When it comes to difficult IT certificates, none come close to Cisco. One of the more notoriously difficult certificates is the CCNA 200-301.

This certificate essentially means you know how to install, support, and troubleshoot wired and wireless networks as well as cloud networks, routing, switching, and much more.

In short, this certificate makes you one step closer to becoming an expert in networking and IP services.

This is why many IT grads in networking want to take this exam. But passing the exam is easier said than done. Cisco certificates are notoriously difficult. This means everyone taking the exam must prepare for it.

But that’s why we’re here. In this article, we will tell you the X things you need to know to pass the CCNA 200-301 exam. With all that said, let’s start.

1.  Have Some Prior Knowledge

First things first, we have to mention that you don’t need any degree to take this exam and become CCNA 200-301 certified. But it is recommended that you have prior knowledge of computer science and engineering.

Although you don’t need a degree in computer science, your employers will most likely require you. That’s why you should focus first on obtaining the degree and then passing the exam. There are exceptions where you could find a job without a degree, but you shouldn’t rely solely on the certificate to make it a possibility.

2.  Read Books About It

When it comes to studying the fundamentals of networking, books are your best source of information. There are hundreds if not thousands of books available for you to read on the subject.

What makes reading books a bad option for many candidates is that they can be quite boring to go through. Not everyone enjoys reading books, so this presents a difficulty on its own. More so, books can take quite some time reading and certain people read much slower than others.

Although you can skip sections of the book and ultimately read the summarized version, you might be missing a lot. This is why books should be used as supportive material to supplement your studying.

These books might tell you everything there is to networking, but many use them as a means to familiarize themselves on a topic.

3.  Get A Training Course

Since Cisco is a well-established player in the network industry, it has course providers from all over the world. IT companies themselves serve as test providers for many Cisco certificates, such as the 200-301 test.

Furthermore, Cisco provides their own exam-lab practice test questions that you can use to successfully pass the exam. The Cisco practice test is a good place to start and familiarize yourself with what sort of questions appear on the exam, but don’t take the questions close to heart as they change them all the time.

4.  Do Practice Tests

When it comes to doing practice tests, many candidates feel that 3rd party providers are better at this. These providers or IT institutes will help you pass the exam by preparing you for it. This is the ultimate trick that many candidates do. Not only do these practice tests familiarize you with the concept of the exam, but they also simulate the test. This means you can train with these practice tests by working on your speed. Although you will have plenty of time to finish the test, it’s important that you have time to do every section and every part. Time management is very important when passing any Cisco exam, and practice tests help you train that as well.

For more information, make sure to visit SPOTO and get a feel for the CCNA 200-301 practice test.

5.  Watch Insightful Videos

In addition to books, another way to supplement your learning is by watching videos. Videos offer candidates a more fleshed-out way of learning as the contents of the video can be for a specific part of the 200-301 exam.

There are so many videos on this topic that you’ll find yourself lost as to which ones to watch. Tutorials made by experts can make you understand even the most difficult and complex of topics and concepts. And the best part about it, some of these videos are bite-sized. This means they range from 10 to 15 minutes of runtime.

When it comes to finding these videos, YouTube is an obvious choice. However, there are other platforms out there. Unfortunately, don’t expect to find a video on every concept and topic of networking when browsing through these platforms.

Details of the Test

It’s important that we also explain how the entire exam pans out. So let’s do that.

·      Network Fundamentals

The first part of the exam is network fundamentals. This part essentially tests you on how well you can manage routers, switches, IPv6, and IPv4 infrastructure.

·      IP Connectivity and Services

The second part of the exam tests your skill in managing IP routing, NTP, SNMP, and DHCP infrastructures.

·      Security Fundamentals

In the third part of the CCNA 200-301, your network security skills will be tested. This part will focus on VLANs and EtherChannel work.

·      Automation and Programmability

And in the last part of the exam, your programming skills will be tested. You will need to show that you are fluent in JSON, Chef, Puppet, and REST APIs.

All in all, the CCNA 200-301 exam lasts 120 minutes. The modules of the exam are highly demanding in the IT industry, and the strong focus on networking tech means you will always have options for employment.

The modern IT market values these skills, hence why the Cisco CCNA 200-301 exam costs $300 to take. It is because of this cost why you should put in the effort and not fail. You will not be given a second chance for free, so make sure to use the before-mentioned tips and tricks to get yourself fluent in network technologies to pass the exam.