OSPF training course description

A detailed hands on examination of OSPF. Hands on sessions are used to reinforce the theory rather than teach specific manufacturer equipment. The course starts with a recap of reading routing tables and then jumps straight in with simple OSPF configuration. OSPF features are then studied and configured before moving onto how OSPF works within an area. Multi area OSPF is then studied before looking at OSPF operation in detail by analysing OSPF packets. Finally areas are covered again in more detail followed by troubleshooting.

What will you learn

• Design OSPF networks.
• Design IP addressing schemes suitable for route summarisation.
• Troubleshoot OSPF networks.
• Describe the operation of OSPF.

OSPF training course details

OSPF training course contents

• Basic routing and OSPF

Reading routing tables, routing protocols. What is OSPF? Process IDs, passive interfaces.
Hands on Simple OSPF configuration.

• OSPF

History of OSPF, metrics, costs, convergence, Distance Vector vs. Link state routing protocols, IGPs, classless, OSPF benefits, load sharing, per packet/destination, OSPF authentication.
Hands on OSPF convergence, configuring cost and load sharing.

• OSPF within an area

How OSPF works, LSDB, LSDB benefits and disadvantages, LSA types, Type 1 and 2, SPF, LSA propagation, router IDs, hellos, configuring hellos, the exchange protocol, BFD, OSPF fast hellos.
Hands on Investigating OSPF LSDB, hellos and SPF.

• Areas

Scalability, why areas? Area IDs, area 0, intra and inter area routing, ABRs, ABR resilience, areas & LSDBs, areas & LSAs, Type 3 LSAs, virtual links, example uses of virtual links, configuring virtual links.
Hands on Configuring multi areas OSPF, LSDB and areas.

• Redistribution

Multiple routing protocols, common redistribution scenarios, routing protocol priorities, Type 5 LSAs, E1 and E2, Type 4 LSAs, configuring redistribution, OSPF and default routes.
Hands on Configuring OSPF redistribution.

• Route aggregation

Route summarisation, how to aggregate, CIDR, ABR summarisation, ASBR summarisation.
Hands on OSPF ABR and ASBR aggregation.

• OSPF packet formats

OSPF packets, protocol stack, OSPF operation, packet flows, packet types, the OSPF header, multicasts in OSPF, Hello, DDB, LS request, LS update, LS ACK, LSA header, hello, neighbour states, DRs, BDRs, DR election.
Hands on Analysing OSPF packets, troubleshooting.

• OSPF network types

Point to point links, BMA, NBMA, point to multipoint, stub and transit networks.

• OSPF stub areas

LSA types, area types, area architecture, stub areas, default route injection, benefits and disadvantages of stub areas, TSSAs, NSSAs, Type 7 LSAs.
Hands on Stub and TSSA configuration.

• OSPF and IPv6 routing

IPv6 header, IPv6 routing protocol, address allocation, IPv6 routing table, IPv6 static routes, OSPF for IPv6.
Hands on Configuring IPv6 and IPv6 routing, IPv6 static routes, OSPFv3.

• Summary

OSPF packet types, OSPF router types, LSA types, area types, OSPF design guidelines, RFCs.

• OSPF variants (appendix)

OSPF on demand, MOSPF, multicast overview, Type 6 LSAs..

• The OSPF MIB (appendix)

SNMP overview, MIB 2, the OSPF MIB, OSPF MIB groups, useful objects, OSPF traps.
Hands on the OSPF MIB. troubleshooting.

Learning path

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