width requirements as well as latency issues. More and more users need to
compete for bandwidth on the network because of bandwidth-consuming
applications. Although layer 2 switches break up collision domains and cer-
tainly help a congested network if correctly designed and installed, you must
also understand the different cable media types available and where to use
each type for maximum efficiency. That's where this chapter comes in.
tion, and core networks. After you have learned about the different Ethernet
cable media types, you'll learn how to log in and configure both a set-based
switch and an IOS-based switch. The chapter will end with hands-on labs in
which you'll connect the switches together and configure them.
Ethernet. Predictably, Ethernet_II followed and was released in 1984. The
standards-setting organization Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engi-
neers (IEEE) termed this the 802 project. The 802 project was initially
divided into three groups:
was responsible for high-level internetworking protocols and
management.
and focused on end-to-end link connectivity and the interface between
the higher layers and the medium-access-dependant layers.
responsible for the medium-access protocols. The DLMAC ended up
splitting into three different committees: