CORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY INSTITIID TEICNEOLAOCHTA CHORCA Semester 1 Examinations 2008/09 School: Programme Title: Computing & Mathematics

Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Software Development and Computer Networking CR_KDNET_8

Programme Code:

Module Title: LAN Switching & Wireless

Module Code: COMP6020

External Examiner(s): Internal Examiner(s):

Tim Horgan Jonathan Sherwin

Instructions: Duration: Sitting:

Answer question one and any two other questions 2 hours Autumn 2009

Requirements for this examination:

Note to Candidates: Please check the Programme Title and the Module Title to ensure that you are attempting the correct exaination. If in doubt please contact an Invigilator.

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Q.1 Compulsory Question a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i) j) Dene the term broadcast domain. What effect do switches and routers have on broadcast domains? Why did Ethernet networks performance improve with the advent of switches? What are the primary tasks performed by both bridges and switches? Outline the differences between half- and full-duplex communication. On a switch how can you secure the management VLAN? When the Spanning Tree Protocol is implemented on a switch how is the root bridge elected? List the two RF spectrums that are considered unlicensed bands. Which wireless standards are associated with each? List the three encryption standards you can currently use with wireless networking. Why is router-on-a-stick sometimes necessary in switched environments? How can you ensure that only one specific end device is attached to a switch port? 4 Marks 4 Marks 4 Marks 4 Marks 4 Marks 4 Marks 4 Marks 4 Marks 4 Marks 4 Marks

Q.2 VLANS & VTP a) b) c) d) e) Consider the phrase A VLAN is a broadcast domain is an IP subnet. Do you agree or disagree? Why? 6 Marks

What elds are added or changed in an Ethernet header when you use 6 Marks 802.1q? Where is the VLAN ID in those elds? Name the three VTP modes. Which mode does not allow VLANs to be added or modied? Explain how a switch in VTP transparent mode treats VTP messages received from a VTP server. What are trunks and how do they work? 6 Marks 6 Marks 6 Marks

Q.3 Switching a) Describe how a switch decides whether it should forward a frame, 6 Marks

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and tell how it chooses the output interface. b) c) d) e) Name two of the methods of internal switching on typical switches today. Which provides less latency for an individual frame? Name two benets of LAN segmentation using switches. You need to configure a switch so that it can be managed remotely, how can this be achieved? 6 Marks 6 Marks 6 Marks

What do switches do when a frame with a new source and destination 6 Marks MAC address is received?

Q.4 Spanning Tree a) b) c) d) e) Describe the benets of the Spanning Tree Protocol. What settings does a bridge or switch examine to determine which should be elected as root of the spanning tree? Name the three interface states that Spanning Tree Protocol uses, other than forwarding. Which of these states is transitory? 6 Marks 6 Marks 6 Marks

What are the two reasons that a nonroot bridge/switch places a port in 6 Marks forwarding state? If a switch hears three different hello BPDUs from three different neighbors on three different interfaces, and if all three specify that 6 Marks Bridge 1 is the root, how does the switch choose which interface is its root port?

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