Network Basics
What is a Binary Number - Understanding binary will be a huge advantage in understanding IP addresses and subnet masks.
Binary to Hexadecimal Conversion - Hexadecimal conversions are sometimes required in IP version 4 and will certainly be required in understanding IP version 6.
What is a Network Address - This term can mean different things depending on the context. When talking about switches and switching a network address is the physical Layer 2 (of the OSI reference model) address. In terms of routing and TCPIP a network address is a layer 3 (of the OSI reference model) address used to identify computers and network devices.
What is a Router - Routers forward and direct traffic between networks.
What is a Network - Can you define exactly what a network is?
What is Cloud Computing - Understanding a cloud is essential in today's market where so many services are presented in the cloud.
What is the Difference Between Routers and Modems - Fundamental differences between routers and modems.
IP BASICS
What is an IP address - IP version 4 is at the core of networks in 2011. It is used as a way to provide logical addresses to devices much in the same way that phone numbers are used to identify telephones.
What is a Subnet Mask - Subnet masks enable the 4+ billion public IP addresses to find each other quickly and efficiently by grouping large numbers of addresses into one network.
What is a Default IP Address - Default addresses sometimes known as default gateways are used to as a last resort rule to forward packets when the destination address is not known in the routing table. In other words, they are used to tell a router to "send packets this way if you don't know where the destination is". Usually the default gateway points toward the Internet.
How to Subnet - Subnetting allows one larger network to be segmented into smaller portions. For example, a company purchases one Class C IP network range but they have two geographically dispersed offices. They can subnet their Class C network to create two smaller network, one for each office.
What is a Broadcast Storm - Broadcast storms are strictly speaking a layer 2 problem, not an IP problem. However, it is usually unknown IP unicast packets or IP broadcast packets that initiate the layer 2 loop. For this reason it is important to understand this problem from both layer 2 and layer 3 perspectives.
NETWORK MONITORING & PERFORMANCE
Monitor Your Router - Network performance can be affected by the router throughput. See how to monitor these devices to ensure that they are not a bottleneck in your network.
Monitor Network Performance - Measure latency, jitter, packet loss, routing throughput, link capacity and more.
Monitor Server Performance - Are your servers running well?
Network Performance Testing - Advanced performance testing for networks.
IPSLA Performance Monitoring - Overview of Cisco IPSLA as well as key decision points when deploying IPSLA to production networks.
IPSLA MOS Score - An easy to read explanation of why Cisco IPSLA displays a maximum of 4.06 of a possible 5 points when it produces a MOS score.
NETWORK DIAGRAMS
What is a Network Diagram - Definition of a network diagram, examples of labelling, sample diagram and a list of the many uses that dictate the kind of information that is displayed.
Network Diagram Basics - Common uses, key icon descriptions, key shape descriptions and some great sample diagrams for a professional finish.
How to Draw a Network Diagram - Step by step instructions for drawing a quality network diagram.
