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Important Concepts in Network Automation

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Important Concepts in Network Automation
Important Concepts in Network Automation

In the previous blog, I introduced you to the concept of network automation. It is a very important topic when it comes to preparing to take the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA 200-301) exam. 

Now, it is time to dive deeper into the concept of network automation. Therefore, I will introduce you to the more foundational concepts in network automation to help you understand the whole technology in a better way.

Therefore, in this blog, we will cover why we choose network automation, and the various logical ‘planes’ of network automation, such as the data plane, control plane, and management plane. I will explain what they are, as they are essential to understand the next topic, Software-Defined Networking (SDN).

We will also learn about APIs and data serialization. This guide is an introduction to these topics. These will be discussed further in detail in the upcoming blogs.

Without any further ado, let us begin learning, techies!

Why Network Automation?

The previous versions of CCNA focused on a traditional model of managing/controlling networks. The current version focuses on the traditional model as well, but the candidates are expected to have a good understanding of various topics such as network automation.

In the traditional model, engineers manage devices one at a time by connecting their CLI with the help of SSH. Telnet connections as well as connections to the console port are possible too. Some devices even support GUI. The important point here to note is that the devices are managed and configured one by one.

Some of the drawbacks of managing networks one-by-one are:

  • It is common to make some typos and other small mistakes while running configurations in networking devices such as routers.
  • It is time-consuming and very inefficient, especially in large-scale networks. Repetitive tasks can be automated and performed in a few seconds.
  • It is difficult to ensure that all devices follow the company’s standard configurations.

Therefore, it is very important to learn how to automate networks.

Various Logical ‘Planes’

In order to under SDN, it is very important to learn about the Logical planes of network functions first. To understand the logical planes, let us first answer a simple question.

What do a router and switch do? 

Most of you will answer that both of them forward messages at Layer 2 and Layer 3. 

But what about the other functions that these network devices perform?

A router also uses a routing protocol such as OSPF to share routing information with other routers and build a routing table. A switch uses STP to ensure that there is no Layer 2 loops. These are just a few of the important functions that these networking devices perform.

These various functions of network devices can be logically classified into planes:

  • Data plane
  • Control plane
  • Management plane
Various Logical ‘Planes’

1. Data Plane

  • The data plane is also called the ‘forwarding plane’.
  • All the tasks that are involved in forwarding user data or traffic from one interface to another are part of the data plane.
  • A router receives a message. Looks for the most specific matching route in its routing table and forwards it out of the appropriate interface to the next hop or to the destination in case it is directly connected.
  • It also de-encapsulates the original Layer 2 header and re-encapsulates with a new header for the next hop’s MAC address.
  • Likewise, a switch receives a message, looks at the destination MAC address, and forwards it out of the appropriate interface.
  • This also includes functions like adding or removing 802.1q VLAN tags.
  • NAT is also a part of the data plane.
  • The decision to forward or delete the message due to ACLs, port security, etc. is also a function of the data plane.

2. Control Plane

  • Networking devices such as routers use routing tables, MAC address tables, ARP tables, STP, etc. to make forwarding decisions. 
  • The functions that build these tables and other functions that affect the data plane are part of the control plane.
  • So, the control plane controls what the data plane does. For example, by creating the router’s routing table.
  • The control plane manages and monitors network resources like bandwidth, CPU, and memory usage, ensuring they’re used efficiently and effectively.
  • Network protocols such as OSPF and BGP are part of the control plane and help build routing tables.
  • The control plane can be centralized or distributed, with a single controller or multiple devices sharing control functions.
  • Software-defined networking (SDN) technologies can implement the control plane (explained later in the blog).
  • Security is critical for the control plane, with mechanisms like access control lists (ACLs) and firewalls protecting it from unauthorized access and attacks.

3. Management Plane

  • The management plane manages and configures networking devices, letting administrators control devices, monitor their performance, and troubleshoot issues.
  • Network management protocols like SNMP are part of the management plane, allowing remote management and monitoring of devices.
  • The management plane is separate from the data and control planes and configures but does not directly affect network traffic.
  • The management plane uses various tools like CLIs, GUIs, and APIs to manage devices.
  • Network management platforms like Cisco Prime, SolarWinds, and HP IMC centralize network device management and monitoring.
  • The management plane is critical for maintaining network security, with administrators able to configure security policies, and access controls, and monitor activity.
  • Automation and orchestration technologies are increasingly used in the management plane to automate management tasks and improve network efficiency.
  • Network virtualization technologies like SDN and NFV are changing the management plane, enabling software-based provisioning and management of network functions for greater flexibility and scalability.

Software-Defined Networking

SDN stands for Software-Defined Networking, which is an approach to networking that separates the control plane and data plane functions of traditional networking devices. In traditional networks, switches and routers perform both control and data forwarding functions, making it challenging to manage and scale the network. 

In SDN, the control plane is separated from the data plane and is centralized, which enables administrators to programmatically control network behavior using the software.

The controller makes forwarding decisions based on pre-defined policies, which are programmed into the controller using the software. By separating the control plane from the data plane, SDN enables network administrators to manage and optimize network traffic flows more easily, improve network security, and reduce costs.

Benefits of SDN

  • SDN is highly programmable: 

The ability to program network behavior in SDN makes it highly flexible and adaptable to changing network conditions. Network administrators can use programming languages such as Python to create and customize network applications.

  • SDN is NOT vendor-specific: 

Since SDN separates the control and forwarding planes, it can be used with different vendors’ networking hardware and software. This makes it easier for organizations to use equipment from multiple vendors in their networks.

  • SDN can automate network management: 

With SDN, network administrators can automate many tasks, such as configuring network policies, traffic flows, and security settings. This automation can significantly reduce the time and effort required to manage and maintain networks.

  • SDN improves network visibility: 

By separating the control and forwarding planes, SDN enables administrators to have greater visibility into network traffic and performance. They can use this information to troubleshoot network issues more quickly and effectively.

  • SDN increases network security: 

The centralized control in SDN enables administrators to implement security policies and rules more easily, improving overall network security. It also allows for easier integration with other security technologies, such as firewalls.

  • SDN can enable new use cases: 

SDN’s flexibility and programmability can enable new use cases, such as network slicing in 5G networks, virtualized network functions (VNFs), and cloud-based networking.

  • SDN can improve network performance: 

By dynamically managing traffic flows and resources, SDN can improve network performance and reduce latency. This can be particularly beneficial for applications that require high network performance, such as real-time video and gaming.

Conclusion

Network automation is essential for modern network management, allowing organizations to automate routine tasks, reduce costs, and improve network reliability. Understanding the different network planes – management, control, and data is important for designing efficient and scalable networks. 

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) uses automation and separation of control and data planes for flexible, centralized network management. As networks become increasingly critical to business operations, network automation, and SDN will continue to be of high importance.

Stay tuned for more blogs for the CCNA 200-301 series!

Most Asked CCIE Interview Questions – Answered with Examples

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ccie interview questions
ccie interview questions

Hereby, we present you with the simplest CCIE Interview Questions and answers. We hope you find this helpful. We have covered the following topics in our blog. These include 

  • CCIE Routing and Switching 
  • IP Routing 
  • OSPF 
  • BGP 
  • Quality of Service (QoS)  

We have often heard and are aware that getting Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification is an uphill task.  Although the list of things one needs to know is long,  do not worry. We have tried to simplify the same for you.

Firstly, contrary to popular belief you don’t  need a hefty number of questionnaires to ace the CCIE exam. Yet, you do need to prepare well for the exam. This blog is all about the basic concepts involved in the CCIE examination. We have included mostly the CCIE enterprise questions. You can get the help of this guide to get going. 

At times, it becomes really difficult to keep up with all the concepts. Hence we have made it easy for you here. 

Most of the time people run after complex concepts and forget about the basic ones.  

We are mostly focusing on the basic concepts in the early part of this blog. Followed by it will be some higher-level questions. If your basics are not clear, you cannot do anything about the difficult concepts. Even the interviewers ask basic questions in a CCIE interview. 

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1. What is a Firewall?

A firewall is a protection wall (a device) present between a trusted and a non-trusted network. 

  •  It is a network security device that filters incoming and outgoing traffic. 
  • It does so by checking out the previous activity on a particular website based on the security policies of that website. 
  • Firewall protects an inside network from unauthorized access by users present outside a network. 
  • It also protects inside networks from each other. 
  • For example, it keeps a management network away from a user network. 

2. What are the security levels in Cisco ASA?

  • The Cisco ASA uses ‘security levels’ to estimate how much can it trust a particular network that is attached to a respective interface. 
  • It looks at the security levels that can be configured anywhere between 0-100. 
  • The higher the number, the higher the trust in that network. 
  • The lower the number, the lesser the trust in that network is. 
  • ASA allows the flow of traffic from higher security level to a lower security level only, ny default. 

3. What is DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) Server?

  • Demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a separate network behind the firewall. 
  • It allows you to access some network resources such as Web server or FTP server that are available to outside users. 
  • These are placed in the DMZ server.  
  • DMZ only includes public servers. An attack there can only affect the servers but not the inside network. 
  • The firewall allows limited access to DMZ. 

4. What is a Transparent Firewall and what is the need for it?

ASA acts as a Layer 2 device in Transparent Mode like a bridge or switch. It forwards Ethernet frames based on destination MAC-address. 

The need of Transparent firewall: 

  • It is difficult to deploy a new firewall in an already existing network. 
  • The process needs address reconfiguration, network topology changes, current firewall, etc. 
  • But transparent firewall can be easily inserted in an existing network. 
  • Transparent firewall insertion does not need any changes. 
  • It does not need to readdress or reconfigure the devices.

5. What features are not supported in Transport mode?

The following features are not supported in Transport mode: 

  • Dynamic routing 
  • Multicasting 
  • QOS 
  • VPNs like IPsec and WebVPN cannot be exited. 
  • ASA cannot act as a DHCP relay agent. 

6. What is Unit Health Monitoring in Failover? How does failover happen?

The health of a unit is measured by the ASA unit. It does so by monitoring the failover link. When a unit does not receive three continuous ‘hello’ messages on the failover link, it sends hello messages on each interface.  

These interfaces include failover interface. It checks if the other unit responses or not. 

On the basis of the responses from other units, it takes the following actions: 

  • If ASA receives a response on the failover interface, then it does not failover. 
  • If the ASA does not receive a response on the failover link, but if it does receive a response on another interface, then the unit does not failover. The failover linked is marked ‘failed’. 
  • If the ASA does not receive a response on any interface, then the standby unit changes to active mode and separates the other unit as failed. 

7. Tell us some of the commands that are not replicated to standby unit.

All types of copy commands except for # copy running-config startup-config. 

All types of the write command except for # write memory. 

8. What is the difference between Stateful failover and Stateless failover?

Stateful failover    Stateless failover 
  • After a failover happens, the same connection information is available at the new active unit. 
  • When a failover happens, all active connections are exited. 
  • Clients do not need to reconnect to keep the same connection session. 
  • Clients need to re-establish connections when the new active unit takes over. 

9. What are the various types of ACL in Firewall?

The different types of ACL in Firewall include: 

  • Standard ACL 
  • Extended ACL 
  • Ethertype ACL (Transparent Firewall) 
  • Webtype (SSL VPN) 

10. Name some of the concepts that are not possible to configure on ASA.

  • Line VTY can’t be configured on ASA. 
  • Wildcard mask concept is not present in ASA. 
  • Loopback can’t be configured on ASA. 

11. Which routing protocols are application layer protocols?

The application layer is the topmost layer of the OSI model. The users interact through this layer of the OSI model. It is layer 7 and sits at the top of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) communication model. 

The application layer is NOT an application. It is a component within an application that takes care of the communications to other devices. It is an abstract layer of services that allows the application from the transmission process. 

 Application Layer protocol: 

1. TELNET: 

  • Telnet means TELetype NETwork. 
  •  It helps in terminal emulation, that is, it makes one PC look like another.  
  • It is used for managing files on the Internet. 
  • The TELNET command uses the TELNET protocol to talk with a remote device/system. 
  • The port number of telnet is 23. 

Steps to enable Telnet server: 

  1. switch# configure terminal  
  2. switch(config)# feature telnet  
  3. switch(config)# show telnet server  
  4. (Optional) switch(config)# show telnet server  
  5. (Optional) switch(config)# copy running-config startup-config 

2. FTP: 

  • FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. 
  • It is a standard Internet protocol provided by TCP/IP. 
  • It is used for transmitting files from one host to another. 
  • It is used to transfer web page files from their creator to the computer. 
  • Port number is 20 for data and 21 for control. 

Steps to turn on FTP server on Cisco router: 

  • Connect the Cisco router using a telnet client. 
  • Type IP address for the router. 
  • Press the client’s connect button. 
  • Type in the password for the router to complete the connection. 
  • Type “ftp-server enable” on the command line of the terminal. 
  • Tap “Enter” key to enable server capability. 
  • Type “ftp-server topdir <directory>” on the next terminal. 
  • Add directory name for ftp files in place of <directory> to limit ftp access to directory only. 
  • Press “Enter”. 

3. TFTP: 

  • TFTP stands for Trivial File Transfer Protocol. 
  • It is the stock version of FTP. 
  • It is a technology for transferring files between network devices. 
  • It is a simplified version of FTP. 
  • The port number is 69. 

Steps to start TFTP using commands: 

To start TFTP server from the command line, type the tftpd command 

tftpd [-l] [-p port] [-t timeout] [-r maxretries] [-c concurrency_limit] [-s maxsegsize] [-f file] [-a archive directory [-a …]] [-b IP address] [directory …]  

4. NFS: 

  • It stands for Network File System. 
  • It allows remote hosts to mount file systems over network. 
  • It allows to collect resources onto centralized servers on the network. 
  • The port number for NFS is 2049. 

Command to start NFS: 

Service nfs start  

5. SMTP: 

  • It stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. 
  • It is a part of the TCP/IP protocol. 
  • The port number for SMTP is 25. 

Command to start SMTP: 

MAIL FROM: <mail@abc.com> 

6. LPD: 

  • It stands for Line Printer Daemon. 
  • It is made for printer sharing. 
  • It is the part that receives the request and then processes it. 
  • Daemon means a server/agent. 
  • The port number is 515. 

Starting the LPD remote subsystem: 

  • You can start the lpd remote subsystem with startsrc or mkitab command, or SMIT. 
  • Your system must be configured to communicate with a remote print server. 
  • You need to have root authority. 
  • At the system prompt, you need to type smit mkitab_lpd 
  • You can use the following command to start lpd remote subsystem now; 

startsrc –s lpd 

7. X window: 

  • It is the base protocol of X Window system. 
  • It is used on Unix, Linux and BSD systems. 
  • It can also be used on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and many other systems. 
  • It can be used on any modern operating system. 
  • It can cause versions and distributions of Linux to separate. 
  • The port number starts from 6000 and increases by 1 for every server. 

The command used to run it: 

Run sdm in runlevel 5 

8. DNS: 

  • It stands for Domain Name System. 
  • It translates a domain name into the corresponding IP address. 
  • The port number for DNS is 53. 

The command used for DNS: 

ipconfig/ flushdns 

9. DHCP: 

  • It stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). 
  • It provides IP addresses to hosts. 
  • Port numbers for DHCP are 67, 68. 

The command used for DHCP: 

Clear ip dhcp binding {address | *} 

10. SNMP: 

  • It stands for Simple Network Management Protocol. 
  • It collects data by polling the devices on the network from a management station. 
  • The port number of SNMP is 161 (TCP) and 162 (UDP). 

The command used for SNMP: 

Snmpget –mALL  -vl  -cpublic snmp_agent_Ip_address sysName.0 

10. SNMP: 

  • It stands for Simple Network Management Protocol. 
  • It collects data by polling the devices on the network from a management station. 
  • The port number of SNMP is 161 (TCP) and 162 (UDP). 

The command used for SNMP: 

Snmpget –mALL  -vl  -cpublic snmp_agent_Ip_address sysName.0 

12. What is Unicast Reverse Path Forwarding (uRPF)?

  • A unicast reverse-path-forwarding (RPF) is a tool that lowers down the forwarding of IP packets. 
  • It takes care of the IP packets that might be copying an address. 
  • It checks the performance of a forwarding table lookup on an IP packet’s source address. 
  • It also checks its incoming interface. 
  • It follows RFC 2827 for ingress filtering.

13. Name the modes of unicast Reverse Path Forwarding.

There are two modes of unicast RPF: 

  • Strict mode 
  • Loose mode 

Strict mode is the default mode. This means that the switch forwards a packet only if the receiving interface is the best return path. 

14. What is Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF)?

  • Virtual routing and forwarding (RF) is an IP technology. 
  • It allows users to configure multiple routing tables to co-exist within the same router. 
  • These multiple routing instances are independent and can choose different outgoing interfaces. 

15. How does OSPF calculate its metric or cost?

The Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) uses “cost” as a value of metric. It uses a Reference Bandwidth of 100 Mbps for cost calculation. 

The formula to calculate the cost is: 

Cost = Reference Bandwidth / Interface Bandwidth 

For example, if the Ethernet is 10 Mbps, OSPF metric cost value is: 

100 Mbps/ 10 Mbps = 10. 

16. What is the function of the variable IP-OSPF-Transmit-Delay?

  • The IP-OSPF-Transmit-Delay variable adds a specific time to the age field of an update. 
  • If the delay is not added before reaching over a link, the time in which the link-state advertisement (LSA) reaches over the link is not considered. 
  • The transmit-delay is the estimated time needed for OPSFv2 to send link-state update packets to the connected interface. 

17. How often does OSPF send out link-state advertisements (LSAs)?

  • OSPF sends out LSAs when the LSA that are originated by OSPF itself. 
  • It sends out LSAs when LSA age reaches link-state refresh time, that is 1800 seconds. 

18. How does OSPF use two Multilink paths to transfer packets?

  • OSPF uses the metric costs. 
  • The metric cost is related to the bandwidth. 
  • If there are equal cost paths, OSPF installs both routes in the routing table. 
  • If one of the links fails out of multilink, OSPF does not send all the traffic to the second multilink. 
  • If the first multilink reaches 100% of its bandwidth, OSPF does not send any traffic to the second multilink. 
  • OSPF tries to use both the links equally without any interface use. 
  • The second multilink is only used when the first multilink is down. 

19. What are the debugging abilities of EIGRP?

There are two types of debug commands: 

  • Protocol-dependent debug commands 
  • Protocol-independent debug commands 

There are also a bunch of show commands that show us the table status, topology table status and EIGRP traffic statistics. 

Some of these commands are: 

  • show ip eigrp neighbors 
  • show ip eigrp interfaces 
  • show ip eigrp topology 
  • show ip eigrp traffic 

20. What does the EIGRP stuck in active message mean?

  • EIGRP is a trustworthy protocol. 
  • Any query sent by EIGRP to its neighbors must get a reply within 3 minutes. 
  • If no response is received to all its outstanding queries, it will put the route in Stuck in Active (SIA) state. 
  • This will kill the adjacent neighbors. 
  • The SIA is caused by two events: 
  • The route reported by the SIA has disappeared. 
  • An EIGRP neighbor has not responded to that route’s query. 

21. How do you configure BGP?

This is how to configure device as a node in BGP network: 

  • Configure network interfaces. 
  • Configure point-to-point peering sessions. 
  • Configure IBGP sessions between peers. 
  • Configure BGP session attributes such as the autonomous systems for the BGP peers. 
  • Configure routing policy to advertise BGP routes. 

There are also some optional steps to follow. Yet these are the necessary steps to configure BGP. 

22. What is Quality of Service (QoS)?

Quality of Service (QoS) is the use of technologies that work on a network to regulate traffic. It makes sure that the performance of critical applications does not suffer with the limited network capacity. 

It also allows organizations to adjust their network traffic by serving high-performance applications first. 

23. What is MQC?

Cisco Modular Quality of Service (MQC) gives a modular and highly extensible framework for deploying QoS. It does so by standardizing the CLI and semantics for QoS features across all platforms. It uses all those platforms that are supported by Cisco IOS software. 

Wrapping it Up!

So, we have summed up all the basic concepts that are included in Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) exam. You can easily prepare for your interview exam with these questions. All these topics are very important. As already mentioned, you cannot skip to the difficult concepts without clearing your basic concepts. 

You can also check out our other interview questions and answers in our blog section. The questions mentioned are not exhaustive. Please do not rely on these questions to clear your interview. These are the basic answers you need to know. 

Also, this blog is all free with answers. You do need to download any pdf and waste your time. We wish you all the best for your interview. 

AWS Interview Questions and Answers

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AWS Interview Questions and Answers
AWS Interview Questions and Answers
AWS Interview Questions and Answers

Breaking into the tech industry has been everyone’s dream. With 90% of business organizations shifting to cloud computing, the demand for cloud engineers has been higher than ever. 

You don’t have to worry if you are preparing to become an AWS Certified Cloud Solution Architect, we got you. In this blog, we have collected easy to advanced-level interview questions and answers.

This will help you not only ace your interview but also brush up on your cloud computing concepts. AWS certification is provided by Amazon itself. With AWS, you can build, test, deploy and manage apps and services. 

You can create virtual machines (VMs) with the help of AWS. it provides a combination of Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (PaaS) services.

Given below are the most-asked AWS Interview questions and answers. Let’s begin!

Beginner-Level AWS Interview Questions

1. What is AWS?

AWS (Amazon Web Services) is a platform that provides secure cloud services, database storage, services to compute power, and content delivery. It is one of the most used cloud platforms. 

AWS is made to be the most secure and easy-to-work-with cloud computing environment available. Provided by Amazon, it is a mixture of Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (PaaS) services.

2. What are the three basic types of cloud services and the AWD products that are built based on them?

The three basic cloud services are as follows:

  • Computing
  • Storage
  • Networking

The list is given below consists of some of the AWS products that are built based on the three cloud service types:

  • Computing – It consists of EC2, Elastic Beanstalk, Lambda, Auto-Scaling and Lightsat.
  • Storage – It consists of S3, Glacier, Elastic Block Storage, and Elastic File System.
  • Networking – It consists of VPC, Amazon CloudFront, and Route53.

3. What is EC2?

  • Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) is a virtual machine in the cloud. 
  • It is the central ecosystem of AWS providing on-demand and flexible computing services.
  • It provides you with OS-level control. 
  • You can run the EC2 cloud server whenever you want.
  • It can be used to deploy your own servers in the cloud, the same as on-premises servers.
  • You can have full control over the choice of hardware, updates on the machine, and much more.
  • You can configure security, networking, and storage and launch virtual services as your needs.

4. What are the main features of AWS?

The following are the main features of AWS:

  • Data Management and Data Transfer
  • Compute and networking
  • Storage
  • Automation and orchestration
  • Operations and management
  • Security and Compliance
  • Visualization

5. What is S3?

  • S3 stands for Simple Storage Service (S3).
  • It is a highly scalable, fast, cost-effective, and reliable data storage interface used by large organizations.
  • You can use S3 to retrieve and store any type of data anywhere and anytime on the web.
  • The payment model is ‘pay-as-you-go”.

6. What is SnowBall?

  • SnowBall is an AWS service that provides secure and rugged devices.
  • You can bring AWS computing and storage capabilities to your edge environments.
  • You can also transfer data in and out of AWS.
  • SnowBall Edge can do local processing and edge-computing workloads.
  • It is a small application that can let you transfer terabytes of data.

7. What is VPC?

  • VPC stands for Virtual Private Cloud.
  • You can customize the networking configuration with VPC.
  • It is a network that is logically separated from other networks in the cloud in order to provide a virtual private environment.
  • It allows you to launch AWS resources into your defined virtual network.
  • Interestingly, VPC is the networking layer of EC2.
  • You can have a private IP Address range, internet gateways, security groups and subnets.

8. What is CloudWatch?

  • CloudWatch is an AWS service such as EC2.
  • It puts the metrics into the repository to extract statistics based on those metrics.
  • You can also customize those metrics.
  • In other words, Amazon CloudWatch is a monitoring and management service that provides data and actionable insight for AWS.
  • You can monitor AWS environments such as EC2, RDS Instances and CPU utilization.
  • It also stimulates alarms on the basis of various metrics.

9. What is CloudFront?

  • CloudFront is a web service that speeds up the distribution of static and dynamic web content such as .css, .html, .js and image files.
  • It does so by routing each user request through the AWS backbone network to the edge location.
  • It is a computer delivery network that contains servers.
  • These servers deliver web pages and web content to a user on the basis of the geographic locations of a user.

10. What are the storage classes available in Amazon S3?

Storage classes available in Amazon S3 are as follows:

  • Amazon S3 Standard
  • Amazon S3 Standard-Infrequent Access
  • Amazon S3 Reduces Redundancy Storage
  • Amazon Glacier

11. What are the different types of Cloud Services?

The different types of cloud services are as follows:

  • Software as a Service (SaaS)
  • Data as a Service (DaaS)
  • Platform as a Service (PaaS)
  • Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

12. What is Elastic Transcoder?

  • Elastic Transcoder is an AWS Service Tool. 
  • You can use it to convert video and audio files into supported output formats.
  • These formats are optimized for playback on mobile devices, desktops, tablets and televisions, etc.
  • It is designed to be a scalable, easy-to-use and reasonable method for developers and businesses to convert media files.

Scenario-Based AWS Architect Interview Questions

14. How can you send a request to Amazon S3?

Amazon S3 is a Representational State Transfer (REST) service meaning if it is applied to a web service, it produces required properties such as scalability, performance and flexibility.

You can send a request to S3 by using the REST API or the AWS SDK wrapper libraries. These libraries wrap the underlying Amazon S3 REST API.

15. Suppose you created a key in the North Virginia region to encrypt your data in the Oregon region. You also added three users to the key and an external AWS account. Then, to encrypt an object in S3, when you tried to use the same key, it was not listed. Why so?

The data and the key should be in the same region. This means that the data that has to be encrypted should be in the same region as that in which the key was created. In our case, the data is in Oregon but the key is created in the North Virginia region. That is why the key was not listed.

16. What is Connection Draining?

  • Connection Draining is a feature of AWS that enables your servers which are either going to be updated or removed, to complete the current requests.
  • When Connection Draining is enabled, the Load Balancer will allow an outgoing instance to fulfill the current requests for a specific period.
  • During this period, it will not send any new requests to it.
  • If Connection Draining is absent, an outgoing instance will immediately go off and the pending requests on that instance will stop (error out).

17. What are Recovery Time Objective and Recovery Point Objective in AWS?

Recovery Time Objective:
  • It is the maximum acceptable delay between the interruption of service and restoration of service. 
  • This converts to an acceptable time window when the service can be unavailable.
Recover Point Objective:
  • It is the maximum acceptable time of time since the last restore point.
  • It converts to the acceptable amount of data loss present between the last recovery point and the interruption of service.

18. What policies can you set for your user’s passwords?

The policies that can be set for user’s passwords are as follows:

  • You can set a minimum length of the password.
  • Your users can add at least one number or special character to the password.
  • You can assign particular character types such as uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and non-alphanumeric characters.
  • You can use automatic password expiration, to prevent the reuse of old passwords.
  • You can also request a password reset upon your users’ next AWS sign-in.
  • You can let AWS users contact an account administrator when the user has allowed the password to expire.

19. What are Spot Instances and On-Demand Instances?

When EC2 instances are created by AWS, there are some blocks of computing capacity, and processing power is left unused. AWS let go o these blocks as Spot Instances.

Spot Instances run whenever capacity is available. These are a great option if you are flexible with when your application can run and if your applications can be interrupted.

On the other side, On-Demand Instances can be created according to the needs. The price of such instances is fixed. Such instances will always be available unless you terminate them clearly.

20. How is a buffer used in Amazon Web Services?

  • The buffer in AWS is used to make the system faster to manage traffic or load by synchronizing different components. 
  • Most commonly, components receive and process the requests in an unbalanced way.
  • With the use of a buffer, the components will be balanced and will work at the same speed to provide robust services.

21. What are the storage class available in Amazon S3?

Storage classes available with Amazon S3 are:

  • Amazon S3 standard
  • Amazon S3 standard-infrequent Access
  • Amazon S3 Reduced Redundancy Storage
  • Amazon Glacier

22. Which DB engines can be used in AWS RDS?

Some of the DB engines that can be used in AWS RDS are as follows:

  • MS-SQL DB
  • Maria DB
  • MySQL DB
  • Oracle DB
  • Postgre DB

23. What are the components of AWS Databases?

AWS Database is made up of the following components:

1. Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS):

  • Amazon RDS is a managed service to set up, operate and scale a relational database in the cloud server. 
  • Relation database services have Aurora, PostGreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server and MariaDB as database engines for cloud customers to select as their database.
  • RDS also provides AWS database migration services to migrate and copy the existing database to Amazon RDS.

2. Amazon Aurora:

  • It is a distributed, fault-tolerant, storage system that heals on its own.
  • It is managed by Amazon RDS.

3. Amazon ElasticCache:

  • It allows smooth setup, run and scale of open source in-memory data stores in the cloud.
  • It provides caching, session stores, gaming, geospatial services, real-time analytics and queuing.

4. Amazon DocumentDB:

  • You can easily store, query, and index data in JSON format.

5. Amazon DynamoDB:

  • It is a key-value document database.
  • It is selected for mobile, web, ad tech, gaming, IoT and low-latency data access at any scale.
  • It is commonly used for mission-critical workloads.

6. Amazon Keyspaces:

  • It is a database service that works well with Apache Cassandra, scalable, highly available and serverless.

7. Redshift:

  • It is a cloud data warehouse.

8. Neptune:

  • It is fully managed, highly available, point-in-time recovery graph database services with updated backup with Amazon S3.

9. Quantum Ledger Database:

  • It is a completely managed ledger database with SQL-like API, a flexible document data model with complete support for transactions.
  • It is serverless as keyspace.

24. How do you monitor Amazon VPC?

You can monitor Amazon VPC using:

  • CloudWatch
  • VPC Flow Logs

FAQs:

AWS (Amazon Web Services) is a platform that provides secure cloud services, database storage, services to compute power, and content delivery. it provides a combination of Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (PaaS) services.

The AWS business solutions can be divided into 4 foundational services in AWS at a higher level:

  • Savings
  • Security
  • Compliance 
  • DRaaS Development Operations
  • Create a strong password for your AWS resources.
  • Use a group email alias with your AWS account.
  • Allow multi-factor authentication.
  • Set up AWS IAM users, groups and roles for daily account access.
  • Delete your account’s access keys.
  • Enable CloudTrail in all AWS regions.
  • VPC stands for Virtual Private Cloud.
  • You can customize the networking configuration with VPC.
  • It allows you to launch AWS resources into your defined virtual network.
  • VPC is the networking layer of EC2.
  • You can have a private IP Address range, internet gateways, security groups and subnets.

You can have 50 AWS accounts in an AWS organization.

  • A key pair has a public key and a private key.
  • It is a set of security info that you use to prove your identity when connecting to an Amazon EC2 instance.
  • Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) is a virtual machine in the cloud. 
  • It is the central ecosystem of AWS providing on-demand and flexible computing services.
  • It provides you with OS-level control. 
  • You can run the EC2 cloud server whenever you want.

EC2 is a web service you can use to create and run virtual machines in the cloud.

An Introduction To Network Automation In Networking

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what is network automation?
what is network automation?

The days of manual network configuration and administration are long gone. With the arrival of network automation, networking professionals can now manage and configure large networks with ease.

Network automation refers to automating the management, configuration, and deployment of network devices. It can be used to provision new devices, monitor devices for performance and availability, and even troubleshoot issues.

Network automation benefits both networking professionals and the organizations they work for. It can help save time and money, improve network reliability and stability, and even make networks more secure.

If you are a networking professional or if you’re preparing to take the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) exam, then it is time to learn about network automation. This guide will provide you with a basic introduction to network automation and its benefits.

What is network automation?

Network automation is the process of automating the configuration, management, and deployment of network devices quite beneficial for network administrators. Both hardware and software components can be included.

It can also include processes such as authentication and authorization, as well as other key functions. The following are the main goals of network automation:

  • To reduce the need for manual interventions, and
  • To enable a superior management of network resources. 

With network automation, network administrators can easily configure, deploy, and manage network devices with less time and effort. Network automation also eliminates boring tasks and can help reduce operational costs. 

The most common tools used for network automation include:

  • Configuration management software, 
  • Network management tools, and 
  • Scripting tools. 

Configuration management software:

Configuration management software allows administrators to quickly and easily configure and deploy new devices, monitor devices for performance and availability, and even troubleshoot issues. 

Network management tools:

Network management tools provide real-time insights into network performance, health, and availability and can help identify potential service problems. 

Scripting:

Scripting tools can be used to automate routine tasks and processes, thus reducing the need for manual intervention.

What are the benefits of network automation?

Network automation offers many benefits for networking professionals and the organizations they work for. You can check out the benefits of network automation listed below:

  • With network automation, networks can be configured and managed more efficiently, resulting in reduced operational costs. 
  • Network automation also eliminates manual and boring tasks, freeing up time for more important tasks. 
  • Network automation also improves reliability and stability, as well as service availability.
  • Automated processes ensure that devices and services remain available and running at all times, reducing the possibility of outages and other service interruptions.
  • Furthermore, automated processes can help identify problems early on, reducing downtime and preventing network issues from escalating. 
  • Moreover, network automation can also help improve security. 
  • Automation can detect misconfigurations, abnormal network behaviors, and suspicious activities quickly and accurately, providing more timely and accurate security alerts.
  • Automation can also help enforce security policies and provide faster resolution of security issues.

What are the challenges of network automation?

Although network automation provides many benefits to networking professionals and the organizations they work for, it is not without its challenges. 

  • Professionals lack proper training:

One of the main challenges of network automation is the lack of proper training. Network automation requires knowledge of programming languages, such as Python and Ansible, as well as a proper understanding of network protocols and solutions. Without proper training and experience, it can be difficult to properly configure and manage networks. 

  • The complexity of networks:

Another challenge of network automation is the complexity of the networks themselves. With the increasing complexity of networks, it can be difficult to properly configure and manage them manually. Automating large and complex networks requires automation tools that are capable of handling the complexity of the network. 

  • Hefty investments:

Furthermore, network automation can also require a high upfront investment. Automation tools can be costly, and they may also require additional hardware and software investments.

How to get started with network automation?

If you are a networking professional looking to get started with network automation or just preparing to take the CCNA exam, the best place to start is with the basics. 

Familiarize yourself with the different types of automation tools and how they can benefit you and your organization. Learn how to properly configure your network devices with automation tools and understand the challenges associated with large and complex networks. 

To get started, first determine the type of automation tools you need. There are many different tools available, ranging from basic scripting tools to more advanced automation solutions. Once you have identified the tools you need, research each tool and learn how to properly configure and use them. You should also familiarize yourself with the different programming languages and protocols associated with network automation.

But you don’t have to worry about all of it if you get enrolled in our CCNA course.

Conclusion

Network automation offers countless benefits for both networking professionals and the organizations they work for. With automation, networks can be configured and managed more efficiently, resulting in improved performance, availability, and security. 

However, network automation is not without its challenges. Proper training and understanding of network protocols and tools are essential to successful network automation. 

To get started with network automation, determine the type of automation tools you need and research each one thoroughly. With the right training and tools, network automation can provide your organization with the reliability and security it needs.

In the upcoming blog, we will dive deeper into network automation for proper CCNA preparation. This guide is to just give you a gist about network automation in general.

Stay tuned for more blogs for the CCNA 200-301 series!

Ultimate Networking Skills That Will Make You Grow In IT

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Networking Skills
Networking Skills

Are you aware that we use the Internet smoothly because of network engineers? Therefore, learning networking skills is crucial in becoming a network engineer. Without these skills, one can never fulfil the needs of IT and its advancements. 

Hence, read the blog till the end to know what networking skills are mandatory to enter the domain and upscale in IT.

NOTE: If you wish to know the top cloud computing skills or cybersecurity skills everyone strives to fetch in the IT industry, you have reached the right platform. 

What is networking?

Networking: connecting two or more computer systems to enable communication and data exchange through various means, such as wired or wireless connections, and can involve multiple devices, including computers, routers, switches, and modems. Also, networking is crucial since it allows for efficient and effective communication, collaboration, and resource sharing across different systems and locations.

Why is networking important?

Networking is crucial in IT since it enables the communication between computers and devices, facilitates collaboration and remote work, improves efficiency, enhances security, and supports cloud computing, IoT, and big data transfers. It also enables e-commerce and provides a competitive advantage by improving operational efficiency and supporting innovation.

What are the top networking skills in IT?

The top networking skills in IT are as follows-

  • TCP/IP

The Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol is the foundation of modern networking.

  • Routing and Switching

The ability to configure and maintain network switches and routers is mandatory.

  • Network Security

Knowledge of firewalls, intrusion detection systems and other security technologies is mandatory to protect networks.

  • Wireless Networking

The ability to configure and maintain wireless networks, including access points and controllers, is mandatory.

  • Network Management

The ability to manage networks, including monitoring performance, troubleshooting issues, and implementing changes, is mandatory.

  • Virtualization

Knowledge of virtual networking technologies, such as virtual LANs, switches and routers, is mandatory.

  • Cloud Computing

Knowledge of cloud networking technologies, such as software-defined networking and cloud-based network management, is mandatory.

  • Network Architecture

The ability to design and implement network architectures that meet business requirements is mandatory.

  • Network Monitoring

The ability to monitor network traffic and identify and troubleshoot issues is mandatory.

  • Network Administration

The ability to administer networks, including managing user accounts, permissions, and access, is mandatory.

  • Network Troubleshooting

The ability to troubleshoot network issues and identify the root cause of problems is mandatory.

  • Network Design

The ability to design networks that meet business requirements, including scalability, security, and performance, is mandatory.

  • Network Protocols

Knowledge of network protocols, such as HTTP, FTP, and SMTP, is mandatory.

  • Network Performance Optimization

The ability to optimize network performance, including minimizing latency and maximizing bandwidth, is mandatory.

  • Network Capacity Planning

The ability to plan and forecast network capacity requirements based on business needs is mandatory.

  • Disaster Recovery

Knowledge of disaster recovery and business continuity planning for networks is mandatory.

  • Network Load Balancing

The ability to configure and maintain network load balancing technologies, such as F5 or Citrix, is mandatory.

  • Network Automation

Knowledge of network automation tools – Ansible, Puppet, or Chef, is mandatory.

  • Network Documentation

The ability to create and maintain accurate network documentation is mandatory.

  • Network Collaboration

The ability to collaborate with other IT professionals, such as developers, system administrators, and security professionals, to achieve common goals is mandatory.

What are the Networking Fundamentals?

Entering into the networking fundamentals, we need to know about the working of networking, at first. A computer network contains hardware and software parts. The hardware parts include the server, client, peer, transmission medium, and connecting devices and the software components include operating systems and protocols.

A basic layout and structure of networking is called Networking Architecture. Network Architecture describes the procedure of how network devices are connected.

What are the available networking courses in IT?

In IT, top networking courses are available to build networking skills. The available networking courses in IT are as follows-

Where should I enroll to earn top networking skills?

Choosing the best ed-tech platform is what everyone strives for to upscale. Hence, Network Kings is a platform where the trainers are real-time industry engineers and teach the top networking, cybersecurity, and cloud computing courses by providing 24*7 access to the world’s enormous virtual labs with zero downtime. 

Enroll on the best networking courses and get a demo session by industry experts worth 50$ for free.

Why Network Kings is the right choice for you?

Network Kings has made easy and affordable networking courses for you so that you can pursue your dreams with ease. Here are the benefits of pursuing a network course with network kings-

  • Network Kings provides pre-recorded videos.
  • They provide 24/7 access to virtual labs.
  • Network Kings has the most prominent engineers who will teach you the best networking courses.
  • You can enrol for Live interactive sessions to clear your doubts hand-to-hand.
  • The most important reason for enrolling on network king is the completion certificate that will add proof to your skills.
  • With pre-recorded video lectures, you can learn by sitting at your home.

What are the available job roles in networking?

The available job roles in networking are as follows-

  1. Network Administrator
  2. Network Engineer
  3. Network Architect
  4. Systems Administrator
  5. Systems Engineer
  6. Security Engineer
  7. Cybersecurity Analyst
  8. Cloud Engineer
  9. DevOps Engineer
  10. Wireless Network Engineer
  11. Network Operations Center (NOC) Technician
  12. Network Support Specialist
  13. VoIP Engineer
  14. Network Consultant
  15. IT Manager
  16. IT Director
  17. Chief Information Officer (CIO)
  18. Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
  19. Technical Support Engineer
  20. Network Trainer or Instructor

What are the salary packages for networking experts?

The salary packages for networking experts in different countries are as follows-

  1. United States: $60,000 – $120,000 per year
  2. Canada: CAD 50,000 – CAD 100,000 per year
  3. United Kingdom: £25,000 – £60,000 per year
  4. Germany: €35,000 – €70,000 per year
  5. France: €30,000 – €60,000 per year
  6. Australia: AUD 60,000 – AUD 120,000 per year
  7. Singapore: SGD 40,000 – SGD 90,000 per year
  8. Hong Kong: HKD 200,000 – HKD 400,000 per year
  9. India: INR 300,000 – INR 800,000 per year
  10. Japan: JPY 4,000,000 – JPY 7,000,000 per year
  11. China: CNY 120,000 – CNY 300,000 per year
  12. Brazil: BRL 50,000 – BRL 120,000 per year
  13. South Africa: ZAR 150,000 – ZAR 500,000 per year
  14. United Arab Emirates: AED 100,000 – AED 300,000 per year
  15. Saudi Arabia: SAR 120,000 – SAR 300,000 per year

Wrapping Up!

The networking domain has been dominating the IT industry for a long now. Though the industry is advancing, so are the job opportunities in networking. Therefore, learning networking skills help in upscaling the career. 

Since you know the top networking skills and their benefits now, do not hesitate to write to us for more details or queries. Good Luck!

What is DHCP Snooping and How Does It Work?

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DHCP Snooping
DHCP Snooping

In this blog, we will discuss DHCP snooping in detail. Sometimes, users can acquire illegal IP addresses. This is where the DHCP snooping can come into play which prevents a user from acquiring a fake IP address coming from an untrustworthy DHCP server.

In other words, we can say that the DHCP server is a security feature available on Cisco switches that helps to protect against attacks that take advantage of DHCP. This is a part of CCNA course syllabus ‘configure layer 2 security features’. 

We will cover what is DHCP snooping, how it works, the common attacks prevented by DHCP snooping, and DHCP snooping configuration. Let us begin covering all these topics one by one in detail.

In the previous blog of our CCNA 200-301 series , we talked about the Port Security in networking. I recommend you go through it before you jump to this blog. 

Stick till the end to grasp all these important concepts!

What is DHCP Snooping?

Let’s now go over the basics of DHCP snooping.

DHCP snooping is a security feature of switches that are used to filter DHCP messages received on untrusted ports. You must note that the DHCP snooping only filters DHCP messages. Any other non-DHCP message is not affected. 

The following are the key features of DHCP snooping:

  • All ports are untrusted by default. It is up to you to configure which ports will be trusted.
  • By default, uplink ports are configured as trusted ports whereas downlink ports are untrusted ports. The latter remains untrusted as any malicious user can initiate a DHCP-based attack from one of their devices in a network connected via a DHCP server.

For example, if there is an end host in a network that wants an IP address, it will use a DHCP server or relay agent to receive an IP address. Since the downlink ports on the switches (pointing toward the end hosts) are untrusted, a network administrator must configure the uplink ports (trusted ports).

DHCP Snooping
  • DHCP snooping won’t inspect any messages on trusted ports. The switch will forward them as normal. The ports that point away from the end hosts toward the network infrastructure are uplink hosts.
  • The DHCP server then replies to the DHCP message sent by the user and sends it back to the user through uplink ports.

How Does DHCP Snooping Work?

In order to understand how DHCP snooping works, it is very important for you to understand how a DHCP server works in the first place. 

When the DHCP is enabled, a network device without any IP address assigned will approach the DHCP server in four stages:

  • Discovery stage
  • Offer stage
  • Request stage
  • Acknowledgment stage

We have already discussed these stages in our DHCP blog. Make sure to read it before you learn DHCP snooping.

As we have read in the above-mentioned example the DHCP offer message can only be sent through the trusted port when the DHCP snooping is initiated. Or else, it will be cancelled and dropped.

DHCP server

After the offer stage, a DHCP binding table is created on the basis of the DHCP ACK message in the acknowledgment stage. The following metrics are noted in the DHCP binding table:

  • MAC address of the host
  • The leased IP address from the DHCP server
  • The binding type
  • The VLAN number
  • Interface information related to the host

If the upcoming DHCP packet received from an untrusted host fails to match the provided information, it will be disapproved.

What are the Common Attacks Prevented by DHCP?

Let us now discuss a bunch of examples of DHCP-based attacks that DHCP snooping can prevent against!

DHCP Starvation:

  • It is also called a DHCP exhaustion attack.
  • In such an attack, the attacker uses a spoofed MAC address to flood the DHCP Discover messages, i.e., the messages that are sent to request the IP address.
  • Then the target server’s DHCP pool becomes full. This results in a Denial-of-Service (DoS) to other devices.
  • They won’t be able to get an IP address from the server.
  • The attacker sends countless DHCP discover messages with false source MAC addresses.

DHCP Poisoning/Spoofing Attack (Man-in-the-Middle):

  • DHCP poisoning can be used to perform a Man-in-the-Middle attack.
  • A fake DHCP server replies to a client’s DHCP discover messages and assigns them an IP address, but makes the client use the fake/rogue server’s IP as the default gateway.
  • The client usually accepts the first offer message they receive.
  • This will cause the client to send traffic to the attacker instead of the real default gateway.
  • The attacker can then modify or examine the traffic before forwarding it to the real default gateway.

How is DHCP Snooping Configured?

Let us now go over some basic DHCP snooping configurations.

In order to enable DHCP snooping on the switch (switch no. 2), the following command is run:

SW2(config)#ip dhcp snooping

But this is not enough. The DHCP snooping needs to be enabled globally with IP DHCP snooping by directing the switch to enable it on the VLAN as such:

SW2(config)#ip dhcp snooping vlan1

Then the no ip dhcp snooping information option is enabled as such. This step is not necessary but depends on the network design.

SW2(config)#no ip dhcp snooping information option

Finally, one of the uplink port or interface on the switch (G0/0 interface) is configured as such:

SW2(config)#interface g0/0

SW2(config)#ip dhcp snooping trust

As we have discussed before that all the ports are untrusted by default and it needs to be mentioned which ports can be trusted.

A similar configuration is performed for another switch such as switch no. 1 in a network consisting of the DHCP server.

After that, the DHCP binding table is checked by using the following command:

SW1#show ip dhcp snooping binding

This is how DHCP snooping is configured!

Conclusion

This wraps up everything you need to know about DHCP snooping. It is very important to learn the mechanism of DHCP snooping and how a DHCP server behaves in such a situation. Before jumping on to DHCP snooping, it is necessary to learn how DHCP works and assigns IP addresses to the hosts.

Happy learning!

Stay tuned for more blogs for the CCNA 200-301 series!

Port Security in Networking: All You Need To Know

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port security in networking
port security in networking

Port Security is a very important aspect of networking. It is the process of ensuring that only authorized devices are able to access a network. Port Security can be implemented in a number of ways, including by using Access Control Lists (ACLs), firewalls, and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs).

In the previous blog of our CCNA 200-301 series , we talked about the GRE in networking. I recommend you go through it before you jump to this blog. 

In this blog, we will discuss what port security is, why it is important, how to implement port security, the different types of port security, and the disadvantages of port security. By the end of this article, you will have a good understanding of port security for CCNA exam and its importance in networking.

Stay tuned till the end!

What is Port Security in Networking?

As the name suggests, port security is the security provided at the ports of a network. Port security is the process of restricting access to a network by limiting which devices can connect to the network, and how they can connect. Only specific devices or MAC addresses can access it. 

It is a way of controlling which devices can access the network. The purpose of port security is to limit the potential for unauthorized access to the network and protect the network from malicious attacks. It also controls the flow of data in and out of the network.

Port security involves configuring Access Control Lists (ACLs), firewalls, and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs), as well as authentication protocols, such as RADIUS and TACACS. By using these methods, administrators can control which devices can access the network, as well as the types of traffic that are allowed to pass through the network.

Why is Port Security Important?

Port security is important for any network for a number of reasons. 

  • Firstly, it helps protect the network from unauthorized access and malicious attacks. By limiting who can access the network, and what types of traffic are allowed to pass through it, administrators can help ensure that only legitimate and secure traffic is able to access the network.
  • In addition, port security also helps reduce the risk of security breaches and helps maintain the privacy and integrity of the network. 
  • Furthermore, port security helps to reduce network congestion by reducing the amount of traffic on the network. By limiting which devices are allowed to access the network, administrators can help free up bandwidth and resources so that legitimate traffic can flow freely and quickly. 
  • By monitoring which devices are accessing the network, administrators can also identify any potential performance issues with the network and take steps to address them.

How to Implement Port Security in a Network?

The following steps are followed to implement port security in a network:

  • Identify devices that can access the network:

The first step to implementing port security is to identify which devices are allowed to access the network. This can be done by using Access Control Lists (ACLs), which allow administrators to specify which devices are allowed access to the network. 

  • Use authentication protocols to verify a device:

Additionally, certain authentication protocols, such as RADIUS and TACACS can also be used to verify the identity of the device before it is granted access to the network. Once the devices that are allowed access to the network are identified, the next step is to configure firewalls and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs). 

  • Configure firewalls and VLANs:

Firewalls help protect the network from unauthorized access, while VLANs help segment the network and control which devices can access different parts of the network. 

  • Set up a monitoring system:

Finally, administrators should also monitor the network to ensure that only authorized devices are accessing the network. This can be done by using a network monitoring system, which helps to identify any malicious or suspicious activity on the network.

What are the Different Types of Port Security?

You can configure a port in one of the three different types of violation modes:

  • Protect
  • Restrict
  • Shutdown

You need to run the following commands to run the port security violation mode configuration:

Step 1: Choose the LAN port to configure.

Router(config)# interface type1 slot/port

Step 2: Set the violation mode and choose the action when a security violation occurs.

Router(config-if)# switchport port-security violation {protect | restrict | shutdown}

Step 3: Brings back the default configuration (i.e., shutdown)

router(config-if)# no swotchport port-security violation

Step 4: Verify the violation mode configuration

Router(config-if)# do show port-security interface type1 slot/port | include violation_mode2

Here 1type = fastethernet, gigabitethernet, and tengigabitethenet

2violation mode = protect, restrict or shutdown

Here is what the different violation modes do:

  • Protect: It drops the packets with an unknown source address. It does so until you delete a sufficient number of secure MAC addresses.
  • Restrict: It drops the packets with foreign/unknown source addresses until you get rid of a sufficient number of secure MAC addresses to drop below the maximum value. It then causes the SecurityViolation counter to increase.
  • Shutdown: It causes the interface to enter an error-disabled state immediately. It then sends an SNMP trap notification.

What are the Disadvantages of Port Security?

The following are the noticeable cons of port security:

  • It takes a lot of money to install and maintain such a system as port security. It is very expensive.
  • Some of the ports are extended in a capacity beyond their limit and they lack the resources required to implement such a security system.
  • It is difficult to have a cybersecurity system in ports because i is difficult to configure processes like managing specific cybersecurity threats unique to each country.

Conclusion

In this guide, we have covered port security which is an important topic for CCNA course. Port security is an important aspect of any network. It helps protect the network from malicious attacks and unauthorized access, while also helping to reduce network congestion. 

By taking the time to configure Access Control Lists (ACLs), firewalls, and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs), as well as authentication protocols such as RADIUS and TACACS, administrators can help ensure that only authorized devices are able to access the network. 

Additionally, it is also needed that the network administrators regularly monitor the network to identify suspicious or malicious activity. By properly implementing port security, networks can be secured and protected from cyber-attacks.

Happy Learning

Stay tuned for more blogs for the CCNA 200-301 series!

Let’s discuss the objectives of Network security.

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objectives of network security
objectives of network security

IT has formulated innumerable domains, and network security is the crucial one. Therefore, network security has become a concern in the tech industry.

In this blog, we will discuss the objectives of network security in detail. Hence, read the blog till the end to learn the concept of network security better.

What is Network security?

Network security is crucial to safeguarding information from unauthorized access, data theft, and cyber-attacks. It involves implementing security measures and protocols to protect computer networks, devices, and data from malicious activities. 

What are the objectives of Network security?

The objectives of network security are as follows-

  • To protect the confidentiality of information by preventing unauthorized access or disclosure of sensitive data.

The objective of network security is to safeguard the confidentiality of information by preventing unauthorized access or disclosure of sensitive data; it aims to ensure that only authorized individuals can access data and that the data remains secure while being transmitted or stored. Protecting sensitive information is crucial to prevent data breaches and other security incidents that could compromise the integrity of an organization.

  • To ensure the integrity of information by protecting against unauthorized modification, deletion or alteration of data.

Network security ensures the integrity of information by protecting against unauthorized modification, deletion, or alteration of data. Network security measures prevent malicious attacks that compromise the authenticity and accuracy of data. Implementing security protocols and technologies can ensure that data remains unchanged and trustworthy. Protecting the integrity of information is essential to maintain the reliability and reputation of an organization.

  • To maintain the availability of network resources by preventing denial of service attacks or other network disruptions.

Network security ensures the continuity and availability of network resources by protecting against unauthorized access, data breaches, and other network disruptions and prevents denial-of-service attacks that cause a network to become unavailable or inoperable. Implementing effective security measures safeguards networks and maintains uninterrupted access to critical resources.

  • To ensure the authenticity of network communications by verifying the identities of users and devices.

Network security ensures the integrity and confidentiality of network communications by verifying the identities of users and devices to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches. Implementing robust security measures like firewalls, encryption, and access controls can help to safeguard their systems and protect sensitive information from cyber threats.

  • To protect against threats such as malware, viruses, and other forms of malicious attacks.

Network security protects against cyber threats like malware, viruses, and other malicious attacks that damage network infrastructure, compromise sensitive data, and disrupt business operations. Implementing advanced security measures like intrusion detection and prevention systems, firewalls, antivirus software, and secure protocols can help to prevent these attacks and ensure the safety and security of the networks.

  • To protect against unauthorized access and control of network devices and systems.

Network security prevents unauthorized access and control of network devices and systems by implementing various security measures like firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption techniques. These measures help to safeguard the network against potential threats – hacking, malware, and phishing attacks, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of network resources.

  • To comply with regulatory requirements for network security and data privacy.

Network security ensures compliance with regulatory requirements for network security and data privacy involving security measures that protect sensitive data from unauthorized access, alteration or destruction. 

  • To ensure business continuity by implementing disaster recovery and business continuity plans.

Network security ensures business continuity by implementing disaster recovery and business continuity plans. During a network outage, cyber attack, or natural disaster, these plans quickly and efficiently get restored as backups, redundancy, and failover systems.

  • To monitor network traffic by identifying and responding to security incidents promptly.

Network security safeguards computer networks against unauthorized access, data theft, and other cyber threats by monitoring the network traffic and detecting potential security incidents. Identifying and responding to these incidents aims to prevent data breaches, malware attacks, and other cyber threats compromising integrity, confidentiality, and availability of network resources.

  • To educate employees and end-users on best practices for network security to prevent human error or negligence from compromising the network.

Network security also educates employees and end-users on best practices crucial to prevent human errors or negligence from compromising the network by imparting knowledge about secure password management, avoiding phishing emails, keeping software up to date, and understanding the importance of data privacy. Promoting awareness and enforcing policies prioritizing network security can reduce the risk of data breaches and protect sensitive information from malicious attacks.

What are the courses to master Network security?

The courses available to master network security are as follows-

Where can I enroll for Network security courses?

If you wish to enroll in network security courses, Network Kings is the best ed-tech platform for you, where you will learn directly from engineers and get 24*7 access to the world’s biggest virtual labs with zero downtime. 

Here you will get the best network security courses and training to excel in IT.

Wrapping Up!

Network security is essential to protecting information from cyber threats and ensuring data confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Therefore, organizations must prioritize network security to prevent data breaches and cyber-attacks and maintain the trust of their customers and stakeholders.

Hence, if you wish to write to us or leave feedback or add something to the objectives of network security, feel free. Good Luck!

Most-Asked Network Firewall Interview Questions: The Only Guide You Need

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firewall interview questions
firewall interview questions

Whether you’re appearing in an interview to become a Network Security Engineer, Firewall Engineer, or even a Cybersecurity Engineer; it is very important to be aware of basic network firewall security.

If you’re appearing for any of the above interviews, then you’re at the right place. This blog will also help those who want to learn more about firewalls and network security in general. Hold tight, we are about to begin with the most-asked Network Firewall interview questions.

These Firewall interview questions are the most frequently asked interview questions in the industry. Let’s begin!

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Basic Firewall Interview Questions and Answers

1. What is a firewall?

  • A firewall acts as a line of defense in a network. It acts as a barrier between a trusted and a non-trusted network.
  • It allows/blocks incoming or outgoing traffic on the basis of pre-configured policies or rules.
  • Firewalls are the oldest and the most frequently used network security solutions.
  • A firewall could be a free or a paid software solution.
  • A firewall also works to protect internal networks from each other.
firewall interview questions

2. What is a packet-filtering firewall?

A packet filtering firewall is one that examines the source and destination IP addresses, protocols such as User Diagram Protocol (UDP) and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) as well as port addresses.

The packet is verified and secured if both IP addresses match each other.

3. What is the difference between stateful and stateless firewalls?

On the basis of their state, the packet filtering firewalls can be classified into two types:

  • Stateful packet filtering firewalls
  • Stateless packet filtering firewalls

Stateful packet filtering firewalls:

  • A stateful firewall is located in Layer 3 and Layer 4 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model.
  • It keeps track of the state of network connections.
  • This means that it knows the current status of the process.
  • This firewall adds the traffic into a stable table once it is approved.
  • Stateful firewalls are able to detect fake messaging and unauthorized access.
  • They have a powerful memory as they remember the main aspects of network connections.
  • They have stronger attack mitigation.
basic firewall interview questions

Stateless packet filtering firewalls:

  • Stateless firewalls are also known as Access Control Lists (ACLs).
  • They are not aware of the current state of connection/incoming traffic.
  • ACLs are present in the network or physical layers and sometimes, in the transport layer.
  • The device accepts or rejects an incoming packer by checking if it matches the ACL rules or not.
  • Stateless firewalls are faster than stateful firewalls.
  • They perform better in heavy traffic as they do not dive deep into the information of a packet as stateful firewalls do.
basic firewall interview questions

4. What is the function of a firewall?

  • The function of a firewall is to protect sensitive enterprise systems, be it any basic firewall or an advanced Next Generation (NGFW) firewall as a FortiGate firewall.
  • A firewall is able to recognize harmful or malicious traffic.
  • It is able to block traffic from a particular IP address if it senses any malicious activity in them.
  • It acts as a filtering unit for legal and healthy traffic.
  • An advanced firewall can also look into the contents of data packets and look for malware signatures.

5. How does a firewall function?

A firewall filters traffic on the basis of a set of configurations or rules that are applied by a firewall administrator. It has the ability to permit or block any IP address, port number, web application, and network-layer protocols on the basis of these rules.

Some of the common ports are as follows:

  • 80 HTTP
  • 25 SMTP
  • 22 SSH
  • 23 Telnet
  • 443 HTTPS
  • 20 and 21 FTP

6. Can IPSec ever rule out firewalls?

The function of an IPSec is to provide host-to-host authentication and encryption. It is a group of protocols used together to set up encrypted connections between network devices.

Firewalls, on the other hand, protect the network without encryption or host-to-host authentication. It filters the traffic and permits/blocks on a certain set of rules.

This means that both IPSec and firewalls are needed because of their specific functions. IPSec cannot cause the expiration of firewalls. Although, we can consider IPSec-enabled hosts in the future.

7. What do you understand by a VPN?

  • The full form of a VPN is Virtual Private Network (VPN).
  • It creates a safe and secure connection between the Internet and your device.
  • Once you are connected to the internet through a VPN, your data is sent via an encrypted virtual tunnel.
  • It also creates a connection between two private networks over the internet.
firewall vpn interview questions,

8. What are the different types of firewalls in network security?

There are five types of firewalls in network security. These are as follows:

  • Packet filtering firewalls
  • Application-level gateway or Proxy firewalls
  • Circuit-level gateway firewalls
  • Stateful inspection firewalls
  • Next-Generation firewalls (NGFW)

9. Firewalls work in which OSI layers?

A firewall works at these three layers in the OSI model, namely:

  • Layer 3 (Network layer)
  • Layer 4 (Transport layer)
  • Layer 7 (Application layer)

10. What is the function of a transparent firewall?

  • A firewall acts as a Layer 2 device like a bridge or switch in transparent mode.
  • It then forwards Ethernet frames on the basis of destination mac-address.
  • The best part about a transparent firewall is that it can be easily inserted in an already existing segment to control the traffic between two sides without readdressing or reconfiguring the devices.

11. What is Policy NAT?

  • Policy NAT stands for Policy Network Address Translation.
  • It allows you to NAT by giving both the source and destination addresses in an extended Access List (ACL).
  • We can also give source and destination ports.
  • There are two types in which Policy NAT is available:
    1. Static Policy NAT
    2. Dynamic Policy NAT

12. What is the default timeout value for TCP, UDP and ICMP sessions?

  • The default value for a TCP session is 60 minutes.
  • The default value for the UDP session is 2 minutes.
  • The default value for the ICMP session is 2 seconds.

FAQs:

01. What is a firewall in Networking?

A firewall acts as a line of defense in a network. It acts as a barrier between a trusted and a non-trusted network. It allows/blocks incoming or outgoing traffic on the basis of pre-configured policies or rules.

02. What are the types of firewalls?

Packet filtering firewalls Application-level gateway or Proxy firewalls Circuit-level gateway firewalls Stateful inspection firewalls Next-Generation firewalls (NGFW)

03. Give some examples of firewalls.

The most popular firewalls in the market are the Palo Alto firewall, Checkpoint firewall, FortiGate firewall, etc.

04. How does a firewall function?

A firewall filters traffic on the basis of a set of configurations or rules that are applied by a firewall administrator.

05. What are the three types of firewall delivery methods?

Hardware-based firewalls, Software-based firewalls, Cloud/hosted firewalls

06. Is the firewall Layer 3 or Layer 4?

A firewall works in both Layer 3 and Layer 4. In fact, in the advanced OSI model, the firewalls work in Layer 7 as well.

07. Is VPN a Layer 4?

A VPN usually sits at Layer 3, the Network layer.

08. Does the firewall have a router?

Yes, a lot of routers have in-built routers. It is the core of a wireless network.

F5 LTM Top 20+ Interview Questions and Answers

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F5 lTM Interview Question and Answers
F5 lTM Interview Question and Answers

F5 LTM has been placed in the Leader’s Quadrant for 4-5 years straight by Gartner, Inc. This indicates that you will be marking a successful career by choosing F5 LTM Networks. 

Becoming an F5 LTM Engineer is not easy, yet there are some things that need your proper attention. In this blog, I have combined all the top most-asked F5 LTM interview questions and answers.  

It will help you to boost up your interview preparation. You can keep this F5 LTM questions cheat sheet with you for future reference too. However, I do not recommend you to keep this blog as the only source of your interview preparation. 

Without any further ado, we are going to start off with the list of interview questions. These F5 LTM interview questions will help you to make your concepts stronger. 

 

Let’s begin! 

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F5 LTM Interview Questions and Answers

1. What are iRules in F5 LTM? 

An iRule is a powerful and adaptable feature with BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager. It can be used to manage your network traffic.  

Using syntax, the iRules feature does not only let you select pools based on header data but it allows you to direct traffic. It does so by searching for any type of defined content data. 

Therefore, iRules allows you to customize your content according to your own needs. 

In other words, iRules lets you specify the direction of your traffic to a particular destination. 

With the help of iRules, you can send your traffic to the following: 

  • Pools 
  • Individual pool members 
  • Ports 
  • URIs 

when CLIENT_ACCEPTED { 

   if {[IP::addr [IP::client_addr] equals 10.10.10.10]} { 

   pool my_pool 

   } 

   } 

The iRule is activated when a client-side connection is accepted. It then lets the Local Traffic Manager to send the packet to the pool my_pool , if the client’s address matches 10.10.10.10.

2. What is Load Balancing on Servers?  

Server Load Balancing (SLB) helps in increasing network speed and content delivery. It does so by using a variety of techniques and prioritization to react to network requests.  

SLB exposes the users to a set of servers and guarantees that users are not routed to any failing server. 

3. What is iControl in F5 LTM? 

In F5 LTM, iControl is a web services-enabled open API. It provides granular control over the configuration and management of BIG-IP which is F5’s application delivery platform. 

iControl can be integrated with the help of SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol). It can then be used virtually on any platform. 

iControl can be used for the following functions: 

  • To build custom management. 
  • To monitor applications. 
  • To integrate with Business Process Management (BPM) and other workflow applications. 
  • It can be integrated directly into applications for better control over delivery of an application. 
  • Integrating with virtual computing platform management tools like VMware vCenter and Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM). 

4. Is F5 Load Balancer a software app or a hardware device? 

There are two types of load balancers: 

  • Software-based 
  • Hardware-based 

Vendors of hardware such as F5 Networks and Citrix include the software-based load balancer within the products. 

5. What are the advantages of using SLB? 

The three main benefits of using SLB are as follows: 

  • Increased scalability. 
  • It provides redundancy. 
  • Upkeep and performance.

6. What is GSLB?

  • Global Server Load Balancing (GSLB) is very similar to SBL. Yet, it is different from SBL in many aspects. 
  • It enables us to load balance VIPs from various geographical locations as a single entity. 
  • The GSBL also enables geographic site expansion as well as low latency. 

7. How to enable GSLB?

  • One of the easiest ways to enable GSLB is with the use of CDN (Content Delivery Network). 
  • Global CDN collects data from their client’s origin servers. 
  • It then caches it on geographically distributed servers. 
  • It offers dependable internet content to consumers all across the globe.

8. What is Health Check in reference to load balancer? 

Health Check is a feature present in the load balancer. It allows you to set parameters to perform diagnostic observations on the performance of web servers and web server farms. These farms are associated with each appliance. 

Health checking lets you determine if a particular server or a service has failed or it stopped working. When a health check fails, the SLB algorithm stops sending clients to that server until the service passes health checks again. 

9. Which server will be accessed first when load balancing to a real server? 

It completely depends on the load balancing method you choose. A few examples include: 

  • Least connections method:  

The first connection is received by the real server with the lowest number of concurrent connections. 

  • Round robin method: 

The real server with the lowest entry index will receive the first connection. 

  • Shortest response: 

The load balancer looks for the real server with the lowest response time. It does so by establishing connections with each server and then calculating the round-trip time.

10. What is Reverse Proxy Cache? 

Reverse Proxy Cache is a cache present in front of the origin servers, hence the use of the term ‘reverse’ in the name. 

If a client requests a cached object, the proxy will service the request from the cache.  

It then does not use the origin server.

11. How does the cache decide what to cache? 

The cacheability of an object is measured by the HTTP Cache-Control header. It can also determine how long the object should be cached. The cache can be configured to cancel the cacheability of an object by specifying the host-name and a regular expression. It looks for the object whose URL matches these metrics.

12. What is Overflow? 

  • When the server cannot handle the queries anymore due to excessive queries, it is called overflow.  
  • Overflow is a technique in array GSBL that addresses this issue. 
  • It does so by redirecting queries to another server when the local site reaches 80% of its capacity. 

13. What is a pool in F5? 

  • A pool is a collection of equipment. These include web servers that work together to collect and handle the traffic. 
  • BIG-IP does not route client information to the specified destination IP address in the user requests. 
  • Instead of that, it transmits the request to the subscribers of that group.

14. What is the difference between dynamic and static content? Is it possible for the Array appliance to cache dynamic content? 

A web server responds to a client’s request for a web page by returning the required content. Static content is the content which is obtained from disk/memory and provided to the user without further intervention. 

Dynamic content is determined by measuring the amount that is created on the fly by the host. 

15. What is meant by True Clustering? 

  • True clustering allows the synchronization of all configurations across all machines in the cluster. 
  • Only universal parameters are synced, such as the SLB configuration. Local characteristics, such as the IP addresses of the interface are not synced. 

16. What is Virtual Clustering? 

  • Virtual clustering allows the availability of VIPs between cluster members.  
  • For example, if one appliance responsible for traffic processing fails, another device in the cluster assumes the responsibility for traffic processing. 

17. What parameters do we need to provide while configuring the cluster? 

The following parameters must be defined in the cluster configuration: 

  • Address of the VIP 
  • Cluster-ID 
  • Method of Authorization 
  • User interface 
  • Priorities 

18. What exactly is SNAT? 

SNAT translates the source client’s IP address included inside the query to the BIG-IP device’s transcription address. 

19. What exactly is an iRule? 

It is a type of script that was developed to access features that are not available through GUI or CLI. This iRule allows you to engage directly with the traffic flowing by that device.

20. What are the components of iRule?

  • There are three most important components of iRule:
    operators 
  • Declarations of Events 
  • Commands of iRule

21. What algorithms are used for cache content replacement? 

The Array (Hardware load balancer) Cache uses various algorithms for recognizing cache replacement behavior, depending on the context. The Array will use LRU (Least Recently Used) to remove older content when the space is needed. The LRU is used in most cases. 

22. What is recursion depth in tree structure?

Recursion depth refers to the number of levels that can be cross the main or parent page. This is often used to specify how much of a website or how many deep levels are needed to preload into the cache. 

Conclusion: 

You no longer need to worry. You can go through these F5 LTM interview questions and answers. These questions are technical F5 LTM questions as well as basic questions with answers.  

Make your concepts stronger with these questions. Good luck! 

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