Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial

By Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933
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The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification is intended for individuals who install, configure, and operate LAN, WAN, and dial access services for small networks (100 nodes or fewer), including but not limited to use of these protocols: IP, IGRP, IPX, Serial, AppleTalk, Frame Relay, IP RIP, VLANs, RIP, Ethernet, Access Lists, using Cisco routers and switches.

There are two paths to certification - a one exam path and a two exam path. The paths cover the same material. For the one exam path you must pass the current CCNA exam. The two exam path breaks the topics covered into two exams, one being more introductory. The two exams are: INTRO 640-821 (Introduction to Cisco Networking Technologies) and ICND 640-811 (Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices). If using the two exam path both exams must be taken within 3 years of each other.

The exams includes multiple choice questions, plus experience-based, interactive question types have been incorporated that require cut-and-paste solutions, IP addressing input, and networking simulation comprehension. You must also agree to the Cisco Career Certifications and Confidentiality Agreement.

Articles in this Series:

Troubleshooting EIGRP
Quick tips to help you troubleshoot EIGRP and spot common errors.

Password Recovery Procedures
Sooner or later, you're going to have to perform password recovery on a Cisco router or switch. Will you know how when the time comes?

OSI Model Physical Layer Essentials
To pass your CCNA exam and earn this coveted certification, you've got to master the seven layers of the OSI model and what each layer does. The physical layer is a good place to start.

Route Summarization
Whether it's RIP version 2, OSPF, or EIGRP, the CCNA exam will demand that you can flawlessly configure route summarization.

Five Frame Relay Details You Must Know
When you're studying for your CCNA exam on the way to earning this coveted Cisco certification, the details can seem overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be.

OSPF Hub-And-Spoke
The first exposure many future CCNAs have to OSPF is the hub-and-spoke configuration.

Directly Connected Serial Interfaces
To pass the CCNA exam you've got to be more than familiar with is directly connecting serial interfaces on Cisco routers. This is also a valuable skill to have in your home lab, since it allows you to add segments to your network setup.

Troubleshooting Directly Connected Serial Interfaces
Troubleshooting is a big part of the job, and it's a big part of the Cisco CCNA and CCNP programs as well.

Static Routing
Static routing is not complicated, but it's an important topic on the CCNA exam and a valuable skill for real-world networking.

Prefix Notation
A quick overview of prefix notation.

A Guide To RAM, ROM, NVRAM, and Flash Memory
What is stored in RAM vs. ROM vs. NVRAM vs. FLASH memory in a Cisco router.

Defining Broadcast Domains
A brief review of broadcast domains and how and why to define them.

Defining and Creating Collision Domains
What are collision domains and why do you need them?

Using Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP)
TFTP is used in the Cisco world to perform IOS upgrades and to save configs to a TFTP Server.

Why Do We Need Private Address Ranges
There are three ranges of private addresses. Do you know what they are?

MAC Addressing Formats and Broadcasts
MAC addresses are a fundamental of networking. Are you comfortable with using them?

The articles in this series were written by Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933. Chris is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of over 100 free certification exam tutorials, including Cisco CCNA certification test prep articles. His exclusive Cisco CCNA study guide and Cisco CCNA training is also available!