Going through Cisco's checklist for final review

TWX · October 2015

I'm weird, I have not taken the approach of scheduling the test to force myself to study. I've simply forced myself to study, and I'm glad that I didn't schedule the test as when I got into this I stupidly thought I could learn the books in a couple of long weekends as opposed to the curriculum taking more like an equivalent of a college semester to truly learn.

Cisco has the exam topics outline published for anyone to read. It's on their website for anyone to read and is also in PDF form. I'm opting for the composite exam, the 200-120.

I've printed off their PDF and have gone through and determined which topics I feel I am strong in, and which topics I either need to read-up more on or need to practice more on to get comfortable. This is my list of topics I feel I am strong in, based on Cisco's document. Green/regular means that I'm good to go. Blue/italic means I've seen the topic but I would like to review again, either just to clarify or confirm that I know what I think I know. Red/bold means I either have not seen the topic yet or that I am particularly weak in the topic.

1.0 Operation of IP Data Networks 5%
- 1.1 Recognize the purpose and functions of various network devices such as routers, switches, bridges and hubs
- 1.2 Select the components required to meet a given network specification
- 1.3 Identify common applications and their impact on the network
- 1.4 Describe the purpose and basic operation of the protocols in the OSI and TCP/IP models
- 1.5 Predict the data flow between two hosts across a network
- 1.6 Identify the appropriate media, cables, ports, and connectors to connect Cisco network devices to other network devices and hosts in a LAN
2.0 LAN Switching Technologies 20%
- 2.1 Determine the technology and media access control method for Ethernet networks
- 2.2 Identify basic switching concepts and the operation of Cisco switches
  - 2.2.a Collision Domains
  - 2.2.b Broadcast Domains
  - 2.2.c Ways to switch
    - 2.2.c Store
    - 2.2.c [ii] Forward
    - 2.2.c [iii] Cut through
  - 2.2.d CAM Table
- 2.3 Configure and verify initial switch configuration including remote access management
  - 2.3.a hostname
  - 2.3.b mgmt IP address
  - 2.3.c IP default-gateway
  - 2.3.d local user and password
  - 2.3.e enable secret password
  - 2.3.f console and VTY logins
  - 2.3.g exec-timeout
  - 2.3.h service password encryption
  - 2.3.i copy run start
- 2.4 Verify network status and switch operation using basic utilities such as
  - 2.4.a ping
  - 2.4.b telnet
  - 2.4.c SSH
- 2.5 Describe how VLANs create logically separate networks and the need for routing between them
  - 2.5.a Explain network segmentation and basic traffic management concepts
- 2.6 Configure and verify VLANs
- 2.7 Configure and verify trunking on Cisco switches
  - 2.7.a dtp (topic)
  - 2.7.b auto-negotiation
- 2.8 Identify enhanced switching technologies
  - 2.8.a RSTP
  - 2.8.b PVSTP
  - 2.8.c Etherchannels
- 2.9 Configure and verify PVSTP operation
  - 2.9.a Describe root bridge election
  - 2.9.b Spanning tree mode
3.0 IP Addressing (IPv4/IPv6) 5%
- 3.1 Describe the operation and necessity of using private and public IP addresses for IPv4 addressing
- 3.2 Identify the appropriate IPv6 addressing scheme to satisfy addressing requirements in a LAN/WAN environment
- 3.3 Identify the appropriate IPv4 addressing scheme using VLSM and summarization to satisfy addressing requirements in a LAN/WAN environment.
- 3.4 Describe the technological requirements for running IPv6 in conjunction with IPv4
  - 3.4.a dual stack
- 3.5 Describe IPv6 addresses
  - 3.5.a global unicast
  - 3.5.b multicast
  - 3.5.c link local
  - 3.5.d unique local
  - 3.5.e eui 64
  - 3.5.f auto-configuration
4.0 IP Routing Technologies 20%
- 4.1 Describe basic routing concepts
  - 4.1.a packet forwarding
  - 4.1.b router lookup process
  - 4.1.c Process Switching/Fast Switching/CEF
- 4.2 Configure and verify utilizing the CLI to set basic Router configuration
  - 4.2.a hostname
  - 4.2.b local user and password
  - 4.2.c enable secret password
  - 4.2.d console and VTY logins
  - 4.2.e exec-timeout
  - 4.2.f service password encryption
  - 4.2.g Interface IP Address
    - 4.2.g loopback
  - 4.2.h banner
  - 4.2.i motd
  - 4.2.j copy run start
- 4.3 Configure and verify operation status of a device interface
  - 4.3.a Serial
  - 4.3.b Ethernet
- 4.4 Verify router configuration and network connectivity using
  - 4.4.a ping
  - 4.4.a extended
  - 4.4.b traceroute
  - 4.4.c telnet
  - 4.4.d SSH
  - 4.4.e sh cdp neighbors
- 4.5 Configure and verify routing configuration for a static or default route given specific routing requirements
- 4.6 Differentiate methods of routing and routing protocols
  - 4.6.a Static versus Dynamic
  - 4.6.b Link state versus Distance Vector
  - 4.6.c next hop
  - 4.6.d ip routing table
  - 4.6.e Passive Interfaces (how they work)
  - 4.6.f Admin Distance
  - 4.6.g split horizon
  - 4.6.h metric
- 4.7 Configure and verify OSPF
  - 4.7.a Benefit of single area
  - 4.7.b Configure OSPv2
  - 4.7.c Configure OSPv3
  - 4.7.d Router ID
  - 4.7.e Passive Interface
  - 4.7.f Discuss multi-area OSPF
  - 4.7.g Understand LSA types and purpose
- 4.8 Configure and verify interVLAN routing (Router on a stick)
  - 4.8.a sub interfaces
  - 4.8.b upstream routing
  - 4.8.c encapsulation
- 4.9 Configure SVI interfaces
- 4.10 Manage Cisco IOS Files
  - 4.10.a Boot Preferences
  - 4.10.b Cisco IOS Images (15)
  - 4.10.c Licensing
    - 4.10.c Show license
    - 4.10.c [ii] Change license
- 4.11 Configure and verify EIGRP (single AS)
  - 4.11.a Feasible Distance/Feasible Successors/Administrative distance
  - 4.11.b Feasibility condition
  - 4.11.c Metric composition
  - 4.11.d Router ID
  - 4.11.e auto summary
  - 4.11.f Path Selection
  - 4.11.g Load Balancing
    - 4.11.g Uequal
    - 4.11.g [ii] Equal
5.0 IP Services 10%
- 5.1 Configure and verify DHCP (IOS Router)
  - 5.1.a Configuring router interfaces to use DHCP
  - 5.1.b DHCP options (basic overview and functionality)
  - 5.1.c Excluded addresses
  - 5.1.d Lease time
- 5.2 Describe the types, features, and applications of ACLs
  - 5.2.a standard (editing and sequence numbers)
  - 5.2.b extended
  - 5.2.c named
  - 5.2.d numbered
  - 5.2.e Log option
- 5.3 Configure and verify ACLs in a network environment
  - 5.3.a named
  - 5.3.b numbered
  - 5.3.c Log option
- 5.4 Identify the basic operation of NAT
  - 5.4.a purpose
  - 5.4.b pool
  - 5.4.c static
  - 5.4.d 1 to 1
  - 5.4.e overloading
  - 5.4.f source addressing
  - 5.4.g one way NAT
- 5.5 Configure and verify NAT for given network requirements
- 5.6 Configure and verify NTP as a client.
- 5.7 Recognize High availability (FHRP)
  - 5.7.a VRRP
  - 5.7.b HSRP
  - 5.7.c GLBP
- 5.8 Configure and verify syslog
  - 5.8.a Utilize Syslog Output
- 5.9 Describe SNMP v2 and v3
6.0 Network Device Security 10%
- 6.1 Configure and verify network device security features
  - 6.1.a Device password security
  - 6.1.b enable secret versus enable
  - 6.1.c Transport
  - 6.1.c.1 disable telnet
  - 6.1.c.2 SSH
  - 6.1.d VTYs
  - 6.1.e physical security
  - 6.1.f service password
  - 6.1.g Describe external authentication methods
- 6.2 Configure and verify Switch Port Security
  - 6.2.a Sticky mac
  - 6.2.b MAC address limitation
  - 6.2.c static/dynamic
  - 6.2.d violation modes
    - 6.2.d err disable
    - 6.2.d [ii] shutdown
    - 6.2.d [iii] protect restrict
  - 6.2.e shutdown unused ports
  - 6.2.f err disable recovery
  - 6.2.g assign unused ports in unused VLANs
  - 6.2.h putting Native VLAN to other than VLAN 1
- 6.3 Configure and verify ACLs to filter network traffic
- 6.4 Configure and verify ACLs to limit telnet and SSH access to the router
7.0 Troubleshooting 20%
- 7.1 Troubleshoot and correct common problems associated with IP addressing and host configurations
- 7.2 Troubleshoot and resolve VLAN problems
  - 7.2.a Identify that VLANs are configured
  - 7.2.b Verify port membership correct
  - 7.2.c Correct IP address configured
- 7.3 Troubleshoot and resolve trunking problems on Cisco switches
  - 7.3.a Verify correct trunk states
  - 7.3.b Verify correct encapsulation configured
  - 7.3.c Correct VLANs allowed
- 7.4 Troubleshoot and resolve ACL issues
  - 7.4.a Verify statistics
  - 7.4.b Verify permitted networks
  - 7.4.c Verify direction
    - 7.4.c Interface
- 7.5 Troubleshoot and resolve Layer 1 problems
  - 7.5.a Framing
  - 7.5.b CRC
  - 7.5.c Runts
  - 7.5.d Giants
  - 7.5.e Dropped packets
  - 7.5.f Late collisions
  - 7.5.g Input/output errors
- 7.6 Identify and correct common network problems
- 7.7 Troubleshoot and resolve spanning tree operation issues
  - 7.7.a Verify root switch
  - 7.7.b Verify priority
  - 7.7.c Verify mode is correct
  - 7.7.d Verify port states
- 7.8 Troubleshoot and resolve routing issues
  - 7.8.a Verify routing is enabled (sh IP protocols)
  - 7.8.b Verify routing table is correct
  - 7.8.c Verify correct path selection
- 7.9 Troubleshoot and resolve OSPF problems
  - 7.9.a Verify neighbor adjacencies
  - 7.9.b Verify Hello and Dead timers
  - 7.9.c Verify OSPF area
  - 7.9.d Verify interface MTU
  - 7.9.e Verify network types
  - 7.9.f Verify neighbor states
  - 7.9.g Review OSPF topology table
- 7.10 Troubleshoot and resolve EIGRP problems
  - 7.10.a Verify neighbor adjacencies
  - 7.10.b Verify AS number
  - 7.10.c Verify load balancing
  - 7.10.d Split horizon
- 7.11 Troubleshoot and resolve interVLAN routing problems
  - 7.11.a Verify connectivity
  - 7.11.b Verify encapsulation
  - 7.11.c Verify subnet
  - 7.11.d Verify native VLAN
  - 7.11.e Port mode trunk status
- 7.12 Troubleshoot and resolve WAN implementation issues
  - 7.12.a Serial interfaces
  - 7.12.b Frame relay
  - 7.12.c PPP
- 7.13 Monitor NetFlow statistics
- 7.14 TS EtherChannel problems
8.0 WAN Technologies 10%
- 8.1 Identify different WAN technologies
  - 8.1.a Metro ethernet
  - 8.1.b VSAT
  - 8.1.c Cellular 3g/4g
  - 8.1.d MPLS
  - 8.1.e T1/E1
  - 8.1.f ISDN
  - 8.1.g DSL
  - 8.1.h Frame relay
  - 8.1.i Cable
  - 8.1.j VPN
- 8.2 Configure and verify a basic WAN serial connection
- 8.3 Configure and verify a PPP connection between Cisco routers
- 8.4 Configure and verify Frame Relay on Cisco routers
- 8.5 Implement and troubleshoot PPPoE

So it looks like I'm the vast-majority of the way there. I have several topics to confirm my knowledge on, and a handful that I don't feel that I have any knowledge of or else I know I struggle with to review more in-depth.

Don't know if this format will help anyone else out, but figured it wouldn't hurt.

TWX · October 2015

Section 2.2
2.2c "Ways to swtich"

Store and Forward is a Layer-2 technology that receives the entire Ethernet Frame and calculates the validity of the FCS before it process the Frame.

Cut Through is a Layer-2 technology that begins processing the Ethernet Frame and its associated L3 content as enough information is received. Depending on the implementation this could mean processing as soon as IP headers are received such that they can be parsed by any access control lists or any quality of service. Cut Through generally requires ingress and egress interfaces to be running at the same speed as otherwise buffering in a store and forward process is necessary.

2.2d CAM Table

Content Addressable Memory is where the switch stores its L2 mappings of MAC addresses to interfaces, as well as aging timers and VLAN assignments.

2.7a/b DTP

Dynamic Trunking Protocol is a Cisco-proprietary method to allow interfaces to negotiate access or trunk links. Its modes are access, trunk, dynamic auto (where it is willing to trunk if the opposite end initiates) and dynamic desirable (where it attempts to trunk if it finds a willing interface at the other end) and can be disabled if the interface is manually configured for access or trunk and nonegotiate is set.

2.8a RSTP and 2.8b PVSTP

Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol 802.1w is an IEEE revision of the original Spanning Tree Protocol to decrease convergence time.

STP switch port states are Blocking, Listening, Learning, and Forwarding.

PVST (no plus) is Cisco's proprietary per-vlan revision of Spanning Tree Protocol, which allows different VLANs to be handled individually. It is only compatible with ISL trunking.

PVST+ is Cisco's improved proprietary per-vlan revision of Spanning Tree Protocol, allowing different VLANs to be handled individually, and is compatible with 802.1q trunks.

to be continued...

Going through Cisco's checklist for final review

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