Recommendations and Methodology | CCNA Practical Studies (Cisco Certification & Training)

As mentioned earlier, redrawing the entire lab environment will be very helpful in understanding the lab objectives. In the next chapter, you will start configuring the devices. The methodology to configuring devices is quite simple. Start with the physical layer first, then configure the data link layer, and then move on to the network layer. This gives you a structured and repeatable process to ensure that no configuration steps are left out. This is also the same process in which you will troubleshoot any issues that arise.

Physical Layer Configuration

Regarding the physical layer, you will have to trust us on this one! We will make sure that the physical cabling is correct.

Basic Router and Data Link Layer Configurations

You then configure the switch, which is a data link layer device. After you have configured the switch, you will start configuring the routers. All routers will have the same basic configurations, including passwords, host names , host tables, and other items. When all the basic configurations are done, you will start configuring the interfaces. Each interface will have a data link layer configuration, such as Frame Relay, Ethernet, or Token Ring, as well as a network layer configuration (assigning IP addresses). Depending on each data link layer technology, some interfaces might not have any data link layer configuration commands needed (such as Ethernet) to bring up the interface, other than removing the interface from shutdown mode. When the interface has been configured for the data link layer, you will assign an IP address to the interface and verify connectivity (you will use the ping command to verify IP connectivity) to its directly connected neighbor(s).

Network Layer Configurations (Routing)

In the previous section, you assigned IP addresses to all the interfaces. This is actually a network layer configuration task, but it makes more sense to assign the IP addresses as you bring up the interface. When all the interfaces have been configured and connectivity verified , you will configure the routing protocols. Each routing technology will be configured according to the objectives outlined in their respective sections. After all the routing technologies have been configured, you will redistribute the routing domains so that you have interconnectivity among all routing domains.

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