Introduction:
Network administration and troubleshooting are crucial skills for ensuring that networks operate smoothly and efficiently. Network administrators are responsible for maintaining, configuring, and optimizing network infrastructures while also diagnosing and resolving issues that arise. This course provides participants with a comprehensive understanding of network administration, covering the foundational concepts of networking, configuration, maintenance, and troubleshooting. Participants will also gain hands-on experience with industry-standard tools to diagnose and resolve common network issues, enabling them to keep their networks running securely and efficiently.

Objectives:
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand and configure network devices, including routers, switches, and firewalls.
• Troubleshoot common network issues and identify the root cause of problems.
• Manage IP addressing, subnetting, and routing configurations.
• Monitor network performance and optimize network traffic.
• Implement network security measures and handle basic security issues.
• Use diagnostic tools to troubleshoot network problems effectively.

Who Should Attend?
This course is designed for network administrators, IT professionals, and anyone responsible for managing and troubleshooting network infrastructure. It is suitable for:

• Network administrators and engineers.
• IT support professionals and helpdesk technicians.
• System administrators managing network environments.
• Professionals seeking certification in networking (e.g., CompTIA Network+, Cisco CCNA).

Day 1: Introduction to Network Administration

Morning Session:

• Overview of Networking Basics

  • Introduction to networking concepts: OSI model, TCP/IP stack, and network protocols.
  • Types of networks: LAN, WAN, MAN, and WLAN.
  • The role of network devices: Routers, switches, firewalls, and hubs.
  • Introduction to network topologies: Star, bus, mesh, and hybrid.

• Network Addressing and Subnetting

  • IP addressing: IPv4 vs. IPv6, public vs. private addresses.
  • Subnetting: How to divide networks into subnets, subnet masks, and CIDR notation.
  • How to calculate subnets and IP ranges.
  • The role of DHCP in automatic IP assignment.

Afternoon Session:

• Hands-On Lab: Configuring IP Addressing and Subnetting
  • Participants will practice subnetting exercises, calculate subnets, and configure static IP addressing.
  • Setting up a small network with routers and switches, ensuring proper IP address assignments.
• Basic Network Configuration
  • Configuring basic network devices (routers, switches) and understanding their role in a network.
  • Introduction to network interfaces: Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and VLANs.
  • Configuring a router for network connectivity: Routing protocols (static, dynamic).

Day 2: Routing and Switching Configuration

Morning Session:

• Routing Protocols Overview

  • Introduction to routing protocols: RIP, OSPF, and EIGRP.
  • The role of routing in determining the path for data packets across networks.
  • Configuring static and dynamic routing on routers.
  • Routing tables and how routers make forwarding decisions.

• VLANs and Inter-VLAN Routing

  • Introduction to Virtual LANs (VLANs) and why they are used.
  • VLAN configuration: Creating and managing VLANs on switches.
  • Inter-VLAN routing: Configuring routers or layer 3 switches to route traffic between VLANs.

Afternoon Session:

• Hands-On Lab: Configuring Routing and VLANs
  • Participants will configure basic static and dynamic routing on routers.
  • Configuring VLANs and inter-VLAN routing on switches and routers.
  • Verifying routing configurations using the ping and traceroute commands.

Day 3: Network Troubleshooting Tools and Techniques

Morning Session:

• Introduction to Network Troubleshooting

  • The troubleshooting methodology: Identifying, isolating, and resolving network problems.
  • Common network issues: Connectivity problems, slow performance, and intermittent failures.
  • The OSI model and how it relates to troubleshooting.

• Network Diagnostic Tools

  • Using ping to test connectivity between devices.
  • Using traceroute/tracert for diagnosing routing issues.
  • nslookup/dig for DNS troubleshooting.
  • netstat and ifconfig for network status and interface configuration.

Afternoon Session:

• Hands-On Lab: Troubleshooting Network Connectivity
  • Participants will practice using various tools (ping, traceroute, nslookup) to diagnose network connectivity issues.
  • Troubleshooting IP addressing, routing, and DNS issues in a simulated network environment.
  • Identifying common problems and resolving them through configuration changes and tool usage.

Day 4: Network Performance and Optimization

Morning Session:

• Network Performance Metrics and Monitoring
  • Key performance indicators (KPIs) for network health: Latency, throughput, packet loss, and jitter.
  • Using tools like Wireshark, NetFlow, and SNMP to monitor network performance.
  • Network traffic analysis: Identifying bottlenecks and latency issues.
• Bandwidth Management and QoS (Quality of Service)
  • Implementing bandwidth management techniques to optimize traffic flow.
  • Configuring Quality of Service (QoS) on routers and switches to prioritize critical traffic.
  • Implementing rate limiting and traffic shaping.

Afternoon Session:

• Hands-On Lab: Monitoring and Optimizing Network Performance
  • Participants will use Wireshark to capture and analyze network traffic.
  • Configuring QoS policies to prioritize voice, video, and other critical services on the network.
  • Identifying network performance issues and applying troubleshooting steps to optimize traffic flow.

Day 5: Network Security and Final Troubleshooting

Morning Session:

• Introduction to Network Security
  • Securing network devices: Configuring firewalls, port security, and access control lists (ACLs).
  • Wireless network security: Securing Wi-Fi networks with WPA3, encryption, and VPNs.
  • Common network attacks: DDoS, Man-in-the-Middle, and spoofing.
• Network Security Best Practices
  • Implementing network segmentation and isolation for enhanced security.
  • Device hardening and patch management.
  • Using VPNs and IPSec for secure communication.

Afternoon Session:

• Hands-On Lab: Network Security Configuration

  • Participants will configure firewall rules, ACLs, and port security on switches and routers.
  • Setting up a basic VPN to secure remote network access.
  • Final troubleshooting session: Participants will be given various network issues to resolve using all of the tools and techniques learned throughout the course.

• Final Q&A, Course Review, and Certification Exam

  • Recap of all major concepts covered during the course.
  • Open Q&A session to address any remaining questions.
  • Certification exam to assess participants’ knowledge of network administration and troubleshooting.
  • Awarding of certificates to successful participants.