For the first time in almost five years, Cisco today announced a new CCNA exam blueprint: The CCNA 200-301 Version 1.1 blueprint. Dramatic, right? Let’s look at the changes together in this post – or watch the video linked inside for the scoop.

Read this Post, or Watch this Video

I launched the YouTube channel Network Upskill in April 2024. You can watch a video about the same topics in this blog post or keep reading – your choice!

Big Picture: CCNA 200-301 Version 1.0 to Version 1.1

First, let’s put this new announcement in a broad context. In April 2024, Cisco announced the CCNA 200-301 exam blueprint Version 1.1. Cisco’s exam and blueprint numbering plan keeps the same exam number as before, so the old exam number (200-301) remains the same. The version number changes from 1.0 to 1.1, implying a minor change to the blueprint. (If Cisco had considered the change a major change, the version number would have changed to 2.0.)

In short, the CCNA 200-301 exam blueprint has a minor change from Version 1.0 to 1.1.

Depending on how you count it, the time between changes to the CCNA 200-301 exam is between 4.5 and 5 years between releases, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: CCNA 200-301 Version 1.0 to Version 1.1 Timeline

Cisco publishes great documents detailing what they removed and added, commenting on the changes. You should look there, in addition to my comments here.

Cisco’s page detailing CCNA 200-301 Version 1.1 Changes

More Context: The 2022 Blueprint Update

You also need to be aware of an unusual occurrence in the history of CCNA. In late 2022, Cisco changed about 20 CCNA exam topics in the Version 1.0 blueprint. Many wording fixes did not change the meaning of the exam topic. However, some changes (in my humble opinion) expanded the plain meaning of the words. Figure 2 adds that update to the progression from Figure 1.

Figure 2: Timeline with Interim Blueprint Changes Late 2022

Since November 2022, any downloads of the CCNA exam blueprint have shown the document with those November 2022 changes included. The original blueprint that appeared from June 2019 through late 2022 no longer appears at Cisco.com.

Why bother telling you all that? Here in 2024, all the information about the new CCNA 200-301 Version 1.1 blueprint, presented as a change versus the V1.0 blueprint, is a comparison with the current Version 1.0 blueprint – not the original Version 1.0 blueprint as first published back in June 2019.

Do you want to know about those interim blueprint changes, too? You can read the blog post I wrote when I created the Exam Updates appendix for each CCNA book. Or just look at the published appendices covering the new topics, which detail the exam topic changes. Or you can read my second blog post and video combo, also posted the same day as this blog post, where I’ll hit the highlights.

• Download the CCNA 200-301 OCG Vol 1 Edition 1 (blueprint V1.0) Exam Update Appendix
• Download the CCNA 200-301 OCG Vol 2 Edition 1 (blueprint V1.0) Exam Update Appendix
• Product Page – CCNA Vol 1, Edition 1
• Product Page – CCNA Vol 2, Edition 1

What Changed? Removals!

I’ll break down the changes into removals, additions, and changes without impact. Here are the removals!

ET 1.1.e Removes “DNA Center and WLC”

Exam Topic (ET) 1.1.e removes two terms, including “Cisco DNA Center.” Formerly in ET 1.1.e and ET 6.4, the V1.1 blueprint no longer mentions the product by name. However, some exam topics require knowledge of SDN controllers, such as northbound and southbound APIs and JSON. Everything in exam topics 6.2, 6.3, 6.5, and 6.7 points to the need to understand controllers.

To learn about the exam topics that imply the need to know about SDN controllers, you understand better if learning about at least one specific controller. Learning those exam topics is almost impossible without getting into some product specifics. So, learn about Cisco DNA Center (which is being rebranded to Cisco Catalyst Center).

What’s the real impact on the exam? You may not need to know any product specifics, but you may benefit from learning them to understand generic concepts better.

The change to ET 1.1.e also removes the term WLC, but I think it does not impact what you need to learn. ET 2.9 still mentions the same level of knowledge required for WLAN configuration from a GUI, which requires WLC.

Former ET 6.4 Removed

The old CCNA 200-301 Version 1.0 exam topic 6.4 read:

• Compare traditional campus device management with Cisco DNA Center enabled device management

Cisco removed it. Then, when adding a new ET about AI, they used ET number 6.4.

On a personal note, I love this deletion. ET 6.4 was my least favorite exam topic in the Version 1.0 blueprint. When writing the coverage of that exam topic back in 2018-2019, I rewrote the content four times. I just found the topic too squishy to be useful as an exam topic.

ET 6.6 Removes Puppet and Chef

CCNA blueprint V1.0, ET 6.6, listed three configuration management tools: Ansible, Puppet, and Chef. The new blueprint removes Puppet and Chef and adds the Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) tool Terraform.

In my opinion, it’s a positive change. You will run into both Ansible and Terraform for networking tasks, but not so much for Puppet and Chef. This change may save you a small bit of study time.

What Changed? Additions!

Here’s what you need to learn that you did not before.

ET 2.5.d RSTP Miscellaneous Features

Cisco adds four RSTP features to the blueprint in one new ET 2.5.d:

• 2.5.d: Root Guard, loop guard, BPDU filter, BPDU guard

ET 2.5.d is a subitem of ET 2.5, which reads:

• “Interpret basic operations of Rapid PVST+ Spanning Tree Protocol”

The verb “interpret” as applied to the features in new ET 2.5.e leaves us with a need to, well, interpret the depth to which you need to learn the topic. Cisco often uses “configure and verify,” “explain,” or “describe.” In this case, I interpret the verb interpret (to get ready for the exam) to mean:

“Interpret by using knowledge of concepts and show command output, and knowledge of configuration that affects show command output, to interpret feature behavior.”

So, while the ET does not use the “configure and verify” verbs, you should not stop at the concepts with no CLI skills with these topics. Learn enough to know what the show command output tells you when you see it.

ET 2.8 Network Device Management Access

For this change, it’s best to just look at the old and new together:

Old V1.0 ET 2.8:

• Describe AP and WLC management access connections (Telnet, SSH, HTTP, HTTPS, console, and TACACS+/RADIUS)

New V1.1 ET 2.8:

• Describe network device management access (Telnet, SSH, HTTP, HTTPS, console, TACACS+/RADIUS, and cloud managed)

The wording changes in two ways. The early change in wording shifts from mentioning wireless LAN devices (AP and WLC) to all networking devices. The second wording change opens up the possibility of including all types of access (per the parenthetical list) for all network devices included in CCNA, including cloud-managed devices.

ET 6.4 AI Arrives at CCNA!

Cisco removed the old ET 6.4 (yay), so when they added an entirely new ET in domain 6, they used the same number – probably so the other ET numbers didn’t change. Sensible to me! Here’s the new ET text:

• 6.4: Explain AI (generative and predictive) and machine learning in network operations

So, what does that mean? You need to know the basics of AI (that’s what most of the phrase means). You should be in good shape if you can learn and explain the basics to someone. The context of CCNA implies the “in network operations” part of the wording—it is a networking exam, after all. Typical uses in network operations include predictive analysis, troubleshooting, and automation.

ET 6.5 Adds API Authentication Types

This exam topic includes APIs in the exam, and the Version 1.1 blueprint adds the simple phrase “authentication types.” For most APIs, you must authenticate before you use them like you have to login before you use a site as a human user. Learn the basics for CCNA now.

ET 6.6 Adds Terraform

As mentioned in the removals section, the new blueprint removes the mention of Puppet and Chef but replaces them with Terraform. Here’s a direct comparison of the old and new wording.

Old V1.0 ET 6.6:

• Recognize the capabilities of configuration management mechanisms Puppet, Chef, and Ansible

New V1.1 ET 6.6:

• Recognize the capabilities of configuration management mechanisms such as Ansible and Terraform

Given the initial phrase – recognize the capabilities – you just need to know the basics of both.

Changes with No Impact

One ET changed by one word, with no impact on the meaning. Just to cover the bases, here’s the new wording:

• 4.5: Describe the use of syslog features, including facilities and severity levels

The new wording adds the word “severity,” which clarifies the meaning but (in my opinion) does not shrink or expand the meaning.

What You Should Do About the Changes?!?!?!

If you’ve read this far, you must care a lot about CCNA. Maybe you are already studying for it. So now what?

I’ll blog, make videos, and discuss these changes in the coming weeks and months. For instance, should you go for the exam before it changes to the V1.1 blueprint – or wait to take it? Should you get updated books? Where can you learn more about the specific technical topics? Watch for more blog posts here and YouTube videos as well.

Next Post: The New Books

The 2024 Editions of the Official CCNA 200-301 Cert Guides have a much bigger story than the exam blueprint changes. My next post and video give the big picture of why that’s true. For instance, I made more updates to the CCNA Cert Guides based on personal choice than for new 1.1 exam topics. Watch for more!

Here are a few helpful links related to the announcement.

Wendell Odom

• Blog: www.certskills.com
• YouTube Channel Advice and News Playlist

Cisco Press

Note: Pages for the new products will be available 1-2 days AFTER Cisco’s blueprint announcement.

• Cisco Press announcement page
• All Wendell Odom books at Cisco Press
• All CCNA books at Cisco Press

Cisco

• Cisco Certification Roadmap: www.cisco.com/go/certroadmap
• Cisco CCNA page: www.cisco.com/go/ccna
• Cisco Learning Network CCNA community