Linux Network Administration Exam

Subject Matter Topics and Objectives

Topic:  Introduction to TCP/IP

Objectives:

• Describe the advantages and disadvantages of a local area network (LAN)
• Define the following networking-related terms: topology, backbone, segment, repeater, bridge, router, gateway, networking model, protocol, layer, frame, cell, and fragmentation
• Describe the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) stack
• Describe how applications use the transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) suite to exchange data through Ethernet networks
• Describe the following protocols: TCP, user datagram protocol (UDP), IP, Internet group management protocol (IGMP), and Internet control message protocol (ICMP)

Topic:  Layers 1 and 2: Network Access

Objectives:

• Describe basic LAN topologies
• Describe a variety of layer 1 networking technologies
• Describe a variety of layer 2 networking protocols
• Describe the following features of the Ethernet protocol: CSMA/CD access method, Half-duplex and full-duplex, 10/100/1000 Mbps, Some electrical and fibre cable types
• Identify installed network cards
• Add network cards
• Verify layer 1 configuration with lspci and mii
• Verify layer 2 configuration with ifconfig and netstat

Topic:  Address Resolution Protocol

Objectives:

• Describe the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) and its purpose
• Use the arp program to view, add, and remove arp entries
• Use the tcpdump and ethereal programs to view network packets

Topic:  Layer 3: Internet Layer

Objectives:

• Internet protocol version 4: define the IPv4 address classes
• Internet protocol version 4: describe networks and netmasks
• Internet protocol version 4: descrbe the routing algorithm
• Describe the functionality of the Internet control messaging protocol (ICMP)
• Briefly describe the Internet group management protocol (IGMP)
• Describe the major differences between IPv4 and IPv6
• Configure a LAN with three distinct subnetworks that use three Linux systems as routers or static routing tables
• Use the ifconfig command
• Detail boot sequence as it relates to networking
• Use the ethereal program

Topic:  Dynamic Routing Table Management

Objectives:

• Describe intranets and internets
• Define autonomous systems and edge devices
• Cite the major differences between IPv4 and IPv6
• Differentiate between IGPs and EGPs
• Identify when it is appropriate to use static routes, router discovery, RIP, OSPF

Topic:  Transport Layer

Objectives:

• Describe the basic functionality of the Transport layer of the TCP/IP model
• Describe User Datagram Protocol (UDP) and Transport Control Protocol (TCP)
• Describe TCP/UDP port numbers

Topic:  Networking Services

Objectives:

• Explain how network services are activated
• Configure xinetd for common network services
• Establish and configure basic network security

Topic:  Troubleshooting TCP/IP

Objectives:

• Utilize a process to troubleshoot TCP/IP networks
• Use ping to assist in determining the portion of the stack that is causing the problem
• Use a variety of troubleshooting tools to identify problems

Topic:  Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)

Objectives:

• Describe the theory of operation for requesting information between a DHCP client and server
• Configure the DHCP server to successfully respond to client requests for Internet layer information
• Configure client systems to successfully load information from the server
• Configure the router to relay the DHCP requests between LAN segments

Topic:  Remote FIlesystems: NFS

Objectives:

• Describing an NFS overview
• Determining the status of NFS daemons
• Configuring the NFS server
• Configuring the NFS client
• Configuring the NFS automounter

Topic:  Remote Filesystems: Samba (CIFS)

Objectives:

• Describing a Samba (CIFS) overview
• Describing Windows networking protocol
• Installing and configuring the Samba (CIFS) suite

Topic:  Network Information Service

Objectives:

• Describe the purpose of the Network Information Service (NIS)
• Configure an NIS domain: configure an NIS doman, configure and NIS master, configure NIS slaves, configure NIS clients

Topic:  Name Services

Objectives:

• Describe the theory of operation for requesting information between a DNS client and server
• Explain when DNS should be implemented
• Configure primary and secondary servers to successfully respond to client information queries
• Configure client systems to make requests to server systems
• Configure Name Service Caching Daemon
• Successfully troubleshoot problems with minimal assistance

Topic:  Electronic Mail

Objectives:

• Describe MUAs, MDAs, and MTAs, and their roles in processing electronic mail
• Configure mail clients, relays, and gateways using postfix