco and authorized Learning Partners
- Cisco Networking Academy: free courses, online or in person
Sources: Cisco Certified Network Associate - Cisco — Exam page: overview, duration, price, languages; Cisco: Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions course and lab outline — Training description, objectives, outline, lab outline; CCNA - Cisco — Certification page: cost, prerequisites, validity, results; Cisco Learning Network: 200-301 CCNA v1.1 Exam Topics — Version dates, domain weights, question types, exam details
Common mistakes worth checking deliberately
Use these checks when reviewing the addressing and switching labs.
Native VLAN agreement: compare the trunk configuration at both ends with Cisco's inter-VLAN routing example. On the switch, use show interfaces switchport; on the router, inspect the relevant subinterface configuration. The command for a switchport does not apply to a routed router interface.
For point-to-point addressing, review Cisco's /31 guidance alongside conventional /30 examples. Apply the relevant mask to the actual topology instead of treating every prefix as a general-purpose LAN subnet. A /32 represents a single address; loopbacks are one use, rather than its only purpose.
- Comparing addresses by eye instead of applying the mask, as in the /20 exercise above
- Assuming a workstation gateway from the wrong VLAN subnet, which Cisco's document names as necessary for inter-VLAN pings
- Configuring only some vty lines; Cisco's guide says to make sure you configure all vty lines on your router
Sources: Configure IP Addresses and Unique Subnets for New Users - Cisco — Subnetting method, exercises, VLSM, /31 and /32 special subnets; IP Addressing Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE 17.x - Configuring IPv4 Addresses — Addressing structure, subnetting, 31-bit prefixes, configuration tasks; Configure Inter VLAN Routing with the Use of an External Router - Cisco — 802.1Q trunking, native VLAN requirement, configurations, verification commands; Cisco 4000 Series ISRs Software Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE 17 - Configure Initial Router Settings — Enable secret, vty lines, static and default routes, verification; Cisco Learning Network: 200-301 CCNA v1.1 Exam Topics — Version dates, domain weights, question types, exam details
Booking-day checklist
Confirm your version, verify the current price, and review the official exam topics PDF before you schedule.
Cisco's exam logistics guidance covers scheduling, tracking your status, and maintaining your certifications, and its exam topics page lets you schedule the exam once you have reviewed the topics. Work through this checklist in order and you will have verified everything this guide could not decide for you.
- Confirm your test date falls before February 2, 2027 for v1.1, or study the v2.0 topics after February 3, 2027
- Download the official exam topics PDF and map your notes against every objective, not just the six domain names
- Check the current exam price on the official exam page, since Cisco pages list different figures
- Choose your language: English or Japanese
- Decide your recertification path awareness: the certification is valid for three years and the exam counts toward recertification
Sources: Cisco Certified Network Associate - Cisco — Exam page: overview, duration, price, languages; Cisco Learning Network: 200-301 CCNA v1.1 Exam Topics — Version dates, domain weights, question types, exam details
Official documents for this guide
Every exam fact and configuration example here traces to a Cisco source you can open yourself.
The exam overview page, the CCNA certification page, and the Cisco Learning Network exam topics page provided the format facts, weights, and version dates. The v1.1 release notes documented the blueprint changes. The course and lab outline grounded the training scope and lab list. Cisco's subnetting documentation, IP addressing configuration guide, inter-VLAN routing document, and initial router settings guide supplied the technical examples and commands. When Cisco updates any of these, the official page wins over this article.
- 200-301 CCNA exam page on cisco.com: format, languages, price, scheduling
- CCNA certification page on cisco.com: validity, recertification, training options
- Cisco Learning Network: 200-301 CCNA v1.1 exam topics, weights, and the topics PDF
- CCNA v1.1 release notes: exact blueprint changes and go-live date
Sources: Cisco Certified Network Associate - Cisco — Exam page: overview, duration, price, languages; Cisco: Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions course and lab outline — Training description, objectives, outline, lab outline; Cisco: CCNA v1.1 release notes — Blueprint change summary, go-live August 20, 2024; Configure IP Addresses and Unique Subnets for New Users - Cisco — Subnetting method, exercises, VLSM, /31 and /32 special subnets; IP Addressing Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE 17.x - Configuring IPv4 Addresses — Addressing structure, subnetting, 31-bit prefixes, configuration tasks; Configure Inter VLAN Routing with the Use of an External Router - Cisco — 802.1Q trunking, native VLAN requirement, configurations, verification commands; Cisco 4000 Series ISRs Software Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE 17 - Configure Initial Router Settings — Enable secret, vty lines, static and default routes, verification; CCNA - Cisco — Certification page: cost, prerequisites, validity, results; Cisco Learning Network: 200-301 CCNA v1.1 Exam Topics — Version dates, domain weights, question types, exam details
Sources
Facts checked:
- Cisco Certified Network Associate - Cisco
- Cisco: Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions course and lab outline
- Cisco: CCNA v1.1 release notes
- Configure IP Addresses and Unique Subnets for New Users - Cisco
- IP Addressing Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE 17.x - Configuring IPv4 Addresses
- Configure Inter VLAN Routing with the Use of an External Router - Cisco
- Cisco 4000 Series ISRs Software Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE 17 - Configure Initial Router Settings
- CCNA - Cisco
- Cisco Learning Network: 200-301 CCNA v1.1 Exam Topics