Course Overview
The Arista Technology Foundations course equips individuals with the essential knowledge and skills to configure, operate, and troubleshoot basic Arista network deployments. Participants will learn core Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching and routing, foundational network security, and the basics of IPv6. The course also introduces network automation using CloudVision. Arista virtual labs reinforce key concepts through hands-on practice in a simulated environment.
Who should attend
Entry-level or new network engineers in roles of network administrators and/or Support
Prerequisites
TCP/IP Networking knowledge, understanding basic layer 2 and 3 networking concepts are beneficial but not mandatory
Course Objectives
At the end of the course, you should have a better understanding of :
- Fundamental network technologies & protocols
- Entry into Arista EOS and CloudVision
- CLI Navigation and Configuration
- Layer 2 & 3 switching and routing techniques
Course Content
NETWORK ENGINEERING FUNDAMENTALS
Network Introduction
- Introduction to networks
- Network models
- OSI in Action
- Wireshark and TCP/IP
Physical Layer
- Copper and PoE
- Fiber & Wireless
Data Link Layer
- Ethernet and MAC addressing
- L2 Devices Learning and Forwarding
Network Layer
- Introduction to IPv4
- What is a subnet mask?
- IPv4 classes
- Default gateways
- Subnetting
Network Protocols
- DHCP, ICMP, DNS, ARP, NTP
Transport and Application Layer
- Transport layer responsibilities
- TCP vs UDP
ARISTA EOS FUNDAMENTALS
EOS Overview
- Consistent networking with EOS
- Introduction to Arista EOS
- What is SysDB
- Introduction to NetDB
- EOS Network Data Lake (NetDL)
- Arista cEOS
- Arista EOS Quality
Getting started with EOS
- Connect to network devices
- EOS booting process
- CLI configuration modes
- CLI basic config
- Interfaces and ports
- Configuration checkpoints
- Configuration sessions
- LAB – Introduction to EOS CLI
- LAB – Setting up management connectivity
LAYER 2 SWITCHING FUNDAMENTALS
Neighbor discovery
- Introduction to neighbor discovery
- Creating a network diagram using LLDP
- LAB – Creating a network diagram using LLDP
Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs)
- Introduction to VLANs
- Introduction to trunking protocols 802.1q
- Configuring VLANs on a single switch
- Configuring VLANs between switches
- Inter VLAN routing
- Configuring a “router on a stick”
- Configuring inter-VLAN routing with SVIs
- LAB – Configure VLANs
- LAB – Configure Inter VLAN routing
Spanning Tree Protocol (STP)
- Introduction to spanning tree
- STP operations
- STP port states
- STP modes
- LAB – Configure STP
Link Aggregation Protocols
- Introduction to Link Aggregation
- Configuring link aggregation
- Introduction to MLAG
- LAB – Configuring LACP and MLAG
LAYER 3 ROUTING FUNDAMENTALS
Introduction to Routers
- Network Design with routers
- LAB – Configure L3 addresses
Routing
- Why routing
- Static routing
- LAB – Configure static routing
- Dynamic routing
- Classful vs classless routing protocols
- Metric and Admin distance
- Distance vector protocols (RIP)
- RIPv1 vs RIPv2
- Link state routing
- LAB – Configure routing protocols
Internet and WAN
- Wide Area Network
- Network Address Translation (NAT)