In this chapter, we finally get to the meat and potatoes of what Cisco is known for, and that is routing.
When we speak of routing, we are talking about layer 3 devices, and their function is to route data from source to destination, across WANs or multiple LANs.
Before we begin, let's get something straight. I know that a lot of you are already in the IT field and use layer 3 switches; well, I am not going to be talking about that in this book. Layer 3 switches have the capabilities of routing, but they do not even come close to the functionality of a router. So, use the appropriate equipment for the job intended.
In this chapter, we will be discussing the following topics:
- Routing concepts:
- Packet switching
- Routing table
- Breaking down the routing table:
- Network mask
- Next hop address
- Administrative distance
- Metrics
- Gateway of last resort
- How...