Showing posts with label map. Show all posts
Showing posts with label map. Show all posts

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Cisco CCNP Certification / BCMSN Exam Tutorial: Writing QoS Policy

QoS - Quality of Service - is a huge topic on both the BCMSN exam and real-world networks. QoS is so big today that Cisco's created separate specialist certifications that cover nothing but QoS! It can be an overwhelming topic at first, but master the fundamentals and you're on your way to exam and job success.

If you work with QoS at any level - and sooner or later, you will - you've got to know how to write and apply QoS policies.

Creating and applying such a policy is a three-step process.

1. Create a QoS class to identify the traffic that will be affected by the policy.

2. Create a QoS policy containing the actions to be taken by traffic identified by the class.

3. Apply the policy to the appropriate interfaces.


If the phrase "identify the traffic" sounds like it's time to write an access-list, you're right! Writing an ACL is one of two ways to classify traffic, and is the more common of the two. Before we get to the less-common method, let's take a look at how to use an ACL to classify traffic.

You can use either a standard or extended ACL with QoS policies. The ACL will be written separately, and then called from the class map.

SW1(config)#access-list 105 permit tcp any any eq 80

SW1(config)#class-map WEBTRAFFIC

SW1(config-cmap)#match access-group 105

Now that we've identified the traffic to be affected by the policy, we better get around to writing the policy! QoS policies are configured with the policy-map command, and each clause of the policy will contain an action to be taken to traffic matching that clause.

SW1(config)#policy-map LIMIT_WEBTRAFFIC_BANDWIDTH

SW1(config-pmap)#class WEBTRAFFIC

SW1(config-pmap-c)#police 5000000 exceed-action drop

SW1(config-pmap-c)#exit

This is a simple policy, but it illustrates the logic of QoS policies. The policy map LIMIT_WEBTRAFFIC_BANDWIDTH calls the map-class WEBTRAFFIC. We already know that all WWW traffic will match that map class, so any WWW traffic that exceeds the stated bandwidth limitation will be dropped.

Finally, apply the policy to the appropriate interface.

SW1(config-if)#service-policy LIMIT_WEBTRAFFIC_BANDWIDTH in

Getting your CCNP is a great way to boost your career, and learning QoS is a tremendous addition to your skill set. Like I said, learn the fundamentals, don't get overwhelmed by looking at QoS as a whole, and you're on your way to success!

Cisco CCNP / BSCI Exam Tutorial: Introduction To Policy Routing

Policy routing is a major topic on your BSCI exam, and you'll find quite a bit of policy routing going on in today's production networks. But what exactly is policy routing?

Policy-based routing, generally referred to as "policy routing", is the use of route maps to determine the path a packet will take to get to its final destination. As you progress through your CCNP studies and go on to the CCIE (or to a Cisco Quality Of Service certification), you'll find that traffic can be "marked" by policy routing in order to give different levels of service to various classes of traffic. (This is done by marking the traffic and placing the different classes of traffic in different queues in the router, allowing the administrator to give some traffic higher priority for transmission.)

There are some basic policy routing rules you should know:

Policy routing doesn't affect the destination of the packet, but does affect the path that is taken to get there.

Policy routing can forward traffic based on the source IP address or the destination IP address (with the use of an extended ACL).

Policy routing can be configured at the interface level, or globally.


Applying policy routing on an interface affects only packets arriving on that interface:

R2(config)#int s0

R2(config-if)#ip policy route-map CHANGE_NEXT_HOP

Applying the policy globally applies the route map to packets generated on the router, not on all packets received on all interfaces.

Whether you're running policy routing at the interface level, on packets created locally, or both, always run the command show ip policy to make sure you've got the right route maps on the proper interfaces.

R2#show ip policy

Interface Route map

local CHANGE_NEXT_HOP

Serial0 CHANGE_NEXT_HOP

And here's the big rule to remember....

If a packet doesn't match any of the specific criteria in a route map, or does match a line that has an explicit deny statement, the data is sent to the routing process and will be processed normally. If you don't want to route packets that do not meet any route map criteria, the set command must be used to send those packets to the null0 interface. This set command should be the final set command in the route map.

There are four possibilities for an incoming packet when route maps are in use. The following example illustrates all of them.

R2(config)#access-list 29 permit host 20.1.1.1

R2(config)#access-list 30 permit host 20.2.2.2

R2(config)#access-list 31 permit host 20.3.3.3

R2(config)#access-list 32 permit host 20.4.4.4

R2(config)#route-map EXAMPLE permit 10

R2(config-route-map)#match ip address 29

R2(config-route-map)#set ip next-hop 40.1.1.1


R2(config-route-map)#route-map EXAMPLE permit 20

R2(config-route-map)#match ip address 30

Assuming the route map has been applied to the router's ethernet0 interface, a packet sourced from 20.1.1.1 would meet the first line of the route map and have its next-hop IP address set to 40.1.1.1.

A packet sourced from 20.2.2.2 would match the next permit statement (sequence number 20). Since there is no action listed, this packet would return to the routing engine to undergo the normal routing procedure. All traffic that did not match these two addresses would also be routed normally - there would be no action taken by the route map.

Perhaps we want to specifically block traffic sourced from 20.3.3.3 or 20.4.4.4. We can use multiple match statements in one single route map, and have packets matching those two addresses sent to the bit bucket - the interface null0.

R2(config)#route-map EXAMPLE permit 30

R2(config-route-map)#match ip address 31

R2(config-route-map)#match ip address 32

R2(config-route-map)#set ?

as-path Prepend string for a BGP AS-path attribute

automatic-tag Automatically compute TAG value

comm-list set BGP community list (for deletion)

community BGP community attribute

dampening Set BGP route flap dampening parameters

default Set default information

extcommunity BGP extended community attribute

interface Output interface

ip IP specific information

level Where to import route

local-preference BGP local preference path attribute

metric Metric value for destination routing protocol

metric-type Type of metric for destination routing protocol

origin BGP origin code

tag Tag value for destination routing protocol

weight BGP weight for routing table

R2(config-route-map)#set interface null0

Any traffic matching ACLs 31 or 32 will be sent to null0, resulting in its being discarded by the router. Any traffic that didn't match any of the route map statements will be returned to the routing engine for normal processing.

Knowing policy routing and how to apply it are essential skills for passing the BSCI exam, earning your CCNP, and becoming more valuable in today's job market. Get some hands-on practice in a CCNA / CCNP home lab or rack rental to go along with learning the theory, and you'll be writing and applying policy routing in no time at all.

Cisco CCNP / BSCI Certification: The BGP Attribute “MED”

When you're preparing to pass the BSCI exam and earn your CCNP certification, one of the biggest challenges is learning BGP. BGP is totally different from any protocol you learned to earn your CCNA certification, and one of the differences is that BGP uses path attributes to favor one path over another when multiple paths to or from a destination exist.

Notice I said "to or from". In earlier free BGP tutorials, I discussed the BGP attributes "weight" and "local preference". These attributes are used to favor one path to a destination over another; for example, if BGP AS 100 has two paths to a destination in AS 200, these two attributes can be set in AS 100 to favor one path over another. But what if AS 100 wants to inform the routers in AS 200 as to which path it should use to reach a given destination in AS 100?

That's where the BGP attribute "Multi-Exit Discriminator", or MED, comes in. The MED value can be set in AS 100 to tell AS 200 which path it should use to reach a given network in AS 100.

As with many BGP attributes, the MED can be set with a route-map. What you need to watch is that there is no "set med" value in route maps. To change the MED of a path, you need to change the metric of that path. Let's say that there are two entry paths for AS 200 to use to reach destinations in AS 100. You want AS 200 to use the 100.1.1.0/24 path over the 100.2.2.0/24 path. First, identify the two paths with two separate ACLs.

R1(config)#access-list 22 permit 100.1.1.0 0.0.0.255

R1(config)#access-list 23 permit 100.2.2.0 0.0.0.255

Next, write a route-map that assigns a lower metric to the more-desirable path.

R1(config)#route-map PREFER_PATH permit 10

R1(config-route-map)#match ip address 22

R1(config-route-map)#set metric 100

R1(config-route-map)#route-map PREFER_PATH permit 20

R1(config-route-map)#match ip address 23

R1(config-route-map)#set metric 250

Finally, apply the route-map to the neighbor or neighbors.

R1(config-route-map)#router bgp 100

R1(config-router)#neighbor 22.2.2.2 route-map PREFER_PATH out

The key points to keep in mind is that while many BGP attributes prefer a higher value, the MED is basically an external metric - and a lower metric is preferred, just as with the protocols you've already studied to earn your CCNA certification.

Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial: Mapping The OSI Model To The TCPIP Model

The OSI model is the model that most networking personnel are familiar with, but to earn your CCNA, you need to know the OSI model, the TCP/IP model, and how the two map to each other.

The four layers of the TCP/IP architecture can be compared to certain levels of the OSI model. It’s important to know what each level of the TCP/IP protocol architecture does, and how these layers map to the OSI model.

The Application Layer of the TCP/IP model performs much the same tasks as the Application, Presentation, and Session layers of the OSI model.

The Transport layer in the TCP/IP architecture is similar to the Transport layer in the OSI model. This layer can use TCP or UDP as well.

The Internetwork layer in the TCP/IP architecture uses IP addresses to determine how packets should be routed. Remember that the OSI model uses IP addresses, or “Layer 3 Addresses”, at the Network layer. The two layers do much the same thing. This layer is also referred to in the TCP/IP model as the Internet layer.

The Network Interface layer in the TCP/IP architecture serves to define the protocols and the hardware needed to actually deliver the data across the network. The Network Interface model does the work of both the Data Link and Physical Layers in the OSI model.

Keeping all this straight can be very confusing when you first start your CCNA studies. Concentrate on the OSI model in your studies, but make sure you know how the TCP/IP model maps to that model and you'll be ready for CCNA exam success!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Cisco CCNA Certification Exam Tutorial: ISDN Details You Must Know

CCNA exam success depends partially on knowing the details of ISDN, and there are plenty of them! To help you review for your CCNA exam, here are a few ISDN details that you must know on exam day. (They help in the real world, too – and there are still plenty of ISDN networks out there!

The Cisco-proprietary version of HDLC is the default encapsulation type for serial and ISDN interfaces.

R2#show interface serial0

Serial0 is up, line protocol is up

Hardware is HD64570

MTU 1500 bytes, BW 1544 Kbit, DLY 20000 usec, rely 255/255, load 1/255

Encapsulation HDLC, loopback not set, keepalive set (10 sec)


While there’s only one D-channel in BRI, PRI (US) and PRI (EU), the bandwidth of that D-channel does vary from BRI to PRI. It’s 16 kbps in BRI and 64 kbps in both PRI versions.

The global command isdn switch-type must be configured before you can even begin to have ISDN work. show isdn status will tell you whether or not you’ve done this correctly.

R2#show isdn status

**** No Global ISDN Switchtype currently defined ****

ISDN BRI0 interface

dsl 0, interface ISDN Switchtype = none

Layer 1 Status:

DEACTIVATED

Layer 2 Status:

Layer 2 NOT Activated

Layer 3 Status:

0 Active Layer 3 Call(s)

PAP allows passwords to be different; CHAP requires that they be the same.

PAP requires the “ppp pap sent-username” interface-level command. CHAP has no equivalent command.

Define interesting traffic with dialer-list and link that list to the interface with dialer-group.

R2#conf t

R2(config)#dialer-list 1 proto ip permit

R2(config)#int bri0

R2(config-if)#dialer-group 1

The dialer idle-timeout value is expressed in seconds, not minutes. (Even IOS Help isn’t totally clear on this.)

R2(config)#int bri0

R2(config-if)#dialer-group 1

R2(config-if)#dialer idle-timeout ?

<1-2147483> Idle timeout before disconnecting a call

R2(config-if)#dialer idle-timeout 120


Dialer map maps a remote IP address to a remote phone number. You never dial the local router’s phone number.

dialer load-threshold requires the ppp multilink command to be configured, and the value of dialer load-threshold is expressed as a ratio of 255, NOT 100. For example, if you want the second b-channel to come up when the first reaches 50% of capacity, the value to express with dialer load-threshold would be 50% of 255 – which equals 127.

R2(config)#int bri0

R2(config-if)#encap ppp

R2(config-if)#ppp multilink

R2(config-if)#dialer load-threshold ?

<1-255> Load threshold to place another call


Success on the CCNA exam depends on knowing the details. Keep studying, keep practicing on real Cisco routers and switches, keep a positive attitude, and you're on your way to CCNA exam success!

Cisco CCNA Certification Exam Tutorial: Configuring Dialer Profiles

The most common method of configuring ISDN is with dialer maps, but dial information can also be configured on a logical interface. To pass the CCNA exam, you must know how to configure and troubleshoot both dialer maps and dialer profiles.

Dialer Profiles allow different dialing information to be configured onto logical interfaces. The logical interfaces may have different dialing destinations, different remote router names, etc., but they’ll be using the same physical interface.

Dialer strings are used on dialer profiles. Note that each logical interface has a different IP address, a different remote router to dial, and a different dialer string, but they will be using the same physical interface to dial out. The commands dialer pool and dialer pool-member are used to link the logical and physical interfaces. The number following each command must match for the logical interface to correctly bind to the physical interface.


R1(config)#interface dialer0

R1(config-if)#ip address 172.16.1.1 255.255.255.0

R1(config-if)#encapsulation ppp

<. The encapsulation type is placed on both the logical and physical interfaces. >

R1(config-if)#dialer remote-name Remote0



R1(config-if)#dialer pool 1

< places logical interface into dialer pool >

R1(config-if)#dialer string 5551212

< number dialed to contact router Remote0 >

R1(config-if)#dialer-group 1

< links logical interface to dialer-list 1 >


R1(config)#interface dialer1

R1(config-if)#ip address 172.16.1.2 255.255.255.0

R1(config-if)#encapsulation ppp

R1(config-if)#dialer remote-name Remote1

R1(config-if)#dialer pool 1

R1(config-if)#dialer string 5551234

R1(config-if)#dialer-group 1


R1(config)#interface bri0

R1(config-if)#no ip address

< With dialer profiles, IP addresses are assigned to logical interfaces. >

R1(config-if)#encapsulation ppp

< The encapsulation type is place on both the logical and physical interfaces.>

R1(config-if)#dialer pool-member 1

< The number associated with this command should match the number configured with the dialer pool number on the logical dialer interfaces. >

R1(config-if)#isdn spid1 0835866101

R1(config-if)#isdn spid2 0835866301



When configuring dialer profiles, the encapsulation type should be placed on both the physical BRI interface and the logical dialer interfaces. The SPIDs are configured on the physical interface as well.

Configuring dialer profiles can be a little tricky at first, and the best way to master this skill is to get real hands-on practice in your own CCNA / CCNP home lab or a rack rental service. Either way, hands-on is the best practice. Best of luck in your CCNA studies!

Cisco CCNA Certification Exam: Five Frame Relay Details You Must Know

When you're studying for your CCNA exam on the way to earning this coveted Cisco certification, the details can seem overwhelming! In this article, I'll point out five Frame Relay details that you must keep in mind when you're on your way to the CCNA exam!

Inverse ARP starts working as soon as you open the serial interface. This protocol performs dynamic Frame Relay mapping, but you don't have to enable it - it's already enabled as soon as you enter the command "encapsulation frame-relay".

When you're configuring Frame Relay map statements manually, remember that you're mapping the local DLCI to the remote IP address.

When you run "show frame map", the word "dynamic" indicates mappings created by Inverse ARP, and "static" indicates it was manually created.

To spot possible LMI type mismatches, run "show frame lmi". A large number of Status Timeouts indicates that there may be an LMI problem between your router and the frame relay switch.

This last one is for the many of you building CCNA home labs. A frame relay switch is a great addition to your lab! While you're busy putting the configuration together, don't forget the global command "frame-relay switching" - it's this command that allows a Cisco router to act as a frame relay switch!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Cisco CCNA / CCNP Certification Tutorial: Frame Relay End-To-End Keepalives

One of the first things you learned about Frame is that the LMI also serves as a keepalive, or a heartbeat - and if three consecutive LMIs are missed, the line protocol goes down. There's a limitation to LMI as a keepalive, though. The LMI is exchanged only between the DTE and the closest DCE. The LMI is therefore a local keepalive that does not reflect any possible issues on the remote end of the virtual circuit.

Taking the LMI concept to the next logical level, Frame Relay End-To-End Keepalives (FREEK, one of the least-heard Cisco acronyms for some reason) are used to verify that endpoint-to-endpoint communications are functioning properly.

What you have to keep in mind about FREEK is that each and every PVC needs two separate keepalive processes. Remember, with a PVC, there's no guarantee that the path taking through the frame relay cloud to get from R1 to R2 is going to be the same path taken to go back from R2 to R1. One process will be used to send requests for information and handle the responses to these requests; this is the send side. When the send side transmits a keepalive request, a response is expected in a certain number of seconds. If one is not received, an error event is noted. If enough error events are recorded, the VC's keepalive status is marked as down.

The process that responds to the other side's requests is the receive side.

This being Cisco, we've got to have some modes, right? FREEK has four operational modes.

Bidirectional mode enables both the send and receive process enabled on the router, meaning that the router will send requests and process responses (send side) and will also respond to remote requests for information (receive side).

Request mode enables only the send process. The router will send requests and process responses to those requests, but will not answer requests from other routers.

Reply mode enables only the receive process. The router will respond to requests from other routers but will initiate no requests of its own.

Finally, passive reply mode allows the router to respond to requests, but no timers are set and no events are tracked.

Frame Relay End-To-End Keepalive defaults:

Two send or receive errors must be registered in order for the VC to be considered down.

The event window size is three. The event window is the number of events considered by the router when determining the status of the VC. Therefore, using the defaults, two send or receive errors would have to be received within the event window of three events for the VC to be considered down.

The timer mentioned earlier - the amount of time a router waits for a response - is set to 10 seconds

Working with Frame Relay end-to-end keepalives is just one Frame skill you’ll need to pass the CCNP exams – and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them on a CCIE exam. Know the details and you’re on your way to Cisco certification exam success!