CCNA

The Cisco CCNA Exploration curriculum provides an integrated and comprehensive coverage of networking topics, from fundamentals to advanced applications and services, while providing opportunities for hands-on practical experience and soft-skills development. A Cisco student in one of the most advanced CCNA labs in the UK The curriculum teaches networking based on technology, covering networking concepts using a top-down, theoretical, and integrated approach – from network applications to the network protocols and services provided to those applications by the lower layers of the network.

CCNA Exploration is designed for students with advanced problem solving and analytical skills. The curriculum offers a comprehensive and theoretical learning experience for analytical students, and uses language that aligns well with engineering concepts. Interactive activities are embedded in the curriculum, along with detailed, theoretical content. Advanced labs build critical thinking and problem solving skills and encourage exploration and research.

CCNA Exploration Courses, semesters 1 through 4 of the Cisco Networking Academy Program (CNAP), equivalent to 280 hours of instruction.. Students who successfully complete this portion of the program are fully prepared to earn the Cisco Certified Network Associate certification. The four semesters in CCNA Exploration are:

CCNA1 Network Fundamentals.
CCNA2 Routing Protocols and Concepts.
CCNA3 LAN Switching and Wireless.
CCNA4 Accessing the WAN.

CCNA1

CCNA 1: Network Fundamentals is the first of the four courses leading to the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) designation. As the course title states, the focus of this course is on learning the fundamentals of networking. In this course you will learn both the practical and conceptual skills that build the foundation for understanding basic networking. First, you will examine human versus network communication and see the parallels between them. Next, you will be introduced to the two major models used to plan and implement networks: OSI and TCP/IP. You will gain an understanding of the "layered" approach to networks and examine the OSI and TCP/IP layers in detail to understand their functions and services. You will become familiar with the various network devices, network addressing schemes and, finally, the types of media used to carry data across the network.

Course Objectives
In this course, you will gain experience using networking utilities and tools, such as Packet Tracer and Wireshark®, to explore networking protocols and concepts. These tools will help you to develop an understanding of how data flows in a network. A special "model Internet" is also used to provide a test environment where a range of network services and data can be observed and analyzed.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to perform tasks related to:

Living In a Network-Centric World
Communicating Over The Network
Application Layer Functionality and Protocol
OSI Network and Transport Layers
Addressing the Network – IPv4
OSI Physical and Data link Layers
Ethernet Technology
Planning and Cabling Networks
Configuring and Testing a Network

CCNA2

CCNA 2: Routing Protocols and Concepts is the second of four CCNA courses leading to the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) designation. The primary focus of this course is on routing and routing protocols.

Course Objectives
The goal is to develop an understanding of how a router learns about remote networks and determines the best path to those networks. This course includes both static routing and dynamic routing protocols. By examining multiple routing protocols, you will gain a better understanding of each of the individual routing protocols and a better perspective of routing in general. Learning the configuration of routing protocols is fairly simple. Developing an understanding of the routing concepts themselves is more difficult, yet is critical for implementing, verifying, and troubleshooting routing operations. Each static routing and dynamic routing protocol chapter uses a single topology throughout that chapter. You will be using that topology to configure, verify, and troubleshoot the routing operations discussed in the chapter.
The labs and Packet Tracer activities used in this course are designed to help you develop an understanding of how to configure routing operations while reinforcing the concepts learned in each chapter.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to perform tasks related to:

Routing and Packet Forwarding
Static Routing
Dynamic Routing Protocols
Distance Vector Routing Protocols
RIP version 1 and 2
Variable Length Subnet Masking (VLSM) and Classless Inter Domain Routing (CIDR)
EIGRP and OSPF

CCNA3

CCNA3: LAN Switching and Wireless is the third of four courses leading to the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) designation. The primary focus of this course is on LAN switching and wireless LANs.

Course Objectives
The goal is to develop an understanding of how a switch communicates with other switches and routers in a small- or medium-sized business network to implement VLAN segmentation. This course focuses on Layer 2 switching protocols and concepts used to improve redundancy, propagate VLAN information, and secure the portion of the network where most users access network services. Switching technologies are relatively straightforward to implement; however, as with routing, the underlying protocols and algorithms are often quite complicated. This course will go to great lengths to explain the underlying processes of the common Layer 2 switching technologies. The better the underlying concepts are understood, the easier it is to implement, verify, and troubleshoot the switching technologies. Each switching concept will be introduced within the context of a single topology for each chapter. The individual chapter topologies will be used to explain protocol operations as well as providing a setting for the implementation of the various switching technologies.
The labs and Packet Tracer activities used in this course are designed to help you develop an understanding of how to configure switching operations while reinforcing the concepts learned in each chapter.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to perform tasks related to:

LAN Design
Basic Switch Concepts and Configuration
Virtual LANs (VLANs)
VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP)
Spanning Tree Protocol (STP)
Inter VLAN Routing
Basic Wireless Concept and Configuration

CCNA4
CCNA 4: Accessing the WAN is the last of four courses leading to the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) designation. The primary focus of this course is on accessing wide area networks (WANs).

Particular emphasis is given to students being able to demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge from CCNA 1, CCNA 2, and CCNA 3 to a network and to be able to explain how and why a particular strategy is employed.

Course Objectives
The goal is to develop an understanding of various WAN technologies to connect small- to medium-sized business networks. The course introduces WAN converged applications and quality of service (QoS). It focuses on WAN technologies including PPP, Frame Relay, and broadband links. WAN security concepts are discussed in detail, including types of threats, how to analyze network vulnerabilities, general methods for mitigating common security threats and types of security appliances and applications. The course then explains the principles of traffic control and access control lists (ACLs) and describes how to implement IP addressing services for an Enterprise network, including how to configure NAT and DHCP. IPv6 addressing concepts are also discussed. During the course, you will learn how to use Cisco Router and Security Device Manager (SDM) to secure a router and implement IP addressing services. Finally, students learn how to detect, troubleshoot and correct common Enterprise network implementation issues.
The labs and Packet Tracer activities used in this course are designed to help you develop an understanding of how to configure routing operations while reinforcing the concepts learned in each chapter. You will also learn how to configure basic router security, disable unused resources and interfaces. Finally you will learn to manage configurations and IOS files.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to perform tasks related to:

WAN Technologies
Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP)
Frame Relay
Network Security and Access Control lists (ACLs)
Teleworker Services
IP Addressing Services
Network Troubleshooting

To find out more information and demos of the online course materials, please see the following page:
www.cisco.com/web/learning/netacad/course_catalog/CCNAexploration.html

Certification

CCNA Exploration helps prepare students for entry-level career opportunities, continuing education, and globally-recognized Cisco CCNA certification.

The CCNA certification indicates knowledge of networking for the small-office, home-office (SOHO) market and the ability to work in small businesses or organizations whose networks have fewer than 100 nodes. A CCNA certified individual can:

Install and configure Cisco switches and routers in multiprotocol internetworks using LAN and WAN interfaces.
Provide Level 1 troubleshooting service.
Improve network performance and security.
Perform entry-level tasks in the planning, design, installation, operation and troubleshooting of Ethernet, TCP/IP Networks.

There are two certifications:

Academy Certification: Upon completion of the CCNA course in Cisco Networking Academy program, the student will be awarded an academic certification for each individual CCNAs.
Industry Certification: Can be taken in any Pearson VUE authorized testing centre. The cost will be paid by the student.

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