CCNA Cybersecurity Operations 1.

0
Frequently Asked Questions
Last Updated 25 January 2018

FAQ Table of Contents

Overview .................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Q. What types of students may be interested in the Cisco Networking Academy CCNA Cybersecurity
® ®

Operations course? ............................................................................................................................................ 2

Q. Are there any prerequisites for CCNA Cybersecurity Operations? ..................................................................... 2
Q. What are the main elements of the CCNA Cybersecurity Operations curriculum? ............................................ 2
Q. Is the CCNA Cybersecurity Operations course available in languages other than English? .............................. 3
Q. Where can I find presentations for use in my classroom? .................................................................................. 3
Q. What books are available for CCNA Cybersecurity Operations 1.0? ................................................................. 3
Cisco Packet Tracer .................................................................................................................................................. 3
Q. Does Cisco Packet Tracer support the CCNA Cybersecurity Operations curriculum? ....................................... 3
Certifications.............................................................................................................................................................. 3
Q. Does CCNA Cybersecurity Operations prepare students for a Cisco certification exam? ................................. 3
Q. Where can I find information about CCNA Cybersecurity Operations certification requirements? ..................... 3
Q. Are certification exam discount vouchers available for the CCNA Cybersecurity certification exam? ................ 3
Q. Does CCNA Cybersecurity Operations meet the DoD 8570.01-M standard? .................................................... 4
Labs and Equipment ................................................................................................................................................. 4
Q. What are the equipment requirements for CCNA Cybersecurity Operations 1.0? ............................................. 4
Q. What are the system requirements for the Lab PC? ........................................................................................... 4
Q. Is setting up the virtual environment required to deliver the course? ................................................................. 5
Q. Must VirtualBox be used or can other hypervisors be used? ............................................................................. 5
Q. How large are the VM files use in the labs? ....................................................................................................... 5
Q. What operating system are the labs designed for? ............................................................................................ 5
Q. Do the CCNA Cybersecurity Operations labs support remote access through NDG’s NETLAB+ solution? ...... 5
Instructor Training..................................................................................................................................................... 5
Q. What are the instructor training requirements for teaching CCNA Cybersecurity Operations? .......................... 5
Q. What are the course options and recommended time requirements for CCNA Cybersecurity Operations
instructor training? .............................................................................................................................................. 5
Additional Questions ................................................................................................................................................ 6
Q. Where can I get help with questions regarding the CCNA Cybersecurity Operations course? .......................... 6
Q. How should student choose between CCNA Security and CCNA Cybersecurity Operations course? What job
roles do each course prepare students for? ....................................................................................................... 6
Q. The course is long and has a lot of content, will it be possible to complete teaching the course in one
semester? ........................................................................................................................................................... 6

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 Overview
® ®
Q. What types of students may be interested in the Cisco Networking Academy CCNA Cybersecurity
Operations course?
A. CCNA Cybersecurity Operations is designed for Networking Academy™ students seeking career-oriented,
entry-level cybersecurity operations skills. Prospective students include individuals enrolled in technology
degree programs at institutions of higher education and IT professionals who want to pursue a career in
security operations.

Q. Are there any prerequisites for CCNA Cybersecurity Operations?

A. CCNA Cybersecurity Operations has no Networking Academy course prerequisites.

Students are recommended to have the following entry IT knowledge:

● PC and Internet navigation skills

● Basic Windows and Linux system concepts
● Basic Networking concepts
● Binary and hexadecimal understanding
● Basic Programming concepts
● Basic SQL queries
● Familiarity with Cisco Packet Tracer

While there are no required course prerequisites, students are encouraged to complete one or more of the
following Networking Academy courses to acquire skills needed for success in this course:

• Networking Essentials

• IT Essentials

• CCNA R&S: Introduction to Networks

• Programming – Linux Essentials

• Cybersecurity Essentials

• Introduction to Packet Tracer

Q. What are the main elements of the CCNA Cybersecurity Operations curriculum?
A. The CCNA Cybersecurity Operations 1.0 curriculum consists of:

● One semester-long (approximately 70-hours) course that may be spread out to another semester
depending on student’s entry knowledge and skills.
● 13 chapters, quizzes, and chapter exams
● One certification practice exam, one practice final, one final exam and one skills-based assessment
● 45 hands-on labs (27 labs use virtual machine applications)
®
● 5 Cisco Packet Tracer activities
The CCNA Cybersecurity Operations course uses the standard graphical user interface (GUI) with enhance
Accessibility features compliant to WCAG 2.0 AA level. Course labs manuals and Packet Tracer activities are

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 provided as separate .zip files that can be downloaded by instructors from the CCNA Cybersecurity
Operations Instructor Resources Folder in the NetAcad.com™ learning environment.

Q. Is the CCNA Cybersecurity Operations course available in languages other than English?
A. The course may be translated to other languages depending on demand. Please reach out to your CSR
manager for your requirements.

Q. Where can I find presentations for use in my classroom?

A. CCNA Cybersecurity 2.0 Instructor Power Point slides are available in the CCNA Cybersecurity Operations
Instructor Resources folder.

Q. What books are available for CCNA Cybersecurity Operations 1.0?

®
A. Cisco Press will support the Networking Academy CCNA Cybersecurity Operations 1.0 course with a course
booklet, lab manual and companion guide. The following books will be available through your Pearson sales
representative or directly from www.ciscopress.com:
• CCNA Cybersecurity Operations Course Booklet v1.0, (ISBN 9781587134371), target availability in April 2018
• CCNA Cybersecurity Lab Manual v1.0 (ISBN 9781587134388), target availability in April 2018
• CCNA Cybersecurity Companion Guide v1.0 (ISBN 9781587134395), target availability in June 2018

Cisco Packet Tracer

Q. Does Cisco Packet Tracer support the CCNA Cybersecurity Operations curriculum?
A. Yes, Cisco Packet Tracer supports the security protocols needed for the CCNA Cybersecurity Operations
curriculum. Computers should have Packet Tracer 7.0.x (minimum version) downloaded to support the
relevant labs. The latest version of Packet Tracer is available for download by instructors and students from
the Cisco Packet Tracer Resource folder from NetAcad.com.

Certifications
Q. Does CCNA Cybersecurity Operations prepare students for a Cisco certification exam?
A. Yes, the CCNA Cybersecurity Operations curriculum prepares students for the two exams; Understanding
Cisco Cybersecurity Fundamentals exam (SECFND, 210-250) and the Implementing Cisco Cybersecurity
Operations exam (SECOPS, 210-255), leading to the CCNA Cybersecurity Operations certification. There is
no clear demarcation of the chapters in covering the respective exams, hence it is advisable for students to
complete the whole course to acquire the knowledge and skill required for the certification.

Q. Where can I find information about CCNA Cybersecurity Operations certification requirements?
A. More information about the CCNA Cybersecurity Operations certification exam and requirements is available
on the Cisco Learning Network, and more information about all CCNA certifications is available.

Q. Are certification exam discount vouchers available for the CCNA Cybersecurity certification exam?
A. Yes. The voucher program is available for CCNA Cybersecurity Operations 1.0 course. Current eligibility
requirements are the same for all discount vouchers: 75% or higher on the first attempt of the course final
exam plus a “complete” in the grade book. Qualified student and instructor candidates will automatically
receive a discount voucher request link on NetAcad.com under your name tab. The discount rate for the
CCNA Cybersecurity vouchers is shown in Table 1:

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 Table 1. Discount Rate for CCNA Cybersecurity 1.0 course certification exam vouchers

Voucher Candidate Qualifying NetAcad Course Cisco Certification Exam Voucher Discount Rate

SECFND 210-250
Students CCNA Cybersecurity Operations 1.0 60%
SECOPS 210-255

SECFND 210-250
Instructors CCNA Cybersecurity Operations 1.0 70%
SECOPS 210-255

SECFND 210-250
Instructor Trainers CCNA Cybersecurity Operations 1.0 80%
SECOPS 210-255

Q. Does CCNA Cybersecurity Operations meet the DoD 8570.01-M standard?

A. The United States Department of Defense 8570 Directive provides guidance and procedures for the training,
certification and management of all DoD employees performing Information Assurance functions in their line of
duty. The approval process takes a minimum of two years for any new course. The CCNA Security has been
approved for DoD Information Assurance Technician Levels I and II. The CCNA Cybersecurity Operations
course has been submitted for approval.

Labs and Equipment

Q. What are the equipment requirements for CCNA Cybersecurity Operations 1.0?
A. The only equipment require for this course is a lab PC for each student or shared between two students. No
other equipment is required.

Q. What are the system requirements for the Lab PC?

A. The Lab Personal Computer will need to have the following system requirements:

PC • OS: Windows 7, 8, or 10, OSX

• Processor: Intel Core i7 4600U 2.7GHz (with Virtualization Support)

• Memory: 8 gigabyte (GB) RAM (Standard); 4 GB RAM (Alternative

Option)

• Display Adapter: PCI, PCIe (recommended), or AGP video card (DirectX

9 graphics device with WDDM driver)

• Disk: 45 GB hard drive (minimum).

• Network: 1 Ethernet Card or 1 Wireless Ethernet Card

Web browser The most recent version of Microsoft Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or
Mozilla Firefox with the most recent versions of Java and Flash Player
installed.

Oracle VirtualBox The latest version. Currently 5.1.22

Windows Experience Index 6.5 recommend

(WEI)

Packet Tracer Version 7.0 latest build

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 Q. Is setting up the virtual environment required to deliver the course?
A. Yes, virtual environment is required to run the labs.

Q. Must VirtualBox be used or can other hypervisors be used?

A. The labs are currently tested with VirtualBox. Use of other hypervisors will have to be tested by instructors as
appropriate.

Q. How large are the VM files use in the labs?

A. The sizes of the VM files are as follows:

Virtual Machine Disk Space RAM

Security Onion 10 GB 4 GB

MetaSploitable 8 GB 512 MB

Kali Linux 10 GB 1 GB

CyberOps Workstation 7 GB 1 GB

For academies that are not able to provide the standard 8GB of RAM for the PC, an alternate option of the lab
which requires only 4 GB RAM is available. With the alternate option, only 1 VM is used for Chapter 11 & 12.
The corresponding labs are run slightly differently – students only need to do certain portion of the labs, while
those portions that do not teach the required skills are captured in video for student’s reference. Thus, there is
no compromise in terms of the analysis skill that the student will learn between the 2 versions.

Q. What operating system are the labs designed for?

A. The Labs are designed to work with all three OS – Windows, Mac and Linux.

Q. Do the CCNA Cybersecurity Operations labs support remote access through NDG’s NETLAB+
solution?
A. NDG is working to provide remote access option to the CCNA Cyber Ops course labs via NETLAB+. Please
contact NDG directly for this service.

Instructor Training
Q. What are the instructor training requirements for teaching CCNA Cybersecurity Operations?
A. To be able to teach the CCNA Cybersecurity Operations course, an instructor must complete the Academy
Orientation course and pass the CCNA Cybersecurity Operations Instructor Training course. If an instructor
already holds a valid CCNA Cybersecurity Operations or higher certification, they can complete the CCNA
Cybersecurity Operations Instructor Fast Track option and must score a minimum score of 80% for the skill-
based assessment (SBA).

Q. What are the course options and recommended time requirements for CCNA Cybersecurity
Operations instructor training?
A. The recommended time requirements for CCNA Cybersecurity Operations instructor training are listed below.
Instructor Training Centers (ITCs) deliver the training and they may adjust time requirements as needed;
however, the minimum expectations stated below should be used as the baseline. The instructor training can
be delivered in one of the following formats:

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 ● In-person instructor-led training: a minimum of seven days (56 hours) of training, recommended for new
instructors or instructors who prefer physical interactions
● Remote online training: recommended for experienced instructors teaching CCNA R&S, and related
security courses (eg, CCNA Security, CISSP, CompTIA CSA+, Security+, ECH)
● Blended (in-person and remote) training: remote online delivery for the first eleven chapters of the course,
and in-person delivery for chapter 12 and 13, and skill based assessment. All final assessments need to be
proctored in-person.
● Fast track option: available for experienced instructors that has CCNA Cybersecurity Operations
certification and able to demonstrate hands-on skills and knowledge.

Additional Questions
Q. Where can I get help with questions regarding the CCNA Cybersecurity Operations course?
A. Instructors or academies can get help by contacting the Academy Support Center, or the NetAcad Support.

Q. How should student choose between CCNA Security and CCNA Cybersecurity Operations course?
What job roles do each course prepare students for?
A. CCNA Security and CCNA Cyber Ops provide a great foundation in Network Security and Cybersecurity
Operations roles respectively, each provides the foundation and an attractive entry-point to a career in
cybersecurity. The CCNA Security course focuses on teaching skills for implementing and configuring network
security; and troubleshooting. CCNA Security prepares students for entry level Network Security
Administrators/Engineer jobs. The CCNA Cyber Ops course focuses on skills needed to monitor, detect,
analyze and respond to security incidents, and prepare students for entry-level job roles as a Security SOC
Analyst or Incident Responder.

Q. The course is long and has a lot of content, will it be possible to complete teaching the course in one
semester?
A. The CCNA Cyber Ops course chapters are generally structured according to themes – Introduction, OS
Fundamentals, Networking Fundamentals, Cybersecurity Fundamentals and Cybersecurity Operations. This
provides instructors some guidance on the focus areas to teach as they may be enrolling students with
different background and profiles. Instructors have the flexibility to extend the course beyond one semester as
appropriate depending on student profiles.

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