Cisco TSHOOT 2.0: Troubleshooting Layer 2 Switching and Inter-VLAN Routing

Overview/Description
Switched Ethernet has been the dominant LAN technology for more than a decade and VLAN-based switched infrastructures are at the core of every campus network. A good understanding of the processes involved in Layer 2 switching and being able to diagnose and resolve Layer 2 switching problems in those environments is a fundamental skill that any network engineer should have. A primary tool in building highly available networks is the use of redundant devices and links. With these redundant links, bridging loops can be introduced, resulting in broadcast storms that can potentially cripple the network. The Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) acts as a safety net by breaking those loops and preventing broadcast storms. Spanning tree failures can be catastrophic when they happen, so recognizing the symptoms and having an action plan for these types of failures is a skill that is essential in reducing network downtime. The traditional distinction between routers and switches has become blurred over the past decade and multilayer switches have taken over the role of the router in the campus LAN environment. It is important for network engineers to understand the differences between hardware-accelerated Layer 3 switching and software-based routing architectures, and how these differences translate to the troubleshooting process. In this course, the Layer 2 switching process and associated switch data structures are reviewed, as is the diagnosing of VLAN and trunking problems using the Cisco IOS command line interface. It will also explain how to diagnose spanning-tree problems using the Cisco IOS command line interface. Multilayer switching concepts and how to diagnose specific problems related to multilayer switching, switched virtual interfaces (SVIs), and inter-VLAN routing are also detailed.

Target Audience
Professionals who work in complex network environments desiring the skills they need to maintain their networks and to diagnose and resolve network problems quickly and effectively. The TSHOOT learning path will provide information about troubleshooting and maintaining particular technologies, as well as procedural and organizational aspects of the troubleshooting and maintenance process. A large part of the training will consist of practicing these skills and reinforcing the concepts by putting them to use in a controlled environment. At the end of the learning path, you should have increased your skill level and developed a set of best practices that are based on your own experience that you can take back to your organization.

Prerequisites
None

Expected Duration (hours)
2.0

Lesson Objectives

Cisco TSHOOT 2.0: Troubleshooting Layer 2 Switching and Inter-VLAN Routing

• start the course
• identify the commands that can be used when troubleshooting Layer 2 forwarding
• recognize how an SDM template can affect switch features
• describe issues that may affect 802.1q trunks
• troubleshoot a trunking issue
• identify issues that are specific to VLAN operations
• troubleshoot a VLAN issue
• identify issues that are specific to VTP operations
• identify issues that are specific to EtherChannel operations
• describe issues that affect STP operation
• troubleshoot an RSTP issue
• describe the functionality of features of the STP Toolkit
• describe router-on-a-trunk operational issues
• configure router-on-a-trunk
• troubleshoot a trunk encapsulation issue
• troubleshoot a router-on-a-trunk VLAN issue
• troubleshoot a router-on-a-trunk subinterface issue
• describe SVI operational issues
• configure an SVI
• troubleshoot SVI operation
• troubleshoot an SVI port state issue
• recognize routed port operational issues
• troubleshoot a routed port issue
• recognize Layer 3 EtherChannel operational issues
• troubleshoot an EtherChannel protocol issue
• troubleshoot an inter-VLAN routing issue
• troubleshoot a Layer 2 switched issue in a given scenario