I’m pretty excited about a new project called CCNA Deep Dive. I used to teach quite a bit, and this year I’ll be back on platform – but doing the teaching online rather than in person. And you can join in if you like! Today’s post details the first wave of CCNA Deep Dive courses. Check it out!
O’Reilly Online Learning – also known as Safari – offers a subscription service. The service includes access to IT books (Cisco Press included), videos, and for the last few years, live training. I’ve been teaching there since 2018.
I’ll be teaching a new series of CCNA courses beginning Feb 13th. The series, called CCNA 200-301 Deep Dive, exists as a series of lecture-lab courses that last four hours each. I’ve scheduled roughly one per week, with eight CCNA Deep Dive courses planned for February – April. (I plan to repeat the series throughout the year.)
The series begins with a course for Cisco IOS CLI beginners, with two goals in mind: to help you learn the CLI, while also helping you learn how to use Cisco Packet Tracer (PT). The entire CCNA Deep Dive series uses PT for the lab exercises, so this first course helps you learn plenty about PT, and to master the basics of IOS CLI so that you can do the labs in the rest of the courses.
The next two Deep Dive courses use the two-day format. The first covers many of the more important LAN switching topics in CCNA, including how LAN switches work, VLANs and VLAN trunking, as well as STP/RSTP. A little later, CCNA Deep Dive returns in mid-June with a two-day course about implementing IPv4 on routers, including IPv4 addressing, static routes, and OSPF.
Note: Although not part of the CCNA Deep Dive series, you can also take the “IP Subnetting: From Beginning to Mastery” Live course at O’Reilly Online the week before the CCNA Deep Dive course about IPv4 routing.
The schedule closes with three one-day courses. One examines LAN switching security topics like DHCP Snooping and DAI, with some foundational DHCP thrown in for context. The next examines IP services, particularly NAT/PAT and NTP. The final course discusses controller-based networking, with labs about understanding JSON data formats and REST APIs.
All you have to do to find any of these courses is to login to your Safari (O’Reilly) account and search. Check out this earlier post for details about the series. Here are some handy links with more details:
Blog post about the CCNA Deep Dive Series
All O’Reilly Classes from Wendell (on Current Schedule)
For reference, here’s the list of the first round of CCNA 200-301 Deep Dive courses.
I’ve also been teaching a live IPv4 subnetting course for a few years at Safari/O’Reilly. It’s been pretty popular with some good results. The course includes a wide array of paper exercises to help you master subnetting for the CCNA exam, and there’s time to get your questions answered as you learn and work through all the details. So, while you’re thinking of CCNA training, you can check out these links for more info:
Feb 4-5th: IP Subnetting from Beginning to Mastery Live Course
 Courses from Wendell on O’Reilly (Safari)){kind=link}
Hi Wendell, will the live courses be recorded and available to access at any time with a O’Reilly membership?
Thanks,
Ben
Hi Wendell
Since the new full Network Simulator training isn’t out yet for the 200-301, I was thinking of getting one of these packages from pearson to study for the exam, as I would’ve thought it would have pretty much most of the same stuff in it. Which one would you recommend?
http://www.pearsonitcertification.com/imprint/series_detail.aspx?ser=2538752
Thanks
Greg
Greg,
I agree with you – the CCNA Simulator for the soon-to-be-old exam should have content for most of the topics in the new exam that have config/verify requirements. I’d get the “CCNA 200-125 Sim” download. (The DVD version is the same thing, just in a box with a DVD in it.)
Wendell
Hi Wendell
Thanks for that. I was actually going to choose that one, so good to get a confirmation.
Thanks
Greg
Hi Wendell,
Could you recommend what Cisco gear should one get for a home lab to be able to get some hands-on experience for the new CCNA 200-301 certification?
Thank you!
Marius,
I can give a few suggestions, but honestly, the time it takes to watch and track which device models, IOS versions and feature sets, and prices all match for the best home lab, well, that takes a lot of time. I used to do some of that in the blog here, but it just became too time consuming. A few thoughts:
Switches: 2960, 2960S, 2960X, all probably support most of what you need for CCNA. 2960’s have been around forever – 15 years – and the prices can be $25 delivered last time I checked eBay (US) a few years back.
Routers: Check http://www.cisco.com/go/cfn to research what features exist in what IOS versions and feature sets. But I’d bet any router with 15.2M IOS version (that’s pretty old) would be recent enough for all the core layer 3 features. You might miss a few for CCNA, but you can find plenty of routers that do that. Maybe 1900’s, 2900s, 1841s.
Hope this helps…
Hi Marius
Not sure where in the world you are, but in the UK I’ve seen some lab kits like this herehttps://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CISCO-CCNA-CCNP-LAB-STARTER-KIT-1841-ROUTER-3560-SWITCH-WIC-CARDS-DTE-DCE-CABLES/253725273265?hash=item3b13346cb1:g:jssAAOSwSQFaCcKs might be worth a look.
Wendell, do we have to get real routers to practice on or can we get by using the network sim from pearson?
Thanks
Greg
Just lost the DD6 session about 30 minutes ago; did something happen?
Hey Anthony. Yep, nothing nefarious, but a problem happened on the teaching platform. I was talking to answer a question, the session closed, and we tried to recover, with no short-term fix. We’re working to re-schedule. Everyone’s safe, just a software issue. My apologies for losing the session. I’ve already emailed my contacts in the process to look for an open slot to re-schedule.
I was also in the class. Are the other labs available for us to practice until class starts? I was only able to complete Lab 1.
Hey Steven,
I’ll leave Lab 1, which we got to in class, up and available. Have at it, and ask me any questions here. Also, after I approve your first few posts, they’ll show up immediately – FYI.
I was also in this class. Are the labs available for us to practice until the class is rescheduled?
Hello Wendell,
I’v been studying for the CCNA 200-125 for about a year now. I found out late November 2019 the test would be revised in Feb of 2020. I didn’t make the deadline. I’ve mainly been using CBT nuggets using Packet tracer and GNS3. I got as far as going over ICND1 3 times… trying to lock down 1 section at a time. I didn’t get a chance to do the CBT nuggets for ICND2 before the deadline. I’m not sure if that’s the best thing for me to do right now. I don’t want to waste anymore time thinking I’m doing the right thing.
My question I, should I pursue the ICND2 CBT nuggets or should I get the volume 1 and 2 of 200-301? Can I skip any of the chapters because I’ve already studied the CBT nuggets ICND1 ?
Thanks in advance.
Ho Torrance,
Thanks for the note.
Given your transition, I would suggest 15 minutes per chapter, or more. Basically, spend a few minutes skimming a new chapter. If it looks 100% familiar, great. Maybe use some of the chapter-ending review tools, or answer some practice questions about the chapter, and get in your review. Maybe 10 minutes. Then when you find a chapter that has some topics new to you, then slow down to read/learn. And then of course for totally new, take a full swipe at it.
If you had used the old books rather than a different product, I would have pointed you at this post. May still be of some use to you. https://blog.certskills.com/how-to-use-my-ccna-200-301-books-if-you-transitioned-from-the-200-125-books/
W
Found some minor typos in your Official Cert Guide CCNA 200-301 vol 1:
p62 (top) “Leased circuit, Circuit” should read “Leased Line/Circuit”.
p74 (bottom) “In this case, IP subnet 150.150.4.0, which consists of all addresses that begin with 150.150.4.0” – last 0 should be omited.
p86 (top, dikta #6) the quit command does not work on any of my switches in console line mode – only in user and enable modes.
Other than that – 1000% awesome read. I’m very excited to (again) read one of your cisco books.
Hi Ole,
Thanks so much! Hope you enjoy the new ones.
On the errata, thanks for the heads up. Just to comment just to clarify for anyone else who comes across these notes:
P82 – I agree with your statement that “quit” does not work in the scenario, but note that the list of correct answers does not claim that answer to be correct.
P62 – I agree that line, leased line, circuit, leased circuit are all reasonable terms. Maybe I’ll add line/leased line next time around!
Wendell
Reading Official Cert Guide Vol1 and notice a typo on page 474 referring to the router R3. It should be R1 instead.
Thanks Howard!
Hi,
I tried to search for these “live lessons” and found nothing. I tried clicking on the links and got nothing either. Are these not “live” yet? 🙂
I’d like to watch these…Please advise….
Thanks!
Hi Joseph,
The next series begins this coming Wednesday. Sorry the link isn’t working for you… it’s the one above with words “CCNA 200-301 Deep Dive Series”. Or https://learning.oreilly.com/search/?query=CCNA%20Deep%20Dive&extended_publisher_data=true&highlight=true&include_assessments=false&include_case_studies=true&include_courses=true&include_orioles=true&include_playlists=true&include_collections=true&include_notebooks=true&is_academic_institution_account=false&source=user&sort=relevance&facet_json=true&page=0&field=title
Or go to learning.oreilly.com and search on “CCNA Deep Dive”. (Note that to get to their search box, you have to have a login, which is why I’ve listed the direct links to the courses here.
Also, here’s a link to the page for the first course in case that helps:
https://www.oreilly.com/live-training/courses/ccna-200-301-deep-dive-cisco-cli-and-packet-tracer-basics/0636920377429
Hi,
First, thanks for your help!
I was able to access the courses via the links you provided but when it asked me to sign-in they disappeared and were no longer available. 🙁
I have a Safari subscription through my university. Are these courses not included with academic accounts i.e., you have to pay for them separately?
Regards,
Joseph
I think your guess is spot-on. It could be your account is one for which you don’t get access to live training. Do you see live training at all from the menus (usually on the left, under “Attend”?) You could inquire with O’Reilly at their contact number at learning.oreilly.com. Sorry if it won’t work out for you to be there…
Wendell
Hi,
I was finally able to fix the problem and have now registered for the courses. Unfortunately, I missed the first one as the registration was closed. 🙁
Is there any way to view the first course material before the other courses take place?
Regards,
Joseph
Why is the CCNA 200-301 Network Simulator, Download Version still not available? I bought the 2 books, vol1 and 2, back in December 2019.
Kenneth,
I was surprised when you asked. I looked and don’t find it for sale yet at ciscopress.com either. I’m not involved with that product, but I would be a tweet to @ciscopress or a query to their contact us page at ciscopress.com would be a way to find out.
Mr. odom, why ccna keeps insisting on obsolete classful rules?
Is it because mentioned in some routing protocols?
It’s very confusing.
Pourya,
Thanks for the note. I can’t comment on why Cisco chooses particular topics for CCNA. I can say that being able to think about addressing both with classful rules and classless rules is useful. For example, most companies use a private class A, B, or C network for most of their IP addresses. Others who connected to the Internet early still use entire Class A, B, or C public networks. Being able to analyze a subnetting plan and thinking about a network/subnet/host 3-part structure is helpful to understand how subnetting works. As an example. So, in this case, I’d disagree that classful rules are obsolete in that it’s still useful to understand.
Hope this helps.