Dr. Károly Farkas associate professor  Department of Networked Systems and Services

Dr. Zoltán Zsóka associate professor  Department of Networked Systems and Services

György Varga research fellow Department of Networked Systems and Services

Győző Gódor  research fellow  Department of Networked Systems and Services

The basic objective of "Professional Networking - Core Networking" is to deepen the practical administration of computer networks. It enlarges the knowledge on enterprise core networks - including network design, installation, and configuration of network devices.
The students who successfully complete the subject acquire the knowledge and skills required for ENCOR part of the Cisco CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) certification. The certification can be obtained in authorized examination centers, independently from the University education.

1. Recall preliminary knowledge. Introducing spanning tree protocols. Review: packet forwarding in Layer2 and Layer3, Cisco Express Forwarding (CEF) mechanism. Using spanning trees for managing Layer2 redundancy. STP protocol and its configuration. Setting up multiple spanning trees using MST.

Laboratory: Setting up InterVLAN routing, configure STP and MST

2. Advanced settings in spanning trees. VLANs and trunks, aggregation of links. Review: Parameters of spanning tree configuration. Using the VTP protocol for managing VLANs. Creating trunks using the DTP protocol. Aggregation of parallel links.

Laboratory: Advanced configuration of STP. Settings of VTP and DTP, Configuration of Etherchannel.

3.  Routing, dynamic routing solutions. Review: static routing. Virtual Routing and Forwarding, VRF-Lite. IGP routing protocols: EIGRP and OSPF. Single-area OSPF operation.

Laboratory: Static routing configuration. VRF-Lite configuration. Basic OSPF configuration.

4. Advanced OSPF and OSPFv3. Review: Advanced settings for OSPF. Multi-area OSPF networks. Properties of the OSPFv3 protocol. Basic principles of multicasting.

Laboratory: OSPF tuning and configuration of multi-area OSPF. OSPFv3 configuration.

5. The BGP protocol. Review: Basics and basic settings of BGP. Route summarization and multihoming. Matching and filtering. Route-maps and communities.

Laboratory: Configuration of eBGP, modification and filtering of routes, setting up communities.

6. IP services. QoS in networking. Review: Using NTP in time-synchronization. Setting up a single-homed ISP connection. Availability in ISP connection, dual-homed and multihomed solutions. Types, operation and limits of Network Address Translation. Models and mechanisms for Quality of Service, congestion-control and -avoidance.

Laboratory: NTP configuration. HSRP, VRRP and GLBP settings. NAT configuration.

7. Tunneling solutions. Wireless networks. Review: Setting up a GRE tunnel. Setting up a secured tunnel based on IPSec. The LISP protocol. Using VXLAN for connecting endpoints. Modulation and signaling in wireless networks. Setup and access of access points (APs). Controlling APs by WLC devices.

Laboratory: Configuration of GRE tunnels. Configuration of IPSec tunnels.

8. Handling clients in wireless networks. Review: Roaming and location based on Layer2 and Layer3. Connect the client to the wireless network, authentication with PSK, EAP and WebAuth. Troubleshooting wireless connectivity.

Laboratory: Building a network with WLC. Troubleshooting in wireless networks.

9. Enterprise networks. Softverized networks. Network management and monitoring. Review: Hierarchical and scalable networks. Motivation of softver-based (fabric, SoftwareDefined) solutions. Applying SD in the access and  WAN segment. Support for cloud-based solutions (SaaS and IaaS). Logging and network monitoring tools, properties of NetFlow, SPAN, and RSPAN.

Laboratory: Syslog configuration, setting up NetFlow, and SPAN. Troubleshooting based on IP SLA.

10.  Security of access and of network infrastructure. Review: Controlling the network access, NAC. Secure operation of network devices, AAA settings and protocols. Traffic filtering by ACLs. Settings of zone-based firewalls. Security of the control plan, CoPP. Further methods for increasing security.

Laboratory: ACL configuration. Using an AAA server for authentication.

11. Network virtualization. Programming tools. Network-automation tools. Review: Virtualization of servers and network functions (NF). APIs and protocols in network operation (NETCONF, RESTCONF). Structure of data models and access of elements. Data formats. Python basics. Automation with event-manager (EEM). Agent-based and agentless automation tools.

Laboratory: Writing Python scripts. Queries and configuration with NETCONF and RESTCONF.

12. Summarization of knowledge, Midterm test (theory). Practicing for the practical task.

13. Practical task.

14. Discussion and review. Recaps.

The course is realized through 4 hours of laboratory work per week, where students complete the assigned tasks using real networking devices or a simulator program. In the classes, we provide special time to review new knowledge, explain certain parts in more detail, and clarify questions that may arise.

Acquired skills and knowledge:
a)    VLAN design and management

b)    Management of network connection and element redundancy

c)    Advanced details and configuration of IGP routing

d)    Basics and configuration of EGP routing

e)    Configuration of tunnels

f)     Knowledge of operation and security settings in wireless networks

g)     Configuration of solutions that increase the security of the network and its components

h)    Advanced knowledge of modern network administration techniques

a. during the semester:
•    Participation: The participation at the laboratory classes is obligatory. They can be missed up to two times (counting 11 teaching weeks and 4x45 minute long laboratory classes a week, a minimum of 82% participation is required). The absences need to be replaced.

• Entry tests: Preliminary preparation will be checked at the beginning of each laboratory class. The participation requires a sufficient level of knowledge. If a student fail this test, the laboratory work can not be started, and it is administrated as a missed class participation, and it has to be replaced. The preliminary preparation is checked on the 70% of the weeks (max. 10 times) in form of entry tests.
• Practical task: At the end of the semester, a complex practical exercise has to be solved in the place and time of the class. It is required to solve this task at a sufficient level. The practical tasks can be recapped as described in the "Recaps".
• Midterm test: During the semester the writing of a written examination is required at a sufficient level. This is done in the place and time of the class. The midterm test can be recapped as described in the "Recaps".

The midterm test and the practical task are evaluated in percentage results. When the above conditions are satisfied, the grade is determined according to the mean value of the midterm test and the practical tasks results. The grade is calculated using the following ranges:

0-49% fail (1)

50-65% satisfactory (2)

66-76% medium (3)

77-87% good (4)

88-100% excellent (5)

b. during the exam period: -

• Participation and entry tests: maximum two missed lessons (due to absences or insufficient preparation) can be replaced at a dedicated date (during the semester, or in the replacement week). (3 or more absences can not be replaced, thus in this case the subject can not be accomplished.)
• Practical task: The practical task can be replaced in the designated replacement time (during the semester or the replacement week).
  Midterm test: The midterm test can be replaced in the designated replacement time (during the semester or the replacement week).

• The official CISCO CCNP ENCOR course (in English) is available in electronic form for all students of the subject.

• Brad Edgeworth, Kevin Wallace, Jason Gooley, David Hucaby, Ramiro Garza Rios: CCNP and CCIE Enterprise Core ENCOR 350-401 Official Cert Guide, Cisco Press

• Jeff Doyle, Jennifer DeHaven Carroll: Routing TCP/IP, Volume 1-2, Cisco Press

Dr. Károly Farkas associate professor Department of Networked Systems and Services

György Varga research fellow Department of Networked Systems and Services

Dr. Zoltán Zsóka associate professor Department of Networked Systems and Services

The content of the subject and the assessments were worked out according to university education regulations and based on the Cisco CCNPv8 curriculum ENCOR course.