Cisco CCNA exam has become increasingly difficult with theoretical and practical lab questions. There is a high pass score of around 82% and an average fail rate of 80%+ on first attempt. That is for an exam fee where the cost is USD 325.00 and as mentioned the fail rate is astounding. Why do so many candidates fail the exam and have to attempt it multiple times?
CCNA Preparation
The primary cause of an 80%+ fail rate on CCNA exam is inadequate preparation. Candidates new to the networking field often have little experience with most of the topics. There is a strategy that works best when preparing for a certification exam. The range of topics tested on the exam is extensive and most network administrators won’t have knowledge of all domains or recent experience. If you have worked at a company for 3 years doing troubleshooting and support of access switches, your exposure to different protocols and skill set is limited. Another problem is how to remember what was learned from a course or identify what is more relevant from less relevant.
The exam becomes nothing more than a test run if you have not properly prepared. The same applies to experienced candidates who have practical experience and do not perform as well on theoretical questions.
Read the Exam Blueprint
Cisco publishes a list of all knowledge domains and exam topics covered with the current exam. They can ask you questions on any of the topics listed. Students often don’t do something as basic as reading an exam blueprint. You have to manage your own skills development to some extent. Make sure you can answer fundamental questions for each domain and topic. There are percentages as well for each domain so know what is more important.If you have little or no work experience then the two exam option of ICND1 + ICND2. It is somewhat easier, takes a little longer and costs the same.
CCNA 200-125 Exam Scoring
15% Network Fundamentals
21% LAN Switching Technologies
23% Routing Technologies
10% WAN Technologies
10% Infrastructure Services
11% Infrastructure Security
10% Infrastructure Management
Study Guide
Select a study guide that has relevant topics only and what is required for the exam. Your time is valuable and there is already enough to learn. Start with network fundamentals, subnetting, routing and switching concepts, protocol operation and design rules. In fact, everything you learn from study guide and configuration labs is foundational knowledge required for simulation questions.
Lab Training
CCNA is an entry level certification that tests your practical skills. You have to know how to troubleshoot, read configuration scripts reasonably well and draw on knowledge of networking concepts for simulation questions. Troubleshooting is a learned skill and simulation questions are worth approximately 40% of all exam points.
There are typically three areas of expertise or skills to acquire as you prepare for CCNA certification.
Start with configuration labs based on all CCNA topics that is available as a workbook with packet tracer. The guide should step you through how to configure from global commands to complex routing and switching topologies. They should have command/s that show you how to verify the running configuration as well.
Then proceed to troubleshooting labs and learn how to do root cause analysis. It is sometimes called break/fix and requires you to resolve and verify that network connectivity is restored. Learn commands to verify operational status and end-to-end network connectivity. The answer key should describes all steps required to fix problem. Labs based on Packet Tracer are recommended. The simulator is free and more than adequate for CCNA study.
Simulation labs are similar to actual CCNA pattern questions. There is a lab topology with several errors to troubleshoot and a multiple choice question for each error to answer. In some cases you are asked to configure a network device based on some requirements or run show commands to report on device configuration and operational status. The actual exam is comprised of 3-5 simulation labs with multiple questions per lab. Any workbook should include an answer key with troubleshooting steps to restore network connectivity.
Summary Notes
Consolidate your training from multiple sources with summary notes for your last mile review. There is alot of information to review and not everything is as relevant. You want to hit the ground running and not waste time doing your review while taking the exam. Start summary notes with protocol operation, design rules, subnetting tables, common root cause lists, common configurations, top 25 IOS commands, reading a routing table, ACL rules and network fundamentals factoids.
Practice Tests
The purpose of any well designed practice test is to verify what you have learned from your previous experience and/or training sources. Practice tests should improve your test-taking skills with questions similar to the actual exam and duration. Learn how to effectively manage your time during a 90 minute exam. Each test should include all topics with official percentages assigned. There is a lot that you can learn from practice tests with proper explanations.
Practice tests are essential and when designed properly should verify what you have learned and whether you are ready for the exam. They are well worth the cost. You go into an exam that costs USD 325.00 and do not know if you are ready for it. Each test should use same pattern as the actual exam with all topics, domain percentages, same duration and number of questions.
Doing well on SIM troubleshooting questions is essential to passing the CCNA exam. All practice tests should have SIM and other troubleshooting type questions. Cisco CCNA exam includes practical SIM labs with questions based on a network topology.
Test your knowledge and prepare for CCNA 200-125 exam with Udemy practice tests w/SIM questions.
Test your knowledge and prepare for ICND1 100-105 exam with Udemy practice tests w/SIM questions.
Test-Taking Skills
Learn test-taking skills with recommendations to avoid common mistakes made during the exam. I have read comments where candidates have clicked Next on a SIM lab question not knowing it submits answer with no review or allow navigation to a previous question. You can waste a lot of time and alternatively not spend enough time on higher weighted questions. There are quirks to know with any vendor exam how to do an effective review.
CCNA exam has improved over the years and well worth pursuing for career advancement and skills development.
