In this module we will look at the routing and switching topics which most companies will be using at this time. Below is a general list of topics the module will address:



Core Routing and Switching themes

Industry related standards and principles

Addressing Schemes

Network modelling approaches

Route-optimisation

Internal Routing Protocols – EIGRP, OSPF, Static routes

Border Gateway Protocol

Balancing techniques and associated maths content

VLANS

Virtual Hardware

Voice Systems

Port-Channels

First-hop redundancy Protocols

Spanning-tree

Multiple Layer switching

Practical Assessment – This will be a practical based skills test testing your application of technical skills. This will be completed during the examination period covering. During this practical based skills test students are required to conduct themselves in a professional manner according to CISCO Academy and local lab regulations (Learning Outcomes 2 and 3).

Written Class Test - This will be a test of 1-hours duration under exam conditions in a classroom environment. The test will be in the format of a multiple-choice question section and a short answer section covering advanced routing and switching architectures (Learning Outcomes 1 and 4).

The lectures given will cover the theoretical content of the course giving the students the information required to build sound knowledge to explore topics practically. Tutorial sessions will be carried out in the networking labs. The tutorial sessions will be used to allow the student to experiment on equipment and to supplement their understanding through additional practical examples of using a particular technology.

1. CRITICALLY ASSESS THE MECHANISMS AND ARCHITECTURAL PRINCIPLES OF NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS TO SELECT AND JUSTIFY APPROPRIATE SOLUTIONS

Knowledge and understanding,
Analysis


2. DEMONSTRATE CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE MAIN FUNCTIONS OF THE OSI DATA-LINK AND NETWORK LAYERS

Knowledge and Understanding,
Analysis,
Problem Solving


3. DEMONSTRATE SYSTEMATIC UNDERSTANDING AND AN ABILITY TO CRITICALLY ASSESS DIFFERENT LAN (LOCAL AREA NETWORK) TECHNOLOGIES, INCLUDING ETHERNET WITH SUPPORT FOR VOICE TRAFFIC AND SECURE TRAFFIC.

Analysis,
Communication


4. CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PHYSICAL CORE OF A COMPUTER NETWORK AND THE DEPLOYMENT OF SWITCHES, ROUTERS, GATEWAYS AND VLANS (VIRTUAL LOCAL AREA NETWORKS).

Analysis,
Communication

All texts and electronic resources will be updated and refreshed on an annual basis and available for students via the online Study Links resource platform. All reference materials will be collated and curated and aligned to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion indicators.



Sluga, M. (2019), AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty Exam Guide: Build your knowledge and technical expertise as an AWS-certified networking specialist, Packt Publishing

Agahian, K. (2022), AWS Advanced Networking Exam Guide: ANS-C01, Independently published¿

Dachache, G. (2021), AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty (ANS-C00) - Complete Preparation: Get Certified with our AWS Certified Advanced Networking (ANS-C00) Practice Tests. Pass the exam with confident !, Independently published

Cisco Networking Academy, (2020), Switching, Routing, and Wireless Essentials Companion Guide, Cisco Press

Piper, (2020), CCNP Enterprise Certification Study Guide: Implementing and Operating Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies, Sybex

Aweya, (2021), IP Routing Protocols: Two-Volume Set, CRC Press

Valadas, (2021), OSPF and IS-IS: From Link State Routing Principles to Technologies, CRC Press

Parkhurst, Cisco Multicast Routing And Switching, McGraw-Hill Osborne Media



Cisco Netacad resources

The university Networking Labs

Cisco Equipment which is provided in our labs

Virtual Machines

Cisco Netacad Environment

Library

Various Online resources which will be provided at the correct point in the module

On this module you will learn why routing and switching are considered as part of the core of networking. Once the network is designed well for these technologies other features such as security can then be built upon this. This course will look in detail at the choices within routing and switching to see why design decisions are made and for you to understand these choices. The switching will look at multi-layer switching which is now increasingly being used inside of networks due to the throughput and additional features which can be offered over the traditional layer 2 technology. The emphasis of this course will be from the viewpoint of a medium to large scale organisation, which will need to make informed decisions in the design choices