Day 1: Network Devices/Anki/Packet Tracer

This is the first day of "Jeremy's IT Lab" series of starting the CCNA journey. I will be adding the link to each of that day's videos at the bottom of the article as a reference so that each of you can review and support this creator for this amazing content. Now to the content:

Network Devices

The definition of a computer network is a "digital telecommunications network which allows nodes to share resources." This definition allows even 2 computers sharing a single link to be classified as a network. Now for defining the different types of nodes that are commonly used in computer networks, we have routers, switches, firewalls, servers and clients. The servers and clients are also commonly called end hosts or endpoints, depending on the literature.

• Router: a node that allows other nodes to be able to communicate outside its network.

• Switch: a node that allows traffic within its network to communicate and allows for many nodes to be plugged into it (up to 56 ports in some cases).

• Firewall: is used for securing and managing traffic typically coming in or out of your network.

• Server: an endpoint that provides a service to client nodes for example retrieving files (Dropbox) or storing/distributing videos (Youtube).

• Client: an endpoint that uses a service from a server node for example downloading/opening a file (Dropbox) or viewing a video (Youtube).

Many servers are also clients and vice versa. For example, your iPhones can use a feature called AirDrop that can send a file from one device to another. The device requesting the file is the client and the device sending the file is the server. There are many other instances that this will occur even in enterprise instances.

Anki

This is an excellent resource to use especially with the flash card sets that Jeremy provides in the description of his videos. It is available on all platforms so you can put in a few minutes of study time between your daily tasks.

Packet Tracer

This program is amazing at getting experience working with networking equipment for free without having to set up a program with different device images (GNS3) or buy a professional version (NetSim).

Resources:

Jeremy's IT Lab Day 1 Network Devices: https://youtu.be/H8W9oMNSuwo

Jeremy's IT Lab Day 1 Anki: https://youtu.be/6Atw8oMtVTA

Jeremy's IT Lab Day 1 Packet Tracker: https://youtu.be/a1Im6GYaSno