LearnNetwork
← Certification prep — CCNA and Nokia NRS-I

Exam prep — CCNA 200-301 and Nokia NRS-I

10 min

You've worked through the curriculum. Two associate-level certifications validate that knowledge externally: Cisco CCNA 200-301 and Nokia NRS-I (4A0-100). They overlap significantly — IP, OSPF, basic security, troubleshooting — but each has its own vendor-flavored sections. This lesson maps the LearnNetwork curriculum to each blueprint and gives you a study strategy.

CCNA 200-301 blueprint mapping

| CCNA Domain | LearnNetwork lessons | |---|---| | 1.0 Network Fundamentals (20%) | what-is-a-network, devices-overview, lan-wan-man, broadcast-vs-collision, osi-model, tcp-ip-model, encapsulation, tcp-vs-udp, copper-cabling, fiber-fundamentals, fiber-connectors, transceivers, ipv4-and-subnetting, ipv6-essentials | | 2.0 Network Access (20%) | ethernet-frame, how-switches-learn, vlans-and-trunking, inter-vlan-routing, stp-fundamentals, rstp-and-mstp, etherchannel-and-port-security, wireless-basics | | 3.0 IP Connectivity (25%) | routing-fundamentals, ospf, bgp-intro (BGP intro for context — CCNA expects only basic awareness) | | 4.0 IP Services (10%) | ip-services-essentials, qos-fundamentals | | 5.0 Security Fundamentals (15%) | acls-aaa-dot1x, etherchannel-and-port-security, wireless-basics (WPA section) | | 6.0 Automation and Programmability (10%) | Not directly covered in this curriculum — see Cisco DevNet Associate materials and Ansible / NETCONF / RESTCONF resources. |

For the 6.0 domain, supplement with: Ansible basics, JSON/YAML, REST API concepts, Cisco DNA Center awareness, controller-vs-traditional networks. Most candidates already have some Python or basic scripting from work — that suffices.

Nokia NRS-I (4A0-100) blueprint mapping

| NRS-I Section | LearnNetwork lessons | |---|---| | IP networking review | All Track A + ipv4/ipv6/routing-fundamentals from Track C | | IGP routing (OSPF, IS-IS) | ospf — supplement with IS-IS reading from Nokia material; IS-IS is mainly a different LSA-type set | | BGP basics | bgp-intro | | MPLS introduction | mpls-labels-and-fec | | Service architecture (EPipe/VPLS/VPRN/IES) | service-models | | Multicast intro | multicast-basics | | SR OS basics and CLI | nokia-7705-sar8, nokia-7750-sra8 | | Optical transport / OTN context | dwdm-fundamentals, roadm-and-photonics, otn-framing |

Suggested study path

  1. Read every lesson in order. Take each quiz. Re-read until you pass every quiz at 100%.
  2. Get hands on. GNS3 / EVE-NG with Cisco IOL or vIOS for CCNA; vSR OS / SR Sim for NRS-I (Nokia free with NSP Lab Pack registration).
  3. Practice subnetting until it's reflexive. The CCNA exam gives you 90 seconds per question — long enough to compute, not long enough to think.
  4. Read the official exam blueprints directly from Cisco / Nokia and tick off every objective.
  5. Take a paid practice exam (Boson ExSim for CCNA, NRS-I sample exams from Nokia) one week before the real one.
  6. Schedule the real exam. Booking it forces commitment.

Test-taking tactics

  • Drag-and-drop and lab-sim questions are heavy — leave them for last. They take 5–10 minutes each.
  • Read every word. Cisco and Nokia both phrase questions carefully. "What MUST you configure" ≠ "what is the BEST option to configure."
  • Eliminate obviously wrong answers first. Two of four options are usually clearly wrong; the real choice is between two plausible ones.
  • Manage time. ~1 minute per multiple choice average. Mark and move on if you're stuck.

After you pass

  • CCNA → CCNP ENCOR (350-401) is the natural next step. Same Cisco family, much deeper on routing, security, automation, wireless, infra.
  • NRS-I → NRS-II (Nokia Network Routing Specialist II) goes deep on MPLS, SR, EVPN, advanced services.
  • Both certs expire after 3 years; keep them current or let them lapse depending on your career direction.

What to remember

  • CCNA and NRS-I overlap on the fundamentals — the same OSPF, the same subnetting, the same security basics.
  • Vendor-specific: CCNA leans Cisco CLI + automation; NRS-I leans SR OS CLI + MPLS depth.
  • Lab time matters as much as reading. Aim for 50+ hours of hands-on before exam day.
  • Pass the quizzes in this site at 100% before scheduling the real exam.