CCNP Service Provider study plan

CCNP Service Provider · Give each week a clear focus.

8 weeks · About 6 hours per week

Week 1

Service Provider Network Architecture

Diagram the SP core, aggregation, and access layers from memory, labeling IGP, BGP, and MPLS boundaries
Compare IGP selection tradeoffs (OSPF vs IS-IS) for an SP core and justify a choice in writing
Explain route reflector and confederation scaling options and when each is appropriate
Build a 6-router topology in a lab emulator with a single IGP area and verify full adjacency

A one-page architecture diagram plus a 300-word written justification of IGP and BGP scaling choices for a fictional SP

Week 2

Configure OSPF multi-area and IS-IS multi-level in the lab and compare convergence behavior
Tune IGP timers and verify faster convergence with a link-failure test
Describe carrier-grade HA patterns (NSF, GR, BFD) and where each applies
Document the failure and reconvergence path for one core link outage

A lab log with before/after convergence timings for OSPF and IS-IS under a simulated link failure

Week 3

Configure iBGP full mesh vs route reflector and verify prefix propagation
Apply BGP best-path selection step by step to three crafted scenarios
Implement route filtering with prefix lists and route maps and prove the effect
Configure BGP attributes (local preference, MED, AS-path prepend) to steer traffic

A route-policy matrix showing which attribute or filter changes each test prefix's selected path, with verification output

Week 4

Configure LDP-signaled LSPs across the core and verify label bindings
Trace a packet end to end through an LSP and explain the label stack at each hop
Compare LDP, RSVP-TE, and SR-MPLS for traffic engineering and state requirements
Configure an L3VPN with MP-BGP VPNv4 and verify VRF route exchange

A packet-walk writeup plus working L3VPN lab with two VRFs exchanging routes across the core

Week 5

Build an L2VPN (VPWS or VPLS) and verify pseudowire signaling
Configure and verify a hub-and-spoke vs any-to-any VPN topology tradeoff
Explain RD vs RT roles and demonstrate a route-target import/export mistake and its fix
Tune MTU and fragmentation for MPLS and document the failure mode when MTU is wrong

A troubleshooting report on an intentionally broken VPN (wrong RT or MTU) with root cause and fix

Week 6

Configure segment routing or a TE tunnel and compare operational overhead to LDP
Set up telemetry or SNMP polling to collect interface and label statistics
Define assurance checks (reachability, latency, label continuity) and script one check
Interpret collected data to detect a degraded path

A working assurance script or dashboard that flags one injected fault within the lab

Week 7

Automate device configuration with a template and a data model (YANG/NETCONF or CLI templating)
Version-control configs and demonstrate a rollback
Build a validation step that fails on drift from intended state
Document an automation pipeline from template to deployed config

A small automation repo that deploys and validates a config change with rollback proof

Week 8

Re-run a full mixed lab covering IGP, BGP, MPLS VPN, and one assurance check
Take two timed practice sets and log weak areas by domain
Revisit every missed item and write a corrected explanation
Build a one-page cheat sheet of decision points (attributes, label stacks, RT/RD)

A scored practice summary with a prioritized list of remaining weak objectives and a final cheat sheet

Week 2: Can explain and demonstrate IGP convergence behavior and HA mechanisms without notes

Week 4: Can configure a working L3VPN from a blank lab and justify every BGP attribute choice

Week 6: Can build an L2VPN, diagnose a broken VPN, and show a scripted assurance check catching a fault

Week 8: Practice scores show no domain below a self-set threshold and weak-area list is under five items