CCNA v7

The first course in the CCNA curriculum introduces the architectures, models, protocols, and networking elements that connect users, devices, applications and data through the Internet and across modern computer networks - including IP addressing and Ethernet fundamentals.

By the end of the course, students can build simple local area networks (LAN) that integrate IP addressing schemes, foundational network security, and perform basic configurations for routers and switches.

• Configure switches and end devices to provide access to local and remote network resources.
• Explain how physical and data link layer protocols support the operation of Ethernet in a switched network.
• Configure routers to enable end-to-end connectivity between remote devices.
• Create IPv4 and IPv6 addressing schemes and verify network connectivity between devices.
• Explain how the upper layers of the OSI model support network applications.
• Configure a small network with security best practices.
• Troubleshoot connectivity in a small network.

The second course in the CCNA curriculum focuses on switching technologies and router operations that support small-to-medium business networks and includes wireless local area networks (WLAN) and security concepts.

Students learn key switching and routing concepts. They can perform basic network configuration and troubleshooting, identify and mitigate LAN security threats, and configure and secure a basic WLAN.

• Configure VLANs and Inter-VLAN routing applying security best practices.
• Troubleshoot inter-VLAN routing on Layer 3 devices.
• Configure redundancy on a switched network using STP and EtherChannel.
• Troubleshoot EtherChannel on switched networks.
• Explain how to support available and reliable networks using dynamic addressing and first-hop redundancy protocols.
• Configure dynamic address allocation in IPv6 networks.
• Configure WLANs using a WLC and L2 security best practices.
• Configure switch security to mitigate LAN attacks.
• Configure IPv4 and IPv6 static routing on routers.

The third CCNA course describes the architectures and considerations related to designing, securing, operating, and troubleshooting enterprise networks – including wide area network (WAN) technologies & quality of service (QoS) mechanisms for secure remote access, along with software-defined networking, virtualization, & automation concepts supporting network digitization.

Students gain skills to configure and troubleshoot enterprise networks, and learn to identify and protect against cybersecurity threats. They are introduced to network management tools and learn key concepts of software-defined networking, including controller-based architectures and how application programming interfaces (APIs) enable network automation.

• Configure single-area OSPFv2 in both point-to-point and multiaccess networks.
• Explain how to mitigate threats and enhance network security using access control lists and security best practices.
• Implement standard IPv4 ACLs to filter traffic and secure administrative access.
• Configure NAT services on the edge router to provide IPv4 address scalability.
• Explain techniques to provide address scalability and secure remote access for WANs.
• Explain how to optimize, monitor, and troubleshoot scalable network architectures.
• Explain how networking devices implement QoS.
• Implement protocols to manage the network.
• Explain how technologies such as virtualization, software defined networking, and automation affect evolving networks.