If you’re planning to earn the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification, there’s an important change you need to know about. Cisco is preparing to launch CCNA 200-301 v2.0, a refreshed version of the popular networking certification exam.
The new CCNA v2.0 exam will go live on February 3, 2027. Candidates can continue taking the current CCNA v1.1 exam through February 2, 2027. Cisco published the new exam topics well in advance to give candidates time to understand the changes and prepare for the updated certification.
The update is more than a simple change in terminology. Cisco is shifting the emphasis of the CCNA toward practical networking skills, troubleshooting, security, modern network operations, and artificial intelligence.
For anyone currently studying for the CCNA—or considering starting—the question is no longer simply “What topics are on the CCNA?” It is also “Which version should I take?”
This guide explains what is changing, what is staying the same, and how you can prepare for the new CCNA v2.0 exam.
When Is the New CCNA v2.0 Exam Available?
The transition between the two versions is straightforward:
| CCNA Version | Important Date |
|---|---|
| CCNA v2.0 exam topics announced | May 20, 2026 |
| Last day to take CCNA v1.1 | February 2, 2027 |
| First day to take CCNA v2.0 | February 3, 2027 |
The certification itself remains the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), and the exam remains the 200-301 CCNA. The major change is the version of the exam blueprint used to determine what candidates are expected to know and demonstrate.
This is important for current students. If you are preparing for the CCNA now and plan to take your exam before February 3, 2027, you should continue studying against the current v1.1 objectives.
If you plan to take the exam on or after February 3, 2027, you should prepare using the v2.0 blueprint.
Why Is Cisco Updating the CCNA?
Networking has changed considerably since the current CCNA exam was introduced.
Modern network professionals increasingly work with:
- Cloud-managed networking
- Network automation
- Infrastructure as Code
- Artificial intelligence
- Security-focused network architectures
- Wireless networks
- Virtualized infrastructure
- Centralized network management
- Automated troubleshooting and monitoring
Cisco’s CCNA v2.0 update reflects this evolution.
However, the update does not abandon traditional networking fundamentals. Routing, switching, IP addressing, VLANs, wireless, network services, and security remain at the heart of the certification.
Instead, Cisco is changing how deeply candidates are expected to understand and apply those skills.
Cisco’s own description of the refresh emphasizes practical assessments, increased troubleshooting, and security and AI woven throughout the certification.
That distinction is important.
The new CCNA isn’t simply asking candidates to memorize more information. It is increasingly asking them to understand how a network behaves and how to determine what is wrong when something doesn’t work.
The Five Domains of CCNA v2.0
One of the most visible changes is the restructuring of the exam blueprint.
The current v1.1 exam is organized into six major domains:
- Network Fundamentals — 20%
- Network Access — 20%
- IP Connectivity — 25%
- IP Services — 10%
- Security Fundamentals — 15%
- Automation and Programmability — 10%
The v2.0 blueprint reorganizes the material into five broader domains:
| CCNA v2.0 Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| 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, Network Operations and Management | 10% |
The restructuring places greater emphasis on network infrastructure, switching, network services, and operational skills while incorporating AI into the certification.
Let’s look at each area.
1.0 Network Infrastructure and Connectivity — 25%
The first domain focuses on the foundation of a network.
Candidates should expect topics involving:
- IPv4 and IPv6 addressing
- Subnetting
- Network connectivity
- Ethernet
- Copper and fiber connections
- Wireless fundamentals
- DHCP
- Network interfaces
- Virtualization
- Virtual machines and containers
- Client connectivity troubleshooting
One significant change is the increased emphasis on troubleshooting.
Instead of simply understanding what a network component does, candidates may need to determine why connectivity isn’t working.
For example, imagine a workstation cannot access a remote server.
A networking professional needs to work through questions such as:
- Does the workstation have an IP address?
- Is the subnet mask correct?
- Is the default gateway correct?
- Can the workstation reach its gateway?
- Is the destination reachable?
- Is DNS functioning?
- Is there a routing problem?
- Is something filtering the traffic?
That type of problem-solving is becoming more important in the CCNA.
2.0 Switching and Network Access — 25%
Switching remains one of the most important areas of the CCNA.
The v2.0 blueprint gives switching and network access a 25% weighting, making it one of the two largest domains.
Candidates should continue developing strong knowledge of:
- VLANs
- 802.1Q trunking
- EtherChannel
- LACP
- Spanning Tree Protocol
- Rapid PVST+
- Switch interfaces
- Access ports
- Trunk ports
- SVI configuration
- CDP and LLDP
- Power over Ethernet
- Network access troubleshooting
The important difference is that candidates need to be increasingly comfortable configuring, verifying, and troubleshooting these technologies.
Knowing that a VLAN exists is not enough.
A network administrator should be able to identify whether:
- The VLAN exists
- The interface is assigned to the correct VLAN
- The port is operating as an access or trunk port
- The trunk is carrying the appropriate VLAN
- Spanning Tree is affecting the path
- EtherChannel is functioning correctly
This is one reason hands-on laboratory practice will be particularly important for CCNA v2.0.
3.0 IP Routing — 20%
Routing continues to be a core component of the CCNA.
The v2.0 exam includes concepts involving:
- Routing tables
- IPv4 routing
- IPv6 routing
- Static routes
- Default routes
- OSPF
- OSPFv2
- OSPFv3
- First Hop Redundancy Protocol concepts
- HSRP
- VRRP
- Routing troubleshooting
The weighting for IP Routing decreases from 25% in v1.1 to 20% in v2.0. That does not mean routing is becoming unimportant.
In fact, some routing topics become more operationally focused.
For example, OSPFv3 for IPv6 receives attention in the new blueprint, while candidates also need to understand routing behavior and troubleshoot routing problems.
A CCNA candidate should therefore be comfortable answering questions such as:
Why isn’t this route appearing in the routing table?
Why aren’t two OSPF routers becoming neighbors?
Why is traffic taking an unexpected path?
Why can one subnet communicate with another while a different subnet cannot?
Understanding routing tables and being able to interpret command output becomes increasingly important.
4.0 Network Services and Security — 20%
One of the most notable changes in the new CCNA is the integration of networking services and security.
The new domain combines concepts that were previously spread across IP Services and Security Fundamentals.
Topics include areas such as:
- NAT and PAT
- DNS
- DHCP
- IPv4 access control lists
- AAA
- TACACS+
- RADIUS
- Secure file transfer
- IPsec VPN concepts
- Port security
- DHCP snooping
- Dynamic ARP Inspection
- Storm control
- Router Advertisement Guard
- Network security troubleshooting
The increased security emphasis makes sense because network administrators increasingly have security responsibilities.
A network engineer cannot simply configure a switch or router and assume security is someone else’s responsibility.
For example, an engineer should understand how controls such as DHCP snooping, Dynamic ARP Inspection, port security, and access control lists can affect traffic.
The new blueprint also increases the importance of diagnosing services such as DNS and DHCP.
5.0 AI, Network Operations and Management — 10%
Perhaps the most attention-grabbing change to CCNA v2.0 is the introduction of artificial intelligence into the certification.
The new domain covers AI alongside network operations and management.
Candidates should become familiar with concepts such as:
- The role of AI in network operations
- Agentic AI
- Generative AI
- Selecting effective prompts
- Data classification
- AI-assisted network operations
- Evaluating AI-generated recommendations
- Network management approaches
- SNMP
- Syslog
- Ansible
- Infrastructure as Code concepts
This does not mean that CCNA candidates are expected to become machine-learning engineers.
Instead, Cisco is recognizing that network professionals are increasingly going to interact with AI-powered tools.
A network engineer may use an AI assistant to:
- Analyze logs
- Explain configuration problems
- Identify potential causes of connectivity problems
- Generate configuration suggestions
- Summarize network events
- Assist with troubleshooting
But there is an important lesson here:
AI-generated recommendations still need to be evaluated by a knowledgeable network professional.
Understanding networking fundamentals remains essential because an AI assistant can provide a recommendation, but the engineer needs enough knowledge to determine whether that recommendation is correct and safe.
Troubleshooting Is One of the Biggest Changes
If there is one change CCNA candidates should pay particular attention to, it is the increased emphasis on troubleshooting.
The v2.0 blueprint significantly increases the number of objectives that use higher-level verbs such as diagnose and troubleshoot. Cisco’s update is designed to place more emphasis on practical skills and real-world problem solving.
This changes how you should study.
Consider the difference between these two questions:
Knowledge-based question:
What command displays the IP routing table?
versus:
Troubleshooting-oriented question:
A router cannot reach a remote network. Based on the routing table and interface configuration, what is causing the problem?
The second question requires more than memorization.
You need to understand:
- What the configuration should look like
- What normal operation looks like
- What the command output means
- What symptoms indicate a problem
- How to isolate the cause
- How to correct the problem
That is much closer to what network professionals encounter in the workplace.
What Happened to Automation and Programmability?
Candidates familiar with the current CCNA v1.1 blueprint may notice that Automation and Programmability is no longer a standalone domain.
That doesn’t mean automation has disappeared from networking.
Instead, automation and network management concepts have been reorganized into the new operational focus of CCNA v2.0.
Topics such as Ansible, network management approaches, and infrastructure automation remain relevant, while some of the detailed API and data-format material from the previous blueprint has been reduced or removed.
This reflects an important shift.
The CCNA is moving away from simply introducing candidates to a list of automation technologies and toward understanding how modern networks are operated and managed.
What Is Staying the Same?
Despite the changes, someone who has already started studying for CCNA v1.1 does not need to throw away everything they’ve learned.
The fundamental networking skills remain extremely valuable.
You should still understand:
- Ethernet
- MAC addresses
- IP addressing
- IPv4 subnetting
- IPv6
- VLANs
- Trunking
- Spanning Tree
- EtherChannel
- Routing
- Static routes
- OSPF
- NAT
- ACLs
- DHCP
- DNS
- Network security
- Wireless networking
- Cisco IOS configuration
- Network troubleshooting
Cisco itself recommends that candidates who are already studying for v1.1 continue their preparation rather than abandoning it. The skills developed while studying the current exam provide a foundation for v2.0.
Should You Take CCNA v1.1 or Wait for v2.0?
This is probably the biggest question for people currently preparing for the CCNA.
The answer depends primarily on your timeline.
If You’re Ready to Take the Exam in 2026
Taking the current CCNA v1.1 makes sense.
You do not need to wait for v2.0 simply because a new version has been announced.
Cisco has explicitly stated that the current exam remains available until February 2, 2027.
If you are already well into your v1.1 preparation, continuing toward certification can be the fastest path.
If You’re Just Beginning and Plan to Test in 2027
If your exam is scheduled for February 3, 2027 or later, you will need to prepare for v2.0.
In that case, you should use the new v2.0 exam topics as your primary study blueprint.
The good news is that the networking fundamentals you learn now will remain useful.
If You’re Somewhere in the Middle
Don’t panic.
If you’ve already spent weeks or months learning CCNA fundamentals, that work isn’t wasted.
Instead, compare your existing study plan with the v2.0 blueprint and identify the differences.
Pay particular attention to:
- Troubleshooting
- OSPFv3
- DNS troubleshooting
- DHCP troubleshooting
- Expanded Layer 2 security
- Wireless troubleshooting
- Network operations
- Ansible
- AI concepts
- Modern network management approaches
How Should You Prepare for CCNA v2.0?
The new exam should change not only what you study but also how you study.
1. Spend More Time in a Network Lab
Reading a configuration is not the same as creating one.
Use a lab environment to practice:
- VLAN configuration
- Trunk configuration
- EtherChannel
- STP
- Static routing
- OSPF
- IPv6
- ACLs
- NAT
- DHCP
- Network security
- Troubleshooting
Tools such as Cisco Packet Tracer and Cisco Modeling Labs can provide valuable hands-on practice.
Cisco also provides Cisco Modeling Labs as a platform for building and troubleshooting realistic network environments.
2. Practice Breaking Things
This may be one of the best ways to prepare for the troubleshooting emphasis.
Build a working network.
Then intentionally introduce a problem.
For example:
- Configure the wrong VLAN.
- Remove a required trunk VLAN.
- Change an IP address.
- Configure an incorrect subnet mask.
- Disable an interface.
- Break an OSPF adjacency.
- Create an incorrect ACL.
- Configure an incorrect default gateway.
- Introduce a DHCP problem.
Then troubleshoot the problem without immediately looking at the answer.
This teaches you to think like a network administrator rather than simply memorize commands.
3. Learn to Read Command Output
CCNA candidates should become comfortable interpreting output from commands such as:
show ip interface brief
show interfaces
show vlan brief
show interfaces trunk
show etherchannel summary
show spanning-tree
show ip route
show ipv6 route
show ip ospf neighbor
show access-lists
show ip nat translationsThe goal isn’t simply to memorize commands.
The goal is to understand what the output is telling you.
4. Understand Why Configurations Work
Don’t stop at:
“This is the command I need to type.”
Ask:
“Why does this command solve the problem?”
Understanding the underlying networking concepts makes troubleshooting much easier.
For example, don’t simply memorize how to configure a trunk.
Understand:
- What a trunk does
- Why VLAN tags are required
- How access ports differ from trunks
- How native VLAN behavior works
- How a trunk failure affects connectivity
5. Add AI Literacy to Your Networking Knowledge
You don’t need to become an AI developer.
Instead, learn how AI is being used in network operations.
Understand concepts such as:
- Generative AI
- Agentic AI
- AI assistants
- Prompt construction
- Data classification
- AI-generated recommendations
- Validation of AI output
The important skill is learning how to use AI as a tool without blindly trusting its output.
A Practical CCNA v2.0 Study Strategy
A good study strategy should combine three activities:
Learn → Configure → Troubleshoot
For example, when studying VLANs:
Learn
Understand:
- What a VLAN is
- Why VLANs are used
- Access versus trunk ports
- 802.1Q
- VLAN membership
Configure
Build a small topology and configure:
- VLANs
- Access ports
- Trunks
- SVIs
Troubleshoot
Break the configuration.
Then determine:
- Why the hosts cannot communicate
- Whether the VLAN exists
- Whether the ports are assigned correctly
- Whether the trunk is functioning
- Whether the correct VLAN is allowed
This approach is much more aligned with the direction of CCNA v2.0 than simply reading a textbook and taking multiple-choice practice questions.
What Does CCNA v2.0 Mean for IT Careers?
The CCNA has historically been associated with entry-level networking roles.
The v2.0 update reinforces that role while broadening the skill set expected of modern networking professionals.
The certification continues to provide a foundation for roles such as:
- Network Technician
- Network Administrator
- Network Support Specialist
- Junior Network Engineer
- IT Support Specialist
- Infrastructure Technician
- Systems Administrator
It can also provide foundational networking knowledge for professionals moving into:
- Cybersecurity
- Cloud computing
- Network automation
- Infrastructure engineering
- DevOps
- IT operations
Cisco describes the CCNA as a foundation for networking careers as well as areas such as cybersecurity, cloud, and automation.
Is the New CCNA v2.0 Harder?
This is a difficult question to answer with a simple yes or no.
The new exam isn’t necessarily harder because there are dramatically more networking technologies to memorize.
Instead, it is different in the level of skill expected.
Candidates need to move beyond:
“I know what this technology is.”
toward:
“I can configure it, verify it, recognize when it isn’t working, determine why, and correct the problem.”
That is a meaningful change.
For students who prefer memorization and traditional multiple-choice study, the new approach may feel more challenging.
For students who enjoy building networks and troubleshooting problems, the new CCNA may actually feel more relevant and engaging.
The Biggest CCNA v2.0 Changes at a Glance
| Change | What It Means |
|---|---|
| New v2.0 exam | Launches February 3, 2027 |
| v1.1 retirement | February 2, 2027 |
| Five domains | Content has been reorganized |
| More troubleshooting | Candidates must diagnose network problems |
| More practical skills | Configuration and verification become more important |
| AI introduced | AI and generative AI concepts enter the blueprint |
| Security integrated | Security appears throughout network services and operations |
| OSPFv3 | IPv6 routing receives additional attention |
| Network operations | SNMP, syslog, Ansible, and management approaches are emphasized |
| Automation reorganized | Automation is no longer a standalone domain |
What Should CCNA Students Do Right Now?
If you’re currently studying for the CCNA, don’t panic about the upcoming change.
The most important thing is to determine when you plan to take the exam.
If you plan to test before February 3, 2027, continue studying for CCNA v1.1.
If you plan to test on or after February 3, 2027, use the v2.0 blueprint as your study guide.
Either way, focus on the fundamentals.
Learn how networks actually work.
Build them.
Break them.
Troubleshoot them.
Then rebuild them.
Those skills will remain valuable regardless of which version of the CCNA exam you take.
Final Thoughts
The upcoming Cisco CCNA 200-301 v2.0 represents an important evolution of one of the IT industry’s best-known networking certifications.
The biggest story isn’t simply that Cisco has added artificial intelligence to the exam.
The more significant change is the shift toward real-world networking skills.
Cisco wants CCNA-certified professionals to understand networks, configure them, monitor them, troubleshoot them, and increasingly understand how modern tools—including AI and automation—can be used to operate them.
For aspiring IT professionals, that is a positive development.
Networking is no longer just about configuring routers and switches. Modern network professionals need to understand security, automation, cloud technologies, virtualization, wireless connectivity, monitoring, and increasingly AI-assisted operations.
The new CCNA reflects that reality.
If you’re studying for the certification today, the fundamentals you learn are not going away. Instead, those fundamentals are becoming the foundation for a more practical and modern approach to networking.
The best preparation for CCNA v2.0 is therefore simple:
Learn the concepts. Build the network. Troubleshoot the problems. Understand the technology.
That approach will prepare you not only for the CCNA exam, but for the real-world networking challenges that come after it.
Official Cisco Resources
Cisco’s official Steps to the Future: The Modern CCNA announcement provides background on why the certification is being updated:
Steps to the Future: The Modern CCNA
Cisco’s official CCNA v2.0 Exam Topics page provides the detailed blueprint candidates should use when preparing for the new exam:
Cisco’s current CCNA certification page provides information about the certification, exam logistics, and preparation resources:
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