• Understand networking fundamentals.
• Design and configure networks.
• Ensure network security.
• Troubleshoot and maintain networks.
• Master routing and switching.
• Learn about wireless and cloud networking.
• Manage IP addressing and subnets.
• Monitor network performance.

Network Fundamentals

• Explain the role and function of network components
• Describe characteristics of network topology architectures
• Compare physical interface and cabling types
• Identify interface and cable issues (collisions, errors, mismatch duplex, and/or speed)
• Compare TCP to UDP
• Configure and verify IPv4 addressing and subnetting
• Describe the need for private IPv4 addressing
• Configure and verify IPv6 addressing and prefix
• Compare IPv6 address types
• Verify IP parameters for Client OS (Windows, Mac OS, Linux)
• Describe wireless principles
• Explain virtualization fundamentals (virtual machines)
• Describe switching concepts

Network Access

• Configure and verify VLANs (normal range) spanning multiple switches
• Configure and verify Interswitch connectivity
• Configure and verify Layer 2 discovery protocols (Cisco Discovery Protocol and LLDP)
• Configure and verify (Layer 2/Layer 3) EtherChannel (LACP)
• Describe the need for and basic operations of Rapid PVST+ Spanning Tree Protocol and identify basic operations
• Compare Cisco Wireless Architectures and AP modes
• Describe physical infrastructure connections of WLAN components (AP, WLC, access/trunk ports, and LAG)
• Describe AP and WLC management access connections (Telnet, SSH, HTTP, HTTPS, console, and TACACS+/RADIUS)
• Configure the components of a wireless LAN access for client connectivity using GUI only such as WLAN creation, security settings, QoS profiles, and advanced WLAN settings

IP Connectivity

• Interpret the components of the routing table
• Determine how a router makes a forwarding decision by default
• Configure and verify IPv4 and IPv6 static routing
• Configure and verify single area OSPFv2
• Describe the purpose of first-hop redundancy protocol

IP Services

• Configure and verify inside source NAT using static and pools
• Configure and verify NTP operating in a client and server mode
• Explain the role of DHCP and DNS within the network
• Explain the function of SNMP in network operations
• Describe the use of syslog features including facilities and levels
• Configure and verify DHCP client and relay
• Explain the forwarding per-hop behaviour (PHB) for QoS such as classification, marking, queuing, congestion, policing, shaping
• Configure network devices for remote access using SSH
• Describe the capabilities and function of TFTP/FTP in the network

Security Fundamentals

• Define key security concepts (threats, vulnerabilities, exploits, and mitigation techniques)
• Describe security program elements (user awareness, training, and physical access control)
• Configure device access control using local passwords
• Describe security password policy elements, such as management, complexity, and password alternatives (multifactor authentication, certificates, and biometrics)
• Describe remote access and site-to-site VPNs
• Configure and verify access control lists
• Configure Layer 2 security features (DHCP snooping, dynamic ARP inspection, and port security)
• Differentiate authentication, authorization, and accounting concepts
• Describe wireless security protocols (WPA, WPA2, and WPA3)
• Configure WLAN using WPA2 PSK using the GUI

Automation and Programmability

• Explain how automation impacts network management
• Compare traditional networks with controller-based networking
• Describe controller-based and software-defined architectures (overlay, underlay, and fabric)
• Compare traditional campus device management with Cisco DNA Center-enabled device management
• Describe characteristics of REST-based APIs (CRUD, HTTP verbs, and data encoding)
• Recognize the capabilities of configuration management mechanisms Puppet, Chef, and Ansible
• Interpret JSON-encoded data