Course Description

The Understanding Cisco Service Provider Network Foundations (SPFNDU) course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of service provider network technologies and architectures. This course focuses on teaching the foundational knowledge and skills required to build and maintain service provider networks using Cisco technologies. Through theoretical lectures, hands-on lab exercises, and real-world case studies, students will learn about service provider network components, protocols, network infrastructure, service provisioning, and troubleshooting techniques.

Prerequisites

• Basic understanding of networking concepts, including TCP/IP, routing, and switching.
• Familiarity with network protocols, such as OSPF, BGP, and MPLS.
• Knowledge of Cisco routers and switches.
• Access to a computer with Cisco IOS routers and switches.

Methodology

The course will employ a blended learning approach, combining theoretical lectures, hands-on lab sessions, and real-world case studies. The lectures will provide comprehensive explanations of service provider network technologies and architectures, while the lab sessions will allow students to gain practical experience by configuring and troubleshooting Cisco routers and switches. Real-world case studies will be used to showcase the application of learned concepts in service provider network environments.

Course Outline

Service Provider Network Overview

Understanding service provider network infrastructure and architecture

Exploring service provider network components, including routers, switches, and service devices

Examining service provider network topologies and design considerations

Service Provider Routing Protocols

Configuring and troubleshooting OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) in a service provider network

Implementing BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) for interdomain routing and connectivity

Understanding MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) and its role in service provider networks

Service Provider IP Traffic Management

Implementing QoS (Quality of Service) techniques for traffic prioritization and bandwidth management

Understanding network traffic engineering and performance optimization in service provider networks

Configuring and troubleshooting traffic filtering and shaping mechanisms

Service Provider Network Services

Implementing network address translation (NAT) and port address translation (PAT) in service provider networks

Configuring and troubleshooting DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) and DNS (Domain Name System) services

Understanding multicast and its role in service provider networks

Service Provider Network Operations and Management

Implementing network monitoring and troubleshooting techniques in service provider networks

Configuring and troubleshooting network management protocols, such as SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) and NetFlow

Examining service provider network security considerations and best practices

Outcome

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Understand the fundamentals of service provider network technologies, components, and architectures.
• Configure and troubleshoot service provider routing protocols, including OSPF and BGP.
• Implement QoS techniques for traffic management and performance optimization in service provider networks.
• Configure and troubleshoot network services, such as NAT, DHCP, and DNS.
• Implement network monitoring and troubleshooting techniques for efficient service provider network operations.

Labs

• OSPF Configuration and Troubleshooting: Students will configure and troubleshoot OSPF in a service provider network environment.
• BGP Configuration and Troubleshooting: Students will work on configuring and troubleshooting BGP for interdomain routing and connectivity.
• QoS Implementation: Students will implement QoS techniques for traffic prioritization and bandwidth management in a service provider network.
• Network Services Configuration: Students will configure and troubleshoot network services, including NAT, DHCP, and DNS.
• Network Monitoring and Troubleshooting: Students will apply network monitoring and troubleshooting techniques using SNMP, NetFlow, and other tools in a service provider network.