CCNAv7-3: Enterprise Networking, Security, and Automation (ENSA)

Welcome to Single-Area OSPFv2 Configuration!

Now that you know about single-area OSPFv2, you can probably think of all the ways it could benefit your own network. As a link-state protocol, OSPF is designed to not only find the fastest available route, it is designed to create fast, available routes. If you prefer a bit more control over some areas of your network, OSPF gives you several ways to manually override the DR election process and create your own preferred routes. With OSPF, your network can combine the automated processes with your own choices to make a network that you could troubleshoot in your sleep! You know you want to learn how to do this!

Welcome to Network Security Concepts!

Perhaps you’ve heard one of the hundreds of news stories about a data security breach within a large corporation or even a government. Was your credit card number exposed by a breach? Your private health information? Would you like to know how to prevent these data breaches? The field of network security is growing every day. This module provides a detailed landscape of the types of cybercrime and the many ways we have to fight back against cybercriminals. Let’s get started!

Welcome to ACL Concepts!

You have arrived at your grandparents’ residence. It is a beautiful gated community with walking paths and gardens. For the residents safety, no one is permitted to get into the community without stopping at the gate and presenting the guard with identification. You provide your ID and the guard verifies that you are expected as a visitor. He documents your information and lifts the gate. Imagine if the guard had to do this for the many staff members that entered each day. They have simplified this process by assigning a badge for each employee to automatically raise the gate once the badge is scanned. You greet your grandparents who are anxiously awaiting you at the front desk. You all get back into the car to go down the street for dinner. As you exit the parking lot, you must again stop and show your identification so that the guard will lift the gate. Rules have been put in place for all incoming and outgoing traffic.

Much like the guard in the gated community, network traffic passing through an interface configured with an access control list (ACL) has permitted and denied traffic. The router compares the information within the packet against each ACE, in sequential order, to determine if the packet matches one of the ACEs. This process is called packet filtering. Let’s learn more!

Welcome to ACLs for IPv4 Configuration!

In the gated community where your grandparents live, there are rules for who can enter and leave the premises. The guard will not raise the gate to let you in to the community until someone confirms that you are on an approved visitor list. Much like the guard in the gated community, network traffic passing through an interface configured with an access control list (ACL) has permitted and denied traffic. How do you configure these ACLs? How do you modify them if they are not working correctly or if they require other changes? How do ACLs provide secure remote administrative access? Get started with this module to learn more!

Welcome to NAT for IPv4!

IPv4 addresses are 32-bit numbers. Mathematically, this means that there can be just over 4 billion unique IPv4 addresses. In the 1980s, this seemed like more than enough IPv4 addresses. Then came the development of affordable desktop and laptop computers, smart phones and tablets, many other digital technologies, and of course, the internet. Rather quickly it became apparent that 4 billion IPv4 addresses would not be nearly enough to handle the growing demand. This is why IPv6 was developed. Even with IPv6, most networks today are IPv4-only, or a combination of IPv4 and IPv6. The transition to IPv6-only networks is still ongoing, that is why Network Address Translation (NAT) was developed. NAT is designed to help manage those 4 billion addresses so that we can all use our many devices to access the internet. As you can see, it is important that you understand the purpose of (NAT) and how it works. As a bonus, this module contains multiple Packet Tracer activities where you get to configure different types of NAT. Get going!

Welcome to WAN Concepts!

As you know, local area networks are called LANs. The name implies that your LAN is local to you and your small home or office business. But what if your network is for a larger business, perhaps even a global enterprise? You cannot operate a large business with multiple sites without a wide area network, which is called a WAN. This module explains what WANs are and how they connect to the internet and also back to your LAN. Understanding the purpose and functions of WANs is foundational to your understanding of modern networks. So let’s jump in to WAN Concepts!

Welcome to VPN and IPsec Concepts!

Have you, or someone you know, ever been hacked while using public WiFi? It’s surprisingly easy to do. But there is a solution to this problem: Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and the additional protection of IP Security (IPsec). VPNs are commonly used by remote workers around the globe. There are also personal VPNs that you can use when you are on public WiFi. In fact, there are many different kinds of VPNs using IPsec to protect and authenticate IP packets between their source and destination. Want to know more? Click Next!

Welcome to QoS Concepts!

Imagine driving on a heavily congested road and you are in a rush to meet a friend for dinner. You hear the siren and see the lights of an ambulance behind you. You need to move off the road to let the ambulance through. The ambulance getting to the hospital takes priority over you getting to the restaurant on time.

Much like the ambulance taking priority in the traffic on the highway, some forms of network traffic need priority over others. Why? Get started with this module to find out!

Welcome to Network Management!

Imagine that you are at the helm of a spaceship. There are many, many components that work together to move this ship. There are multiple systems to manage these components. To get where you are going you would need to have a full understanding of the components and the systems that manage them. You would probably appreciate any tools that would make managing your spaceship - while you are also flying it - simpler.

Like a complex spaceship, networks also need to be managed. Happily, there are many tools that are designed to make network management simpler. This module introduces you to several tools and protocols to help you manage your network - while your users are using it. It also includes many Packet Tracer activities and Hands On Labs to test your skills. These are the tools of great network administrators, so you will definitely want to get started!

Welcome to Network Design!

You are a sought after spaceship designer! You have been asked to design a new spaceship. Your first questions are, “What will this ship be used for? How large is the crew? Will it be a war ship? A cargo ship? A science and exploration vessel?” What if the answer is, “The crew can be as few as 50 people, but it must be able to hold as many as 500. It will be used in a variety of ways.”? How do you design a ship like this? You must design the size and configuration of the ship, and the power it requires, wisely.

Designing a network to meet current requirements and to adapt to future requirements is a complex task. But it can be done, thanks to hierarchical and scalable network designs that use the right components. You know you want to learn about this. Even if you have not designed your current network, knowing about network design will increase your value to the organization as a great network administrator! And who doesn’t want that?

Welcome to Network Troubleshooting!

Who is the best network administrator that you have ever seen? Why do you think this person is so good at it? Likely, it is because this person is really good at troubleshooting network problems. They are probably experienced administrators, but that is not the whole story. Good network troubleshooters generally go about this in a methodical fashion, and they use all of the tools available to them.

The truth is that the only way to become a good network troubleshooter is to always be troubleshooting. It takes time to get good at this. But luckily for you, there are many, many tips and tools that you can use. This module covers the different methods for network troubleshooting and all of the tips and tools you need to get started. This module also has two really good Packet Tracer activities to test your new skills and knowledge. Maybe your goal should be to become the best network administrator that someone else has ever seen!

Welcome to Network Virtualization!

Imagine you live in a two-bedroom house. You use the second bedroom for storage. The second bedroom is packed full of boxes, but you still have more to place in storage! You could consider building an addition on your house. It would be a costly endeavor and you may not need that much space forever. You decide to rent a storage unit for the overflow.

Similar to a storage unit, network virtualization and cloud services can provide a business with options other than adding servers into their own data center. In addition to storage, it offers other advantages. Get started with this module to learn more about what virtualization and cloud services can do!

Welcome to Network Automation!

Have you set up your home network? A small office network? Imagine doing those tasks for tens of thousands of end devices and thousands of routers, switches, and access points! Did you know that there is software that automates those tasks for an enterprise network? In fact, there is software that can automate the design of an enterprise network. It can automate all of the monitoring, operations and maintenance for your network. Interested? Get started!