Alexis Kestler
Cisco‘s CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) certification is one of the most popular and valued IT certifications for network administrators. As organizations continue to expand their networks and adopt new technologies like cloud, IoT and cybersecurity, there is a growing demand for skilled network administrators who can properly configure, troubleshoot and secure these complex network environments.
The CCNA certification validates your fundamental knowledge and skills working with Cisco routers, switches, wireless access points and other network devices. By passing the new CCNA 200-301 exam, you can kickstart your career as a network admin and open doors to higher-paying jobs.
In this guide, we will explore some of the best online CCNA certification courses to help you prepare for and pass the CCNA exam. Whether you are just starting out in IT or are an experienced network admin looking to level up your skills, these training options will set you on the path to becoming a CCNA.
Who Should Get CCNA Certified?
The CCNA is an entry-level Cisco certification aimed at network administrators, network engineers, IT support specialists and other IT professionals who want to prove their skills working with Cisco networking technologies.
Some specific job roles and professionals who would benefit from CCNA certification include:
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Network administrators – CCNA is foundational knowledge for managing the day-to-day operations of an organization‘s network infrastructure.
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Network engineers – CCNA teaches important concepts like switching, routing, IP addressing and subnetting which network engineers need to design and implement networks.
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Help desk and desktop support – Understanding networks helps IT support technicians troubleshoot connectivity and performance issues.
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Network security admins – CCNA includes security concepts like ACLs, VPNs and using AAA with TACACS+ and RADIUS.
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Network techs and cable installers – Building and maintaining networks requires skills the CCNA covers like cabling, NICs and Ethernet standards.
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IT students – CCNA is a great certification to have on your resume after completing your computer science or information technology degree.
In short, any IT professional who wants to elevate their career and be involved with installing, configuring and maintaining network infrastructure will benefit greatly from attaining the CCNA certification. It‘s your ticket to a network admin or engineer role.
What Does the CCNA Certification Cover?
Cisco recently updated the CCNA certification track to consolidate its previous multi-exam CCENT and CCNA Routing & Switching credentials into one streamlined CCNA 200-301 exam. This new exam covers a wide range of fundamental networking topics that network administrators need to know.
Some of the key topics and technology areas covered in the 200-301 CCNA exam include:
- Network fundamentals – OSI and TCP/IP models, IP addressing, VLANs
- Network access – Wired and wireless LANs, Ethernet, WAN
- IP connectivity – Routing protocols like OSPF and EIGRP
- IP services – DHCP, NAT, NTP, SNMP, QoS
- Security fundamentals – Switch port security, ACLs, VPNs
- Automation and programmability – APIs, controllers, REST
- Network assurance – Monitoring tools like syslog and SNMP
- Network troubleshooting – Common problems, debugging, Cisco IOS tools
The CCNA exam validates your skills across multiple Cisco platforms like routers, switches, firewalls and wireless devices. You‘ll be tested on how to install, configure, monitor and troubleshoot networks built with Cisco equipment.
While there are no mandatory prerequisites, Cisco recommends having at least 1 year experience installing, operating and troubleshooting networks prior to attempting the CCNA certification.
Why Get CCNA Certified?
Earning your CCNA certification brings a wide range of benefits:
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Get hired faster – CCNA is a vendor-neutral certification that is valued by employers. It can give you an advantage over other candidates without certs.
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Increase your salary – Multiple studies have shown CCNA certified pros earn $12,000 more on average per year.
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Skill development – The CCNA coursework and training will build your practical skills managing real networks using Cisco gear.
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Build credibility – CCNA proves to employers and peers that you have the skills to succeed in network admin/engineer roles.
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Career advancement – CCNA opens the door to higher certifications like CCNP for expanded career opportunities.
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Learn from experts – Cisco has very knowledgeable instructors who share real-world insights you can‘t get elsewhere.
Let‘s look closer at some of the top online Cisco CCNA certification training courses and see which one best fits your learning needs and budget.
Udemy
Highlights:
- Lower cost online self-study course
- 130+ lectures & 15+ hours of video
- Labs using Cisco Packet Tracer
- Practice exams and quizzes
- Lifetime access to course
Course Link: https://www.udemy.com/course/ccna-complete/
Udemy is an online learning platform offering affordable CCNA certification courses for self-motivated learners. This CCNA course from instructor Lazaro Diaz includes over 130 lectures totaling 15+ hours of on-demand video content.
The course covers all the exam objectives Cisco lists for the 200-301 CCNA certification. Topics include networking fundamentals, IP connectivity, security concepts, automation and programmability.
Lazaro brings real-world network engineering experience to the course material. You‘ll get clear and concise explanations of CCNA topics to help you master the exam objectives. He uses Cisco Packet Tracer to demonstrate how to configure, verify and troubleshoot networks with Cisco IOS.
After each section, you can test your knowledge with practice labs and quizzes. This interactive learning helps reinforce concepts and identify weak areas. You also get access to two full CCNA practice exams.
The major pros of this Udemy CCNA course are the inexpensive pricing and lifetime access. With unlimited lifetime access to the content, it‘s fantastic value.
Coursera
Highlights
- Beginner-friendly introduction
- Taught by Cisco Networking Academy instructors
- Uses Packet Tracer for hands-on labs
- Approximately 3 hours per week over 4 weeks
- Free to audit, or pay to earn Coursera certificate
Course Link: Introduction to Cisco Networking and Devices
For IT beginners seeking an introduction to Cisco networking, Coursera offers a great CCNA fundamentals course through Cisco Networking Academy. It‘s taught by the same Cisco instructors who teach Cisco NetAcad curriculum.
This 4-week online course covers networking basics like the OSI model, IP addressing, routers, switches and building simple network topologies. You’ll use Cisco Packet Tracer to simulate configuring router and switch settings, SSH remote access and network security.
Coursera’s platform allows flexible learning – you can take this beginner Cisco course for free without earning a certificate, or pay $49/month for full Coursera access including a shareable certificate.
Taught by official Cisco instructors, this introductory level course is a nice primer if you have no prior networking experience. While it won’t fully prepare you for the CCNA by itself, it‘s a great starting point before taking more comprehensive CCNA training.
Cisco Learning Network
Highlights:
- Official CCNA prep materials from Cisco
- CCNA course voucher included
- Practice exams and lab exercises
- 3 months access & coaching
Course Link: CCNA Certification Prep Bundle
For those wanting official CCNA exam prep directly from the source, Cisco offers CCNA training bundles through its Cisco Learning Network platform. This prep package includes:
- CCNA 200-301 exam voucher – 1 exam attempt included
- CCNA Certification Prep Course – teaches objectives and skills needed to pass the CCNA
- CCNA Exam Review – 300 practice questions & 15 lab exercises
- 3 months access to the prep materials
- Coaching from Cisco certified mentors
Cisco‘s authorized CCNA prep course covers all exam topics through a series of video lectures and learning modules. The CCNA Exam Review quizzes you on each objective domain to identify weak areas.
While not mandatory, Cisco‘s course is the most comprehensive CCNA study plan available. Taught by official Cisco trainers, you‘ll gain skills and knowledge mirrored directly from the actual CCNA certification exam.
The bundle with included exam voucher costs $600. You can also purchase just the CCNA Certification Prep Course for $180, or Exam Review for $80.
Infosec Skills
Highlights:
- Hands-on Cisco CCNA boot camp
- Dual certification – CCNA + CyberOps Associate
- 7 days of live online training
- Free retakes if you don‘t pass
- Exam voucher included
Course Link: Cisco Associate and CyberOps Associate Training Boot Camp
Infosec Skills provides intensive "boot camps" perfect for those who want an instructor-led CCNA training to prepare for the exams. Their CCNA course includes 7 days of live online training with senior instructors.
By completing this CCNA certification training, you can earn two certifications:
- CCNA 200-301 Associate
- Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate
The cybersecurity-focused curriculum covers installing, managing and troubleshooting Cisco networks, while also teaching skills like cryptology needed for cyber ops roles.
You get access to remote virtual Cisco routers and switches for completing hands-on labs. Infosec‘s instructors draw from real-world experience and keep the sessions engaging.
Each course also includes an exam voucher, unlimited lab exercises, free exam retakes if you don‘t pass, and their job placement assistance. The boot camp costs $3,495.
CBT Nuggets
Highlights:
- Video training led by expert Cisco instructors
- Convenient online access
- Practice questions to test your knowledge
- Discussion forums for peer networking
- Monthly subscription starts at $59/month
Course Link: Cisco CCNA (200-301) Certification Training
CBT Nuggets provides engaging online IT training led by skilled instructors like Jeremy Cioara. Their CCNA course includes 40+ hours of video training explaining core networking concepts you‘ll need to understand for the exam.
Topics expanded on in-depth include routed protocols, switching, QoS, security and WAN technologies. Review questions are randomly generated so you get unique tests each time.
You can take convenient online CCNA certification training anywhere on desktop or mobile apps. CBT also offers offline viewing options. Their training platform makes it easy to track progress across devices.
Pricing starts at $59 per month for their Total plan which includes Cisco, Microsoft, CompTIA and security cert courses. You can also purchase individual courses.
The dynamic CCNA training videos from CBT‘s expert instructors break down complex topics into easy to digest lessons. It‘s great prep for passing your CCNA certification exam.
Global Knowledge
Highlights:
- CCNA training taught by Cisco experts
- Hands-on labs using actual Cisco gear
- 5 day in-person or online course options
- Coaching included to reinforce concepts
- Pass guarantee or you can retake for free
Course Link: Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions v1.0 Boot Camp
Global Knowledge is trusted by Fortune 500 companies worldwide for authorized IT and business skills training. They offer an intensive 5-day CCNA course taught by CCNP certified Cisco experts.
The CCNA boot camp comes in two flexible training options – either online or in-person instruction at any of their sites worldwide. The instructor-led approach combines lectures, demos, whiteboarding and back-and-forth interaction for engaging learning.
You‘ll work hands-on in their labs using real Cisco routers and switches to practice critical skills you‘ll need on the job. The course covers all CCNA objectives and uses practice questions and labs to reinforce concepts.
Global Knowledge offers a pass guarantee – if you train with them and don‘t pass your CCNA exam, you can come back and retake the course for free. Their CCNA course costs $2,695.
Why Take Practice Exams?
An important part of preparing for your CCNA certification exam is taking practice tests. Practice exams help reinforce what you have studied and identify knowledge gaps while you still have time to review weak areas.
Many of the CCNA online courses above provide practice questions and exams. Cisco‘s authorized practice test engine offers the most realistic questions featuring the same format and difficulty as the actual exam.
You want to be scoring 80% or higher consistently across multiple practice exams before attempting your CCNA certification exam. Take each practice test like it‘s the real thing – no cheating!
Review missed questions carefully to understand why you got them wrong. Look for trends in weak areas and re-study those Cisco objectives. Keep taking practice tests until you‘re consistently passing with an 80% or higher.
Earning Your CCNA Certification
Once you complete your chosen CCNA training program, you‘ll be ready to schedule your CCNA 200-301 certification exam through Cisco‘s testing partner Pearson VUE.
The CCNA exam costs $300 USD and includes:
- About 120 multiple choice / drag-drop questions
- Simulated labs and troubleshooting scenarios
- 100 minutes allotted to complete the exam
- Score report with results breakdown by section
CCNA exams are conducted at authorized Pearson VUE testing centers worldwide. You can also take online proctored CCNA exams.
The CCNA passing score is usually around 825/1000 or 82.5%. Cisco doesn‘t publish the official passing mark. You‘ll be told at the testing center if you passed or failed.
Upon passing the CCNA exam, Cisco will email you a PDF of your CCNA certificate. You will also get access to the CCNA certification logo and digital badges to share your accomplishment online.
Your CCNA certification is valid for 3 years from when it‘s achieved. You‘ll need to recertify every 3 years to stay current.
Recertifying Your CCNA
Cisco permits several paths to recertify your CCNA status every 3 years:
- Retake CCNA exam – Pass the current 200-301 exam again
- Next-level CCNP exam – Pass Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (350-401 ENCOR)
- Continuing education credits – Earn 60 CECs and take exams to renew
Many choose to pursue higher certifications like CCNP. If going for the ENCOR 350-401, make sure to take it shortly before your CCNA expires. ENCOR renews CCNA for 3 more years.
You can also maintain CCNA by earning 60 qualified Continuing Education Credits (CECs) over 3 years and passing renewal exams prior to expiration.
Check Cisco‘s renewal requirements page to understand all your options to recertify CCNA and avoid losing your credentials.
Final Thoughts on CCNA Certification Training
The CCNA certification is the perfect launchpad for becoming a network administrator or engineer. Cisco‘s renowned training will give you skills that hiring managers respect and value.
We covered some excellent CCNA certification courses from recognized IT training providers like Udemy and CBT Nuggets. Look for a CCNA program that fits your learning style, experience level and budget.
Whichever CCNA study path you take, supplement with practice questions and exams. Hands-on labs are also tremendously helpful for gaining real-world Cisco configuration experience.
With disciplined preparation using these courses, you can join the ranks of over a million IT professionals worldwide who have earned the esteemed Cisco CCNA certification. Your exciting new career in networking awaits!
