Routing, Switching & Virtual LANs

1. Classless addressing and Variable Length Subnet Masks

Classless routing: VLSM, when to use, calculating subnets, route aggregation, configuring VLSM

2. Routers and routing protocols

RIP: Version 2, history, features, compare RIP v1/v2, set up routers to use RIP, test and debug routers using RIP, default routes

Link-state routing protocol: features, maintenance of routing information, routing algorithms, advantages and disadvantages, compare and contrast distance vector and linkstate routing

Single area Open Shortest Path First (OSPF): concepts, terminology, comparing OSPF with distance vector routing protocols, shortest path algorithm, network types, hello protocol, operation of OSPF, configuration, routing process, loopback address, router priority, modifying cost metric, authentication, timers, propagating default route, configuration issues, verifying the configuration

Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP): concepts, comparing EIGRP with IGRP, terminology, design features, technologies, data structures, algorithm, configuration, configuring summarisation, verifying, building neighbour tables, discover routes, select routes, maintaining, routing tables

Troubleshooting routing protocols: troubleshooting process, RIP configuration, IGRP configuration, EIGRP configuration, OSPF configuration

3. Switched Ethernet networks

Ethernet: 802.3 LANs, network performance factors, half/full-duplex, congestion, latency, 10BASE-T transmission time, repeaters, segmentation using (bridges, routers, switches), microsegmentation (implementation, collision domains, broadcast domains), switch management from a workstation

Switches: concepts, latency, layer 2 and layer 3 switching, symmetric and asymmetric, memory buffering, switching methods, frame transmission modes, address learning, frame filtering

LAN design: goals, considerations, methodology, layer 1, 2 and 3, switches, access layer, distribution layer, core layer

Switch configuration: start up, panel indicators, management (console, http, telnet), command line interface, configuring (enter, alter, save), defaults settings, MAC address table, static MAC addresses, port security, adds, moves, and changes, switch operating system, password recovery, firmware upgrade/restore

Spanning tree protocol: redundant topologies, broadcast storms, multiple frame transmissions, MAC database instability, redundant topology and spanning tree, selecting a root bridge, port states, recalculation, rapid spanning tree protocol

4. VLANs and VLAN Trunking

VLAN: concepts, broadcast domains with VLANs and routers, benefits, types, configuration (geographic, static, verifying, saving, deleting, troubleshooting), preventing broadcast storms

Virtual Trunking Protocol: trunking (history, concepts, operation, implementation), VTP (history, concepts, operation, implementation, configuration)

Inter-VLAN routing: issues, solutions, interfaces (physical, logical), subinterfaces, configuring