A new era for CCNA

Cisco has announced that a new version of the CCNA certification — CCNA v2.0 — will launch on February 3, 2027. It's a major milestone for the networking industry, and one that will shape how the next generation of engineers is trained, tested, and validated. There is time to prepare, and we'll be with you every step of the way so that you, your academies, and your learners know exactly what to expect.

Why Cisco is refreshing the CCNA

The CCNA has been a benchmark in IT certifications for a long time, and this update enhances that legacy instead of replacing it. The aim is to align the certification with the current state of the industry. AI, automation, and security h

ave become integral to the construction, protection, and management of modern networks. CCNA v2.0 ensures that those who earn the certification possess the skills that employers anticipate from the start.

What's changing

This is the heart of the update. CCNA v2.0 represents a meaningful shift in how networking skills are taught and validated, moving away from broad theory and toward the practical, job-task-aligned skills that employers actually need.

The new exam topics were shaped by input from the Cisco Certified community, Distinguished Engineers, respected IT leaders, and the organizations that hire CCNA engineers every day. The result is a certification built around real employer expectations — so new engineers arrive prepared, with the right toolkit in hand.

The exam is now organized around what matters most in the field:

• Network Infrastructure & Connectivity (25%) — build it, connect it, and keep it running

• Switching and Network Access (25%) — configure and troubleshoot the access layer end to end

• IP Routing (20%) — understand how packets move, and fix it when they don't

• Network Services and Security (20%) — secure, manage, and service the environment

• AI and Network Operations (10%) — work with intelligent systems, not around them.

New CCNA exam

Cisco is proud to introduce the refreshed CCNA certification, designed to make professionals job‑ready from day one. The updated certification equips learners to operate, secure, automate, and troubleshoot the modern, AI‑driven networks at the core of today's evolving IT environments. Effective February 3, 2027, CCNA exam v2.0 emphasizes applied, scenario‑based competency — and, most importantly, it introduces hands‑on, practical assessments that place candidates in real network scenarios to validate true capability and confirm the job‑ready skills modern environments demand.

Want me to push the hands‑on emphasis even further — say, pull it out as its own standalone line or a callout — or keep it woven into the paragraph like this? And whenever you're ready, send over that next blog.

What this means for you

A change of this scale takes time to prepare for — and that is exactly where we come in. We will have training for all 3 CCNA courses for all of you shortly after it's released, late Fall this year. As you get ready to bring CCNA v2.0 into your classroom, we'll keep sharing updates, resources, and guidance to help you make the transition with confidence.

This is an exciting new era for the CCNA, and we're here to help you and your learners make the most of it. Stay tuned — we'll continue keeping you informed as the February 2027 launch approaches.

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