The short version
CCNA 200-301 is Cisco’s associate-level networking exam. It tests whether you can configure, verify, and troubleshoot a small enterprise network, and the v2.0 version adds a short section on AI in network operations. Cisco’s first testing date for v2.0 is February 3, 2027, so until then the exam you can book is v1.1. This guide describes v2.0, and it tells you clearly where the two versions differ.
v1.1 and v2.0: which one are you preparing for?
This matters more than anything else on the page, so here it is first.
- Today (October 18, 2026): CCNA 200-301 v1.1 is the exam you can sit. Cisco’s CCNA exam page still links to the v1.1 exam topics.
- From February 3, 2027: Cisco Press states that this is the first testing date for 200-301 v2.0. The exam code stays 200-301. The same Cisco Press page says v1.1 stays valid until February 2027.
- What Cisco has published for v2.0: an exam topics document that lists five domains with weightings and the exam description. We use it for everything below.
What we could not verify is a line-by-line comparison of v1.1 and v2.0 from Cisco itself. Cisco’s v1.1 page lists six topic areas (network fundamentals, network access, IP connectivity, IP services, security fundamentals, and automation and programmability). The v2.0 document has five domains. Much of the content is the same networking you already know from either version, but v2.0 has a dedicated AI and operations domain, and many v2.0 topics are worded as “troubleshoot” (for example IPv4 and IPv6 addressing, DHCPv4, and static routing). If you plan to sit the exam before February 3, 2027, study from Cisco’s v1.1 topics. If you plan to sit it after, study from the v2.0 topics. Our practice sets are built for v2.0.
What the exam is
The full v2.0 name is Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions (200-301 CCNA) v2.0. Cisco describes it as a 120-minute exam covering IP routing, switching and network access, network services and security, network infrastructure and connectivity, AI, and network operations and management. Passing it earns the CCNA credential, which Cisco says is valid for three years.
The verbs in the topics tell you what to expect. You configure VLANs, trunks, OSPF, NAT, and ACLs. You interpret routing tables and show output. You troubleshoot addressing, DHCP, and static routes. Cisco also says you may be asked to evaluate output and recommendations from agentic AI and digital network assistants. That means you read a suggestion and decide whether it is right for the device in front of you.
Who it is for
Cisco describes the CCNA audience as entry-to-mid-level IT professionals, such as aspiring network engineers, administrators, and technicians, and says it assumes little to no networking knowledge. There are no formal prerequisites. The prerequisites page covers what helps in practice, because “none required” and “easy” are not the same thing.
Format at a glance
| Item | What Cisco says |
|---|---|
| Exam code | 200-301 CCNA (v2.0 keeps the code) |
| Time | 120 minutes |
| Number of questions | Not stated on the pages we read |
| Passing score | Not published; Cisco reports pass or fail with a breakdown by section |
| Languages | English and Japanese on Cisco’s exam page |
| Delivery | Written exams can be taken at a test center or with online proctoring |
| Retake wait | Five calendar days, starting the day after a failed attempt |
| Validity | Three years |
Details are on the exam format page.
The five domains and their weightings
| Domain | Weighting |
|---|---|
| 1.0 Network Infrastructure and Connectivity | 25% |
| 2.0 Switching and Network Access | 25% |
| 3.0 IP Routing | 20% |
| 4.0 Network Services and Security | 20% |
| 5.0 AI, and Network Operations and Management | 10% |
Network Infrastructure and Connectivity
Interface and cable faults, hypervisors, virtual machines and containers, IPv4 and IPv6 addressing, wireless principles, client connectivity troubleshooting, and DHCPv4 on IOS devices.
Switching and Network Access
Trunks, EtherChannel, SVIs, edge ports (including PoE and voice VLANs), CDP and LLDP, show-command troubleshooting, and Rapid PVST+ with PortFast, root guard, loop guard, and BPDU guard.
IP Routing
Reading a routing table, static routes (including floating static), single-area OSPFv2 and OSPFv3, and the operational status of HSRP and VRRP.
Network Services and Security
AAA with TACACS+ and RADIUS, SFTP and SCP, NAT and PAT, DNS records, IPsec VPN concepts, IPv4 ACLs, and Layer 2 security such as DHCP snooping, dynamic ARP inspection, and port security.
AI, and Network Operations and Management
The role of agentic AI, choosing a prompt for a generative AI system, management approaches, SNMP, Ansible, and syslog.
The domains explained page goes through each one in detail. Cisco also warns that additional related topics may appear and that the topics can change without notice, so check Cisco’s document before you book.
Official source
For the vendor’s own pages, see the Cisco CCNA exam page and the v2.0 exam topics PDF. They are the final authority if anything here differs.
More guides for CCNA-200-301-V2
- CCNA 200-301 v2.0 Study Plan: 4 or 8 Weeks
- CCNA 200-301 v2.0 Sample Questions
- Is CCNA 200-301 v2.0 Hard? An Honest Look
- CCNA 200-301 Renewal and Retakes Explained
- Is CCNA 200-301 Worth It? An Honest Look
- CCNA 200-301 v2.0 Cheat Sheet: Key Facts
- CCNA vs CCNA Automation: Which Exam First?
- CCNA vs Network+: Which Exam First?
Next step
Read the domains explained page to see where your time should go. When you want to check yourself, our CCNA 200-301 v2.0 practice tests are five original practice sets of 100 questions each, organized by these five domains.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take v2.0 today?
Not yet. Cisco Press gives February 3, 2027 as the first testing date. Check Cisco’s exam page for the current status before you book.
Does the exam code change with v2.0?
No. Cisco Press states that the code stays 200-301.
How long does the CCNA last?
Cisco lists a validity of three years. You can renew by passing the current CCNA exam or a higher-level Cisco exam, or by earning 30 continuing education credits.
Which topics should I follow if I sit v1.1 first?
Follow Cisco’s v1.1 exam topics, which Cisco links from its CCNA exam page. The five-domain layout and weightings in this guide come from the v2.0 document.