I didn’t plan on revisiting the Cisco CyberOps Associate 200-201 exam again. But last year, after helping three junior analysts on my SOC team fail it on their first attempt, I realized something uncomfortable: smart people were struggling—not because the exam was “too hard,” but because they were preparing the wrong way.
I’m Janice Langford. I’ve spent eight years inside SOCs—night shifts, false positives, real breaches, and more alert fatigue than I’d like to admit. I passed the 200-201 exam years ago, and yes, I already had experience. But in 2026, the exam has evolved, expectations have shifted, and the value of this certification has quietly increased.
If you’re planning on passing the Cisco CyberOps Associate 200-201 exam in 2026, this guide is exactly what I’d hand you if we were sitting across the table with coffee and a whiteboard.
Why I Decided to Help People Re-Take 200-201 in 2026
The same questions kept coming up
Almost every junior analyst I mentor asks the same things:
- “Is this cert still worth it?”
- “Does the name change mean I missed the boat?”
- “Why do practice questions feel nothing like the real exam?”
Those questions tell me one thing: the messaging around the 200-201 exam hasn’t kept up with reality.