CHAPTER 1

A. Exploring the network:

Networks and the Internet have changed the way we communicate, learn, work, and even
play. Networks come in all sizes. They can range from simple networks consisting of two
computers to networks connecting millions of devices.

The Internet is the largest network in existence. In fact, the term Internet means a
‘network of networks’. The Internet provides the services that enable us to connect and
communicate with our families, friends, work, and interests. The network infrastructure is the
platform that supports the network. It provides the stable and reliable channel over which
communication can occur. It is made up of network components including end devices,
intermediate devices, and network media.

Networks must be reliable. This means the network must be fault tolerant, scalable,
provide quality of service, and ensure security of the information and resources on the network.
Network security is an integral part of computer networking, regardless of whether the network
is limited to a home environment with a single connection to the Internet or as large as a
corporation with thousands of users. No single solution can protect the network from the variety
of threats that exist. For this reason, security should be implemented in multiple layers, using
more than one security solution.

The network infrastructure can vary greatly in terms of size, number of users, and number
and types of services that are supported. The network infrastructure must grow and adjust to
support the way the network is used. The routing and switching platform is the foundation of any
network infrastructure. This chapter focused on networking as a primary platform for supporting
communication. The next chapter will introduce you to the Cisco Internetwork Operating System
(IOS) used to enable routing and switching in a Cisco network environment.

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 CHAPTER 2

B. Configuring a network operating system:

Cisco IOS is a term that encompasses a number of different operating systems, which runs on
various networking devices. The technician can enter commands to configure, or program, the
device to perform various networking functions. Cisco IOS routers and switches perform
functions that network professionals depend upon to make their networks operate as expected.

The services provided by the Cisco IOS are accessed using a command-line interface (CLI),
which is accessed by either the console port, the AUX port, or through SSH or Telnet. After
connected to the CLI, network technicians can make configuration changes to Cisco IOS
devices. The Cisco IOS is designed as a modal operating system, which means a network
technician must navigate through various hierarchical modes of the IOS. Each mode supports
different IOS commands.

Cisco IOS routers and switches support a similar modal operating system, support similar
command structures, and support many of the same commands. In addition, both devices have
identical initial configuration steps when implementing them in a network.

This chapter introduced the Cisco IOS. It detailed the various modes of the Cisco IOS
and examined the basic command structure that is used to configure it. It also walked through the
initial settings of a Cisco IOS switch device, including setting a name, limiting access to the
device configuration, configuring banner messages, and saving the configuration. The next
chapter explores how packets are moved across the network infrastructure and introduce you to
the rules of packet communication.

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 CHAPTER 3

C. Network protocols and communication:

Data networks are systems of end devices, intermediary devices, and the media
connecting them. For communication to occur, these devices must know how to communicate.

These devices must comply with communication rules and protocols. TCP/IP is an
example of a protocol suite. Most protocols are created by a standards organization such as the
IETF or IEEE. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is a professional
organization for those in the electrical engineering and electronics fields. ISO, the International
Organization for Standardization, is the world’s largest developer of international standards for a
wide variety of products and services.

The most widely-used networking models are the OSI and TCP/IP models. Associating
the protocols that set the rules of data communications with the different layers of these models
is useful in determining which devices and services are applied at specific points as data passes
across LANs and WANs.

Data that passes down the stack of the OSI model is segmented into pieces and
encapsulated with addresses and other labels. The process is reversed as the pieces are de-
encapsulated and passed up the destination protocol stack. The OSI model describes the
processes of encoding, formatting, segmenting, and encapsulating data for transmission over the
network.

The TCP/IP protocol suite is an open standard protocol that has been endorsed by the
networking industry and ratified, or approved, by a standards organization. The Internet Protocol
Suite is a suite of protocols required for transmitting and receiving information using the
Internet.

Protocol Data Units (PDUs) are named according to the protocols of the TCP/IP suite:
data, segment, packet, frame, and bits. Applying models allows individuals, companies, and
trade associations to analyse current networks and plan the networks of the future.

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 CHAPTER 4

D. Network access:

The TCP/IP network access layer is the equivalent of the OSI data link layer (Layer 2)
and the physical layer (Layer 1). The OSI physical layer provides the means to transport the bits
that make up a data link layer frame across the network media. The physical components are the
electronic hardware devices, media, and other connectors that transmit and carry the signals to
represent the bits. Hardware components such as network adapters (NICs), interfaces and
connectors, cable materials, and cable designs are all specified in standards associated with the
physical layer. The physical layer standards address three functional areas: physical components,
frame encoding technique, and signaling method.

Using the proper media is an important part of network communications. Without the
proper physical connection, either wired or wireless, communications between any two devices
will not occur.

Wired communication consists of copper media and fiber cable:

 There are three main types of copper media used in networking: unshielded-twisted pair
(UTP), shielded-twisted pair (STP), and coaxial cable. UTP cabling is the most common
copper networking media.

 Optical fiber cable has become very popular for interconnecting infrastructure network
devices. It permits the transmission of data over longer distances and at higher bandwidths
(data rates) than any other networking media. Unlike copper wires, fiber-optic cable can
transmit signals with less attenuation and is completely immune to EMI and RFI.

Wireless media carry electromagnetic signals that represent the binary digits of data
communications using radio or microwave frequencies. The number of wireless-enabled devices
continues to increase. For this reason, wireless has become the medium of choice for home
networks and is quickly gaining in popularity in enterprise networks.

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 The data link layer handles the exchange of frames between nodes over a physical
network media. It allows the upper layers to access the media and controls how data is placed
and received on the media. Among the different implementations of the data link layer protocols,
there are different methods of controlling access to the media. These media access control
techniques define if and how the nodes share the media. The actual media access control method
used depends on the topology and media sharing. LAN and WAN topologies can be physical or
logical. It is the logical topology that influences the type of network framing and media access
control used. WANs are commonly interconnected using the point-to-point, hub and spoke, or
mesh physical topologies. In shared media LANs, end devices can be interconnected using the
star, bus, ring, or extended star physical topologies.

All data link layer protocols encapsulate the Layer 3 PDU within the data field of the
frame. However, the structure of the frame and the fields contained in the header and trailer vary
according to the protocol.

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 CHAPTER 5

E. Ethernet:

Ethernet is the most widely used LAN technology today. It is a family of networking
technologies that are defined in the IEEE 802.2 and 802.3 standards. Ethernet standards define
both the Layer 2 protocols and the Layer 1 technologies. For the Layer 2 protocols, as with all
802 IEEE standards, Ethernet relies on the two separate sublayers of the data link layer to
operate, the Logical Link Control (LLC) and the MAC sublayers.

At the data link layer, the frame structure is nearly identical for all bandwidths of
Ethernet. The Ethernet frame structure adds headers and trailers around the Layer 3 PDU to
encapsulate the message being sent.

There are two styles of Ethernet framing: IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standard and the DIX
Ethernet standard which is now referred to Ethernet II. The most significant difference between
the two standards is the addition of a Start Frame Delimiter (SFD) and the change of the Type
field to a Length field in the 802.3. Ethernet II is the Ethernet frame format used in TCP/IP
networks. As an implementation of the IEEE 802.2/3 standards, the Ethernet frame provides
MAC addressing and error checking.

The Layer 2 addressing provided by Ethernet supports unicast, multicast, and broadcast
communications. Ethernet uses the Address Resolution Protocol to determine the MAC
addresses of destinations and map them against known IPv4 addresses.

Each node on an IPv4 network has both a MAC address and an IPv4 address. The IP
addresses are used to identify the original source and final destination of the packet. The Ethernet
MAC addresses are used to send the packet from one Ethernet NIC to another Ethernet NIC on
the same IP network. ARP is used to map a known IPv4 address to a MAC address, so the packet
can be encapsulated in an Ethernet frame with the correct Layer 2 address.

ARP relies on certain types of Ethernet broadcast messages and Ethernet unicast
messages, called ARP requests and ARP replies. The ARP protocol resolves IPv4 addresses to
MAC addresses and maintains a table of mappings. On most Ethernet networks, end devices are

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typically connected on a point-to-point basis to a Layer 2, full-duplex switch. A Layer 2 LAN
switch performs switching and filtering based only on the OSI data link layer (Layer 2) MAC
address. A Layer 2 switch builds a MAC address table that it uses to make forwarding decisions.
Layer 2 switches depend on routers to pass data between independent IP subnetworks.

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 CHAPTER 6

F. Network layer:

The network layer, or OSI Layer 3, provides services to allow end devices to exchange data
across the network. To accomplish this end-to-end transport, the network layer uses four basic
processes: IP addressing for end devices, encapsulation, routing, and de-encapsulation.

The Internet is largely based on IPv4, which is still the most widely-used network layer
protocol. An IPv4 packet contains the IP header and the payload. However, IPv4 has a limited
number of unique public IP addresses available. This led to the development of IP version 6
(IPv6). The IPv6 simplified header offers several advantages over IPv4, including better routing
efficiency, simplified extension headers, and capability for per-flow processing. Plus, IPv6
addresses are based on 128-bit hierarchical addressing as opposed to IPv4 with 32 bits. This
dramatically increases the number of available IP addresses.

In addition to hierarchical addressing, the network layer is also responsible for routing.
Hosts require a local routing table to ensure that packets are directed to the correct destination
network. The local table of a host typically contains the direct connection, the local network
route, and the local default route. The local default route is the route to the default gateway. The
default gateway is the IP address of a router interface connected to the local network. When a
host needs to forward a packet to a destination address that is not on the same network as the
host, the packet is sent to the default gateway for further processing.

When a router, such as the default gateway, receives a packet, it examines the destination
IP address to determine the destination network. The routing table of a router stores information
about directly-connected routes and remote routes to IP networks. If the router has an entry in its
routing table for the destination network, the router forwards the packet. If no routing entry
exists, the router may forward the packet to its own default route if one is configured, or it will
drop the packet. Routing table entries can be configured manually on each router to provide
static routing, or the routers may communicate route information dynamically between each
other using a routing protocol. In order for routers to be reachable, the router interface must be
configured.

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 CHAPTER 7

G. Ip addressing:

IP addresses are hierarchical with network, subnetwork, and host portions. An IP address can
represent a complete network, a specific host, or the broadcast address of the network.

Understanding binary notation is important when determining if two hosts are in the same
network. The bits within the network portion of the IP address must be identical for all devices
that reside in the same network. The subnet mask or prefix is used to determine the network
portion of an IP address. IP addresses can be assigned either statically or dynamically. DHCP
enables the automatic assignment of addressing information such as IP address, subnet mask,
default gateway, and other configuration information. IPv4 hosts can communicate one of three
different ways: unicast, broadcast, or multicast. Also, blocks of addresses that are used in
networks that require limited or no Internet access are called private addresses. The private IPv4
address blocks are: 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12 and 192.168.0.0/16.

The depletion of IPv4 address space is the motivating factor for moving to IPv6. Each IPv6
address has 128 bits versus the 32 bits in an IPv4 address. IPv6 does not use the dotted-decimal
subnet mask notation. The prefix length is used to indicate the network portion of an IPv6
address using the following format: IPv6 address/prefix length. There are three types of IPv6
addresses: unicast, multicast, and any cast. An IPv6 link-local address enables a device to
communicate with other IPv6-enabled devices on the same link and only on that link (subnet).
Packets with a source or destination link-local address cannot be routed beyond the link from
which the packet originated. IPv6 link-local addresses are in the FE80: /10 range.

ICMP is available for both IPv4 and IPv6. ICMPv4 is the messaging protocol for IPv4. ICMPv6
provides the same services for IPv6 but includes additional functionality. After it is
implemented, an IP network needs to be tested to verify its connectivity and operational
performance.

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 CHAPTER 8

H. Subnetting ip networks:

The process of segmenting a network by dividing it into to multiple smaller network

spaces is called subnetting. Every network address has a valid range of host addresses. All
devices attached to the same network will have an IPv4 host address for that network and a
common subnet mask or network prefix. Traffic can be forwarded between hosts directly if they
are on the same subnet. Traffic cannot be forwarded between subnets without the use of a router.
To determine if traffic is local or remote, the router uses the subnet mask. The prefix and the
subnet mask are different ways of representing the same thing - the network portion of an
address.

IPv4 subnets are created by using one or more of the host bits as network bits. Two very
important factors that will lead to the determination of the IP address block with the subnet mask
are the number of subnets required, and the maximum number of hosts needed per subnet. There
is an inverse relationship between the number of subnets and the number of hosts. The more bits
that are borrowed to create subnets, the fewer host bits that are available; therefore, there are
fewer hosts per subnet.

The formula 2^n (where n is the number of host bits remaining) is used to calculate how
many addresses will be available on each subnet. However, the network address and broadcast
address within a range are not useable. Therefore, to calculate the useable number of addresses,
the calculation 2^n-2 is required. Subnetting a subnet, or using Variable Length Subnet Mask
(VLSM), was designed to avoid wasting addresses.

IPv6 subnetting requires a different approach than IPv4 subnetting. An IPv6 address
space is not subnetted to conserve addresses; rather it is subnetted to support a hierarchical,
logical design of the network. So, while IPv4 subnetting is about managing address scarcity,
IPv6 subnetting is about building an addressing hierarchy based on the number of routers and the
networks they support.

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 Careful planning is required to make best use of the available address space. Size,
location, use, and access requirements are all considerations in the address planning process.
After it is implemented, an IP network needs to be tested to verify its connectivity and
operational performance.

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 CHAPTER 9

I. Transport layer:

The transport layer provides transport-related services by:

 Dividing data received from an application into segments, Adding a header to identify and
manage each segment

 Using the header information to reassemble the segments back into application data,
Passing the assembled data to the correct application

UDP and TCP are common transport layer protocols. UDP datagrams and TCP segments
have headers added in front of the data that include a source port number and destination port
number. These port numbers enable data to be directed to the correct application running on the
destination computer. TCP does not pass any data to the network until it knows that the
destination is ready to receive it. TCP then manages the flow of the data and resends any data
segments that are not acknowledged as being received at the destination. TCP uses mechanisms
of handshaking, timers, acknowledgment messages, and dynamic windowing to achieve
reliability. The reliability process, however, imposes overhead on the network in terms of much
larger segment headers and more network traffic between the source and destination.

If the application data needs to be delivered across the network quickly, or if network
bandwidth cannot support the overhead of control messages being exchanged between the source
and the destination systems, UDP would be the developer’s preferred transport layer protocol.
UDP provides none of the TCP reliability features. However, this does not necessarily mean that
the communication itself is unreliable; there may be mechanisms in the application layer
protocols and services that process lost or delayed datagrams if the application has these
requirements.

The application developer decides the transport layer protocol that best meets the
requirements for the application. It is important to remember that the other layers all play a part
in data network communications and influences its performance.

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 CHAPTER 10

J. Application layer:

The application layer is responsible for directly accessing the underlying processes that
manage and deliver communication to the human network. This layer serves as the source and
destination of communications across data networks. The application layer applications, services,
and protocols enable users to interact with the data network in a way that is meaningful and
effective.

 Applications are computer programs with which the user interacts and which initiate the
data transfer process at the user’s request. Services are background programs that provide
the connection between the application layer and the lower layers of the networking model.

 Protocols provide a structure of agreed-upon rules and processes that ensure services
running on one particular device can send and receive data from a range of different
network devices.

Delivery of data over the network can be requested from a server by a client, or between
devices that operate in a P2P arrangement. In P2P,the client/server relationship is established
according to which device is the source and destination at that time. Messages are exchanged
between the application layer services at each end device in accordance with the protocol
specifications to establish and use these relationships.

Protocols like HTTP, for example, support the delivery of web pages to end devices.
SMTP, IMAP, and POP support sending and receiving email. SMB and FTP enable users to
share files. P2P applications make it easier for consumers to seamlessly share media in a
distributed fashion. DNS resolves the human-legible names, used to refer to network resources,
into numeric addresses usable by the network. Clouds are remote upstream locations that store
data and host applications so that users do not require as many local resources, and so that users
can seamlessly access content on different devices from any location. All of these elements work
together, at the application layer. The application layer enables users to work and play over the
Internet.

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 CHAPTER 11

K. Build a small network:

In order to meet user requirements, even small networks require planning and design.
Planning ensures that all requirements, cost factors, and deployment options are given due
consideration. An important part of network design is reliability, scalability, and availability.

Supporting and growing a small network requires being familiar with the protocols and
network applications running over the network. Protocol analyzers enable a network professional
to quickly compile statistical information about traffic flows on a network. Information gathered
by the protocol analyzer is evaluated based on the source and destination of the traffic as well as
the type of traffic being sent. This analysis can be used by a network technician to make
decisions on how to manage the traffic more efficiently. Common network protocols include
DNS, Telnet, SMTP, POP, DHCP, HTTP, and FTP.

It is a necessity to consider security threats and vulnerabilities when planning a network

implementation. All network devices must be secured. This includes routers, switches, end-user
devices, and even security devices. Networks need to be protected from malicious software such
as viruses, Trojan horses, and worms. Antivirus software can detect most viruses and many
Trojan horse applications and prevent them from spreading in the network. The most effective
way to mitigate a worm attack is to download security updates from the operating system vendor
and patch all vulnerable systems.

Networks must also be protected from network attacks. Network attacks can be classified
into three major categories: reconnaissance, access attacks, and denial of service. There are
several ways to protect a network from attacks.

 Authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA, or “triple A”) network security

services provide the primary framework to set up access control on a network device. AAA
is a way to control who is permitted to access a network (authenticate), what they can do
while they are there (authorize), and to watch the actions they perform while accessing the
network (accounting).

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  A firewall is one of the most effective security tools available for protecting internal
network users from external threats. A firewall resides between two or more networks and
controls the traffic between them and also helps prevent unauthorized access.

 To protect network devices, it is important to use strong passwords. Also, when accessing
network devices remotely, it is highly recommended to enable SSH instead of the unsecured
telnet.

After the network has been implemented, a network administrator must be able to monitor
and maintain network connectivity. There are several commands available toward this end. For
testing network connectivity to local and remote destinations, commands such as ping, telnet,
and traceroute are commonly used.

On Cisco IOS devices, the show version command can be used to verify and troubleshoot
some of the basic hardware and software components used during the boot process. To view
information for all network interfaces on a router, the show ip interface command is used.
The show ip interface brief can also be used to view a more abbreviated output than the show ip
interface command. Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) is a Cisco-proprietary protocol that runs at
the data link layer. Because CDP operates at the data link layer, two or more Cisco network
devices, such as routers that support different network layer protocols, can learn about each other
even if Layer 3 connectivity does not exist.

Cisco IOS configuration files such as startup-config or running-config should be

archived. These files can be saved to a text file or stored on a TFTP server. Some models of
routers also have a USB port, and a file can be backed up to a USB drive. If needed, these files
can be copied to the router and or switch from the TFTP server or USB drive.

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 PROJECT

Subnetting:

Dynamic routing:

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