Advanced Network Engineering

Ready to push your networking knowledge beyond the configuration of small networks? This class is for anyone with a pretty good handle on networking basics who wants a deeper understanding of switching, routing, management and virtual networking. The course concentrates on the concepts, equipment, and protocols used in the Layer 2 (data link), Layer 3 (network), and Layer 4 (transport) components of the OSI networking framework. You’ll learn advanced techniques for managing and troubleshooting the infrastructure of wired and wireless networks; gain a greater understanding of the physics of wireless signals and the role of the FCC in regulating those signals; explore techniques for safeguarding your networks; and come away with hands-on skills through demonstrations and packet captures.

• Explore the Cisco Discovery, Link Layer Discovery, Spanning Tree, and Rapid Spanning Tree protocols
• Discover the critical role of VLANs and Trunks in communications architecture
• Learn to build network redundancy using link aggregation and the link aggregation protocol
• Learn about wireless controllers and access point control protocols
• Understand the SNMP, NAT, IPv4, IPv6, RIP, and OSPF protocols and management tools
• Learn to support remote users with VPNs and Generic Routing Encapsulation tunnels
• Review the use of subnetting, supernetting, and route aggregation in managing routing tables
• Connect telnet, ssh, http, and https network devices using techniques like Secure Shell
• Understand the use of TCP, UDP, and port scans in transport flow control
• Explore the use of virtualization and hypervisors in building networks

Bruce Hartpence is a faculty member in the Golisano College of Computing and Information Science at Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. He teaches wireless communication, voice over IP, and network design. He also runs an industrial training program in networking. Bruce is the author of Packet Guide to Voice over IP, Packet Guide to Core Network Protocols, and Packet Guide to Routing and Switching (all O’Reilly).