Data Communications Networks - Theory and Practice Training Course

Foundations of Networking and the OSI Reference Model

• Overview of data networks
• Distinguishing between LANs and WANs
• Application categories and associated requirements
• OSI Reference Model functions and the modular design of data networks

LAN Technology and Ethernet Protocols

• Ethernet protocol standards and speeds: 10M, 100M, 1G, and 10Gbps
• Ethernet media types, including Twisted Pairs, cable categories (Cat 5/5e), and fiber optic cables with connectors
• The CSMA/CD algorithm
• Frame structures: 802.3, Ethernet-2, and Ethernet-SNAP
• Common troubleshooting issues

LAN Switching: Functionality and Operations

• Characteristics and operational principles of LAN bridges
• Operational mechanics of LAN switches
• Switching technologies, including Half-Duplex/Full-Duplex and auto-negotiation
• Virtual LANs (VLANs) and VLAN tagging techniques
• Spanning Tree Protocols: STP, RSTP, and MSTP
• Link Aggregation (LAG) and Etherchannel; LAN structures and topologies
• Data Center switching considerations

WAN Protocols and Services

• Public network architecture, focusing on access transmission and switching
• Legacy network architectures and protocols
  • End-to-end services: Frame Relay (FR), ATM, and Leased lines
  • Transmission services: SDH and WDM/DWDM
  • Access services: xDSL and Cable TV/DOCSIS
• Next-generation network technologies
  • End-to-end services: Carrier Ethernet and IP-based MPLS services
  • Transmission networks: Carrier Ethernet integration
  • Access networks: Advanced xDSL, DOCSIS, and optical technologies

Wireless Networks and Wi-Fi

Network architecture components and topologies

Physical layer specifications

• 802.11a/b/g standards
• 802.11n, featuring OFDM and MIMO technologies

MAC layer operations and contention resolution

• CSMA/CA, Request-to-Send (RTS), Clear-to-Send (CTS), and Network Allocation Vector (NAV)
• IEEE 802.11 frame format and addressing schemes

Enhanced features

• Wi-Fi security mechanisms, including WEP, EAP, TLS, TTLS, and 802.11x

Wi-Fi Quality of Service (QoS): Contention-based access via AIFS, Access Categories, and Contention Windows; controlled access through Polling and TXOPs; and QoS management via ADDTS, Traffic Streams, and TSPECs.

• Cellular network fundamentals

Introduction

• Frequency spectrum reuse strategies
• Call setup and management processes
• Key infrastructure components: MSC, BSC, BTS, and terminal devices
• Handover procedures and channel management

Standards and evolutionary progression

Regulatory bodies and frameworks: 3GPP, 3GPP2, and IMT-2000

Network evolution: From cdmaOne to EVDO/DV and from GSM to HSPA and LTE

Introduction to TCP/IP

• The TCP/IP model and widely used protocols
• Protocol operational mechanisms
• Key standardization organizations

IPv4: Protocols and Addressing

• Key characteristics of IP
• ARP (Address Resolution Protocol)
• IP frame structure analysis
• IP addressing schemes and classful addressing
• Differentiating between private and public address spaces
• Subnetting IP address space using VLSM and CIDR
• Practical exercise: IP address design
• DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
• Multicast operations and IGMP

IPv6: Protocols and Addressing

• IPv6 characteristics and comparative analysis with IPv4
• Packet structure and header overview
• IPv6 address formats and categories
• The automatic configuration process
• Strategies for migrating from IPv4

Layer 4 Protocols: TCP and UDP

• Overview of Layer 4 protocols and well-known ports
• UDP packet structure and functional behavior
• TCP packet structure and functional behavior
• TCP mechanisms for connectivity and reliability
• TCP sliding window, slow-start, and congestion avoidance algorithms
• Sequence numbers and acknowledgment logic
• Calculating TCP maximum throughput (Window Size and RTT)
• Error control methods: Go-back-N and Selective Repeat
• Common TCP performance challenges

Routing and Layer 3 Switching Fundamentals

• Core principles of the routing process
• Defining routing domains and areas
• Differences between static and dynamic routing
• Distance-vector versus Link-state protocols
• Understanding routing metrics
• RIP and OSPF protocol implementations
• BGP, covering both eBGP and iBGP
• Layer 3 switching concepts
• Static and Dynamic Network Address Translation (NAT)
• High Availability protocols: HSRP and VRRP
• Quality of Service (QoS) in IP networks

QoS Parameters: Bandwidth, Delay, Jitter, and Packet Loss

• Mapping application requirements to network behavior
• Techniques including classification, marking, policing, shaping, queuing, and RED/WRED

Network Security: Basics and Components

• Fundamentals of network security, including threat identification and vulnerability assessment
• Secure network architecture involving Firewalls (FWs), VPNs, Network Access Control (NAC), and dedicated security devices
• Firewall operations, specifically packet filtering and stateful inspection
• Security protocols focusing on encryption and authentication
• Types and definitions of encryption
  • Symmetric-key algorithms, including block and stream ciphers
  • Public-key cryptography
  • Hashing functions
• Authentication principles
  • Multi-factor authentication systems
  • Tokens, smart card encryption, and wireless encryption protocols
  • One-Time Passwords (OTP)

Introduction to Data Network Design

• Foundations of Network Engineering
  • Requirements analysis methodologies
  • Data flow modeling
• High-Level Architecture Design
  • Component design and Reference Architecture alignment
  • Architectural modeling techniques
  • Integration of system and network architectures
  • Strategic choices regarding service providers and vendors
• Low-Level Topology Design
  • Designing enterprise network structures
  • LAN and WAN design principles
  • IP network design considerations
  • Security and privacy framework design
  • Network management strategy design
• Designing for network operations and maintenance