3 - VLANs - Configuration and Verification

4 - VLANs - In-Depth Trunking

Video 6 - STP - Foundation Per-VLAN Spanning Tree Concepts 1

The Studies for CCNP Switch(642-813) have begun...

CBT Nuggets - Switch 642-813 

Video 1 - Intro to Switch

Video 2 - The Switches Domain - Core Concepts and Design

Hub

Every frame/packet is flooded out of all ports (if get to 20 or so daisy chained) you get alot of collisions and things sloooooow down

Layer 2 switch

Every port is a collision domain, your traffic only goes to the destination port, unless it is a broadcast, that was a limiting factor .... so its a scalability limitation, whereby if the devices get to many broadcasts on a segment(but that would have to be lots) it would affect performance

Then we saw that we could scale things up with VLANS, they changed everything, we didnt have to have routers everywhere to segment the network, this is where we used "router on a stick" for inter-vlanning, but this was a limitation tooo as the trunk link from the router to the switch was the bottleneck.

Layer 3 Switch

Then L3 Switches came out and changed it, it splices a router into a switch.

Here we can have SVI (Switch Virtual Interfaces) as the VLANs and the bottle neck now is the backplane speed of the switch (typical lots though, Gigs)

Now this is where design comes in ... Where do the L3 switches go etc

This is where the Enterprise Composite Model (ECM) comes in, however before that:

Typically the first basic network design consists of a L3 switch and x2 L2 switches, but already this is way to much for a small/home business,

Performance

The ECM addresses performance by dividing functional areas into modules, and connecting them together over a high speed backbone. This allows for efficient summarization of networks, and more efficient use of high speed uplink ports.

Scalability
With its modular approach, the ECM is scalable. Simply add on more function modules as required.

Availability
Again, modules can be connected in a redundant fashion to the core/distribution layers.

Role of switches in ECM
Access – layer 2 switches connecting workstations and other devices to the distribution. Here, basic protocol filtering and QoS marking would happen

Distribution – either L2 or L3 switches depending on the size and needs. These switches will bring in multiple access switches, perform more advanced QoS and filtering. Distribution connects back into the core/campus backbone

Backbone – again, either L2 or L3 switches depending on needs. Primary goal is to switch packets, so switches will be acting on tagged QoS packets rather than marking, and perform basic routing.

A block doesn't represent just 1 vlan, it could be/typically lots of vlans

vlans provide scaliability and don't slow you down (as in the old days any time you wanted to segment you had to have a router - which are slow, compared to switches.)

With the L3 switches we now have CEF (Cisco Express Forwarding) for caching info and route between vlans as if we didnt have them (so the number of VLANs is not an issue, it is not a limitation.)

Cisco are trying to move people in the direction of layer 3 vlans /localised vlans
vlans stay within there switch blocks - very efficient


The Managment vlan (as covered in the CCNA-S)
is where that port on the device is for the ssh, tftp upgrades, syslog all traffic to and from device for management (Out Of Band) - isolated, reason doesnt always work like this, fairly recent kit to implement/wealthy companies etc

642-813 SWITCH Exam Topics (Blueprint)

Exam Description

Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks (SWITCH 642-813) is a qualifying exam for the Cisco Certified Network Professional CCNP®, and Cisco Certified Design Professional CCDP® certifications. The SWITCH 642-813 exam will certify that the successful candidate has important knowledge and skills necessary to to plan, configure and verify the implementation of complex enterprise switching solutions using Cisco’s Campus Enterprise Architecture. The SWITCH exam also covers secure integration of VLANs, WLANs, voice and video into campus networks.

Exam Topics

The following information provides general guidelines for the content likely to be included on the exam. However, other related topics may also appear on any specific delivery of the exam. In order to better reflect the contents of the exam and for clarity purposes the guidelines below may change at any time without notice.

Implement VLAN based solution, given a network design and a set of requirements

• Determine network resources needed for implementing a VLAN based solution on a network
• Create a VLAN based implementation plan
• Create a VLAN based verification plan
• Configure switch-to-switch connectivity for the VLAN based solution
• Configure loop prevention for the VLAN based solution
• Configure Access Ports for the VLAN based solution
• Verify the VLAN based solution was implemented properly using show and debug commands
• Document the verification after implementing a VLAN solution

Implement a Security Extension of a Layer 2 solution, given a network design and a set of requirements

• Determine network resources needed for implementing a Security solution
• Create a implementation plan for the Security solution
• Create a verification plan for the Security solution
• Configure port security features
• Configure general switch security features
• Configure private VLANs
• Configure VACL and PACL
• Verify the Security based solution was implemented properly using show and debug commands
• Document the verification results after implementing a Security solution

Implement Switch based Layer 3 services, given a network design and a set of requirements

• Determine network resources needed for implementing a Switch based Layer 3 solution
• Create an implementation plan for the Switch based Layer 3 solution
• Create a verification plan for the Switch based Layer 3 solution
• Configure routing interfaces
• Configure Layer 3 Security
• Verify the Switch based Layer 3 solution was implemented properly using show and debug commands
• Document the verification results after implementing a Switch based Layer 3 solution

Prepare infrastructure to support advanced services

• Implement a Wireless Extension of a Layer 2 solution
• Implement a VoIP support solution
• Implement video support solution

Implement High Availability, given a network design and a set of requirements

• Determine network resources needed for implementing High Availability on a network
• Create a High Availability implementation plan
• Create a High Availability verification plan
• Implement first hop redundancy protocols
• Implement switch supervisor redundancy
• Verify High Availability solution was implemented properly using show and debug commands
• Document results of High Availability implementation and verification

PASSED THE EXAM YESTERDAY! 

Having a little break then on with SWITCH exam 

EXAM ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON
.... now fitting in some cramming and should be ready in time for Thursday :0)

Mnemonic For BGP Attributes

I found this mnemonic at “maloy & jing apuhin’s 101 & others” blog to help remember the order of BGP attributes:

“We Love Oranges AS Oranges Mean Pure Refreshment”
W   Weight (Highest)
L   Local_Pref (Highest)
O   Originate (local originate)
AS  As_Path (shortest)
O   Origin Code (IGP < EGP < Incomplete)
M   MED (lowest)
P   Paths (External Paths preferred Over Internal)
R   Router ID (lowest)