Bridging and Switching Fundamentals

Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Instructor: Joe Rinehart, CCIE #14256

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

In This Lesson:
Bridging Theory Hubs, Bridges and Switches Cisco Switch Specifics Contrasting Layer 3 Switching and Routing Configuring Bridging on Routers

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Bridging Theory
1. 2. 3. 4. Development of Local Area Networks Operation of LAN Bridges Types of Bridging Bridging Functions on Cisco Routers

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Bridging Theory
Development of Local Area Networks Local Area Networks Emerged in 1970s Early versions used heavy cabling Ethernet, ARCNet and Token Ring were early technologies Information Sharing was One Goal Printer sharing File exchange Interaction with servers E-Mail Internet Applications

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Bridging Theory
Development of Local Area Networks Hubs and Repeaters Increased Access Enabled more users on the network Created more collisions and traffic issues Degradation of network bandwidth Performance issues rose sharply No ability to enforce any type of traffic control Bridges and Later Switches Addressed Traffic Control and LAN Performance Issues

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Bridging Theory
Operation of LAN Bridges Bridges Segment Networks at Layer 2 Two port devices that created separate collision domains (see left) Operates at Layer 2 Builds a table to track MAC addresses and the port it came in from Takes one of three actions on frames: Flood: For unknown unicasts and broadcasts, send out all ports but source port Forward: Transmit out other port(s) Filter: Drop the frame

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Bridging Theory
Types of Bridging Older Bridging Methods Source Route Bridging Translational Bridging Data Link Switching Transparent Bridging is Most Common Devices have no awareness of the bridge device Requires loop avoidance mechanisms (such as Spanning Tree, considered later) Forms the basic logic of Cisco switching devices

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Bridging Theory
Bridging Functions on Cisco Routers Transparent Bridging Functions the same way as switches Bridges traffic between interfaces Taxes the CPU and router resources Concurrent Routing and Bridging (CRB) Permits the device to route and bridge the same protocol (e.g., IP) Keeps both separate Integrated Routing and Bridging Creation of a special bridging interface Can route and bridge at same time

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Bridging Theory
Bridging Functions on Cisco Routers Reasons to Bridge Traffic Transport of non-routable traffic (NETBIOS, for example) Wireless traffic Configuration Process Creation of bridge using bridge <#> <protocol> command Configuration of the bridging interface using the interface BVI <#> command Placing interfaces in the bridge with the bridge-group <#> command

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Hubs, Bridges and Switches

1. Layer 1 Network Extension: Hubs 2. Layer 2 Network Extension: Bridges 3. Layer 2 Network Segmentation: Switches

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Hubs, Bridges and Switches

Layer 1 Network Extension: Hubs Characteristics of Hubs Functions at Layer 1 Essentially a multiport repeater Increases the collision domain Half-Duplex by nature Drawback to Hubs Generally obsolete in most networks All bandwidth is shared among connected devices Increases the amount of collisions and degrades performance with each station added

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Hubs, Bridges and Switches

Layer 2 Network Extension: Bridges Characteristics of Bridges Functions at Layer 2 Increases the broadcast domain Reduces the collision domain Half-Duplex by nature Filters traffic by Layer 2 address Drawback to Bridges Generally obsolete in most networks Increases the amount of broadcasts Full duplex operation impossible Limited to two ports

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Hubs, Bridges and Switches

Layer 2 Network Segmentation: Switches Characteristics of Switches Functions at Layer 2 or 3 Increases the broadcast domain Reduces the collision domain Full-Duplex Capable Filters traffic by Layer 2 address Drawback to Switches Simple ones have no management capabilities Layer 2 switches require routers for Layer 3 functions

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Cisco Switch Specifics

1. 2. 3. 4. LAN Switching Methods Duplex Settings/Types Cisco Switch OS Types Application Specific Integrated Circuit(s)

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Cisco Switch Specifics

LAN Switching Methods Store and Forward Original switching method Copies the entire frame before transmitting Most error-free method Originally superseded by others Cut-Through Copies first 6 bytes (e.g., destination address) before transmitting Very low latency Collisions and other errors may go undetected

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Cisco Switch Specifics

LAN Switching Methods Fragment-Free Copies and examines first 64 bytes of frames Most errors and collisions will be detected in the first 64 bytes of an Ethernet frame Low latency with lower error rates Methods in Use Today Cut-Through and Fragment-Free became widely used in early switches Faster circuitry lessened latency Shorter methods still used today

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Cisco Switch Specifics

Duplex Settings/Types Simplex Data is sent in one direction only Not a typical function in most networks today Similar to broadcast media (Radio/TV) Half-Duplex Data is sent in both directions but only one direction at a time Common in hub based networks Default with older 10 Mbps Ethernet Collisions still possible Still occasionally encountered today

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Cisco Switch Specifics

Duplex Settings/Types Full-Duplex Data is sent in both directions simultaneously Increases bandwidth and throughput Similar to broadcast media (Radio/TV) Cisco Router/Switch Duplex Defaults 10 Mbps Ethernet: Half-Duplex 10/100 Mbps Ethernet: Full-Duplex 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet: FullDuplex 10 Gbps Ethernet: Full-Duplex

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Cisco Switch Specifics

Cisco Catalyst Switch OS Types CatOS (Catalyst Operating System) Originally developed by Crescendo Communications before acquisition by Cisco Used on chassis based switches 4000/4500 series 5000/5500 series (now EOL) 6000/6500 series (now EOL) Native IOS Switch-based version of IOS Default Hybrid (CatOS and IOS together)

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Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Cisco Switch Specifics

Application Specific Integrated Circuit(s) Hardware-Based Forwarding Forwards traffic based on L2 or L3 Critical component of Catalyst switches Performs switching in hardware rather than software Vastly increases processing speed (termed wire rate speed) Port-based ASIC More dynamics of the architecture discussed later

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Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Contrasting Layer 3 Switching and Routing

1. Basic Differences Between Routers and Switches 2. Router Traffic Flow 3. Layer 3 Switch Traffic Flow

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Contrasting Layer 3 Switching and Routing

Basic Differences Between Routers and Switches Forwarding Architecture Routers perform packet switching and routing decisions in software (involves CPU) Switches perform packet switching in hardware using ASICs Management Both router and switches have console ports for out-of-band access Only routers have AUX port Both have similar CLI functions

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Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Contrasting Layer 3 Switching and Routing

Basic Differences Between Routers and Switches Interfaces Most switches only have Ethernet ports (10/100/1000/10 Gbps) Routers support many interfaces LAN (Ethernet) Serial BVI Tunnel Asynchronous 802.11 Wireless Others

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Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Contrasting Layer 3 Switching and Routing

Basic Differences Between Routers and Switches Capabilities Routers and Layer 3 switches support IP routing, multicast, access-lists, etc. Routers support Network Address Translation, switches do not Routers require special configuration for VLAN support, switches do not Routers support telephony technologies natively, most switches do not Routers have firewall capabilities most switches so not

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Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Contrasting Layer 3 Switching and Routing

Router Traffic Flow Packet Processing Steps (see left) Layer 2 (Ethernet) performs FCS check and frame validation (FA0/1) Layer 3 packet check performed Route lookup and forwarding decision made Layer 2 frame is rewritten with the source MAC of the outgoing interface (FA0/1) and destination MAC of the next-hop Frame is forwarded out destination interface (FA0/2)
Richard Froom, Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks, Cisco Press, 2010

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Contrasting Layer 3 Switching and Routing

Layer 3 Switch Traffic Flow Packet Processing Steps (see left) Layer 2 (Ethernet) performs FCS check and frame validation (FA0/0) Layer 2 header is stripped off Layer 3 packet check performed Route lookup and forwarding decision made New Layer 2 frame created with nexthop MAC address as destination Frame is forwarded out destination interface (FA0/1)
Alex Zinn, Cisco IP Routing, Cisco Press, 2001

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Configuring Bridging on Routers

1. Bridging Configuration Elements 2. Bridging Commands 3. Verifying Bridging

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Configuring Bridging on Routers

Bridging Configuration Elements Bridge/Bridge-Group Created with the bridge <bridge#> protocol<protocol> command Number is locally significant to the router Multiple bridges can be created Spanning tree protocol types supported: IEEE DEC VLAN-Bridge

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Configuring Bridging on Routers

Bridging Configuration Elements Interfaces Added individually with the bridgegroup <bridge#> command in interface configuration mode Number must match the previously defined bridging group Bridged Virtual Interface optional (must match bridge number) Enabling Integrated Routing and Bridging Not enabled by default Feature enacted using the bridge irb command in global configuration mode

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Configuring Bridging on Routers

Bridging Commands Configuring Integrated Routing and Bridging Enter bridge irb command in global configuration mode on R1-1, R1-2 and R3-1 Creation of Bridge-Group 1 Enter bridge 1 protocol ieee command in global configuration mode on R1-1, R1-2 and R3-1 Place Loopback 0 and Fast Ethernet 0/0 interfaces in the bridge group Enter bridge-group 1 on R1-1, R1-2 and R3-1 interfaces

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Configuring Bridging on Routers

Verifying Bridging Verifying Bridging Operation Execute show bridge [bridge#] [verbose] to confirm operational status of bridge-group Execute show spanning-tree [bridge] to confirm spanning tree configuration (automatically enacted for bridge groups) Perform ping/extended ping tests using Loopback interfaces (successful ping verifies correct bridge group configuration and operation)

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

Key Terms You Should Know

Bridging Layer 2 forwarding process which floods, forwards, or filters traffic depending on destination MAC addresses IRB Integrated Routing and Bridging, Cisco router-based feature which allows the device to both route and bridge the same protocol(s) ASIC Application Specific Integrated Circuit, hardware-based circuitry used for various Cisco switch-based functions at Layer 2 Half-Duplex Refers to the ability to send network traffic in both directions (e.g., sending/receiving) but only one at a time Full-Duplex Refers to the ability to send network traffic in both directions (e.g., sending/receiving) at the same time CatOS Catalyst Operating System, an older Cisco switch operating system, now obsolete

Bridging and Switching Fundamentals Cisco CCNP SWITCH Training

What We Covered
Bridging Theory Hubs, Bridges and Switches Cisco Switch Specifics Contrasting Layer 3 Switching and Routing Configuring Bridging on Routers