Exam Essentials

Be able to differentiate the kinds of WAN technologies. You must be able to identify the speeds and capacities of the different remote-access and WAN technologies as well as the media over which they are implemented.

Identify the basic characteristics of various Internet access technologies. These include DSL, broadband cable, POTS, and fiber to the premises (PON). It is important to know the differentiating features of these access technologies. Know their advantages and disadvantages so you can identify the best use of each.

Be knowledgeable about the differences between circuit-switched and packet-switched technologies, and know which protocols use each. Frame Relay is a packet-switched technology, and ISDN is a circuit-switched digital solution. ATM is considered to be a cell-switched technology because it incorporates a 53-byte cell. Both MPLS and ATM are considered connection-oriented technologies because the connection is set up first.

Be clear about the differences...