04 May 2011 - Lab-Rat
One of the most helpful tools for getting things to work in the RS CCIE lab is being able to quickly put together a drawing that has the information you need. Since the lab is now all digital (no more workbooks), it’s helpful to have a document you can look at and write on. The proctor will provide you with two pieces of paper, and colored pencils. Here’s how I set up a layer two diagram.
You’ll notice I just have all the layer one connections to begin with. Once I get into the scenario, I erase all interfaces that aren’t used, and write the associated vlan or trunk information on the connections. I’ve seen some people use colors to show the switching path of VLANs. Let your creativity be your guide- just be sure to be able to do it quickly- you don’t want to spend more than 20 or 30 minutes tops on your diagram. As for diagramming the troubleshooting portion- don’t do the whole thing- just grab the section you’re working on if you have trouble. Next post, layer 3 diagramming.