Prepare for Success: Cisco CCIE 400-101 Routing and Switching Exam Practice

Course Overview

The Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Routing and Switching certification, specifically the 400-101 exam, has long been regarded as one of the most challenging and prestigious credentials in the IT networking industry. This course, Cisco CCIE 400-101 Routing and Switching Practice Exams, is meticulously designed to support individuals who are seeking to test and reinforce their knowledge across the key technical domains covered by this expert-level exam.

Although Cisco has officially retired the 400-101 exam, the knowledge and skillsets it encompassed remain vital for modern network engineers. Concepts covered in the exam still form the foundation of Cisco’s current certifications and are in high demand across global enterprises. This course serves as an excellent resource for anyone aiming to deepen their understanding of advanced routing and switching principles, whether for exam prep, professional development, or interview readiness.

The course consists of six full-length practice exams, each containing 50 expertly crafted questions. These questions simulate the structure, tone, and difficulty of the original 400-101 written exam. The goal is to provide a realistic testing environment that challenges your technical knowledge, sharpens your time management skills, and builds your confidence. With 300 total questions, learners will engage with diverse topics such as Layer 2 and Layer 3 technologies, VPNs, security, MPLS, multicast, QoS, and network troubleshooting.

Description

This comprehensive course delivers a robust, expert-level preparation system for the legacy Cisco CCIE 400‑101 Routing and Switching written exam. Once regarded as one of the most prestigious credentials in networking, the 400‑101 blueprint covered complex topics such as advanced Layer 2 and Layer 3 technologies, VPNs, MPLS, QoS, multicast, routing protocols, infrastructure security, and service-provider scale features. Though retired in February 2020, this exam remains foundational to the modern CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure track and continues to provide strategic value for networking professionals.

Our course features six full-length practice exams, each containing 50 thoughtfully crafted questions that mirror the format, phrasing, difficulty, and scenario-based structure of the original written exam. With a total of 300 questions, the course serves as an intensive, hands-on sharpening tool—enhancing your technical acuity and intuitive reasoning within mission-critical network contexts.

• Legacy certification still matters: The knowledge tested by 400‑101 remains integral to all current enterprise-grade networking, including SD-WAN, automation, and programmability.
  
  

• Expert-level readiness: This course helps prepare you for evolving CCIE paths by reinforcing the rigor and breadth foundational to expert-level thinking.
  
  

• Real-world relevance: Whether you're preparing for technical interviews, senior engineer roles, or architectural design work, the problem-solving mindset practiced here is directly applicable.
  
  

• Skill validation and confidence: The realistic testing experience, with timed quizzes and detailed feedback, builds both self-awareness and competence under pressure.

Requirements 

Below are the suggested prerequisites to ensure you get the maximum benefit from this rigorous preparation course:

• Solid, real-world experience: While Cisco imposes no formal prerequisites, a background of three to five years in enterprise routing and switching is strongly recommended. This ensures you can navigate complex diagrams, configurations, and problem-solving scenarios with fluency.
  
  

• Strong foundation in networking theory and practice: You're expected to be comfortable with protocols and technologies such as OSPF, BGP, EIGRP, MPLS, QoS, multicast, Frame Relay, VLANs, EtherChannel, and VPN systems. Experience with Cisco IOS environments and CLI is essential.
  
  

• Previous certifications are helpful but optional: Holding CCNA and CCNP (or modern equivalents like CCNP Enterprise) is highly recommended. These credentials provide structured knowledge to build upon and can serve as solid stepping stones toward higher-level certifications.
  
  

• Professional lab exposure: Regular hands-on practice—whether in physical labs, simulation tools, or rack rentals—is vital. Real-world scenarios demand not only conceptual understanding but also configuration agility and time-based fluency in building, troubleshooting, and optimizing Cisco networks.
  
  

• Strategic exam preparation mindset: This course acts as a gap analysis tool. It exposes areas needing reinforced study—whether in technical knowledge, diagram analysis skills, or pace management under timed conditions. It transforms preparation from rote memorization to pattern-recognition and reasoning under pressure.

Why This Course Matters

The CCIE Routing and Switching (400-101) certification exam has long been considered one of the most prestigious and demanding certifications in the field of networking. Unlike entry-level or mid-level exams that test your knowledge of concepts and configurations in relatively contained scenarios, the CCIE R&S exam was specifically designed to assess whether a network engineer could demonstrate mastery in designing, implementing, operating, troubleshooting, and optimizing complex enterprise-level Cisco networks—often under real-time, high-pressure conditions.

This level of certification is not just another career milestone; it is a symbol of commitment, endurance, technical mastery, and years of hands-on experience. The original 400-101 exam was known for its extensive and intricate blueprints, which required candidates to go beyond textbook answers and develop a practical, intuitive understanding of how large-scale networks function, break, and recover. Topics ranged from advanced IPv4/IPv6 routing, MPLS, QoS, BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, multicast routing, switching technologies, and network security, to deep protocol analysis and service-provider-grade configuration.

This course matters because it recognizes the intensity and scope required to succeed in the CCIE track, and it addresses the challenge head-on by offering a structured, realistic, and feedback-driven preparation strategy. Whether you are aiming for the legacy CCIE Routing and Switching or transitioning to the CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure, the foundational topics remain largely the same. This course is designed to help you retain, refine, and apply those essential principles.

At its core, the course provides practice exams modeled after the CCIE 400-101 exam's theoretical section. These tests are not simply a recall of static facts; they are constructed to mimic the types of high-level conceptual questions and real-world network scenarios you would face in the exam or on the job. These questions challenge your ability to analyze network diagrams, understand protocol behaviors, troubleshoot issues using minimal information, and choose the most efficient solution path—all critical CCIE-level skills.

Furthermore, by taking this course, you benefit in several tangible ways:

• Diagnostic Self-Evaluation: The practice exams are designed to highlight strengths and uncover weak areas. You'll quickly identify where you need to spend more time—be it understanding BGP attributes, fine-tuning route redistribution logic, or mastering advanced STP behaviors.
  
  

• Exam Familiarity and Confidence: Many candidates stumble during the real exam not because they lack knowledge, but because they aren't familiar with the pacing or question complexity. Regular practice with these realistic exams builds confidence and fluency, reducing the risk of surprises on test day.
  
  

• Transitioning to New Certifications: While the 400-101 exam itself has been retired, its legacy lives on in the CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure certification. Many of the skills, technologies, and principles carry over. This course serves as an ideal bridge for those transitioning to the newer CCIE paths, allowing you to reinforce core routing and switching knowledge while adapting to evolving technologies such as SD-WAN, network automation, and programmability.
  
  

• Workplace Relevance: Even beyond certification goals, the knowledge and problem-solving mindset fostered by this course are directly applicable to real-world networking roles. Senior engineers, consultants, network architects, and infrastructure leads are often faced with designing, scaling, and optimizing networks for performance, redundancy, and security. This course helps you maintain the mental sharpness and agility required to make those decisions efficiently and accurately.
  
  

• A Commitment to Excellence: Choosing to take this course is more than preparing for an exam—it's a reaffirmation of your professional standards. It reflects your desire to stay at the top of your field, to challenge yourself, and to pursue excellence in every aspect of your networking career.

Course Features

• 6 Full-Length Practice Tests: Each test consists of 50 exam-style questions designed to challenge your knowledge and simulate the complexity of the real 400-101 exam.
  
  

• 300 Total Questions: A comprehensive bank of questions across all critical domains of the CCIE Routing and Switching blueprint.
  
  

• Realistic Format: The questions follow Cisco’s traditional question structure, mirroring the difficulty, phrasing, and scenario-based nature of the official written exam.
  
  

• Instant Feedback: After completing each test, learners receive detailed explanations and rationales for each answer, helping reinforce conceptual clarity and correct misconceptions.
  
  

• Mobile-Friendly Access: Study anywhere, anytime. All practice exams are accessible via desktop and mobile devices.
  
  

• Lifetime Access: One-time purchase gives you unlimited access to updates, question revisions, and practice sessions.
  
  

• Affordable Preparation: High-quality exam simulation at a fraction of the cost of traditional CCIE training courses or bootcamps.
  
  

• 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee: Purchase with confidence and peace of mind.

What Topics Are Covered

The following technical areas form the core foundation of this practice exam course:

1. Layer 2 Technologies
   
   

• Ethernet, STP, RSTP, MSTP
  
  

• VLANs, VTP, EtherChannel
  
  

• Frame Relay, PPP, L2 tunneling techniques
  
  

2. Layer 3 Technologies
   
   

• Static and dynamic routing
  
  

• EIGRP, OSPF, IS-IS, BGP
  
  

• Route redistribution and filtering
  
  

• Policy-based routing
  
  

3. VPN Technologies
   
   

• GRE, IPsec
  
  

• DMVPN
  
  

• MPLS VPNs
  
  

• Site-to-site and remote access configurations
  
  

4. Infrastructure Security
   
   

• Control Plane Policing (CoPP)
  
  

• Access Control Lists (ACLs)
  
  

• Device hardening and authentication protocols
  
  

• Management plane protection
  
  

5. Infrastructure Services
   
   

• DHCP, NAT, NTP, SNMP
  
  

• QoS classifications and queuing strategies
  
  

• NetFlow and traffic monitoring
  
  

• High availability mechanisms (HSRP, VRRP, GLBP)
  
  

6. Network Principles
   
   

• TCP/IP stack
  
  

• Subnetting, route summarization
  
  

• Troubleshooting methodology and tools
  
  

• Software-defined networking concepts (introduced late in the 400-101 blueprint)
  
  

7. Multicast Technologies
   
   

• PIM Sparse and Dense Mode
  
  

• IGMP, RPF, and rendezvous points
  
  

• Multicast distribution trees and optimization
  
  

8. Advanced Routing Concepts
   
   

• Route maps, prefix lists
  
  

• MPLS architecture
  
  

• Route reflectors and confederations

Who Should Take This Course

This course is built for serious networking professionals who are ready to challenge themselves and aim for the highest levels of Cisco certification or job responsibility. It is especially ideal for:

• Networking engineers preparing for the CCIE 400-101 written exam (for legacy review)
  
  

• CCNP-level professionals seeking to advance their knowledge and validate expert-level topics
  
  

• IT professionals studying for the CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure (the 400-101 blueprint still applies)
  
  

• Candidates transitioning from traditional routing and switching to next-gen enterprise network technologies
  
  

• Job seekers preparing for advanced technical interviews in networking, infrastructure, or solution architecture
  
  

• Engineers seeking structured practice to refresh complex Cisco IOS configurations and protocols

Whether you're actively pursuing certification or looking to strengthen your expertise in enterprise network infrastructure, these practice exams will support your journey.

The Legacy of CCIE 400-101

The CCIE Routing and Switching 400-101 exam stood as a legendary benchmark in the world of IT networking. For years, it was the gatekeeper to one of Cisco’s most prestigious certifications—Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)—an elite credential that signified mastery over enterprise-level network infrastructure. While the exam itself was eventually retired and replaced by more modern versions like CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure, its legacy continues to influence network engineering standards and professional development even today.

The 400-101 exam was not simply a stepping stone—it was a challenge that required engineers to reach deep into their theoretical knowledge and real-world experience. It tested topics not only at surface level but at a depth that ensured the candidate could think like a senior network architect. From routing protocols like OSPF, BGP, and EIGRP, to multicast design, QoS, IPv6, and network security, every element of the blueprint was interconnected and intended to simulate the challenges one might face while designing, troubleshooting, or optimizing complex networks at scale.

One of the most defining features of the 400-101 exam was its role in qualifying candidates for the CCIE lab. While the lab itself is known as the true test of hands-on configuration, the written exam ensured that no one entered that room without a strong, conceptual command of protocols, behaviors, and Cisco best practices. It wasn’t just about memorizing facts—it was about understanding how those facts interact dynamically in a live environment. Candidates had to answer advanced-level questions, identify misconfigured diagrams, predict routing behavior based on metrics and policies, and propose optimized solutions. Passing the 400-101 required strategic thinking, quick analysis, and mental agility—a true test of engineering excellence.

What made 400-101 so respected across the industry was not only the exam’s difficulty but also the real-world value of its content. Every topic in the blueprint had direct application in production networks. Understanding BGP path selection, for instance, isn’t just an exam topic—it’s crucial for ensuring redundancy and stability in global enterprise or service provider environments. Knowing how OSPF area types work and how to structure them effectively is essential for minimizing routing overhead and avoiding suboptimal paths. Deep knowledge of multicast RPF (Reverse Path Forwarding) and how it integrates with various routing protocols has direct impact on streaming, VoIP, and live communication services. These are not just academic theories—they are the gears that keep the modern internet running smoothly.

Although Cisco officially retired the 400-101 exam in 2020 as part of a broader certification revamp, its impact did not fade. In fact, much of its content was integrated into the CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure written exam, albeit restructured to include emerging topics like SD-WAN, network programmability, automation (NETCONF/YANG/RESTCONF), and software-defined networking. Still, the classic knowledge domains of 400-101 remain the foundation upon which modern network designs are built. Employers still regard a CCIE earned under the 400-101 blueprint as a symbol of rare, hard-earned expertise.

Even for those not pursuing the full CCIE credential, studying the 400-101 blueprint today provides a comprehensive and robust networking education. Whether you’re a solutions architect, network administrator, or aspiring cloud network engineer, the topics covered—spanning from Layer 2 fundamentals to MPLS, route maps, redistribution strategies, and more—equip you with the essential skills needed to work confidently in hybrid environments. In this sense, mastering the legacy 400-101 content is like learning Latin for a linguist—it may no longer be the main language, but it gives you unparalleled insight into everything that evolved from it.

Study Strategy

To get the most out of this course, consider the following study plan:

• Attempt one full exam per week under timed conditions to simulate real exam stress.
  
  

• After each exam, review the explanations in detail to identify both strengths and weaknesses.
  
  

• Focus your studies on the topics where you consistently perform poorly across multiple tests.
  
  

• Combine these practice tests with official Cisco documentation, configuration labs, and training resources.
  
  

• Re-attempt earlier practice exams after a few weeks to measure retention and improvement.
  
  

• Stay consistent. Progress is incremental, and mastery is built over time.

This methodical approach ensures continuous growth and gradually strengthens your command over Cisco’s routing and switching landscape.

About the Instructor

Practice Tests Activity is an education-focused content developer specializing in high-quality exam preparation materials. With a focus on realism, accessibility, and effectiveness, the organization aims to simulate the real-world pressures of industry-standard exams. From IT certifications to academic and professional assessments, Practice Tests Activity designs targeted resources that help learners measure their knowledge and improve with every attempt.

All exams in this course are created by experienced trainers and professionals with backgrounds in Cisco networking and certification instruction. Our goal is not just to provide questions, but to create a learning experience that builds confidence and skill.

The team behind Practice Tests Activity combines deep technical expertise with a commitment to instructional design. Each question is carefully researched and structured to mirror the type of critical thinking required in real-world roles and certification environments. We regularly update our materials to align with evolving technologies and exam trends. Our instructors bring years of hands-on industry experience from enterprise networking, consulting, and training delivery, ensuring that each resource reflects both theoretical depth and practical insight. We’re here to support learners every step of the way on their certification journey.