CCNA 200-120 vs 200-125 exam update

Let's understand what the Cisco Certified Network Associate in Routing and Switching or CCNA R/S is all about. If you have the CCNA R/S certification, you should be able to install, configure, operate, and troubleshoot a medium-size routed and switched network mostly with Cisco Networking devices. it mainly focuses on Product oriented training than Generic Networking.

There are two paths that can achieve you to your CCNA Routing & Switching Certification:

1. “One Exam and You Are Done”: You can earn your CCNA R/S certification by passing a single exam ie CCNA (R&S) Composite Exam. I personally recommend this option. 
2. “The Two Step for Your Certification”: You can pass two exams (ICND1 and ICND2) to earn your CCNA R/S. Each of these exams are less comprehensive that the composite CCNA exam. In fact, by passing the ICND1 exam, you do earn an entry-level Cisco certification. It’s the Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) certification & by Completing ICND2 you are a CCNA (R&S) Certified .

With each new update to a certification track comes updated exam numbers. The previous version of the CCNA R/S certification  had these exam numbers:

• ICND 1v2.0: 100-101
• ICND 2v2.0: 200-101
• CCNAv2.0: 200-120

The newly updated CCNA R/S has these exam numbers:

• ICND1v3.0 100-105
• ICND1v3.0 200-105
• CCNAv3.0 200-125

Cisco usually refreshes their flagship certifications every few years. With the announced revision of the CCNA Routing and Switching exams on May 17th, 2016, Cisco is aligning the updated exam topics to mirror IT skills that businesses need

The CCNA exam and training course have been revised from v2.0 to v3.0. Candidates can choose to take either the 200-120 CCNA v2.0 exam or 200-125 CCNA v3.0 exam. The last day to test for the 200-120 v2.0 exam will be August 20, 2016.

CCNA 200-125 This exam tests a candidate's knowledge and skills related to network fundamentals, LAN switching technologies, IPv4 and IPv6 routing technologies, WAN technologies, infrastructure services, infrastructure security, and infrastructure management.

 This new CCNA Routing and Switching v3.0 includes: DNS and DHCP, LAN switching, IPv4, IPv6, OSPF, BGP, QoS, Network Programmability

Check detailed syllabus in following link

https://learningcontent.cisco.com/cln_storage/text/cln/marketing/exam-topics/200-125-ccna-v2.pdf

• No more bridges and hubs, replaced by a basic understanding of firewalls, wireless controllers and access points.
• LAN switching is the same as usual, nothing really new in there.
• Routing stays pretty much intact. RIPv2 is the only thing tested on at the ICND1 level, along with static routes in IPv4 and IPv6. No more OSPF.
• IP services. You need to know how to configure NTP and NAT.
• This is where there are major changes. Some good (no more Frame-Relay!) and some scarier for most people (single-homed eBGP). Yes, there is now some basic BGP config at the CCNA level.
  
• LAN switching topics are much more detailed. It covers pretty much the same stuff as ICND1 and ICND2 used to, but it's listed properly. Major addition are switch stacking and chassis aggregation benefits. Some security features are also present : 802.1x, DHCP snooping, nondefault nativve VLAN, but nothing major on that side.
• Routing topics are pretty much the same : Router on a stick, SVI, Link-state vs Distance vector, Interior vs Exterior, OSPFv2 and v3, EIGRP IPv4 and IPv6.
• WAN technologies. No more Frame-Relay, rejoice my friends! However, you now get PPP, MLPPP, PPPoE and GRE tunnels. WAN topologies are the same, but WAN connectivity is now updated with MPLS, MetroE, Broadband PPPoE and VPNs.
• Major change in WAN technology : Configure and verify single-homed branch office connectivity using eBGP IPv4 (limited to peering and route advertisement using Network command only). This will scare some people, but it's not that hard. Only a few commands to learn, basic understanding of BGP, and a great addition to your knowledge.
• Infrastructure services, configure and verify basic HSRP is there. Additions are Cloud related topics, traffic path to internal and external services, virtual services, etc. Basic QoS is also present in there, along with ACLs.

•  Infra Maintenance, SNMPv2 and v3, IP SLA, SPAN, AAA, all that is still there. Major change here with the addition of network programmability

Thanks for Reading

Pradeep.G
www.slvisnetworking.com