Introduction
The lab attempts to introduce difficult issues like ISDN, RIP, IGRP, and OSPF on the Cisco Routers and switches. In the next paragraphs, we will provide brief descriptions of all the components.
Integrated Service Digital Network or ISDN
It is a special type of communication standard. It can simultaneously transmit video, voice, and data through the very common and general telephone network systems. ISDN was first brought into the public eye in the year 1988 in the CCITT Red Book. Before the ISDN system came into existence, the telephone system was looked at as a simple way that can only transport voice from one receiver to another receiver, but they also said that the telephone system was capable of transferring some special types of data. The most important feature of the ISDN service is that it can successfully integrate speech and data inside the same line, and moreover that it also adds some other and advanced technologies too, which one can not find in a classic telephone connection.
If we look at the system technically we can say that ISDN is a circuit-operated telephone network system, and it is enabled to access the packet-switched networks too. ISDN is digitally designed in such a way so that it can allow digital voice transmissions and also data transmission through the ordinary copper wires that are used in ordinary telephone circuits and in the present condition it can be stated that it is extremely important. The final result of installing ISDN is a much better quality of voice and data transfer than a simple analog telephone.
Routing Information Protocol
(RIP) – RIP can be termed as a dynamic routing protocol. It has wide use in both local area networks and wide area networks. It can be also termed as an interior gateway protocol or IGP. RIP uses the distance vector-routing algorithm for its working procedure. The first definition of RIP was published in RFC1058 in the year 1988. After that the protocol has been changed and upgraded many times, and the recent result is RIP Version 2which is known as RFC 2453. Still now both the two versions are in use. But as newer technologies are coming in recent times these technologies are facing extinction in many parts of the World.
Advanced technologies like Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) and OSI protocol IS-IS has replaced the RIP is many cases. RIP has been used in IPv6 networks. There is a standard of RIP known as RIPng and it is recently published in RFC 2080 (1997). This is actually known as the next generation of RIP.
Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (IGRP)
IGRP is a new type of protocol and it allows different gateways to buildup the routing tables while exchanging information with other networks. The beginning of a gateway is denoted by entry to all the networks that are directly connected with the IGRP. In a simple language, the gateway is designed in such a way so that the IGRP will find a way that will represent the best way to get into a network and this is the general rule or the general assumption. IGRP allows the gateway to compare between different paths from different gateways and finally decides which path it will use to do the job and it should be noted that the metric information is a set of numbers that goes to show that how good the path is is in an actual case.
Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)
The protocol was started when there was a need to develop a higher function internal gateway protocol in the internet community. It was developed for the TCP/IP protocol family. The process for making an IGP for the internet was started in the year 1988, but the process was not formalized till the year 1991. In that time the OSPF working group requested that OSPF must be used for the Draft Internet Standard.
All the OSPF protocols are mainly made with keeping in mind the link-state technology. This is regarded as a huge departure from the Bellman-Ford Vector, which is mostly used in the traditional internet routing protocols like Routing Information Protocol. Several different concepts have been come up in the Open Shortest Path First concept. The routing concepts like route summarization and Open Shortest Path First concept are such new concepts.
The processes by which one can configure ISDN stuff on the Cisco Devices
The ISDN stuff can be configured in the Cisco devices by using the BRI port in the basic rate interface process on the different routers. IT has to be configured between the routers too. The total bandwidth is measured of 144 kbps.
The procedure by which one can set up a connection between the ISDN switch and the router
- At first, we have to configure the BRI interface on the router, by providing the IP address.
- Then we have to specify the ISDN switch type.
- After that, we have to assign an ISDN service profile identifier or SPID for the BRI interface to the smooth commencement.
- Next, a number has to be configured. The number thus configured will be placed on the ISDN switch for a layer 3 connection.
- On the step before the final step, we have to set up a permit dialer-list.
- Finally, we have to add the setup dialer list to the user interface.
Understanding of all the different interfaces to ISDN
There are different traffics that are sent through the ISDN link. They are commonly integrated in to several common packets which actually serve as several frames that are clearly distinguished by their numbers. Some very important ISDN interfaces are as follows below:
- ET or the Exchange Termination and LT or the Line Termination. ET and LT form the Central Office Interface, and it is together called the V-interface.
- In the case of United States, the U-Interface is the standard interface. The main characteristic of the U-interface is that it gradually terminates the 2-wire 2B1Qcoded line from the central office.
- The Network Termination Unit in the case is called the NT-1. NT-1 changes the 2-wire 2B1Qcoded into a new 4-wire code, which can be used successfully in the S and T interfaces. In the case of North America, most of the equipments do not have both S and T interfaceconnectors.
- NT-2 is called a Network termination unit. It is capable of ISDN in both sides. ISDN PBX and ISDN concentrator is a very good example of the type of technical device.
- S and T interface are interchangeable in most of the cases. Both of them are 4-wire interfaces.
- Another device, the TE1 can be said as as ISDN-capable Terminal Equipment in the case.
- On the other hand the TE2 device is considered a non-ISDN capable Terminal Equipment. And analog telephone set is an example of the type.
- TA or the Terminal Adapter is the equipment which is responsible for interfacing all the non-ISDB equipments to given ISDN path.
The basic commands while configuring a Basic Cisco Switch
>show version
>show interfaces
>show mac-address-table
>enable
#config terminal
(config)#hostname (hostname)
switch (config)#enable password level (1-15) password
switch(config)#enable secret level (1-15) password
The basic commands for the Frame –Relay and how can encapsulation and traffic with a Frame-Relay Network be performed.
router(config-if)#encapsulation frame-relay
router(config-if)#frame-relay interface-dlci (number)
router(config)#interface serial (number)point-to-point
router #show frame-relay lmi
router #show frame-relay traffic
router #show frame-relay map
router #show frame-relay pvc
The Encapsulation process is completely done by each node of packets that are to be sent through the frame relay link.
The traffic is assigned to a specific data link connection identifier, termed as DLCI in the case. It is connected so that the traffic at a certain node can be distinguished in the frame relay network.
Definition of RIP and how can one configure the RIP dynamic routing protocols on routers
The Routing Information Protocol is basically a dynamic routing protocol and it is used as an interior gateway protocol used in both LAN and WAN. It uses the Distance Vector Algorithm in its process.
The configuration of the RIP is followed with commands:
Router(config)#router rip
Router(config-router)#network(IP)
Where network IP is repeated for every network to be configured with RIP.
These procedures are done for every connected rip router.
The Process to erase and reloading the router configuration
All the router configurations can be saved as text files and this enables the technician to reload to the router at any time. If some one uses the same configuration for a few times it will be very good. To erase the configurations one can use the command “erase startup-config” and after that “copy startupconfig running-config”, and they will erase all the things, from the non-volatile ram to the standard ram. To reload one can use the simple reload command.
IGRP and how do one configure the IGRP on router
IGRP is the Interior Gateway Routing Protocol invented by CISCO. It is used in the cases where the routers change the routing data with the help of an autonomous system. The IGRP can overcome the limitations of the RIP with the RIP only which has a hop count of 15.
Some example code is
R1# conf t
R1(conf t)# router igrp 100
R1(config-router)# network 10.1.1.0
(the last number is left as zero because it defines the whole network group which joins the networks
between the router)
R1(config-router)#network 172.16.10.0
R2(conf t)#router igrp 100
R2(config-router)#network 172.16.10.0
R4(conf t)#router igrp 100
R4(config-router)#network 10.1.1.0
OSPF and the configuration of OSPF in a Router
Open Shortest Path First is OSPF. It is a dynamic routing protocol. Basically it is a link state and we can keep it is the group of interior gateway protocols.
Conclusion
In the case we understood the different functions between networks and different types of protocols and this lab report makes a clear analysis of the occurrence of the switching. The exercises present in the text are a clear indication that certain types of protocols are more efficient than others and the efficiency depends on the proper usage. This text presents an analysis that existing concepts are not necessarily accurate and assumptions are not always correct. Thus, it is a great learning curve too. However, one of the most interesting aspect of this study is the knowledge that valuable skill and this would be helpful in future works in the field of advanced networks.