A basic, unmanaged switch will allow you to interconnect several host devices -- at the Data Link level -- into a LAN. However, with a managed switch, you can exercise a greater level of control over how the switch behaves. This can include such tasks as limiting who can connect and establishing virtual LANs. Here, you will get a basic introduction to managing a Cisco switch.

Please answer the questions below. Note that some of this may call upon your Lab #9 work, as well.

(If you are satisfied with your homework grades, you may choose to do this as a lab, for your admin log, instead. Note that this may not serve as both a homework and a lab; it can only serve as one or the other.)
  1. Open GNS3 on your Windows computer, along with your project from Lab 9. Click File and "Save project as...". Use the name it246_2x_hw10 -- replacing "2x" with the number for your physical machine.
  2. In your topology, replace SW1 with an EtherSwitch, re-establishing the original links, as they were in Lab 9. (Recall, you created an EtherSwitch in Lab #7!) Here, make sure the links are all on FastEthernet interfaces 1/* -- but leave FastEthernet 0/0 and 0/1 alone. Include a screenshot of the new topology. What is the name of this device?
  3. Consulting Lab 9, start up all devices and configure your PCs' and router's network interfaces as indicated.
  4. In the same manner as the router, configure your switch's network interface to have an IP address of 192.168.2x.10. In this case, replace the command int fa0/0 with int vlan 1 . Remember to also use the no shut command. Try to do some pings back and forth between the switch and other devices. What are your results?
  5. On your switch, execute the command show interface vlan 1. What information does this give you? Include the output.
  6. What command can you use to see the MAC address table? Include the output.
  7. When you issue the command show running-config at a Privileged Exec prompt, some items are displayed. For each of the items listed below, briefly define it and explain its importance. (In your own words, rather than using direct quotes!) If necessary, consult the Cisco website (www.cisco.com) and/or do some Googling.
    1. no service pad
    2. service timestamps debug uptime
    3. service timestamps log uptime
    4. no service password-encryption
    5. system mtu routing 1500
    6. ip subnet-zero
    7. no file verify auto
    8. spanning-tree mode pvst
    9. spanning-tree extend system-id
    10. Vlan internal allocation policy ascending
  8. Go to the Cisco Switch Selector webpage and explore the different questions they ask to help potential customers decide. Briefly explain each of these (in your own words, rather than using direct quotes):
    1. Campus and Branch vs. Data Center Switches
    2. Access vs. Backbone
    3. Branch vs. Campus vs. Carpeted Area
    4. Converged wired and wireless support
    5. Modular, Stackable, Non-Stackable, and Cloud Managed Switches
    6. LAN vs. SAN vs. LAN/SAN
    7. Access/Leaf vs. Aggregation/Spine vs. Core
    8. ACI-Ready
    9. Fabric extender