Advanced Networking Course

Lesson 1 • Network Topologies and Media Types

Covers physical and logical topologies alongside transmission media characteristics. Connects infrastructure choices to performance and fault tolerance.

Lesson 2 • Essential Network Devices

Describes hubs, switches, routers, and firewalls and their roles in a network. Grounds students in hardware context before protocol-level study.

Lesson 3 • The OSI and TCP/IP Models

Examines the seven-layer OSI model and the four-layer TCP/IP stack side by side. Establishes the layered framework used throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • EtherChannel and Link Aggregation

Demonstrates bundling multiple physical links into a single logical channel. Increases bandwidth and redundancy without triggering spanning tree blocking.

Lesson 2 • Ethernet Switching Principles

Explains MAC address learning, forwarding, filtering, and flooding in switches. Anchors Layer 2 behavior before VLAN and STP concepts are introduced.

Lesson 3 • Spanning Tree Protocol

Covers STP, RSTP, and MSTP operation to eliminate Layer 2 loops. Connects redundancy design to stable, loop-free switched topologies.

Lesson 4 • LAN Security at Layer 2

Addresses port security, DHCP snooping, and dynamic ARP inspection. Protects the switched infrastructure from common Layer 2 attacks.

Lesson 1 • EIGRP Interior Routing Protocol

Teaches EIGRP metric calculation, DUAL algorithm, and feasible successor selection. Provides an alternative distance-vector option for enterprise networks.

Lesson 2 • IPv6 Addressing and Routing

Covers IPv6 address types, stateless autoconfiguration, and OSPFv3 operation. Extends routing knowledge to the modern dual-stack environment.

Lesson 3 • BGP and Inter-Domain Routing

Introduces BGP path attributes, eBGP vs. iBGP, and policy-based routing decisions. Connects enterprise routing to internet-scale path selection.

Lesson 4 • Routing Table Fundamentals

Explains how routers build and use routing tables to make forwarding decisions. Establishes the logic underlying all static and dynamic routing methods.

Lesson 1 • VPN Technologies for WAN

Teaches IPsec, GRE, and DMVPN tunnel configuration for secure site connectivity. Provides practical skills for encrypted WAN overlay deployment.

Lesson 2 • WAN Concepts and Service Models

Defines WAN terminology, circuit types, and service provider roles. Frames the business and technical context for all WAN technology choices.

Lesson 3 • SD-WAN Architecture and Benefits

Covers SD-WAN overlay design, centralized control, and application-aware routing. Positions software-defined WAN as a modern alternative to legacy circuits.

Lesson 1 • Access Control Lists and Filtering

Covers standard, extended, and named ACL syntax for traffic filtering. Directly applies IP addressing knowledge to enforce network access policies.

Lesson 2 • Cryptography in Network Security

Introduces symmetric and asymmetric encryption, hashing, and PKI fundamentals. Provides the cryptographic foundation for VPN and certificate-based security.

Lesson 3 • Intrusion Detection and Prevention

Teaches IDS and IPS deployment modes, signature types, and tuning strategies. Adds active threat detection to the layered security architecture.

Lesson 4 • Network Authentication and AAA

Covers RADIUS, TACACS+, and 802.1X for centralized authentication and authorization. Secures administrative and user access to network devices and segments.

Lesson 1 • Wireless LAN Architecture

Compares autonomous, controller-based, and cloud-managed WLAN deployments. Connects architecture choice to scalability, roaming, and management needs.

Lesson 2 • WLAN Troubleshooting and Optimization

Teaches spectrum analysis, coverage surveys, and interference mitigation methods. Develops practical skills for maintaining wireless performance in dense environments.

Lesson 3 • Wireless Security Protocols

Covers WPA2, WPA3, EAP methods, and rogue AP detection techniques. Secures wireless access in alignment with the wired security policies established earlier.

Lesson 1 • Programmability Concepts and APIs

Introduces REST APIs, data formats, and the shift from CLI to programmatic management. Frames automation as an extension of the routing and switching skills already built.

Lesson 2 • Ansible for Network Configuration

Teaches Ansible playbooks, inventory files, and network modules for idempotent config. Scales configuration management beyond individual device scripting.

Lesson 3 • Intent-Based Networking Concepts

Explains IBN architecture, closed-loop assurance, and policy abstraction layers. Connects automation skills to the strategic direction of self-managing networks.

Lesson 4 • Python Scripting for Network Tasks

Covers Python basics, the Netmiko library, and script-driven device configuration. Enables automated data collection and change deployment across network devices.

Lesson 1 • Advanced Troubleshooting Scenarios

Resolves complex routing, switching, and security faults using real-world lab cases. Integrates all course knowledge into practical, timed diagnostic exercises.

Lesson 2 • Structured Troubleshooting Methodology

Applies top-down, bottom-up, and divide-and-conquer approaches to fault isolation. Builds a repeatable diagnostic process applicable to any network problem.

Lesson 3 • Hierarchical Network Design Models

Covers the three-tier and spine-leaf models for scalable enterprise architecture. Synthesizes all prior layer knowledge into cohesive, production-ready designs.

Lesson 4 • Network Monitoring and Visibility

Covers SNMP, NetFlow, syslog, and SPAN for comprehensive network observability. Provides the data collection foundation for proactive performance management.