A look at the software suites available for students and faculty to download for use with CCNA courses. Covers open source and paid-for programs alike.

See original here:
Cisco Network Simulators Available For Students and Faculty

BGP is one of the most complex topics you’ll study when pursuing your CCNP, if not the most complex. I know from personal experience that when I was earning my CCNP, BGP is the topic that gave me the most trouble at first. One thing I keep reminding today’s CCNP candidates about, though, is that no Cisco technology is impossible to understand if you just break it down and understand the basics before you start trying to understand the more complex configurations.

BGP attributes are one such topic. You’ve got well-known mandatory, well-known discretionary, transitive, and non-transitive. Then you’ve got each individual BGP attribute to remember, and the order in which BGP considers attributes, and what attributes even are… and a lot more! As with any other Cisco topic, we have to walk before we can run. Let’s take a look at what attributes are and what they do in BGP.

BGP attributes are much like what metrics are to OSPF, RIP, IGRP, and EIGRP. You won’t see them listed in a routing table, but attributes are what BGP considers when choosing the best path to a destination when multiple valid (loop-free) paths exist.

When BGP has to decide between such paths, there is an order in which BGP considers the path attributes. For success on the CCNP exams, you need to know this order. BGP looks at path attributes in this order:

Highest weight (Cisco-proprietary BGP value)

Highest local preference (LOCAL_PREF)

Prefer locally originated route.

Shortest AS_PATH is preferred.

Choose route with lowest origin code. Internal paths are preferred over external paths, and external paths are preferred over paths with an origin of “incomplete”.
Lowest multi-exit discriminator (MED)

External BGP routes preferred over Internal BGP routes.

If no external route, select path with lowest IGP cost to the next-hop router for iBGP.

Choose most recent route.

Choose lowest BGP RID (Router ID).

If you don’t know what these values are, or how they’re configured, don’t panic! The next several parts of this BGP tutorial will explain it all. So spend some time studying this order, and in part II of this free BGP tutorial, we’ll look at each of these values in detail. Keep studying!

To pass the Cisco CCNA and CCNP certification exams, as well as becoming a world-class networker, you’ve got to know how and when to use floating static routes. And if you’re wondering what makes them “float” — read on!

In this example, R1 and R2 are running OSPF over a Frame Relay network, 172.12.123.0 /24. They’re also connected by a BRI ISDN link, 172.12.12.0 /24. R1 is advertising a loopback network, 1.1.1.1 /32, via OSPF. We want R2 to have a route to that loopback even if the frame goes down – and here, we’ll use a floating static route to make that happen.

R2 sees the route to the loopback interface via OSPF, and can ping that interface successfully.

R2#show ip route ospf

1.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets

O 1.1.1.1 [110/65] via 172.12.123.1, 00:00:02, Serial0

R2#ping 1.1.1.1

Type escape sequence to abort.

Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 1.1.1.1, timeout is 2 seconds:

!!!!!

Success rate is 100 percent (5/5), round-trip min/avg/max = 68/68/68 ms

This is when it’s important to know your administrative distances…. or at least know where to look to see them! The AD of OSPF is 110, which means we can configure a static route to 1.1.1.1 /32, and as long as the AD of the static route is higher than 110, it won’t be used unless the OSPF route leaves the routing table. That’s why this kind of route is called a “floating” static route – the route “floats” in the routing table and isn’t seen unless the primary route leaves the table.

You learned how to write a static route in your CCNA studies, but you also remember that the default AD of a static route is either 1 or 0… and both of those values are less than 110! To change the AD of a static route, configure the desired distance at the end of the ip route command.

R2(config)#ip route 1.1.1.1 255.255.255.255 bri0 ?

<1-255> Distance metric for this route

A.B.C.D Forwarding router’s address

name Specify name of the next hop

permanent permanent route

tag Set tag for this route

R2(config)#ip route 1.1.1.1 255.255.255.255 bri0 111

The static route has an AD that’s only one higher than that of the OSPF route, but that’s enough to make the route “float” and not yet be seen in the routing table.

R2#show ip route

1.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets

O 1.1.1.1 [110/65] via 172.12.123.1, 00:06:44, Serial0

172.12.0.0/24 is subnetted, 2 subnets

C 172.12.12.0 is directly connected, BRI0

C 172.12.123.0 is directly connected, Serial0

Let’s see the effect on the routing table when the Serial0 interface is closed.

R2(config)#int s0

R2(config-if)#shutdown

12:04:53: %OSPF-5-ADJCHG: Process 1, Nbr 172.12.123.1 on Serial0 from FULL to DOWN, Neighbor Down: Interface down or detached

12:04:55: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by console

12:04:55: %LINK-5-CHANGED: Interface Serial0, changed state to administratively down

12:04:56: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface Serial0, changed state to down

R2#show ip route

1.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets

S 1.1.1.1 is directly connected, BRI0

172.12.0.0/24 is subnetted, 1 subnets

C 172.12.12.0 is directly connected, BRI0

The floating static route appears in the table, but the ISDN link will not come up until the BRI interface has traffic to send. Let’s ping 1.1.1.1 and see what happens. debug dialer was configured on R2 before sending the ping.

R2#ping 1.1.1.1

Type escape sequence to abort.

Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 1.1.1.1, timeout is 2 seconds:

12:16:01: BR0 DDR: Dialing cause ip (s=172.12.12.2, d=1.1.1.1)

12:16:01: BR0 DDR: Attempting to dial 8358661

12:16:01: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface BRI0:1, changed state to up.!!

12:16:01: BR0:1 DDR: dialer protocol up!!

Success rate is 80 percent (4/5), round-trip min/avg/max = 36/37/40 ms

The link comes up and traffic can still reach 1.1.1.1. Once R2 becomes an OSPF neighbor of R1 again, the OSPF route will again become the primary path and the floating static route leaves the routing table.

R2(config)#int s0

R2(config-if)#no shut

R2#show ip ospf neighbor

Neighbor ID Pri State Dead Time Address Interface

172.12.123.1 1 FULL/DR 00:01:57 172.12.123.1 Serial0

R2#show ip route

1.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets

O 1.1.1.1 [110/65] via 172.12.123.1, 00:00:16, Serial0

172.12.0.0/24 is subnetted, 2 subnets

C 172.12.12.0 is directly connected, BRI0

C 172.12.123.0 is directly connected, Serial0

A floating static route is an excellent “back door” that will keep the ISDN link down while allowing that link to serve as a backup route. Just make sure the ISDN link comes down when you expect it to – always check that with show isdn status!

Planning for success on the CCNA, CCNP, and other Cisco exams is much like taking a trip in your car. You’ve got to plan ahead, accept the occasional detour, and just keep on going until you get there. But what do you do before you get started?

Create a road map – for success.

If you were driving from one side of the country to another, you certainly wouldn’t just get in your car and start driving, would you? No. You would plan the trip out ahead of time. What would happen if you just got in the car and started driving in the hope that you would someday arrive at your final destination? You would never get there, and you’d spend a lot of time wandering aimlessly.

Don’t spend your study time and slow your progress by studying for a Cisco exam without planning the trip. Schedule your study time as you would an appointment with a client, and keep that appointment. Make sure that your study time is quality study – turn your TV, iPod, and cell off. If you hit a bump in the road and don’t get your certification the first time you take the exam, regroup and create another plan.  Study until you get to the point that on exam day, you know that you are already a CCNA or CCNP and you’re just there at the testing center to make it official.

The journey to success is not a straight line. When you look at a chart that shows a company’s financial progress, the line never goes straight up. there are some ups and downs, but the overall result is success. The path to your eventual career and certification exam success may not be a direct one, but the important part is to get started – and to get any journey started, you’ve got to create a road map for a successful arrival at your destination.

* What does certified mean?

There are four accepted meanings of the adjective “certified” but only two of which satisfy the needed meaning. To be certified means to be endorsed with authority by an institution or a person with higher position after one successfully meets certain requirements. Another meaning is that a person is qualified to do a certain job as supported by an appropriate document better known and regarded as a Certification.

* What certifications are there?

If you are pertaining to online certifications, there are lots to be traced. To help you find one best certification that fits your ability and interest, you may log on to reliable sites in the internet. For now, the following are the basic IT certifications:

• IT Auditing
• Document Imaging
• E-Commerce
• Internet/Intranet
• Linux
• Networking
• Printing
• Project Management
• IT Security
• Servers
• Service Technician
• Technical Trainer
• Webmaster

* Who benefits from certification?

Primarily the one given a certification benefits more. Being certified means one can properly function on a certain job. This means, companies will easily hire a person with certification especially when certifications come from a reliable learning institution.

In some ways, the company to which a certified person intends to apply for work will also benefit since the performance of the applying employee is being supported with a certification.

* Is certification better than experience?

The answer for that is a big “No.” Certification means training. It is impossible for a person to send himself training without experiencing what it is he intends to do. For this reason, we cannot equate certification from experience since they do not share the same purpose. However, if you already have work experience, a certification is a big help for promotion, recognition and pay raises.

On the other hand, companies are not solely after experience but after educational attainments and performances. In other words, having completed a course as proved by a certification is a chance to be hired.

* Which certification program is best for me?

The best certification program for you is the one that fits your interests and capabilities. Those two factors should be considered above all ese when finding the right and best certification program for you.

* How much will getting certified cost?

Almost all training packages from different training institutions are cost effective. The training cost will depend on the training you want to pursue and in which training institution you intend to enroll. Generally, a trainee should prepare to pay between $100 and $400 for each training program.

* How long will certification take?

There are training institutions that offer a 6-month online training program. The usual training timeframe is one year. This length of training may exceed to a maximum of 2 years depending on the program conducted.

* Do I need a college degree to be certified?

You do not need a college degree to be certified. Some certification programs require one to have at least finished high school upon enrolling in a certain course.

* Will certification really help my career?

A certification may help your career. Nowadays, competition in the jobs is getting tougher. For one to stay in his or her job or to be promoted to a higher position, one factor to consider is his or her educational achievements. That is one reason why mastering your field of work by means of studying and training can be a great boost for your career. That is where a certification program can make or break your career advancement.

* Will I have to go somewhere for my certification training?

While you can find local institutions where you can take classes and tests, most training is done online now. You do not need to go somewhere else for your training. You do not even need to attend classes personally for your lessons. Not only is training done mostly online now, but examinations for certification are also given online.Q&A: The Basics Of Certification

CCNP exam success, particularly on the BSCI exam, demands you understand the details of route summarization.  This skill not only requires that you have a comfort level with binary conversions, but you have to know how and where to apply route summarization with each individual protocol.

You also have to know the “side effects” of route summarization.  With OSPF, there will actually be an extra interface created at the point of summarization, and this catches a lot of CCNP candidates by surprise.  Let’s take a look at the null0 interface and how it relates to OSPF summarization.

On R1, the following networks are redistributed into OSPF, and then summarized.

interface Loopback16

ip address 16.16.16.16 255.0.0.0

interface Loopback17

ip address 17.17.17.17 255.0.0.0

interface Loopback18

ip address 18.18.18.18 255.0.0.0

interface Loopback19

ip address 19.19.19.19 255.0.0.0

R1(config)#router ospf 1

R1(config-router)#redistribute connected subnets

R1(config-router)#summary-address 16.0.0.0 252.0.0.0

The summary address appears on R2, a downstream router.

R2#show ip route ospf

O E2 16.0.0.0/6 [110/20] via 172.12.123.1, 00:00:05, Serial0

Let’s go back to R1 and look at its OSPF table.

R1#show ip route ospf

O    16.0.0.0/6 is a summary, 00:01:51, Null0

Where did the null0 interface come from, and why is it there?  Packets sent to the null interface are dropped, and in this case, that’s a good thing.

When you configure summary routes in OSPF, a route to null0 will be installed into the OSPF routing table.  This helps to prevent routing loops.  Any packets destined for the routes that have been summarized will have a longer match in the routing table, as shown below…

C    17.0.0.0/8 is directly connected, Loopback17

C    16.0.0.0/8 is directly connected, Loopback16

C    19.0.0.0/8 is directly connected, Loopback19

C    18.0.0.0/8 is directly connected, Loopback18

O  16.0.0.0/6 is a summary, 00:01:51, Null0

.. and packets that do not match one of the summarized routes but do match the summary route will be dropped.

Preventing routing loops when performing route redistribution and summarization is vital.  OSPF gives us a little help in that regard in this situation, and as you study more complex redistribution scenarios on your way to the CCNP and CCIE, you’ll realize that we’ll take all the help we can get!

To pass the CCNA exam and earn this important certification, you’ve got to know switching inside and out.  While you’re learning all the basic switching theory, make sure to spend some time with the one of three switching modes Cisco routers can use.

Store-and-Forward is exactly what it sounds like.  The entire frame will be stored before it is forwarded.  This mode allows for the greatest amount of error checking, since a CRC (Cyclical Redundancy Check) is run against the frame before it is forwarded.  If the frame contains an error, it is discarded.  If there’s no problem with the frame, the frame is then forwarded to its proper destination.

While store-and-forward does perform error checking, the delay in processing the frame while this error check is run results in higher latency than the other modes you’re about to read about.  The latency time can also vary, since not all frames are the same size.

Cut-through switching copies only the destination MAC address into its memory before beginning to forward the frame.  Since the frame is being forwarded as soon as the destination MAC is read, there is less latency than store-and-forward.  The drawback is that there is no error checking.

There is a middle ground, fragment-free switching.  Only part of the frame is copied to memory before it is forwarded, but it’s the first 64 bytes of the frame, not just the destination MAC.  (Why?  Because if there is a problem with the frame, it’s most likely in the first 64 bytes.)  There is a little more error checking than cut-through, but not as much latency as with store-and-forward.

Note that the latency of both cut-through and fragment-free is fixed; these modes always look at the first six or 64 bytes, respectively.  Store-and-forward’s latency depends on the size of the frame.
Learning the similarities and differences between these modes is an often-overlooked part of CCNA studies.   Spend some time studying this important CCNA topic – you’ll be glad you did!

Whether you’re on the road to the CCNA, CCNP, MCSE, or you’re on any other computer certification track, the odds are that sooner or later, you’re going to fail an exam.  It’s happened to almost all of us, yours truly included.   What you have to keep in mind in these times is that success is not a straight line.  You’ve probably seen charts showing the growth of an industry or a business — you know, the ones that go from left to right, and look kind of jagged.  The line goes up for a while, then down a bit, then up some more, then down a little.

The key?  While every business has its setbacks, the net result is that the line goes up and progress is made.  That’s how you want your certification pursuit and your career to go as well – upward!

I’m not asking you to be happy about failing an exam.  You’re allowed to get mad for a few minutes, vow to never take another exam again, and be disappointed.  What you’re not allowed to do is stay that way.

If you put your books away in a fit of anger, get them out.  If you took some time off, it’s time to get back to work.  Again, there’s nothing wrong with being unhappy about failing an exam.  It’s how you handle that failure that counts.  No inventor, executive, or entrepreneur has ever been right 100% of the time.  Learn something from your failure.   Was your study time quality study time?  Did you get some hands-on practice with the technology you’re studying?  Asking yourself these questions can be tough, but it can be highly valuable in making sure you don’t fail the next time.  And there must be a next time – because the one thing you cannot do is quit.

Besides, take it from someone who’s been there – your temporary failure makes your eventual success that much sweeter.

CCNA and CCNP candidates who have their own Cisco home labs often email me about an odd situation that occurs when they erase a switch’s configuration.  Their startup configuration is gone, as they expect, but the VLAN and VTP information is still there!

Sounds strange, doesn’t it?   Let’s look at an example.  On SW1, we run show vlan brief and see in this abbreviated output that there are three additional vlans in use:

SW1#show vlan br

10   VLAN0010                         active

20   VLAN0020                         active

30   VLAN0030                         active

We want to totally erase the router’s startup configuration, so we use the write erase command, confirm it, and reload without saving the running config:

SW1#write erase

Erasing the nvram filesystem will remove all configuration files! Continue?

[confirm]

[OK]

Erase of nvram: complete

00:06:00: %SYS-7-NV_BLOCK_INIT: Initalized the geometry of nvram

SW1#reload

System configuration has been modified. Save? [yes/no]: n

Proceed with reload? [confirm]

The router reloads, and after exiting setup mode, we run show vlan brief again.  And even though the startup configuration was erased, the vlans are still there!

Switch#show vlan br

10   VLAN0010                         active

20   VLAN0020                         active

30   VLAN0030                         active

The reason is that this vlan and VTP information is actually kept in the VLAN.DAT file in Flash memory, and the contents of Flash are kept on a reload.  The file has to be deleted manually.

There’s a little trick to deleting this file.  The switch will prompt you twice to ask if you really want to get rid of this file. Don’t type “y” or “yes”; just accept the defaults by hitting the return key.  If you type “y”, the router attempts to delete a file named “y”, as shown here:

Switch#delete vlan.dat

Delete filename [vlan.dat]? y

Delete flash:y? [confirm]

%Error deleting flash:y (No such file or directory)

Switch#delete vlan.dat

Delete filename [vlan.dat]?

Delete flash:vlan.dat? [confirm]

Switch#

The best way to prepare for CCNA and CCNP exam success is by working on real Cisco equipment, and by performing lab tasks over and over.  Repetition is the mother of skill, and by truly erasing your VLAN and VTP information by deleting the vlan.dat file from Flash, you’ll be building your Cisco skills to the point where your CCNA and CCNP exam success is a certainty.

A CCNA or CCNP candidate who wants to be totally prepared for their exams is going to put together a home lab to practice on.  With used Cisco routers and switches more affordable and plentiful then ever before, there’s really no excuse to not have one!

With the many different models available, there is some understandable confusion among future CCNAs and CCNPs about which routers to buy and which ones to avoid.  You can take almost any set of Cisco routers and put together a home lab; part of the learning process is taking what equipment you have available and putting together your own lab!  For those of you preparing to start your home lab or add to your existing one, this article will list the routers I use in my Cisco pods.  You certainly don’t have to have all this equipment, but this will give you some good ideas on how to get started.

The most versatile router you can get for your CCNA / CCNP home lab is a 2520.  These routers come with four serial ports, one ethernet port, and one BRI interface for ISDN practice.  This mix of interfaces means you can actually use it as a frame relay switch while using the ethernet and BRI ports for routing.  (There is no problem with using a lab router as both your frame relay switch and a practice router; for a frame relay switch sample configuration, visit my website!)

My pods consist of five routers and two switches, and three of the five routers are 2520s, due to their versatility.  A recent ebay search showed these routers selling for $99 – $125, an outstanding value for the practice you’re going to get.

I also use 2501s in my home labs.  These have fewer interfaces, but the combination of two serial interfaces and one ethernet interface allows you to get plenty of practice.

A combination that works very well is using three 2520s; one as my dedicated frame relay switch, one as R1, and another as R2.  Add a 2501 as R3, and you can have a frame cloud connecting R1, R2, and R3, a direct serial connection between R1 and R3, an Ethernet segment that includes all three routers, and an ISDN connection between R1 and R2 if you have an ISDN simulator.  That combination will allow you to get a tremendous amount of practice for the exams, and you can always sell it when you’re done!

2501s are very affordable, with many in the $50 range on ebay.  It’s quite possible to get three 2520s and one 2501 for less than $500 total, and you can get most of that money back if you choose to sell it when you’re done.

With four routers to work with, you’re probably going to get tired of moving that console cable around.  An access server (actually a Cisco router, not the white boxes we tend to think of when we hear “server”) will help you out with that.  An access server allows you to set up a connection with each of your other routers via an octal cable, which prevents you from moving that console cable around continually. For an example of an access server configuration, just visit my website and look in the “Free Training” section.

Access server prices vary quite a bit; don’t panic if you do an ebay search and see them costing thousands of dollars.  You do NOT need an expensive access server for your CCNA / CCNP home lab.  2511s are great routers to get for your access server.

One question I get often from CCNA / CCNP candidates is “What routers should I buy that I can still use when I’m ready to study for the CCNP?”  The CCIE lab changes regularly and sometimes drastically when it comes to the equipment you’ll need.  During my CCIE lab studies, I found that renting time from online rack rental providers was actually the best way to go.  Don’t hesitate when putting your CCNA / CCNP home lab together, wondering what will be acceptable for the CCIE lab a year or so from now.  None of us know what’s going to be on that equipment list, so get the CCNA and CCNP first – by building your own Cisco home lab!

CCNA stands for Cisco Certified Network Associate – a certification for IT professionals that is issued by Cisco Systems, Inc., one of the most successful computer networking companies.  Cisco manufactures and markets a wide range of devices for both enterprises and telecommunications carriers. Cisco is an abbreviation of San FranCISCO.

The Cisco Certified Network Associate is an apprentice, or foundation level (along with Cisco Certified Design Associate), within the three levels of certification that include Associate, Professional, and Expert. Basically, CCNA professionals are certified to install, configure, and operate LAN, WAN, and dial access services for small networks (100 nodes or fewer), including but not exclusive to use of these protocols: IP, IGRP, Serial, Frame Relay, IP RIP, VLANs, RIP, Ethernet, and Access Lists. The certification is valid for three years, after which recertification may be sought.

In order to hold a CCNA certification, a candidate has to pass either the Cisco Certified Network Associate Exam or a combination of Introduction to Cisco Networking Technologies Exam and Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices Exam. Main topics for these three exams include Planning and Designing; Design and Support; Implementation and Operation; Troubleshooting; and Technology.  Other related topics may also appear on any specific delivery of the exam.

There are also some recommended training programs that may be taken before the above-mentioned examinations.  These programs include Introduction to Cisco Networking Technologies (INTRO), Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices (ICND), and Additional Training (CCNA Prep Center Pilot). These trainings incorporate topics such as fundamental knowledge and comprehension of networking; how to select, connect, configure, and troubleshoot the various Cisco networking devices; sample questions, simulations, e-learning modules, labs, tips, etc.

This is something very Basic, but have lots of applications to some scenarios, and it is in the CCNA topics, so i will review it here. Is good to note i will be going through things like static routing, static routing using exit interface, static routing using next hop, and using default static routes to get to other networks. Things like floating static routes, ill cover them on another post(when Dynamic routing is involved).

Ok first of all what is static routing??? well static routing could be called, the procces of manually mapping networks to the routing table( what a concept!! ). The point of this?? well pretty much obvious so the router can know how to get to other networks, it does not know how to get. If a friend tells you , come by! to my home, and you do not know , his address, your lost!, so that means you need to know exactly how to get to his/her house. It is pretty much the same with ROuters, if a router does not know how to get to a network, it will discard the packets destined to those networks he do not know.That said we can move on.

Scenario

3 Routers connected in a Hub and spoke fashion. Serial links between them, and 6 loopbacks in every location for Lans simulation.

Static Routing using Exit interface/next hop address.

R0(config)# ip route 192.168.200.0 255.255.255.252 s0/0

Ok this is pretty simple. the ip route command is the one used to create static mappings. the syntax is ip route <destination network> <destination network subnet mask> <exit interface/nexthop> so what we are basically doing, is instructing R0 to when it receives a packet destined to network 192.168.200.0/30(p2p link between R1-R2) forward it through interface serial 0/0(Which is the interface pointing to R1).

When the packet arrives R1, R1 recognizes the address as part of network 192.168.200.0/30 and forward it to the interface belonging to this network(in this case pings will be succeful, when packets are sourced from R0 Serial link, and destined to R1 Serial link….Good to note…).

Now lets say we need connectivity to the whole LAN on R1(10.2.0.0/24) from R0.

on R0

R0(config)# ip route 10.2.0.0 255.255.255.0 s0/0

R0(config)# ip route 10.2.1.0 255.255.255.0 s0/0

R0(config)# ip route 10.2.2.0 255.255.255.0 s0/0

R0(config)# ip route 10.2.3.0 255.255.255.0 s0/0

R0(config)# ip route 10.2.4.0 255.255.255.0 s0/0

R0(config)# ip route 10.2.5.0 255.255.255.0 s0/0

We specified R0 how to get to the whole Lan on R1. But there is a problem, if packet where to transit between them(with a source addres of any host of the lan), they will get to R1 but they will not return, given to the fact that R0 knows how to get to R1 , but R1 does not know how to get to R0. So we need to specified R1 how to get to the Whole lan of R0.

on R1

R1(config)# ip route 10.1.0.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.100.1

R1(config)# ip route 10.1.1.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.100.1

R1(config)# ip route 10.1.2.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.100.1

R1(config)# ip route 10.1.3.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.100.1

R1(config)# ip route 10.1.4.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.100.1

R1(config)# ip route 10.1.5.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.100.1

Ok we now have specified R1 how to get to Whole lan of R0, but here we used a different approach, we used the next hop address in spite of the exit interface. You may ask what is the difference??? Well is very straighforward , Static routes pointing exit interface have a administrative distance of 0, cause the IOS sees them as directly connected. and Next-hop pointing static routes, have a AD value of 1.

Now Host from any R0 lan, can reach host on any R1 Lan and vice-versa. Now what happens if i try to ping the host on R2 lan, well ping will fail cause neither of them knows how to reach each other lan.

Static Routing using Default route.

Well on R2, we can have static mapping for all the addresses of R0-R1 lans or we can create a default route. This is called stub network, when a router only have one interface to the outside, every non local traffic only have one way out. this is a stub network. and it is even more easy to configure

R2(config)# ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 s0/0

Every traffic destined to a any network(0.0.0.0….non local aka not known), with any subnet mask(0.0.0.0), forward it trhough Serial 0/0 interface.That means that when any host on any of the R2 lans, generates packets to any of the other networks it will forward them trhough interface s0/0.

REMEMBER: You need to specify on R0-R1 how to get to R2 Networks or it would be meaningless, and pings will not be succesful when sourced from R2 Lans, and R0 cannont reach R2 if R1 does not either know hot to get to R2, so keep that in mind. this means R1 need to have mappings to R2 networks.

On R0

R0(config)# ip route 10.3.0.0 255.255.255.0 s0/0

R0(config)# ip route 10.3.1.0 255.255.255.0 s0/0

R0(config)# ip route 10.3.2.0 255.255.255.0 s0/0

R0(config)# ip route 10.3.3.0 255.255.255.0 s0/0

R0(config)# ip route 10.3.4.0 255.255.255.0 s0/0

R0(config)# ip route 10.3.5.0 255.255.255.0 s0/0

on R1

R1(config)# ip route 10.3.0.0 255.255.255.0 s0/1

R1(config)# ip route 10.3.1.0 255.255.255.0 s0/1

R1(config)# ip route 10.3.2.0 255.255.255.0 s0/1

R1(config)# ip route 10.3.3.0 255.255.255.0 s0/1

R1(config)# ip route 10.3.4.0 255.255.255.0 s0/1

R1(config)# ip route 10.3.5.0 255.255.255.0 s0/1

Here we are seen what we have been doing til now, the only thing that has changed is the exit interface on R1.

This will leave us with total connectivy between all routers. This can be a lot more simplify by considering that R0-R2 are stub routers, and summarization on R1. This would look like this

on R0

R0(config)# ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 s0/0

on R2

R2(config)# ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 s0/0

on R1

R1(config)# ip route 10.1.0.0 255.255.0.0 s0/0

R1(config)# ip route 10.3.0.0 255.255.0.0 s0/1

With this Configurations, there should be Full connectivity between all routers(You can use a script…that i put at the bottom of this post ).

It is a good pratice to have debug ip routing on, while you configure static routes, and any other routing protocol,so you can see, in real time how are routes added to the routing table and lots of cool stuf(sorry morris! ).

This post is not the best post on static routing, but it is pretty much a good reminder for me of this simple task, so i hope you benefit from it somehow, feel free to give some feedback, i have tested this configuration , but feel free to to post if there is some error, or any thing that needs to be reminded.

Links:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk365/technologies_tech_note09186a0080094195.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stub_network

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/ios/iproute/configuration/guide/irp_ip_prot_indep_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapter.html#wp1056183

Script.

To use this script, issue the following commands

R0#tclsh

When you get this prompt “R0(tcl)#” copy the text below and hit enter.R0(tcl)#

foreach address {

192.168.100.1
192.168.100.2
192.168.200.1
192.168.200.2
10.1.0.1
10.1.1.1
10.1.2.1
10.1.3.1
10.1.4.1
10.1.5.1
10.2.0.1
10.2.1.1
10.2.2.1
10.2.3.1
10.2.4.1
10.2.5.1
10.3.0.1
10.3.1.1
10.3.2.1
10.3.3.1
10.3.4.1
10.3.5.1
} { ping $address }

Day 26

Chapter: Basic Switch Configuration and port security

CCNA 640-802 Exam Topics
-Perform,save,and verify initial switch configuration tasks, including remote acess management.
-Implement and verify, basic switch security(including port security, unassigned ports, trunk access, and so on.)

1)Q: How do i access a vlan interface configuration mode
A: With the command Switch(config)#interface vlan <vlan-number> ex, interface vlan 12

2)Q: How do i define the Vlan membership mode for a port
A: With the command Switch(config-if)#switchport mode acess

3)Q: How do i assign a port to a VLAN
A: Switch(config-if)#switchport access vlan 12

4)Q: How do i configure Duplex settings on an interface
A: Switch(config-if)# duplex auto|full|half

5)Q: How do i configure speed settings on an interface
A: Switch(config-if)# speed auto|full|half

6)Q: How do i set up an default gateway in a switch
A: Switch(config)#ip default-gateway 172.17.50.1

7)Q: How do i configure a HTTP server for authentication using the enable password( which is the default method of HTTP server user auth).
A: Switch(config)#ip http authentication enable

8)Q: How do i enable the HTTP server
A: Switch(config)# ip http server

9)Q: Which is the default VLAN for all ports
A: The default VLAN for all ports is VLAN 1.

10)Q: Which is the native VLAN by default
A: By default, the native VLAN assigned to 802.1Q trunks is also VLAN 1.

11)Q: Which command is used to configure multiple ports
A: Switch(config)# interface range f0/5 – 10

12)Q: Which are the five steps for configuring SSH
A: Change the VTY lines to usernames, with either locally configured usernames or an AAA server.
A: Configure the switch to accept both telnet and ssh connections with the transport input telnet ssh vty subcommand.
A: Add one or more usernames.
A: Configure a DNS domain name with the ip domain-name command. this is necessary only ig you want to use a domain name instead of an IP address.
A: Configure the switch to generate a matched public and private key pair, as well as a shared encryption key, using crypto key generate rsa command.

13)Q: What is the use of port security
A: You can use port security to restric interfaces, so that only the expected device can use it.

14)Q: Which are the steps to configure port security
A: 1) Configure the interface for access mode usin the switchport mode acess interface mode subcommand
A: 2) Enable port security using the switchport port-security interface subcommand
A: 3) Specify the maximun number of allowed MAC addresses associated with the interface using the switchport security maximun number interface subcommand
A: 4) Define the action to take when a frame is received from a MAC address other than the defined addresses using the switchport port-security violation {protect|restric|shutdown}
A: 5) Specify the MAC address(es) allowed to send frames into this interface using the switchport port-security mac-address <mac-addess> command. or the switchport port-security mac-address sticky interface subcommand for dynamic learning.

15)Q: Which commands are used to monitor port security
A: show port-security
A: show port-security interface

Day 27

Chapter : Network Segmentation and Switching Concepts

CCNA 640-802 Exam Topics
-Explain Network segmentation and basic traffic management concepts
-Explain basic switching concepts and the operation of Cisco switches.

1)Q: How does Switching logic works
A: Ethernet selectively forward individual frames from a receiving port to the port where the destination node is connected. During this instant, the switch creates a full bandwidth , logical point-to-point connection between the two nodes.

2)Q: How does switches create this logical connection
A: Switches create this logical connection based on the source and destination Media Access Control(MAC)addresses in the ethernet header.Specifically, the primary job of a LAN switch is to receive ethernet frames and then make a decision: either forward the frame or ignore the frame.

3)Q: How the switch accomplish this
A: 1) Decides when to forward a frame or when to filter(not forward) a frame, based on the destination MAC Address
A: 2) Learns MAC addresses by examining the source MAC address of each frame received by the bridge
A: 3) Creates a (LAYER 2), loop-free environment with other bridges by using Spanning Tree Protocol (STP).

4)Q: What is a collision domain
A: A collision domain is the set of LAN interfaces whose frames could collide with each other. All shared media environments, such as those created by using hubs, are collision domains.

5)Q: How does switches differ from hubs regarding collision domains
A: When one host is attached to a switch port, the switch creates a dedicated connection thereby eliminating the potential for a collision.Switches reduce collisions and improve bandwidth use on network segments because they provide dedicated bandwidth to each network segment.

6)Q: Which are the two forwarding methods of Switches
A: Store-and-forward switching
A: Cut-through switching.

7)Q: What is the difference between Symmetric and Asymmetric Switching
A: Symmetric switching provides switched connections between ports with the same bandwidth.
A: Asymmetric switching provides switched connections between ports of unlike bandwidth.

8)Q: WHich are the two methods of memory buffering
A: Port-based memory
A: Shared-memory

9)Q: Which are the two types of Switches
A: Layer 2 and Layer 3

10)Q: Which are the two ways to configure a Cisco Device
A: Console Terminal
A: Remote Terminal

11)Q: Which three methods can be used to access the device once configured
A: Establish a terminal (VTY) session using Telnet
A: Configure the device through the current connection(console,auxiliary), or download a previously written startup-config file from a tftp server.
A: Download a configuration file using a network management software application such as CiscoWorks

12)Q: Which are the two IOS CLI EXEC sessions
A: User EXEC mode
A: Privileged EXEC mode

13)Q: Which are the characteristics of User EXEC mode
A: Access to only a limited number of basic monitoring and troubleshooting commands(show,ping)

14)Q: Which are the characteristics of Priviledge EXEC mode
A: Full access to all device commands, including configuration and management.

15)Q: Which are the two types of help available on the Cisco CLI
A: Word Help
A: Command syntax help

16)Q: Which are the most common cisco IOS syntax message errors
A: Ambiguous command
A: Incomplete command
A: Invalid input Detected at ‘^’

17)Q: How many commands does Cisco IOS stores by default
A: Cisco IOS , by default stores the last 10 commands you entered in a history buffer.

18)Q: Which commands are used regarding the Command history buffer
A: show history
A: terminal history
A: terminal history size 50
A: terminal no history size
A: terminal no history

19)Q: Which are some typical show commands
A: show version
A: show running-config
A: show flash
A: show interface
A: show processes CPU
A: show protocols
A: show memory
A: show stacks
A: show buffers
A: show startup-config

20)Q: Which are the Cisco device memory types
A: RAM
A: Flash
A: ROM
A: NVRAM

21)Q: Which is the name of the two main IOS cisco configuration files
A: startup-config
A: Running-config

22)Q: In which other place can configuration files be stored
A: on a TFTP server.

23)Q: Which are the older commands used to erased NVRAM config files
A: write erase
A: erase startup-config

24)Q: Which is the new command
A: erase nvram:

Day 28

Chapter : Connecting Switches and ethernet technology

CCNA 640-802 Topics
-Explain Technologies and media acces control method for ethernet networks
-Select the appropiate media,cables,ports and connectors to connect switches to other network devices and hosts.

1)Q: What does Ethernet and 802.3 refer to
A: Ethernet and 802.3 both refer to a family of standards that together define the physical and data link layes of the definitive LAN technology.

2)Q: In which two sublayers is Ethernet divided
A: LLC 802.2 ( Logical link Control )
A: MAC 802.3 ( Media access control ).

3)Q: What does the LLC sublayer does
A: The LLC sublayer handles communication between the network layer and the MAC sublayer.In general, LLC, provides a way to identify the protocol, that is passed from the data link layer to the network layer.

4)Q: What does the MAC sublayer does
A: Data encapsulation
A: Media access control (CSMA/CD).

5)Q: Which are the two early legacy ethernet implementations
A: 10BASE2, 10BASE5

6)Q: What does CSMA/CD means
A: Carrier Sense Multiple Acess Collision Detection.

7)Q: What does CSMA/CD algorithm defines
A: CSMA/CD algorithm defines how the ethernet logical bus is accessed

8)Q: How does the CSMA/CD algorithm Works
A: 1) A device with a frame to send listens until the ethernet is not busy
A: 2) When the Ethernet is not busy, the sender(s) begin(s) sending the frame
A: 3) The senders(s) listen(s) to make sure that no collision occurred.
A: 4) If a collision occurs, the devices that had been sending a frame each send a jamming signal to ensure that all stations recognize the collision
A: 5) After jamming is complete, each sender randomizes a timer and waits that long before trying to resend the collided frame.
A: 6) When each random timer expires, the process starts again from the beginning.

9)Q: In what state is a NIC  when using CSMA/CD
A: in Half-duplex mode.

10)Q: Does Full-duplex mode uses CSMA/CD
A: no, in full-duplex a NIC can send and receive simultaneously

11)Q: What are Hubs
A: Hubs are repeaters that provide a centralized connection point for UTP cabling, but they still create a single electrical bus, shared by the various devices, just like 10BASE5 and 10BASE2

12)Q: Which are the most common IEEE Etherner Standards
A: 802.3 (10mbps)
A: 802.3u (Fast Ethernet 100mbps).
A: 802.3z (Gigabit Ethernet 1000mbps-Fiber).
A: 802.3ab (Gigabit Ethernet 1000mbps-copper).
A: 802.3ae ( 10-GE ethernet fiber)
A: 802.3an ( 10-GE Ethernet Copper).

13)Q: Which is the standard for Straight-through and Crossover cable
A: TIA/EIA T568B(Straight-through) and TIA/EIA T568A(Crossover).

14)Q: What do Switches do, in comparison with Hub devices
A: Switches interpret the bits in the received frame so that thet can typically send the frame out the one required port , rather than all ports(Hubs behaviour…).
A: If a switch needs to forward multiple frames out the same port, the switch buffers the frames in memory, sending one at a time, thereby avoiding collisions.
A: Switches segments collisions domain(creates).

15)Q: WHich are the components of a IEEE MAC address
A: OUI+Manufacturer assigned address

16)Q: What is OUI
A: Organizationally Unique Identifier

17)Q: WHich are the Other Types of MAC addresses
A: Broadcast and Multicast

18)Q: Which are the fields of the last version ethernet frame(IEEE 802.3, 1997 revision).
A: Preamble
A: SFD ( Start Frame Delimeter)
A: Destination MAC address
A: Source MAC address
A: Length/Type ( one of both, not the two).
A: Data and Pad
A: FCS(Frame Check Sequence).

19)Q: Which are the three basic forms of Networking media
A:Copper Cable
A:Fiber
A:Wireless(IEEE 802.11).

20)Q: How are bits represented on the medium
A: Amplitude
A: Frequency
A: Phase

Day 29

Chapter : Network Data flow From end-to-end

CCNA 640-802 Exam Topics
-Use the OSI and TCP/IP models and their associated protocols yo explain how data flows in a network
-Determine the path between two hosts across a network
-Identify and correct common network problems at Layers 1,2,3, and 7 using layered model approach.

1)Q: What does the Application layer of the TCP/IP model does
A: The application layer of the TCP/IP model provides an interface between software, like a web browser, and the network itself.

2)Q: What does the Transport layer of the TCP/IP model does
A: The transport layer, through TCP, provides a mechanism yo guarantee delivery of data across the network.

3)Q: How does TCP supports error recovery
A: TCP supports error recovery to the application layer through the use of basic acknowledgment logic.

4)Q: Which are the step of TCP operation ( Web Requesting).
A: Web client sends an HTTP request for a specific Web server down to the transport layer
A: TCP encapsulates the HTTP request with a TCP header.
A: Lower Layers process and send the request to the web server.
A: Web server receives HTTP requests and sends a TCP acknowledgment back o the requesting web client.
A:Web server sends the HTTP response down to the transport layer.
A: TCP encapsulates the HTTP data with a TCP header.
A: Lower layers process and send the response to the requesting web client.
A: Requesting web client sends acknowledgment back to the web server.

5)Q: Which are the TCP/IP transport layer features (TCP/UDP).
A: Multiplexing using ports (TCP/UDP).
A: Error Recovery,reliability (TCP).
A: Flow control using windowing (TCP).
A: Connection establishment and termination(TCP)
A: Ordered data transfer and data segmentation(TCP).

6)Q: How is Error recovery implemented in TCP
A: The sequence and acknowledgment fields in the TCP header are used to track every byte of data transfer and ensure that missing bytes are retransmitted

7)Q: How is flow control Implemented in TCP
A: Flow control is handled by TCP through a process called windowing. The two end devices negotiate the window size when initially establishing the connection; then they dynamically renegotiate window size during the life of the connection, increasing  its size until it reaches the maximum windows size of 65,535 bytes or until errors occur.

8)Q: What is the Three way Handshake
A: Is the process of initializing sequence and acknowledgment  fields and agreeing on port numbers and window size.

9)Q: What happens when data transfer ends
A: After data transfer is complete, a four-way termination sequence occurs that uses a flag, called the FIN bit.

10)Q: Which are the Five steps of data encapsulation
A: Data ( application layer)
A: TCP-DATA ( at the transport layer)
A: IP-TCP-DATA ( internet layer)
A: LH(data link header)-IP-TCP-DATA-LT(data link trailer).
A: Bits! ( physical layer).

11)Q: Which are the Three troubleshooting methods
A: Bottom Up
A: Top Down
A: Divide and Conquer

Chapter 2 : Network Models and Applications (day 30).

CCNA 640-802 Exam topics:
-Describe common networked applications, including web applications
-Describe the purpose and basic operation of the protocols in the OSI and TCP models
-Describe the impact of applications(Voice over IP and Video over IP) on a network.

1)Q: Which are the 7 layers of the OSI model
A: Application
A: Presentation
A: Session
A: Transport
A: Network
A: Data Link
A: Physical

2)Q: Which are the 4 Layers of the TCP/IP model
A: Application
A: Transport
A: Internet
A: Network Access

3)Q: Which are some protocols that works at the application layer
A: DNS,Telnet,SMTP,POP3,IMAP,DHCP,HTTP,FTP,SNMP.

4)Q: Which are the main protocols of the transport layer
A: TCP/UDP

5)Q: Which are the main protocols of the network layer
A: IP,ARP,ICMP

6)Q: Which are some protocols that works at layer 2
A: Ethernet,Frame-relay,HDLC,PPP.

7)Q: What is a PDU(Protocol Data Unit).
A: As Application data is passed down the protocol stack on its way to be transmitted across the network media, various protocols add information to it a each level. This is commonly known as the encapsulation proccess.The data structure at any given layer is called a protocol data unit (PDU).

8)Q: Which are the PDUs of each layer
A: Application (Data)
A: Presentation (Data)
A: Session (Data)
A: Transport (Segment)
A: Network (Packet)
A: Data link (Frame)
A: Physical (bits).

9)Q: Which are the main considerations for VOIP
A: Low Delay
A: Low Jitter
A: Loss