Summary of Exam Objectives

In this chapter, we examined the factors associated with how to identify network protocols that are best suited to your needs. After we identified the different factors, we evaluated the advantages of using the TCP/IP protocol suite over other protocols, as well as how the Window Server 2003 platform allows the flexibility to use multiple protocols to communicate on your network, and when it might be necessary to do so. We reviewed how to configure TCP/IP manually and summarized some of the new features and enhancements of the Windows Server 2003 networking components.

We reviewed how the TCP/IP network model (actually the DoD model) maps to the OSI reference model and leverages each layer of the TCP/IP model to provide a robust and stable platform for network communications. We took a more in-depth look at the new TCP/IP enhancements in Windows Server 2003, including many of the improvements that will reduce administrative workload such as the new alternate configuration feature for TCP/IP. You also discovered that TCP/IP can now determine the routing metric for the default gateway dynamically, which will help improve the performance of TCP/IP connections to other subnets.

We defined the criteria for addressing TCP/IP networks and how subnetting works. You learned how to subnet networks and convert binary numbers to decimal and back to help implement the addressing schemes you design. We reviewed how to troubleshoot TCP/IP connections and the issues with manual configuration of clients versus automatic configurations using DHCP. We identified your options for DHCP lease duration and how to decide how the duration is set.

After explaining how to install IPv6, we provided you with an overview of the utilities and software that uses IPv6, and how to configure and troubleshoot IPv6 using netsh, ipsec6, ping, and tracert commands. We also looked at the 6to4 router and hosts and how they can assist you in making the transition from IPv4 to IPv6 by encapsulation of IPv6 data in IPv4 packets.

Finally, we examined the tools that are included in Windows Server 2003 to help you monitor, maintain, and plan your network infrastructure. Using those tools, you can identify areas for performance tuning and improving resource availability to minimize network bandwidth utilization and improve network performance.