Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Networking Official Cert
Guide
Russ White, CCIE No. 2635
Cisco Press
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Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Networking
Official Cert Guide
Russ White
Copyright© 2024 Pearson Education, Inc.
Published by: Cisco Press
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
$PrintCode
Library of Congress Control Number:
ISBN-13: 978-0-13-821342-8
ISBN-10: 0-13-821342-9
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This book is designed to provide information about the Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Networking exam. Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and as accurate as possible, but no warranty or fitness is implied.
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Contents at a Glance
18 Security and Privacy Concepts
19 Attacks and Threats
20 Security Tools
Part V Managing Networks
21 Managing Networks
22 Troubleshooting
23 Configuring a Network
Part VI Final Preparation
24 Final Preparation
Part VII Exam Updates
25 CiscoCertifiedSupportTechnician(CCST)Networking
OfficialCertGuideExam Updates
Part VIII Appendices
Appendix A Answers to the “Do I Know This Already?”
Questions
Glossary of Key Terms
Part Online Elements
Appendix B Concepts and Actions Memory Tables
Appendix C Solutions to Concepts and Actions Memory Tables
Appendix D Study Planner
Contents
Introduction
Recommended Prerequisite Skills
The Exam Topics
Steps to Becoming a Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST)
Facts About the Exam
About the CiscoCertifiedSupportTechnician(CCST)
NetworkingOfficialCertGuide
The Companion Website for Online Content Review
How to Access the Pearson Test Prep (PTP) App
Customizing Your Exams
Updating Your Exams
Part I Foundations
Thinking About Moving Packets
Thinking About Words
Thinking About How to Think
Thinking About Change
Laying the Foundation
1 Shipping Things
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
The Purpose of Packaging
Addressing
Packaging Data
Tunnels
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
2 Addresses
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Address Scope
Physical Addresses
Internet Protocol Version 4
Why Two Addresses?
Internet Protocol Version 6
Aggregation
Network Prefixes Ports and Sockets
Network Address Translation
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
3 Routing and Switching
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Assigning IP Addresses to Hosts
Host-to-Host Communication and Address Resolution on a
Single Wire
Switching Packets
Routing Packets
Redirects and Relays
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
4 Wired Host Networking Configuration
”Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Windows
macOS
Linux
Verifying Connectivity
Finding Your Public IP Address
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
5 What’s in a Network?
”Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Hosts and Virtual Hosts
Mobile Devices
Things Middleboxes
The Global Internet
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
6 Network Models
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Why Are Models Important?
The OSI Seven-Layer Model
The TCP/IP Model
The Recursive Internet Architecture
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
Part II Infrastructure
7 Wired Networks
”Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Electrical Transmission and Interference
The Maximum Transmission Unit
Ethernet over Copper
Fiber
Pluggable Interfaces
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
8 Wireless Networks
”Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Free Space Concepts
Wi-Fi
Cellular
Satellite
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
9 Bandwidth, Delay, and Jitter
”Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Bandwidth and Throughput
Bandwidth and Delay
Jitter
Measuring Network Performance
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
10 Basic Network Hardware
”Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Hardware, Ports, and Lights
Network Diagrams
Network Wiring
Handling the Heat
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
11 Local Area Networks
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Building and Campus Networks
The Home Network
Configuring the Home Network
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
12 Wide Area Networks
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Common Challenges to Building Wide Area Networks
Metro and Last-Mile Network Design
Transit Provider Design
Ring and Hub-and-Spoke Topologies
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
Part III Services
13 Data Centers and Fabrics
”Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Web Applications
Internet Exchange Points
Spine-and-Leaf Fabrics
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
14 Network Transport
”Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Internet Protocol Version 4
Internet Protocol Version 6
User Datagram Protocol
Transmission Control Protocol
Quick UDP Internet Connections (QUIC)
Identifying Flows
Path MTU Discovery
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
15 Application Transport
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Marshaling Systems
Secure Shell
Hypertext Transfer Protocol
File Transfer Protocol
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
16 Names and Time
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
The Domain Name Space
The Life of a DNS Query
DNS Architecture and Operations
DNS Security and Privacy
Diagnosing DNS
The Network Time Protocol
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
17 Cloud Computing
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Cloud Computing
Public versus Private Cloud
The Impact of Cloud Computing on Network Engineering
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
Part IV Security
18 Security and Privacy Concepts
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
A Security Taxonomy
Privacy Concepts
Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
19 Attacks and Threats
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Defining Attacks and Threats
Gaining Access
Lateral Movement
Attack Actions
Denial of Service
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
20 Security Tools
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Authentication Tools
Defensive Tools and Design
Countering Spam and Phishing
Encryption
Virtual Private Networks
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
Part V Managing Networks
21 Managing Networks
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Network Documentation
Network Processes and Lifecycle
Management Challenges
Connecting to Manage
Management Systems
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
22 Troubleshooting
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Failure Terminology
Troubleshooting Tools and Techniques
Packet Captures
Advice to Troubleshooters
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
23 Configuring a Network
“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz
Foundation Topics
Initial Access
Configuring IPv4
Configuring Routing
Configuring Remote Access and Security
Adding IPv6
Adding a Switch
Chapter Review
Review All the Key Topics
Key Terms You Should Know
Concepts and Actions
Part VI Final Preparation
24 Final Preparation
Advice to Future Engineers
Learning Consolidation Activities
Suggested Plan for Final Review and Study
Part VII Exam Updates
25 CiscoCertifiedSupportTechnician(CCST)Networking
OfficialCertGuideExam Updates
The Purpose of This Chapter
News About the Next Exam Release
Updated Technical Content
Part VIII Appendices
Appendix A Answers to the “Do I Know This Already?”
Questions
Glossary of Key Terms
Part Online Elements
Appendix B Concepts and Actions Memory Tables
Appendix C Solutions to Concepts and Actions Memory Tables
Appendix D Study Planner
Introduction
The Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Networking certification is designed to be a first step into network engineering. The test is designed to validate an individual’s skills and knowledge of computer network operation, as well as basic configuration and troubleshooting. The CCST is also a first step toward the CCNA certification, which can then lead into various expert-level certifications like the CCIE and CCDE.
Recommended Prerequisite Skills
While this text provides you with the information required to pass this exam, Cisco considers ideal candidates to be those who
• Understand standards and concepts related to computer networks.
• Are able to identify and work with IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, networks, and subnets.
• Identify cables, connectors, media types, and their uses.
• Identify and use ports, lights, and other physical attributes of network devices.
• Understand basic routing and switching concepts.
• Explain basic network management tools, techniques, and best practices.
• Configure and troubleshoot a simple computer network.
• Describe the function of packet filters, firewalls, and other security devices and measures.
• Describe foundational security concepts.
• Configure basic wireless security.
The Exam Topics
The Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Networking exam is broken down into six major topic areas. The contents of this book cover each of the exam topic areas and the topics included in them as outlined in the table that follows.
