Archive for CCNA
The Basics of RIP Version 1
Posted by: | CommentsRIP does have its limitations but it is still a venerable routing protocol. Its been around since the 1980s, so has stood the test of time and is supported across a wide variety of platforms, including Windows Servers and both Unix workstations and servers. Run out of routers and need to split a subnet in two? You could use an old server with two NICs and have this speak to your network kit using RIP. Its clear that more serious admins wouldn’t touch it and it can have a bad reputation but it still does have a place in networking. It is very suitable for smaller networks and its ease of configuration make it a good choice for those network admins with little experience. It is also an excellent choice for teaching network students about routing protocols as a lot of the structure , such as timers, are used in other protocols.
So here is a general summary of RIP.
Popularity: 63% [?]
TechRepublic File System Video
Posted by: | CommentsThe TechRepublic site is one of the very best on the web for IT resources and an excellent source of learning materials. I came across a nice video presented by Bill Detwiler the other day called 10 Cisco IOS Router file management commands every Cisco admin should know. Most CCNA students I’ve taught in the last few years have experience of managing files and file systems through GUIs. Very few have used DOS or a Unix/Linux command line to do file management tasks and so they can struggle at first with managing files using IOS. The video includes commands such as:
- dir
- cd
- copy
- verify
- fsck
The video post also contains a link to a corresponding article by David Davis that covers each of the commands in a little more detail.
Popularity: 31% [?]
OSPF Passive Interface Command
Posted by: | CommentsI was recently asked by a client to help troubleshoot an issue they were having after upgrading the IOS on two of their core Cisco Catalyst 6509s. The two switches are connected together by three 1Gb fibre links that run about 500m between two buildings (Building A and B). Two of the links are bundled together in an 802.1q Etherchannel. Only one vlan, 100, is allowed to cross the link and this vlan is used purely for traffic to and from a cluster of Call Manager 4 servers. The other link is a 1Gb layer 3 fibre link that is used for any other user traffic across the core switches.
Here is a high-level layout of the switches and their connections. All IP addresses and vlans have been changed from their original values.
Network Layout
The 6509s also have links to other core switches within the network, so if the layer 3 link goes down traffic should be routed through these other switches. Read More→
Popularity: 67% [?]
Cisco Learning Network Store Opens
Posted by: | CommentsHaving run a Cisco Academy and been a Cisco Instructor in previous roles, I’ve an interest in all things to do with Cisco learning. The Cisco Networking Academy Program is a brilliant way for students to learn networking skills. Cisco Academies are not accessible by everyone however, and with commercial Cisco courses being so expensive, Cisco Press books are sometime the only viable option for learning materials developed by Cisco.
Cisco have just announced the opening of new a online store focussed on providing learning materials for it’s certifications. The Cisco Learning Network Store is still in it’s early days and courses are still thin on the ground at present, but it already contains a few e-learning packages and some software tools for learning.
Let’s hope that as time goes on the cataolgue increases. More official Cisco e-learning courses would be a welcome addition to the currently available learning resources.
For interest to CCIE candidates is the Cisco 360 Learning Program for CCIE R&S students. Cisco describe the course as follows. Read More→
Popularity: 43% [?]