#593: How to pass the CCNA exam (advice from two Cisco instructors)

Two Cisco training veterans break down how to know you are ready for the CCNA exam, what changes in CCNA 2.0, and whether the CCNA is still worth it in 2026.

Brian Bays has been teaching official Cisco classes since 2000. Michael Aldridge has been writing practice exam content since 2001. In this interview they answer the questions I get asked constantly: how long should I study, do I need physical equipment, should I do Network Plus first, and is AI going to take these jobs away?

Short answer on that last one: they have heard this before. Automation was going to end tech jobs. Then virtualization. Then cloud. Every time, it just made good engineers more productive. Junior engineers become senior engineers, and we cannot function without senior engineers.

We also cover what is coming in CCNA 2.0, including more troubleshooting woven through every section, a dark mode option, a full screen CLI, and the ability to send a command to every device in a lab at once.

This video is not sponsored. I have known Brian and Michael for years and I recommend them because I rate them, not because anyone paid for this.

Get CCNA Certified with Boson’s comprehensive training solutions: https://boson.com/certifications/ccna/

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0:00 - Coming up

01:01 - Introductions

03:55 - When will you be ready for the CCNA exam?

08:34 - Overwhelming exam resources

11:14 - Do you need physical equipment for the CCNA exam?

13:52 - Mistakes preparing for the exam

16:56 - The learning never stops

17:57 - CCNA vs Network+

19:52 - What is Boson NetSim?

20:53 - What is Boson ExSim?

21:37 - NetSim vs Packet Tracer

22:37 - Why trust Boson?

24:46 - Tips for passing the CCNA exam

25:37 - How long should you study for the CCNA exam?

27:34 - New CCNA exam expectations

29:27 - Mistakes when taking the exam

31:52 - Topics students struggle with

33:26 - Important resources

35:23 - Conclusion

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Disclaimer: This video is for educational purposes only.

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