Composite Exam (642-891)

Exam Description:

The Composite exam (642-891) is the quickest way for currently certified Cisco Certified Network Professionals (CCNP®) and Cisco Certified Design Professionals (CCDP®) to obtain recertification. The exam tests skills and knowledge pertaining to the Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks (BSCI) and Building Cisco Managed Switched Networks (BCMSN) courses. Composite may be taken to recertify CCNP and CCDP certifications; it may also be taken in place of the BSCI and BCMSN exams required for CCNP and CCDP certifications. Candidates must successfully pass both routing and switching subsections of the Composite exam to successfully pass the exam.

 

Exam Objectives and Sub-Objectives:

The following information provides general guidelines for the content likely to be included on the Cisco Composite Exam.

1. Technology

• Describe the Enterprise Composite Model used for designing networks and explain how it addresses enterprise network needs for performance, scalability, and availability
• Describe the physical, data-link and network layer technologies used in a switched network, and identify when to use each
• Explain the role of switches in the various modules of the Enterprise Composite Model (Campus
• Infrastructure, Server Farm, Enterprise Edge, Network Management)
• Explain the function of the Switching Database Manager [specifically Content Addressable
• Memory (CAM) and Ternary Content Addressable Memory (TCAM)] within a Catalyst switch
• Describe the features and operation of VLANs on a switched network
• Describe the features of the VLAN trunking protocols including 802.1Q, ISL (emphasis on 802.1Q), and dynamic trunking protocol
• Describe the features and operation of 802.1Q Tunneling (802.1QinQ) within a service provider network
• Describe the operation and purpose of managed VLAN services
• Describe how VTP versions 1 and 2 operate including domains, modes, advertisements, and pruning
• Explain the function of the Switching Database Manager [specifically Content Addressable
• Memory (CAM) and Ternary Content Addressable Memory (TCAM)] within a Catalyst switch
• Explain the operation and purpose of the Spanning-Tree Protocol (STP) on a switched network
• Identify the specific types of Cisco route switch processors, and provide implementation details
• List and describe the operation of the key components required to implement interVLAN routing
• Explain the types of redundancy in a multilayer switched network including hardware and software redundancy
• Explain how IP multicast operates on a multilayer switched network, including PIM, CGM, and IGMP
• Describe the quality issues with voice traffic on a switched data network, including jitter and delay
• Describe the QoS solutions that address voice quality issues
• Describe the features and operation of network analysis modules on Catalyst switches to improve network traffic management
• Describe Transparent LAN Services and how they are implemented in a service provider network
• List the key information routers need to route data
• Describe classful and classless routing protocols
• Describe link-state router protocol operation
• Compare classful and classless routing protocols
• Compare distance vector and link state routing protocols
• Describe concepts relating to extending IP addresses and the use of VLSMs to extend IP addresses
• Describe the features and operation of EIGRP
• Describe the features and operation of single area OSPF
• Describe the features and operation of multi-area OSPF
• Explain basic OSI terminology and network layer protocols used in OSI
• Identify similarities and differences between Integrated IS-IS and OSPF
• List the types of IS-IS routers and their role in IS-IS area design
• Describe the hierarchical structure of IS-IS areas
• Describe the concept of establishing adjacencies
• Describe the features and operation of BGP
• Explain how BGP policy-based routing functions within an autonomous system
• Explain the use of redistribution between BGP and Interior Gateway Protocols (IGPs)

2. Implementation and Operation

• Convert CatOS to native IOS on Catalyst switches and manage native IOS images according to best practices
• Configure access ports for static and multi-VLAN membership
• Configure and verify 802.1Q trunks
• Configure and verify ISL trunks
• Configure VTP domains in server, client, and transparent modes
• Enable Spanning Tree on ports and VLANs
• Configure Spanning Tree parameters including: port priority, VLAN priority, root bridge, BPDU guard, PortFast amd UplinkFast
• Implement IP telephony on a switched network with auxiliary VLANs
• Configure and verify router redundancy using HSRP, VRRP, GLBP, SRM, and SLB
• Configure QoS features on multilayer switched networks to provide optimal quality and bandwidth utilization for applications and data
• Configure Fast EtherChannel and Gigabit EtherChannel to incease bandwidth for interswitch connections
• Given a set of network requirements, identify the steps to configure an Enhanced IGRP environment and verify proper operation (within described guidelines) of your routers
• Given an addressing scheme and other laboratory parameters, identify the steps to configure a single-area OSPF environment and verify proper operation (within described guidelines) of your routers
• Given an addressing scheme and other laboratory parameters, identify the steps to configure a multiple area OSPF environment and verify proper operation (within described guidelines) of your routers
• Given an addressing scheme and other laboratory parameters, identify the steps to configure
• Cisco routers for proper Integrated IS-IS operation
• Identify the steps to select and configure the different ways to control routing update traffic
• Identify the steps to configure route redistribution in a network
• Identify the steps to configure policy-based routing using route maps
• Given a set of network requirements, identify the steps to configure a BGP environment and verify proper operation (within described guidelines) of your routers
  
   

3. Planning and Design

• Compare end-to-end and local VLANs, and determine when to use each
• Design a VLAN configuration with VTP to work for a given specific scenario
• Select multilayer switching architectures, given specific multilayer switching needs
• Describe the general design models when implementing IP telephony in a switched network environment
• Plan QoS implemention within a multilayer switched network
• Describe the three-layer hierarchical design model and explain the function of each layer:
• Access, Distribution and Core
• Given specific requirements, choose the correct routing protocol to meet the requirements
• Identify the correct IP addressing scheme, including features of IPv6
• Describe the concepts relating to route summarization and apply them to hypothetical scenarios
   

4. Troubleshooting
 

• Troubleshoot common VLAN problems on a switched network
• Tune and troubleshoot spanning-tree protocol on a multilayer switched network to enhance network performance, prevent network loops, and minimize downtime
• Identify interVLAN routing performance and scalability issues, and propose solutions
• Verify and troubleshoot interVLAN routing on a switched network
• Identify QoS implementation issues at the network access layer
• Identify QoS implementation issues at the network distribution and core layers
• Identify the steps to verify OSPF operation in a single area
• Identify the steps to verify OSPF operation in multiple areas
• Identify verification methods which ensure proper operation of Integrated IS-IS on Cisco routers
• Resolve path selection problems that result in a redistributed network
• Identify the steps to verify route redistribution
• Describe the scalability problems associated with internal BGP
• Interpret the output of various show and debug commands to determine the cause of route selection errors and configuration problems
• Identify the steps to verify Enhanced IGRP operation
   

Exam Detail: