Part 1 covers a range of essential network services that play pivotal roles in the operation and management of modern networks. We start with Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) and Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) in chapter 1, protocols that enable you to discover how devices are connected to each other, playing a critical role in troubleshooting and network documentation. Chapter 2 introduces Network Time Protocol (NTP), a crucial service for synchronizing the clocks of network devices, ensuring accurate time-stamping for logging, security, and other time-sensitive operations.
Chapter 3 covers the Domain Name System (DNS)—a cornerstone of the internet that translates domain names into IP addresses. Any time you type a URL like youtube.com to access a website, you can thank DNS for translating that name to the correct IP address. Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)—the topic of chapter 4—simplifies IP address management by automating the assignment process. In chapter 5, we move on to Secure Shell, which provides a secure, encrypted method for remotely accessing the CLI of network devices to configure and manage them.
Chapters 6 and 7 cover Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) and Syslog, respectively. These protocols facilitate network monitoring and event logging, playing crucial roles in the management of networks of all sizes. Chapter 8 covers Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) and File Transfer Protocol (FTP); as their names imply, these protocols enable file transfers—one of the primary functions of networks since their beginning. Chapter 9 dives into Network Address Translation (NAT), a key tool for enabling hosts in a private network to communicate over the public internet. Finally, chapter 10 covers Quality of Service (QoS), which is essential for prioritizing network traffic to ensure optimal performance for critical applications.
Part 1, consisting of 10 chapters, is the largest in this book. However, each of these services plays an important role in networks of all sizes and is essential knowledge for the CCNA exam and for any modern network professional.