CompTIA Network+ & Cisco CCNA (200-301)

Network+ Certification Outline

1.0 NETWORKING CONCEPTS

Explain the purposes and uses of ports and protocols.

• Protocols and ports
• Protocol types
• Connection-oriented vs. connectionless

Explain devices, applications, protocols and services at their appropriate OSI layers.

• Layer 1 - Physical
• Layer 2 - Data link
• Layer 3 - Network
• Layer 4 - Transport
• Layer 5 - Session
• Layer 6 - Presentation
• Layer 7 - Application

Explain the concepts and characteristics of routing and switching.

• Properties of network traffic
• Segmentation and interface properties
• Routing
• IPv6 concepts
• Performance concepts
• NAT/PAT
• Port forwarding
• Access control list
• Distributed switching
• Packet-switched vs. circuit-switched network
• Software-defined networking

Given a scenario, configure the appropriate IP addressing components.

• Private vs. public
• Loopback and reserved
• Default gateway
• Virtual IP
• Subnet mask
• Subnetting
• Address assignments

Compare and contrast the characteristics of network topologies, types and technologies.

• Wired topologies
• Wireless topologies
• Types
• Technologies that facilitate the Internet of Things (IoT)

Given a scenario, implement the appropriate wireless technologies and configurations.

• 802.11 standards
• Cellular
• Frequencies
• Speed and distance requirements
• Channel bandwidth
• Channel bonding
• MIMO/MU-MIMO
• Unidirectional/omnidirectional
• Site surveys

Summarize cloud concepts and their purposes.

• Types of services
• Cloud delivery models
• Connectivity methods
• Security implications/considerations
• Relationship between local and cloud resources

Explain the functions of network services.

• DNS service
• DHCP service
• NTP
• IPAM

2.0 INFRASTRUCTURE

Given a scenario, deploy the appropriate cabling solution.

• Media types
• Plenum vs. PVC
• Connector types
• Transceivers
• Termination points
• Copper cable standards
• Copper termination standards
• Ethernet deployment standards

Given a scenario, determine the appropriate placement of networking devices on a network and install/configure them.

• Firewall
• Router
• Switch
• Hub
• Bridge
• Modems
• Wireless access point
• Media converter
• Wireless range extender
• VoIP endpoint

Explain the purposes and use cases for advanced networking devices.

• Multilayer switch
• Wireless controller
• Load balancer
• IDS/IPS
• Proxy server
• VPN concentrator
• AAA/RADIUS server
• UTM appliance
• NGFW/Layer 7 firewall
• VoIP PBX
• VoIP gateway
• Content filter

Explain the purposes of virtualization and network storage technologies.

• Virtual networking components
• Network storage types
• Connection type
• Jumbo frame

Compare and contrast WAN technologies.

• Service type
• Transmission mediums
• Characteristics of service
• Termination

3.0 NETWORK OPERATIONS

Given a scenario, use appropriate documentation and diagrams to manage the network.

• Diagram symbols
• Standard operating procedures / work instructions
• Logical vs. physical diagrams
• Rack diagrams
• Change management documentation
• Wiring and port locations
• IDF/MDF documentation
• Labeling
• Network configuration and performance baselines
• Inventory management

Compare and contrast business continuity and disaster recovery concepts.

• Availability concepts
• Recovery
• MTTR
• MTBF
• SLA requirements

Explain common scanning, monitoring and patching processes and summarize their expected outputs.

• Processes
• Event management
• SNMP monitors
• Metrics

Given a scenario, use remote access methods.

• VPN
• RDP
• SSH
• VNC
• Telnet
• HTTPS/management URL
• Remote file access
• Out-of-band management

Identify policies and best practices.

• Privileged user agreement
• Password policy
• On-boarding/off-boarding procedures
• Licensing restrictions
• International export controls
• Data loss prevention
• Remote access policies
• Incident response policies
• BYOD
• AUP
• NDA
• System life cycle
• Safety procedures and policies

4.0 NETWORK SECURITY

Summarize the purposes of physical security devices.

• Detection
• Prevention

Explain authentication and access controls.

• Authorization, authentication and accounting
• Multifactor authentication
• Access control

Given a scenario, secure a basic wireless network.

• WPA
• WPA2
• TKIP-RC4
• CCMP-AES
• Authentication and authorization
• Geofencing

Summarize common networking attacks.

• DoS
• Social engineering
• Insider threat
• Logic bomb
• Rogue access point
• Evil twin
• War-driving
• Phishing
• Ransomware
• DNS poisoning
• ARP poisoning
• Spoofing
• Deauthentication
• Brute force
• VLAN hopping
• Man-in-the-middle
• Exploits vs. vulnerabilities

Given a scenario, implement network device hardening.

• Changing default credentials
• Avoiding common passwords
• Upgrading firmware
• Patching and updates
• File hashing
• Disabling unnecessary services
• Using secure protocols
• Generating new keys
• Disabling unused ports

Explain common mitigation techniques and their purposes.

• Signature management
• Device hardening
• Change native VLAN
• Switch port protection
• Network segmentation
• Privileged user account
• File integrity monitoring
• Role separation
• Restricting access via ACLs
• Honeypot/honeynet
• Penetration testing

5.0 NETWORK TROUBLESHOOTING AND TOOLS

Explain the network troubleshooting methodology.

• Identify the problem
• Establish a theory of probable cause
• Test the theory to determine the cause
• Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and identify potential effects
• Implement the solution or escalate as necessary
• Verify full system functionality and, if applicable, implement preventive measures
• Document findings, actions, and outcomes

Given a scenario, use the appropriate tool.

• Hardware tools
• Software tools

Given a scenario, troubleshoot common wired connectivity and performance issues.

• Attenuation
• Latency
• Jitter
• Crosstalk
• EMI
• Open/short
• Incorrect pin-out
• Incorrect cable type
• Bad port
• Transceiver mismatch
• TX/RX reverse
• Duplex/speed mismatch
• Damaged cables
• Bent pins
• Bottlenecks
• VLAN mismatch
• Network connection LED status indicators

Given a scenario, troubleshoot common wireless connectivity and performance issues.

• Reflection
• Refraction
• Absorption
• Latency
• Jitter
• Attenuation
• Incorrect antenna type
• Interference
• Incorrect antenna placement
• Channel overlap
• Overcapacity
• Distance limitations
• Frequency mismatch
• Wrong SSID
• Wrong passphrase
• Security type mismatch
• Power levels
• Signal-to-noise ratio

Given a scenario, troubleshoot common network service issues.

• Names not resolving
• Incorrect gateway
• Incorrect netmask
• Duplicate IP addresses
• Duplicate MAC addresses
• Expired IP address
• Rogue DHCP server
• Untrusted SSL certificate
• Incorrect time
• Exhausted DHCP scope
• Blocked TCP/UDP ports
• Incorrect host-based firewall settings
• Incorrect ACL settings
• Unresponsive service
• Hardware failure

Cisco CCNA® (200-301) Outline

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 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 behavior (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 policies 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