Cisco ENCOR: The Expanded Blueprint

Here is the official Expanded Blueprint for ENCOR that I promised my students. Please note there is a change log following the expanded blueprint as there will be tweaks and improvements to this work.

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  • 1.0 Architecture
    • 1.1 Design Principles in an Enterprise
      • 3 Tier “Classic”
        • Function of each layer
      • 2 Tier “Collapsed Core”
      • 2 Tier “Spine-Leaf”
        • Function of each layer
        • Connectivity between layers
      • Fabric Capacity Planning
        • Overlay vs Underlay
      • High Availability
        • Redundancy
        • First Hop Redundancy Protocol (FHRP)
          • HSRP
          • VRRP
          • GLBP
        • Stateful Switchover
    • 1.2 Design Principles in WLAN
      • Wireless deployment models
        • CAPWAP
        • Centralized
        • Distributed
        • Controller-less
        • Controller-based
        • Cloud
        • Remote branch (FlexConnect)
      • Location services
        • Clients
        • RFID tracking
    • 1.3 On-prem versus cloud infrastructure deployments
      • CapEx versus OpEx
      • Reduced procurement delays
      • Pay as you go
      • Security
      • Flexibility
      • Global
      • API-centric
    • 1.4 SD-WAN
      • Traditional WAN issues
      • SD-WAN components
      • Control plane
      • Data plane
    • 1.5 SD-Access
      • Control plane
      • Data plane
      • Policy plane
      • Traditional campus and SD-Access integration
    • 1.6 Wired and wireless QoS
      • QoS approaches
      • QoS DiffServ components
      • Wireless QoS policies
    • 1.7 Hardware versus switching mechanisms
      • Process switching
      • CEF switching
        • RIB
        • FIB
      • MAC address table
      • TCAM
  • 2.0 Virtualization
    • 2.1 Device virtualization technologies
      • Type 1 hypervisor
      • Type 2 hypervisor
      • Virtual machine
      • Virtual switching
    • 2.2 Data path virtualization
      • Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF)
      • Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE)
      • IPsec
    • 2.3 Network virtualization concepts
      • LISP
      • VXLAN
  • 3.0 Infrastructure
    • 3.1 Layer 2
      • Static 802.1Q trunks
      • Dynamic 802.1Q trunks
      • switchport nonegotiate
      • Allowed VLANs on trunks
      • VTP
      • VTP pruning
      • Static Layer 2 EtherChannel
      • Dynamic Layer 2 EtherChannel
      • Static Layer 3 EtherChannel
      • Dynamic Layer 3 EtherChannel
      • RSTP
      • MSTP
    • 3.2 Layer 3
      • Compare EIGRP and OSPF
        • Algorithm
        • Load balancing
        • Path selection
        • Path operations
        • Metric
      • Configure and verify OSPF
        • Normal areas
        • Filtering
        • Summarization
        • Passive interface
        • Network types
        • Neighbor states
      • Configure and verify eBGP
        • eBGP Multihop
        • BGP neighbor states
        • BGP best path selection algorithm
    • 3.3 Wireless
      • Layer 1 concepts
        • RF power
        • EIRP
        • RSSI
        • SNR
        • Sources of interference
          • Microwaves
          • Radar
          • Baby monitors
          • Cordless phones
          • Neighbors
      • CCX
      • 802.11
      • AP modes
        • Local
        • Monitor
        • FlexConnect
        • Sniffer
        • Rogue Detector
        • Bridge
        • Flex + Bridge
        • SE-Connect
      • AP boot process
      • AP discovery of WLC
        • Internal preset
        • DHCP and DNS
          • DHCP option 43
          • CISCO-CAPWAP-CONTROLLER.local-domain
        • Broadcast
      • Antenna types
        • Omnidirectional
          • Dipole
          • Integrated
        • Directional
          • Yagi
          • Dish
      • Roaming
        • Intracontroller
        • Intercontroller
        • Layer 2
        • Layer 3
        • Enhancements
          • CCKM
          • Key Caching
          • 802.11r
        • Anchor versus Foreign
        • Mobility Groups
      • Troubleshooting the WLC, APs, Clients
        • Autonomous AP to switch
        • Lightweight AP to WLC
        • Client to AP
    • 3.4 IP Services
      • Network Time Protocol theory
      • Configure and verify dynamic inside source NAT/PAT
      • Configure and verify HSRP
      • Configure and verify VRRP
      • Configure and verify GLBP
      • PIM theory
        • Multicast tree
        • RPF check
        • PIM-SM
        • PIM-DM
        • PIM-S/D Mode
        • Auto-RP
        • BSR
        • Static RP
        • Bidirectional PIM
        • SSM
      • IGMP theory
        • Version 2
        • Version 3
  • 4.0 Network Assurance
    • 4.1 Tools
      • Debugs
      • Conditional debugs
      • Trace
      • PING
      • SNMP
    • 4.2 syslog
    • 4.3 NetFlow and Flexible NetFlow
    • 4.4 SPAN/RSPAN/ERSPAN
    • 4.5 IP SLA
      • IP SLA Responder
    • 4.6 Cisco DNA Center
      • Workflows
    • 4.7 NETCONF and RESTCONF
  • 5.0 Security
    • 5.1 Device access control
      • Device lines protections
        • Privilege levels
      • Password protections
        • service password-encryption
        • secret passwords
      • AAA
    • 5.2 Infrastructure security features
      • ACLs
        • Operation
        • Standard
        • Extended
      • CoPP theory and operation
    • 5.3 REST API Security
      • Classic HTTP
      • Token
      • OAuth
    • 5.4 Wireless security
      • EAP variations
      • WebAuth
      • PSK
      • WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPA3
    • Components (theory only)
      • Unified Threat Defense
      • Cisco AMP
      • Firepower NGFW
      • Firepower NGIPS
      • Firepower Management Center
      • TrustSec
      • MACSec
      • 802.1X
      • MAB
      • WebAuth
  • 6.0 Automation
    • 6.1 Basic Python theory
    • 6.2 Create JSON file
      • Basic syntax
      • Use all data types
      • Compare to XML
    • 6.3 YANG theory (relate to NETCONF and RESTCONF)
    • 6.4 APIs for DNA Center and vManage
    • 6.5 REST API Response Codes
      • Informational responses (100199)
      • Successful responses (200299)
      • Redirects (300399)
      • Client errors (400499)
      • Server errors (500599)
    • 6.6 EEM
      • Applet
      • Script
    • 6.7 Automation tools
      • Chef
      • Puppet
      • Ansible
      • SaltStack

Change Log

  • 3/26/2020 completed the initial draft

4 thoughts on “Cisco ENCOR: The Expanded Blueprint

  1. Anthony,

    Thanks for doing this! Are you guys going to have any classes or bootcamps on the new track?

    Thanks,

    jeff

    1. Hi Jeff! Ronnie and I finished ENCOR not too long ago over at ITPro.TV. That course has produced a bunch of first time passers of this new core CCNP exam!

  2. This is great Anthony, thanks! Stupid how I never thought of this myself. I always just studied the books and watched some videos, hoping for the best. This is a great way to keep track of my own progress and take on the exam with confidence!

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