CCNA vs CCNA Automation: Which Exam First?

The short version

Take CCNA 200-301 if you want to build and troubleshoot networks. Take 200-901 CCNAAUTO if you write code or scripts and want to automate Cisco platforms through APIs. Cisco lists no prerequisites for either, so you do not have to take the CCNA first. Take both if your job mixes the two, because the CCNA gives the network context that automation code works on.

Side-by-side table

Item	CCNA 200-301 (v2.0 topics)	200-901 CCNAAUTO (v1.1 topics)
Full name	Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions	Automating Networks Using Cisco Platforms
Level	Associate	Associate
Audience	Entry-to-mid-level IT professionals, aspiring network engineers, administrators, technicians	Same entry-to-mid-level range, aimed at automation and software work on Cisco platforms
Main content	Addressing, switching, routing, services, security, plus AI and operations	Software development, APIs, platforms, deployment, infrastructure automation, network basics
Time	120 minutes	120 minutes
Questions and passing score	Not published	Not published
Languages (Cisco exam page)	English, Japanese	English, Japanese
Prerequisites	None	None
Validity	Three years	Three years
Renewal	Pass the current or a higher-level Cisco exam, or earn CE credits	Same renewal rules apply on Cisco’s pages
Retake after a fail	Five calendar days	Five calendar days

Cisco’s exam policies apply the same written-exam rules to both. Details were checked on October 22, 2026; see the CCNA exam format page and the 200-901 exam format page.

What each exam covers

The CCNA v2.0 domains are Network Infrastructure and Connectivity (25%), Switching and Network Access (25%), IP Routing (20%), Network Services and Security (20%), and AI, and Network Operations and Management (10%). You work with VLANs, spanning tree, OSPF, NAT, ACLs, and show output.

The 200-901 domains are Software Development and Design (15%), Understanding and Using APIs (20%), Cisco Platforms and Development (15%), Application Deployment and Security (15%), Infrastructure and Automation (20%), and Network Fundamentals (15%). You read code, call REST APIs, parse JSON, and use Git and platform tools.

Overlap and differences

Where they meet. Both exams include some automation or operations material. The CCNA v2.0 touches Ansible, SNMP, syslog, and management approaches in its last domain. The 200-901 has its own Network Fundamentals domain, so it includes addressing, switching, and routing basics.

Where they differ. The CCNA expects you to configure and troubleshoot devices at the command line. The 200-901 expects you to reason about code, API responses, and deployment practices. A network engineer with no coding habit will find the 200-901 unfamiliar. A developer with no networking habit will find the CCNA’s subnetting and spanning tree unfamiliar.

Version note. The CCNA is changing from v1.1 to v2.0. Cisco Press gives February 3, 2027 as the first v2.0 testing date. The 200-901 topics we use are v1.1, and we did not find a dated Cisco page announcing a change. Check both exam pages before you book.

How to choose

You want to work on networks, or your employer runs Cisco gear: CCNA first.
You are a developer or DevOps engineer who will script against Cisco platforms: 200-901 first, and add networking study to fill gaps.
You are a network engineer moving toward automation: CCNA first, then 200-901, so the code has a context.
You are unsure: read each exam’s domain list and ask which one you could already half-explain.

Since neither exam requires the other, the order is about learning, not rules. Study hours vary; see each exam’s study plan for rough ranges.

Can you take both?

Yes. Cisco’s exam policies do not bar taking both. Each credential has its own three-year validity. Cisco’s CCNA page says a higher-level Cisco exam can renew a CCNA, but we did not find a statement that the 200-901 renews the CCNA, so do not plan around that. Read Cisco’s recertification rules for your plan.