This is an annotated listing of the CCNA curriculum topics mapped to the OSI model – up until the Transport layer (Layer 4) section, then topics are grouped by themes (e.g., IP services, Network security, Wireless networking, and Automation and programmability).
You may also be interested in How to get CCNA certification.
Introduction to networking
Network devices and their functions
How data flow through the Internet (open module)
Hosts | IP Addresses | Networks | Repeaters | Hubs | Bridges | Switches | Routers
The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Model
How data flow through the Internet (open module)
Physical Layer | Data Link Layer | Network Layer | Transport Layer | Session Layer | Presentation Layer | Application Layer | Data Encapsulation/De-Encapsulation
Network protocols and their functions
How data flow through the Internet (open module)
How the TCP/IP Model Maps to the OSI Model | Network Protocols (Introduction) ARP, FTP, SMTP, HTTP, SSL, TLS, HTTPS, DNS, and DHCP
Cisco IOS CLI and device security
Cisco IOS CLI Command Modes | Configure Basic Device Security (enable password and enable secret)
Configure and verify device access control using local passwords
Configure Device Access Control (login and login local)
Configure network devices for remote access using SSH
Layer 2 Switch Management IP | Configure Device Remote Access using SSH and Telnet
Physical layer (Layer 1)
Interfaces and cables (Jeremy’s IT Lab)
IEEE 802.3 | UTP and Fiber-Optic Cabling | Single-Mode Fiber and Multimode Fiber
Understanding Ethernet wiring (Practical Networking)
Connectors | Copper UTP Cables
Data Link layer (Layer 2)
How traffic flows within a LAN
Ethernet Frame Structure | MAC Addresses | Unicast Frames | Traffic Flow Within LANs
How switches forward frames – ARP
ARP | Ping | Wireshark Packet Capture | MAC Address Table
Configuring and verifying switch interfaces
Configuring Switch Interfaces | Configuring Interface Speed and Duplex
Configuring access ports on Cisco switches
Configuring VLANs on Cisco Switches – Access Ports
Configuring trunk ports on Cisco switches
Configuring VLANs on Cisco Switches – Trunk Ports | Router on a Stick
Inter-VLAN routing using Layer 3 switches
Configuring Native VLANs on a Router (ROAS) | Configuring SVIs on L3 Switches | Wireshark Captures
Configure and verify voice VLANs
Access Ports (Data and Voice) | Voice VLAN Access Ports | QoS (Quality of Service) Introduction
Configure and verify DTP and VTP
DTP and VTP Function | DTP Configuration | DTP Modes | VTP Modes | VTP Configuration
Configure and verify Layer 2 discovery protocols (CDP and LLDP)
L2 Discovery Protocols | CDP Verification and Configuration | LLDP Configuration and Verification | Wireshark Captures
Configure and verify (Layer 2/Layer 3) EtherChannel (LACP)
L2/L3 Ether Channel Configuration | LACP | PAgP | Static
STP root bridge election and root port selection
Network Redundancy | Classic STP | Broadcast Storms | STP Port Role Selection
Classic Spanning Tree port states
STP Port States | STP Timers | STP BPDU Structure | STP Toolkit | STP Configuration | PortFast | BPDU Guard | Root Guard | Loop Guard
Basic operations of Rapid PVST+ STP
RSTP | RSTP Configuration | RSTP BPDU Wireshark Capture | PortFast | UplinkFast | BackboneFast
Network layer (Layer 3)
IPv4 addressing for the CCNA
IPv4 Header | IPv4 Addresses | Loopback Addresses | Netmasks | Network Address | Broadcast Address
CCNA math
IPv4 Addressing | Binary, Decimal, Hexadecimal Conversions
CCNA math portal
CCNA Math Skills | CCNA Math Topics
Classless IPv4 addressing and subnetting
IPv4 Network Classes | CIDR | FLSM Subnetting
CCNA subnetting exercises
FLSM Subnetting | VLSM Subnetting
IPv4 address configuration and verification
IPv4 Addressing | Configuring IP Addresses
Connected and local routes
Router Preconfiguration | Routing Table | Connected and Local Routes | Route Selection
Configure and verify IPv4 static routing
Default Gateway | Static Route Configuration | Default Route | Troubleshooting Static Routes
Host to host communication in networking
How ARP Resolves IP Addresses to MAC Addresses | Host to Host Communication within a Network | Host to Host Communication Between Networks
Types of dynamic routing protocols
Dynamic vs Static Routing | Dynamic Routing Protocol Types | Metric | Administrative Distance | Floating Static Routes | Network Route | Host Route
RIP & EIGRP function and configuration
RIPv1 and RIPv2 | RIP Configuration | RIP Default Route | EIGRP Configuration | Wildcard Masks | Router ID
Basic OSPF operations
Configure and Verify Single Area OSPFv2 | LSAs and LSDB | OSPF Areas | Router ID
How routers become OSPF neighbors
Neighbor Adjacencies | OSPF Configurations
OSPF network types
Point-to-Point | Broadcast (DR/BDR Selection) | OSPF Adjacency Requirements | OSPF LSA Types | OSPF Network Type Configuration
Configure and verify FHRP HSRP
HSRP | VRRP | GLBP | HSRP Configuration
Static NAT configuration
Private IPv4 Addresses | NAT Purpose | Static NAT | Static NAT Configuration
How to configure standard ACLs on Cisco routers
Standard ACLs | Configuring and Verifying Standard ACLs
Introduction to IPv6 for the CCNA
Converting Between Number Systems | IPv6 Address Abbreviation | IPv6 Prefixes | Configuring IPv6 Addresses
Configuring IPv6 addresses using EUI-64
EUI-64 Conversion and Configuration | IPv6 Address Types
Configure and verify IPv6 static routing
IPv6 Address Representation | IPv6 Header | NDP | IPv6 Neighbor Table | SLAAC | IPv6 Static Routing Configurations (Default, Network, Host, and Floating Static) | Link-Local Next Hop
Transport layer (Layer 4)
How to configure extended ACLs on Cisco routers
Extended ACLs | Configuring and Verifying Extended ACLs
Comparing TCP to UDP
Functions of L4 Protocols | Comparing TCP to UDP
Getting started with Wireshark
Wireshark Analysis | Wireshark Training Resources
Dynamic PAT configuration
Dynamic NAT | NAT Pool Exhaustion | Dynamic NAT Configuration | PAT Configuration
IP services
Configure and verify NTP operating in a client and server mode
NTP Configuration and Verification | Redundant NTP Configuration
The role of DNS within the network
DNS Role Within a Network | Configuring DNS in Cisco IOS
Configure and verify DHCP client and relay
DHCP Role Within a Network | Configuring and Verifying DHCP Client and Relay
The function of SNMP in network operations (Jeremy’s IT Lab)
SNMP Operations | SNMP Components | SNMP OIDs | SNMP Versions | SNMP Messages | SNMPv2c Configuration
The use of syslog features including facilities and levels (Jeremy’s IT Lab)
Syslog Message Format | Syslog Severity Levels | Syslog Configuration | Logging Synchronous | Timestamps and Sequence Numbers
The capabilities and function of TFTP/FTP in the network (Jeremy’s IT Lab)
TFTP Reliability | TFTP Connections | TFTP TID | FTP Control Connections | FTP Data Connections (Active and Passive Modes) | Using FTP/TFTP in IOS
Quality of Service (QoS) introduction (QoS Part 1) (Jeremy’s IT Lab)
IP Phones | Voice VLAN Configuration | Power over Ethernet (PoE) | Queuing | TCP Global Synchronization | Random Early Detection (RED)
The forwarding per-hop behavior (PHB) for QoS (QoS Part 2) (Jeremy’s IT Lab)
Classification and Marking | Queuing and Congestion Management | Policing and Shaping
Network security fundamentals
CCNA security fundamentals
Key Security Concepts | Common Attacks | MFA | AAA | Security Program Elements | Kali Linux Demo
IPsec site-to-site VPNs
Site-to-Site VPNs using IPsec | GRE over IPsec Configuration and Verification
Configure and verify Layer 2 security features (switch port security)
Port Security Configuration | Port Security Verification | Sticky Secure MAC Addresses | Port Security Violation Modes
Configure and verify Layer 2 security features (DHCP snooping)
DHCP Snooping Logic | DHCP Snooping Configuration | DHCP Snooping Verification | Optional DHCP Snooping Features
Configure and verify Layer 2 security features (dynamic ARP inspection)
Gratuitous ARP | DAI logic | DAI Configuration | Limiting DAI Message Rates | Optional DAI Message Checks
Network topology architectures
LAN architectures (Jeremy’s IT Lab)
Star, Full Mesh, and Partial Mesh LAN Topologies | Two-Tier, Three-Tier, and Spine-Leaf Architectures | Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) Networks Introduction (SOHO Part 1)
WAN architectures (Jeremy’s IT Lab)
Leased Lines | MPLS – Layer 3 MPLS VPN and Layer 2 MPLS VPN | DSL, Cable, and Redundant Internet Connections (SOHO Part 2) | Internet VPNs (Site-to-Site VPNs using IPsec and Remote Access VPNs using TLS)
Cloud computing framework (NIST SP 800-145)
On-Premise and Cloud | Cloud Services
Virtualization
Virtualization fundamentals
Server Virtualization | VMs (Virtual Machines)
Containers (VMs vs containers)
VMs vs Containers | Popular Containerization Platforms
VRFs (Virtual Routing and Forwarding) explained
VRF Configuration and Verification | VRF Routing Tables
Wireless networking
Wireless fundamentals for the CCNA
IEEE 802.11 | Access Points | Wireless LAN Topologies | RF | Wireless Bands and Channels | Wireless Standards
Cisco wireless architectures and AP modes
Autonomous AP Architecture | Cloud-Based AP Architecture | Split-MAC Architectures | WLC Deployment Models | Cisco AP Modes
Wireless network security
Wireless Security Framework | Open Authentication | WEP | EAP | WPA, WPA2, WPA3
Configure and verify WLAN within the GUI using WPA2 PSK
Configuring a WLAN | Configuring WLAN Security | Configuring WLAN QoS
Automation and programmability
Explain how automation impacts network management
Network Management Automation | Controller-Based Networking | Control Plane and Data Plane | Northbound and Southbound APIs
Recognize components of JSON-encoded data
Variables | JSON Data Types | XML (Extensible Markup Language) | YAML (YAML Ain’t Markup Language)
Describe characteristics of REST-based APIs (CRUD, HTTP verbs, and data encoding)
APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) | CRUD Operations and HTTP Verbs | Characteristics of REST APIs
Describe controller-based, software defined architecture (overlay, underlay, and fabric); Cisco DNA Center enabled device management
Controller-Based SDN Architecture (Overlay, Underlay, and Fabric) | Cisco SD-Access | Cisco DNA Center Enabled Device Management
Recognize the capabilities of configuration management mechanisms Puppet, Chef, and Ansible
Configuration Management Mechanisms | Ansible | Puppet | Chef
Related content
CCNA topics in alphabetical order
Compliance frameworks and industry standards
Cryptography (SSL/TLS cryptographic tools)
Foundations in information technology
How data flow through the Internet
IT career paths – everything you need to know
Job roles in IT and cybersecurity
Network security risk mitigation best practices
The GRC approach to managing cybersecurity
The penetration testing process
The Security Operations Center (SOC) career path
Back to DTI Courses
Other content
1st Annual University of Ottawa Supervisor Bullying ESG Business Risk Assessment Briefing
Disgraced uOttawa President Jacques Frémont ignores bullying problem
How to end supervisor bullying at uOttawa
PhD in DTI uOttawa program review
Rocci Luppicini – Supervisor bullying at uOttawa case updates
The case for policy reform: Tyranny
The trouble with uOttawa Prof. A. Vellino
The ugly truth about uOttawa Prof. Liam Peyton
uOttawa engineering supervisor bullying scandal
uOttawa President Jacques Frémont ignores university bullying problem
uOttawa Prof. Liam Peyton denies academic support to postdoc
Updated uOttawa policies and regulations: A power grab
What you must know about uOttawa Prof. Rocci Luppicini
Why a PhD from uOttawa may not be worth the paper it’s printed on
Why uOttawa Prof. Andre Vellino refused academic support to postdoc
