Book excerpt: CCIE-level Cisco routing and switching guide for every CCNP Preparing for the CCIE Routing and Switching lab exam typically involves deep and lengthy study. But if you already possess the Cisco CCNP Routing and Switching certification, you already know much of what you’ll need to succeed on CCIE’s labs. This book will help you quickly bridge your remaining knowledge gaps and make the most of everything you already know. CCIE Routing and Switching v5.1 Foundations addresses every segment of the CCIE R&S Version 5 blueprint, helping you focus your study where it will do the most good: intense hands-on practice to deepen your current knowledge and thorough explanations of theoretical topics you haven’t yet encountered. Based on the author’s industry-recognized CCIE prep classes, it includes 40+ detailed labs for real gear and platform emulators; structured illustrations of protocol and feature operation; and topic-specific labs to drive the theory home. It includes a full lab walkthrough of a complex configuration reflective of the actual CCIE–ensuring that you thoroughly understand the technologies and interactions you’re reading about. Discover the physical topology for any network deployment Master Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) foundations and advanced features Deploy and optimize PPP and use its full set of capabilities Implement Dynamic Multipoint VPNs (DMVPNs) from start to finish Use IP Prefix lists in prefix filtration, packet filtering, and other applications Handle any RIPv2 deployment scenario n Implement EIGRP, including classical and named operation modes and interoperation Use advanced OSPF techniques, including route filtration, LSA operation, stub configurations, and update filtering Understand what happens when you perform redistribution, and manage problematic scenarios Manage complex BGP capabilities, including Adjacency State Machine Operate IPv6 in complex network environments, including DMVPN Focus on QoS mechanisms that CCIE still covers, including traffic marking, classification, policing, and shaping Deploy IPsec VPN solutions including GRE/IPSec tunnel mode, multi-site VPN technologies, and their encryption Implement multicasting in environments requiring end-to-end IPv4 and IPv6 transport Address operational and deployment issues involving MPLS VPNv4 tunnels