2-Day Instructor-Led Hands-On Lab Class
Available in either Web-Based Delivery or On-Site Delivery
Minimum 10 Students – Maximum 16 Students
Course Description
Ethernet is the foundation of modern local area networking and remains one of the most important technologies for technicians, engineers, network administrators, and support personnel to understand. While Ethernet may appear simple on the surface, today’s networks depend on a combination of switching, MAC addressing, VLANs, Spanning Tree, link aggregation, tunneling, and other technologies working together correctly.
The CSI-HO-037 Hands-On L2 Ethernet Fundamentals course provides students with a practical understanding of how Ethernet networks operate and how the major Layer 2 technologies interact. This two-day instructor-led course combines technical instruction with hands-on lab exercises so that students can move beyond terminology and develop skills they can apply directly to real networks.
Students begin by reviewing Ethernet fundamentals, including Ethernet standards, LAN design, physical topology, cabling, MAC addressing, switching, and MAC address learning. From there, the course explores important Ethernet operations including access ports, Address Resolution Protocol (ARP), Spanning Tree Protocol, and Gigabit Ethernet.
The course then examines Ethernet segmentation and resiliency technologies. Students learn how VLANs separate Layer 2 networks, how IEEE 802.1Q tagging operates, how trunk ports carry multiple VLANs, and how EtherChannel and link aggregation provide additional bandwidth and redundancy. Students also examine routing between VLANs to better understand how Layer 2 and Layer 3 networking interact.
Students are then introduced to the use of Ethernet in service-provider networks through MPLS Layer 2 VPNs, including Virtual Private Wire Service (VPWS) and Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS). The course concludes by examining Ethernet within the data center, including Fibre Channel, Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), Ethernet-based storage networking, and an introduction to VXLAN.
Throughout the course, students use hands-on exercises to configure, observe, test, and troubleshoot Ethernet technologies. These exercises reinforce the technical concepts and help students develop a much stronger understanding of what is actually happening inside an Ethernet network.
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Explain the fundamental operation of Ethernet networks.
- Describe the evolution of Ethernet and commonly used Ethernet technologies.
- Understand LAN topology and physical connectivity options.
- Explain Ethernet MAC addressing, switching, and MAC address learning.
- Understand the operation and purpose of Ethernet access ports.
- Explain how ARP supports communications between Ethernet and IPv4 networks.
- Describe the purpose and operation of Spanning Tree Protocol.
- Explain the role of VLANs in Ethernet network segmentation.
- Understand IEEE 802.1Q VLAN tagging and Ethernet trunk ports.
- Configure and examine VLAN and trunking operations.
- Explain EtherChannel and link aggregation concepts.
- Understand routing between VLANs.
- Explain the fundamentals of MPLS and Layer 2 VPN services.
- Understand VPWS and VPLS Ethernet service concepts.
- Describe the role of Ethernet in modern data-center and storage environments.
- Explain Fibre Channel over Ethernet and Ethernet-based storage networking concepts.
- Describe the basic purpose and operation of VXLAN.
- Apply Ethernet concepts through hands-on configuration, testing, and troubleshooting exercises.
The emphasis throughout the course is on connecting Ethernet concepts to actual network behavior. Students do more than learn definitions—they see how the protocols operate, how devices make forwarding decisions, and how configuration changes affect network communications.
Who Should Attend?
This course is intended for anyone who needs a practical understanding of Ethernet networking and the Layer 2 technologies used in enterprise, service-provider, broadband, and data-center environments.
It is particularly valuable for:
- Central Office Technicians and Engineers
- Field and Line Technicians
- Customer Service and Support Technicians
- Network Operations personnel
- Network Support Engineers
- Network Administrators and IT professionals
- Network Design Engineers
- Network Development Engineers
- Storage and Data Center Engineers
- Network Management personnel
- Technical Sales professionals
- Technical Marketing professionals
- New networking professionals and new hires
- Individuals preparing for networking certifications
- Anyone who wants to strengthen their Ethernet troubleshooting and configuration skills
Course Prerequisites
Students should have basic computer skills and a general understanding of networking concepts. Previous experience configuring Ethernet switches is helpful but is not required.
Students participating in the hands-on exercises must have access to a laptop computer capable of connecting to the CellStream Online School of Network Sciences using a web browser and to the remote laboratory systems using Remote Desktop.
If suitable computers are provided at the training location, students may not need to bring individual laptops.
Course Materials
Students will receive a comprehensive Course Student Guide along with access to the lab environment used throughout the course.
The hands-on laboratory exercises provide students with practical experience configuring, examining, and troubleshooting the Ethernet technologies discussed during class.
Course Outline:
- Section 1: Establishing The Groundwork
- Overview and Introductions
- Ethernet Protocol Review
- Section 2: Understanding Ethernet Fundamentals
- Part 1 – Definition of Ethernet Technology, History, Ethernet Versions
- Part 2 – Defining a LAN, Topology Options, Cabling Options
- Part 3 – Ethernet MAC Addresses, Switching and Learning
- Section 3: Ethernet Operations
- Ethernet Access Ports
- LAB – Access Ports Experiment
- Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)
- LAB – ARP Experiment
- Spanning Tree Protocol
- LAB: Spanning Tree Experiment
- Gigabit Ethernet
- Section 4: Ethernet Segmentation
- Understanding VLANs
- 802.1Q Encapsulation
- Trunk Ports
- LAB – VLAN Experiment
- Etherchannel
- LAB – Etherchannel Experiment
- Routing between VLANs
- LAB – Routing between VLAN Experiment
- Link Aggregation
- LAB – Link Aggregation Experiment
- Section 5: MPLS L2VPNs
- MPLS Overview
- LAB: Configure MPLS on a network
- L2VPN Definition
- Ethernet Encapsulation
- Virtual Private Wire Service
- LAB: VPWS Experiment
- Virtual Private LAN Service
- Section 6: Ethernet in the Data Center
- Fibre Channel Definition and Overview
- Protocol Stack/Illustration/Components
- Fibre Channel over Ethernet
- Ethernet Storage Networks Overview
- VXLAN Overview
- Course Summary, Bibliography, and Resources
Course Availability:
Contact us for schedule dates and times via our contact form or through the details provided on the page.
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Course Description, Content, Outline, and Instructional Design are Copyright ©CellStream, Inc.