Exam Vouchers: Juniper Data Center, Associate (JNCIA-DC) (JN0-281)

The Data Center track enables you to demonstrate competence with data center technologies and related configuration and troubleshooting skills. JNCIA-DC, the associate-level certification in this track, is designed for data center networking professionals with introductory-level knowledge of the Juniper Networks Junos software and data center devices. The written exam verifies your understanding of data center technologies, related platform configuration, and troubleshooting skills.

This track includes four certifications:

- JNCIA-DC: Data Center, Associate. For details, see the sections below.

- JNCIS-DC: Data Center, Specialist. For details, see JNCIS-DC.

- JNCIP-DC: Data Center, Professional. For details, see JNCIP-DC.

- JNCIE-DC: Data Center, Expert. For details, see JNCIE-DC.

Exam Length: 90 minutes

Exam Type: 65 multiple-choice questions

Software Versions: Junos OS 24.2

Candidates should have a good understanding of the following:

• Data Center Architectures
• Layer 2 Switching and VLANs
• Protocol-Independent Routing
• Data Center Routing Protocols BGP/OSPF
• High Availability

Identify concepts and general features of data center architectures:

• Traditional architectures (multitier)
• IP fabric architectures (spine/leaf)
• Layer 2 and Layer 3 strategies
• Overlay network vs. underlay network 
• Ethernet VPN–Virtual Extensible LAN (EVPN-VXLAN) basics/purpose

Identify the concepts, operations, or functionalities of Layer 2 switching for Junos OS:

• Ethernet switching/bridging concepts and operations

Identify the concepts, benefits, or functionalities of VLANs:

• Port modes
• VLAN tagging
• Integrated Routing and Bridging (IRB)

Describe how to configure, monitor, or troubleshoot Layer 2 switching or VLANs:

• Ethernet switching/bridging
• VLANs

Identify the concepts, operations, or functionalities of various protocol-independent routing components:

• Static, aggregate, and generated routes
• Martian addresses
• Routing instances, including Routing Information Base (RIB) groups
• Load balancing
• Filter-based forwarding

Describe how to configure, monitor, or troubleshoot various protocol-independent routing components:

• Static, aggregate, and generated routes
• Load balancing

Identify the concepts, operation, or functionality of OSPF:

• Link-state database
• OSPF packet types
• Router ID
• Adjacencies and neighbors
• Designated router (DR) and backup designated router (BDR)
• OSPF area and router types
• Link State Advertisement (LSA) packet types

Describe how to configure, monitor, or troubleshoot OSPF:

• Areas, interfaces, and neighbors
• Additional basic options
• Routing policy application
• Troubleshooting tools

Identify the concepts, operation, or functionality of BGP:

• BGP basic operation
• BGP message types
• Attributes
• Route/path selection process
• IBGP and EBGP functionality and interaction

Describe how to configure, monitor, or troubleshoot BGP:

• Groups and peers
• Additional basic options
• Routing policy application

Identify the concepts, benefits, applications, or requirements of high availability (HA):

• Link aggregation groups (LAG)
• Graceful restart (GR)
• Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD)
• Virtual Chassis

Describe how to configure, monitor, or troubleshoot high availability components:

• LAG
• GR
• BFD

It recommended but not mandatory that candidates have completed the below training.

• Introduction to Juniper Data Center Networking