Cisco Announces CCNA Version 2.0!

Posted May 20, 2026

Barely two years ago (not quite 25 months) Cisco announced CCNA 200-301 V1.1. Today, they announced CCNA 200-301 V2.0, describing it as a major update to the blueprint – which it is. But do not panic! You have time and options, as with every such exam transition. Read on for the details.

Cisco Reveals CCNA 200-301 Version 2.0 (May 2026)

https://youtu.be/eicC2GyHouY

Read this Post, or Watch this Video

I made both a video and a blog post about this topic – so either watch the video or keep reading – your choice!

The CCNA 200-301 Version 2.0 Blueprint Update!

Cisco just announced an update to CCNA, and it’s a big change. Cisco tells us that right up front, and it’s reflected in the version number change. Cisco tells us that a major update (more than 20% change) changes the first number in the blueprint number. With this latest update moving CCNA from Version 1.1 to Version 2.0, Cisco is telling us: Big Change!

But honestly, if you’re studying for CCNA already, and you slow down to look at the new CCNA 2.0 blueprint, it’s pretty easy to notice the volume of changes. But I’ll break down the highlights in this post so you don’t have to.

This announcement also represents the quickest CCNA blueprint change in over 20 years. Cisco has told us they make may more frequent but smaller blueprint changes these days, but this is the first time it’s happened for CCNA. (Having written books for every CCNA blueprint, I’ve had reason to remember all the particulars!)

If you count based on the announcement dates, the time between the V1.1 and V2.0 announcements is 2 years and a few weeks. Not long.
If you compare by the exam release dates, the difference is still pretty significant, with only 2.5 years between the V1.1 exam release and the planned V2.0 exam release in February 2027.

Figure 1: CCNA 200-301 V1.0, to V1.1, and V2.0 Exam Release Timeline

As usual, Cisco gives us a longer lead time with a major update. So, for those of you working towards CCNA when the announcement was made, you have plenty of time to complete CCNA with the V1.1 blueprint. And even if you do not finish CCNA by the cutover date, I will help. I’ll post additional blog posts a few months before the cutover date, with advice on the best ways to make that transition. The short version is that you have until February 2, 2027, before the cutover, so you can finish before the new exam releases.

Figure 2: Key Dates

I will give you some broad impressions in the rest of this post, with more details in a few related posts. However, Cisco publishes many details about each exam release. They have wonderful exam “Release Notes” documents for each updated exam – that’s the #1 Cisco document you should find and read if you’re interested in the new exam.

Cisco’s page detailing CCNA 200-301 Version 2.0 Changes

Your CCNA Study Strategy

There’s a reasonable concern when Cisco makes this kind of announcement: If you’re already studying for CCNA, what should you do? It is a bit unnerving. But at every such announcement (and I’ve been there for all of them), the answer is consistently the same: keep studying and pass the current CCNA. Pass with the original blueprint if you can. Then move on to the next work project, exam, or whatever the focus of your professional journey is.

Figure 3: Study Approaches If You Were Already Studying for CCNA V1.1

Thankfully, the long runway (8.5 months from V2.0 announcement until the V1.1 exam retires) gives you plenty of time. Look at it as an opportunity to get re-focused on your study habits and complete the task.

However, as Feb 3, 2027, approaches, your plan may need to change. In my opinion, the dividing line to change your study tactics is about 3 months out from that date. Before then, just keep studying for CCNA V1.1 as if Cisco hadn’t announced anything, get it done, and move on. But once you’re in the 3-month window, be prudent about your study time, just in case you end up needing to pass the CCNA V2.0 exam. It’s a simple approach: Study for CCNA V1.1, but put off studying the topics that the V2.0 blueprint drops vs. the V1.1 blueprint. Figure 4 shows the comparison.

Figure 4: Study Approaches Based on Current Date

Do not plan on passing the V1.1 exam in the final day or two. Things can happen – car won’t start, train is delayed, testing center computers are down. I’d leave enough days for at least one additional attempt – and Cisco requires you to wait 5 days (per current rules, which can change) before taking it again. So, looking at the bottom of the previous figure, I’d say:

Leave time for three attempts, one week apart, to be completed by Feb 2nd.
To be safe, complete them by one week ahead, by Jan 26th, 2027
That means take your first attempt by Jan 12th, 2027!

Big CCNA Changes: Domains, Percentages, and Verbs

The V2.0 blueprint changes a lot of the individual exam topics (tasks) – more on that in just a bit. But it also totally revamps the domains.

First, some terminology. The blueprint document organizes the exam topics into domains. Think of the document as an outline, with each domain as the primary items in the outline. CCNA V1.1 had 6 domains, V2.0 has 5.

Within each domain, the blueprint lists exam topics. Cisco often refers to these as “tasks” and “subtasks”, as seen in Figure 4. The tasks have verbs (which is important), with the verbs at the beginning of the text. The subtasks do not have verbs, and are subjugated to the task just above. Figure 4 shows the ideas and terms using an excerpt from the CCNA V1.1 blueprint.

Figure 5: Domains, Tasks, and Subtasks

V1.1 Vs. V2.0 Domains

Cisco lists a percentage beside each domain in the blueprint. The promise: That’s the percentage of points on everyone’s exam that comes from that domain. That’s really the only specific insight into exam scoring. Then, when you get your score report at the end of the exam, you get feedback on how you did in each domain

For this major update to CCNA V2.0, Cisco:

Converted from 6 to 5 Domains
Re-organized Topics Vs. V1.1

Figure 6 shows the old and new domains and percentages.

Figure 6 CCNA V1.1 Vs. V2.0 Domains and Percentages

Verbs – The Biggest Change!!!!!!

But the single biggest change has to do with the verbs. For CCNA V1.0 (announced in 2019), Cisco removed all uses of “troubleshoot”, so that “configure and verify” were the highest performance verbs in the blueprint. Again, V1.1, announced in 2024, no “troubleshooting” verbs.

Troubleshooting is back! And a lot of it! Check out this table. Troubleshoot (find problem and fix) and diagnose (find problem) arrive. Configure and verify remain. By percentage, there are a LOT more items that require you to do something from the CLI.

Figure 7: CCNA V1.1 Vs. 2.0 Verbs

Blueprint Details? Next Post!

The V2.0 blueprint changes a lot of the individual exam topics (tasks). You’ll want to check with Cisco’s release information for most of that, but I’ve also made a post and video hitting the major points. Check those out here:

Key Links

Here are a few helpful links related to the announcement.

Wendell Odom

Cisco Press

Note: Pages for the new products will not be available until about 5 months before product release. Stay tuned for updates.

Cisco

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