IBM Network Engineer Interview Questions, Process, and Tips

There are several types of networks, including LAN, WAN, MAN, WLAN, and PAN.

• Local Area Network (LAN) is a network that covers a small area, such as an office or a building.

• Wide Area Network (WAN) is a network that covers a large geographical area, such as multiple cities or countries.

• Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is a network that covers a larger area than a LAN but smaller than a WAN, typically within a city.

• Wireles...read more

The range of private IP addresses is defined by three blocks: 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255, 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255, and 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255.

• Private IP addresses are used within private networks and are not routable on the internet.

• The three blocks of private IP addresses are reserved for use in local area networks (LANs) and are not unique globally.

• Private IP addresses allow organizations to have multipl...read more

A /29 subnet has 6 usable host addresses.

• A /29 subnet has a subnet mask of 255.255.255.248.

• The subnet mask leaves 3 bits for host addresses.

• 2^3 = 8, but 2 addresses are reserved for network and broadcast.

• Therefore, a /29 subnet has 6 usable host addresses.

MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) is a protocol used in telecommunications networks to efficiently route data packets.

• MPLS is a layer 2.5 protocol that operates between traditional layer 2 (Data Link Layer) and layer 3 (Network Layer) protocols.

• It uses labels to identify and forward data packets, improving network performance and scalability.

• MPLS can be used to create virtual private networks (VPNs) and prioritize t...read more

BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) is a routing protocol used in internet networks. It provides scalability, redundancy, and policy control.

• BGP is used to exchange routing information between different autonomous systems (AS)

• It allows for efficient routing decisions based on policies and network conditions

• BGP states represent the different stages of establishing and maintaining BGP peering sessions

• Examples of BGP states inc...read more

OSPF LSA types include Router LSA, Network LSA, Summary LSA, ASBR Summary LSA, AS External LSA, and NSSA External LSA.

• Router LSA describes the state of the router and its interfaces within an area.

• Network LSA describes the state of the network segment and its attached routers.

• Summary LSA summarizes routes from one area to another.

• ASBR Summary LSA summarizes routes to an Autonomous System Boundary Router (ASBR).

• AS Exter...read more

VTP stands for VLAN Trunking Protocol. It is a Cisco proprietary protocol used to manage VLAN configurations across a network.

• VTP allows for centralized management of VLANs in a network.

• It enables the creation, deletion, and renaming of VLANs on a switch and automatically propagates these changes to other switches in the network.

• VTP operates in three modes: server, client, and transparent.

• Server mode allows VLAN config...read more

HSRP stands for Hot Standby Router Protocol. It is a Cisco proprietary protocol used to provide redundancy for IP networks.

• HSRP is used to create a virtual IP address that can be shared by multiple routers in a network.

• It allows for automatic failover in case the primary router fails.

• HSRP routers elect an active router and standby routers, with the active router handling traffic while the standby routers are ready to t...read more

DNS is a system that translates domain names into IP addresses. DHCP is a protocol for assigning IP addresses. IP address is a unique identifier for devices. RJ-45 is a type of connector used for Ethernet cables.

• DNS translates domain names (e.g., www.example.com) into IP addresses (e.g., 192.168.1.1).

• DHCP is a protocol that automatically assigns IP addresses to devices on a network.

• An IP address is a numerical label as...read more

The show interface command displays the status and statistics of a network interface.

• Displays the interface type, member, module, and number

• Shows the current status of the interface (up or down)

• Displays the number of packets transmitted and received

• Shows the number of errors and discards

• Displays the speed and duplex settings of the interface