31 Days Before Your CCNA Exam: A Day-By-Day Review Guide for the CCNA 200-301 Certification Exam

31 Days Before Your CCNA 200-301 Exam offers a friendly, practical way to understand the CCNA Routing & Switching certification process, commit to taking the CCNA 200-301 exam, and fully prepare using a variety of Foundational and Supplemental study resources. Use this book’s day-by-day guide and checklist to organize, prepare, and review all the exam objectives. The book breaks down key exam topics into 31 daily review sessions using short summaries, lists, tables, examples, and graphics. A Study Resources section provides you with a quick reference for locating more in-depth treatment of a day’s topics within Foundational and Supplemental resources. This book’s features help you fit exam preparation into a busy schedule: Tear out visual calendar summarizes each day’s study topics Checklist highlights important tasks and deadlines leading up to your exam Description of the CCNA 200-301 exam organization and sign up process Strategies from the author help you to be mentally, organizationally, and physically prepared for exam day Conversational tone, making your study time more enjoyable Title Page 2 Copyright Page 3 About the Author 8 About the Technical Reviewer 9 Dedications 10 Acknowledgments 11 Contents at a Glance 13 Table of Contents 15 Command Syntax Conventions 27 Reader Services 28 Introduction 29 Study Resources 29 Goals and Methods 33 Who Should Read This Book? 34 Getting to Know the CCNA 200-301 Exam 34 Day 31: Networking Models, Devices, and Components 39 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 39 Key Points 39 The OSI and TCP/IP Models 40 The TCP/IP Application Layer 48 The TCP/IP Transport Layer 48 The TCP/IP Internet Layer 62 The TCP/IP Network Access Layer 63 Data Encapsulation Summary 66 Networking Icons 68 Devices 70 Physical Layer 86 LAN Device Connection Guidelines 91 LANs and WANs 92 Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) 93 Physical and Logical Topologies 96 Hierarchical Campus Designs 98 Study Resources 103 Day 30: Ethernet Switching 105 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 105 Key Topics 105 Evolution to Switching 105 Switching Logic 106 Collision and Broadcast Domains 109 Frame Forwarding 110 Ethernet Overview 112 Legacy Ethernet Technologies 115 Current Ethernet Technologies 120 UTP Cabling 120 Benefits of Using Switches 123 Ethernet Addressing 125 Ethernet Framing 127 The Role of the Physical Layer 129 Study Resources 131 Day 29: Switch Configuration Basics 132 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 132 Key Topics 132 Accessing and Navigating the Cisco IOS 132 Basic Switch Configuration Commands 141 Half Duplex, Full Duplex, and Port Speed 144 Verifying Network Connectivity 145 Troubleshoot Interface and Cable Issues 150 Study Resources 156 Day 28: IPv4 Addressing 158 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 158 Key Topics 158 IPv4 Addressing 158 Private and Public IP Addressing 167 Subnetting in Four Steps 167 VLSM 176 Study Resources 180 Day 27: IPv6 Addressing 182 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 182 Key Topics 182 Overview and Benefits of IPv6 182 The IPv6 Protocol 184 IPv6 Address Types 187 Representing the IPv6 Address 209 IPv6 Subnetting 213 EUI-64 Concept 216 Stateless Address Autoconfiguration 218 Migration to IPv6 220 Study Resources 221 Day 26: VLAN and Trunking Concepts and Configurations 223 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 223 Key Points 223 VLAN Concepts 223 Trunking VLANs 230 VLAN Configuration and Verification 236 Trunking Configuration and Verification 242 VLAN Troubleshooting 246 Trunking Troubleshooting 250 Study Resources 254 Day 25: STP 256 CCNA 200-125 Exam Topics 256 Key Topics 256 STP Concepts and Operation 256 STP Algorithm 259 STP Convergence 260 STP Varieties 265 PVST Operation 266 Rapid PVST+ Operation 272 Configuring and Verifying Varieties of STP 279 Study Resources 287 Day 24: EtherChannel and HSRP 289 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 289 Key Topics 289 EtherChannel Operation 289 EtherChannel Protocols 293 Configuring EtherChannel 297 Verifying EtherChannel 298 Troubleshooting EtherChannel 300 First-Hop Redundancy Concepts 302 FHRPs 304 HSRP Operation 305 HSRP Configuration and Verification 308 HSRP Load Balancing 310 Troubleshooting HSRP 313 Study Resources 314 Day 23: DHCP and DNS 316 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 316 Key Topics 316 DHCPv4 316 DHCPv4 Configuration Options 318 DHCPv6 329 DHCPv6 Configuration Options 336 DHCP Troubleshooting 340 DNS Operation 342 Troubleshooting DNS 346 Verifying Host IP Configuration 347 Study Resources 356 Day 22: Wireless Concepts 358 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 358 Key Topics 358 Wireless Standards 358 Wireless Topologies 364 AP Architectures 369 Wireless Security Protocols 378 Study Resources 384 Day 21: WLAN Configuration 386 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 386 Key Topics 386 Logging Into a Cisco WLC 387 Configuring a WLC with a WLAN 394 Study Resources 412 Day 20: LAN Security and Device Hardening 414 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 414 Key Topics 414 Endpoint Security 414 Access Control 419 Port Security 431 LAN Threat Mitigation 438 Study Resources 454 Day 19: Basic Routing Concepts 455 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 455 Key Topics 455 Packet Forwarding 455 Routing Methods 459 Classifying Dynamic Routing Protocols 461 Dynamic Routing Metrics 466 Administrative Distance 468 IGP Comparison Summary 471 Routing Loop Prevention 472 Link-State Routing Protocol Features 474 Study Resources 480 Day 18: Basic Router Configuration 481 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 481 Key Topics 481 Basic Router Configuration with IPv4 481 Basic Router Configuration with IPv6 497 Verifying IPv4 and IPv6 Network Connectivity 502 Small Office or Home Office Routers 506 Basic IP Addressing Troubleshooting 510 Study Resources 511 Day 17: The Routing Table 513 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 513 Key Topics 513 Two Router Functions 513 Components of the Routing Table 515 Study Resources 523 Day 16: Inter-VLAN Routing 525 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 525 Key Points 525 Inter-VLAN Routing Concepts 525 Router on a Stick Configuration and Verification 532 Multilayer Switching Inter-VLAN Routing Configuration and Verification 536 Study Resources 541 Day 15: Static and Default Route Configuration 542 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 542 Key Topics 542 Static and Default Routing Overview 542 IPv4 Static Route Configuration 545 Study Resources 564 Day 14: OSPF Operation 565 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 565 Key Topics 565 Single-Area OSPF Operation 565 OSPFv2 Versus OSPFv3 577 Multiarea OSPF Operation 579 Study Resources 584 Day 13: Single-Area OSPF Implementation 586 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 586 Key Topics 586 Single-Area OSPFv2 Configuration 586 Verifying OSPFv2 597 Study Resources 602 Day 12: Fine-Tuning and Troubleshooting OSPF 603 CCNA 200-125 Exam Topics 603 Key Topics 603 OSPFv2 Configuration Example 603 Modifying OSPFv2 606 Troubleshooting OSPF 615 Study Resources 620 Day 11: Network Security Concepts 621 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 621 Key Topics 621 Security Fundamentals 621 Network Attacks 627 Security Program 633 Study Resources 634 Day 10: ACL Concepts 635 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 635 Key Topics 635 ACL Operation 635 Planning to Use ACLs 640 Study Resources 645 Day 9: ACL Implementation 646 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 646 Key Topics 646 Configuring Standard Numbered IPv4 ACLs 646 Configuring Extended Numbered IPv4 ACLs 651 Configuring Named IPv4 ACLs 655 Verifying IPv4 ACLs 658 Comparing IPv4 and IPv6 ACLs 661 Configuring IPv6 ACLs 662 Verifying IPv6 ACLs 667 Troubleshooting ACLs 670 Study Resources 671 Day 8: NAT 673 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 673 Key Topics 673 NAT Concepts 673 Configuring Static NAT 683 Verifying NAT 688 Troubleshooting NAT 690 Study Resources 692 Day 7: WAN, VPN, and IPsec 693 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 693 Key Topics 693 WAN Topologies 693 WAN Connection Options 696 VPN Technology 712 Study Resources 733 Day 6: QoS 734 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 734 Key Topics 734 QoS 734 Study Resources 754 Day 5: CDP and LLDP 755 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 755 Key Topics 755 CDP Overview 755 LLDP Overview 763 Study Resources 768 Day 4: Device Monitoring, Management, and Maintenance 770 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 770 Key Topics 770 SNMP Operation 770 Configuring SNMP 776 Verifying SNMP 777 Syslog 779 Network Time Protocol 787 Cisco IOS File System and Devices 789 Managing Cisco IOS Images 797 Password Recovery 801 Study Resources 803 Day 3: Cloud, Virtualization, and SDN 804 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 804 Key Topics 804 Cloud Computing 804 Software-Defined Networking 813 Study Resources 825 Day 2: SDA and Cisco DNA Center 827 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 827 Key Topics 827 SDA Architecture 827 Cisco DNA Center 833 Study Resources 840 Day 1: Network Automation 841 CCNA 200-301 Exam Topics 841 Key Topics 841 Data Formats 841 RESTful APIs 845 Configuration Management Tools 851 Study Resources 857 Exam Day 858 What You Need for the Exam 858 What You Should Receive After Completion 859 Summary 859 Post-Exam Information 860 Receiving Your Certificate 860 Determining Career Options 861 Examining Certification Options 862 If You Did Not Pass the Exam 862 Summary 863