Fundamentals of Switching Technologies:

Introduction to the Data Link Layer
The Data Link Layer
Addressing at the Data Link Layer

LAN Technologies
Ethernet LANs
Token Ring LANs
Fiber Distributed Data Interface LANs

Transparent Bridges
Fundamentals of the Transparent Bridging Architecture
Loops in the Transparent Bridging Architecture
Extensions to the Spanning Tree Protocol
Transparent Bridging Between Dissimilar Networks

Introduction to LAN Switching
Operation of Switched LANs
Multilayer Switching
Evolution of the Switch Design

Introduction to Source Route Bridging
Fundamentals of Source Route Bridging
Source Route Operation
Translational Bridging

Flow Control in LANs
Flow Control in Half-Duplex Networks
Flow Control in Full-Duplex Networks

Virtual LANs
Introduction to VLANs
VLAN Protocols and Standards
Dynamic VLANs

Multicast Flow Control
Multicast Flow Control Using Spanning Tree Pruning
Multicast Flow Control Using IGMP

Redundancy Protocols
Redundancy Protocol to Increase the Network Bandwidth
Redundancy Protocol to Eliminate Single Point Failure

Management of Network Switches
Simple Network Management Protocol
Network Switching Monitoring Tool

LAN Security
Threats to Network Security
Security Concerns at the Data Link Layer

After completing this course, students will know how to:

Explore the significance of the Data Link layer and how individual hosts are identified at the Data Link layer.
Examine the features of popular LAN technologies.
Examine the features of the transparent bridging architecture.
Examine the fundamentals of LAN switching.
Examine the source route bridging architecture.
Examine the significance of implementing flow control on a network and various flow control strategies implemented by switches.
Examine switching in VLANs.
Examine multicast flow control on networks using spanning tree pruning and IGMP snooping techniques.
Examine the redundancy protocols.
Examine the management of network switches.
Examine potential security threats to networks.

Prerequisites

Introduction to Telecommunication or the Fundamentals of Data Communication
course or have equivalent experience.