Switches and Routers:
A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction

What is this course about?

This course offers a solid conceptual understanding of internetworking, the process of linking together networks. It provides you with a strong introduction to many key concepts in internetworking-an essential foundation for more advanced study. The course introduces you to critical areas such as:

• LAN technologies
• Modern WAN technologies used for LAN interconnection
• LAN switching, resilience and security
• Routing and routing protocols

What background do I need?

An understanding of the principles and objectives of computer networking principles at the level of Course 450, A Comprehensive Introduction to Networking, is assumed.

Who will benefit from this course?

The course is designed primarily for engineers and technical managers who need to understand what is happening inside their networks and to design new networks or extend existing ones. It's an ideal primer for support staff, whose improved understanding of the network environment enables them to better troubleshoot problems with applications or computing platforms. This course is also popular with sales and marketing personnel who either need a clear idea of the market or are involved in presales support.

What network protocols are covered in this course?

The course focuses on the most prominent protocol: the Internet Protocol (IP).

What about routing protocols?

This course covers the principles of Distance-Vector and Link-State routing. Examples of the protocols we look at are RIPv1, RIPv2 and OSPF. We also discuss the role of other routing protocols, such as BGP.

Are other protocols discussed?

The course does not cover other protocols such as traditional IBM, NetWare and AppleTalk; however, this is a deliberate decision. Many of these protocols, which have used their own internetworking techniques in the past, now use IP.

Does the course cover switching technologies?

We explain how switching embraces traditional bridging using modern silicon; review the main techniques presently in use; and explain where switching can be effectively deployed. We also cover fast LAN technologies, such as Fast and Gigabit Ethernet and wireless LANs, and look at how the combination of switching and fast LANs can be used to build a modern infrastructure.

How much time is spent on each topic?

Do I learn how to connect my network to the Internet?

There are more specialized Learning Tree courses covering this topic; however, we do look at some of the issues related to addressing schemes and routing, to help you better understand the complexity involved in integrating a private IP network with the Internet.

Do I learn how to design networks?

The course gives you a broad technical understanding of the technologies used in modern networks. While this knowledge can be applied to build relatively simple networks, a much wider span of knowledge is required to design networks for use in a more complex environment. The knowledge and information to achieve this is provided in other Learning Tree courses that build on the foundation laid in this course.

What kinds of hands-on exercises will I do?

You will work through a series of hands-on exercises that provide practical experience deploying routers and switches. Exercises include:

• Implementing a new switch and router from initial factory configuration
• Installing a switched network using HP switches
• Testing continuity with ICMP ping
• Configuring and testing IP addresses, subnets, default gateways
• Dissecting a switch and a router to expose security weaknesses
• Switching deployment with VLANs and Spanning Tree protocol
• Capturing passwords with a protocol analyzer

What kinds of routers are covered?

We use Cisco routers to examine how routing technology can be used, including LAN-LAN routers, LAN-WAN-LAN routers, and boundary, or access, routers. We look extensively at the most widely used routing protocols: RIPv1, RIPv2 and discuss the advantages of OSPF.

Do you look at products from specific vendors?

Not directly. We concentrate on giving you a foundational understanding of the concepts so that you can apply them to a range of products from a whole host of vendors.

How does this course relate to other Learning Tree courses?

This course provides an extensive foundation that will allow you to build on your knowledge through other Learning Tree courses, such as:

• 367, TCP/IP: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction provides a comprehensive technical introduction to TCP/IP, which is valuable for understanding vulnerabilities
• 451, Network Configuration and Troubleshooting: Hands-On offers the skills necessary to configure networks and resolve problems using a comprehensive set of tools and techniques