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to the moon

1
Q

What is MPLS?

A

MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) is a protocol-independent tunneling mechanism that forwards packets based on fixed-length labels rather than IP addresses.

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2
Q

How does MPLS differ from traditional IP routing?

A

MPLS uses label swapping for faster forwarding, avoiding IP lookup delays.

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3
Q

What are the key differences between MPLS and traditional IP routing?

A
  • Speed: Avoids IP lookup delays
  • Traffic Engineering: Explicit LSP paths can bypass congested routes
  • Services: Supports VPNs, QoS, and multicast efficiently
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4
Q

What is an LER in MPLS?

A

LER (Label Edge Router) adds/removes labels at the MPLS network boundary.

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5
Q

What is an LSR in MPLS?

A

LSR (Label Switch Router) swaps labels in the MPLS core.

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6
Q

What is an LSP in MPLS?

A

LSP (Label Switched Path) is a unidirectional path for label-switched traffic.

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7
Q

Compare PIM-SM and PIM-DM in multicast.

A
  • Join Mechanism: Receivers explicitly join via RP (PIM-SM) vs. floods traffic, prunes unused branches (PIM-DM)
  • Efficiency: Better for sparse networks (PIM-SM) vs. better for dense networks (PIM-DM)
  • Complexity: Uses Rendezvous Point (RP) (PIM-SM) vs. no RP, simpler but less scalable (PIM-DM)
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8
Q

What is RPF in multicast?

A

RPF (Reverse Path Forwarding) ensures multicast packets are only forwarded if received on the interface closest to the source.

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9
Q

What are the key components of a CDN?

A
  • Content Provider: Origin server hosting original content
  • CDN Provider: Distributed surrogate servers (caches)
  • End-users: Clients requesting content via the CDN
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10
Q

How does a CDN improve web performance?

A
  • Reduces latency by caching content closer to users
  • Offloads origin servers during traffic spikes
  • Improves reliability via redundant edge servers
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11
Q

How does NDN differ from traditional IP?

A
  • Addressing: Content names (e.g., /video) vs. IP addresses (e.g., 192.0.2.1)
  • Routing: Consumers request data via Interests vs. senders push data to destinations
  • Caching: Routers cache content vs. no built-in caching
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12
Q

What are the key layers in SDN architecture?

A
  • Application Layer: Firewall, load balancer apps
  • Control Layer: SDN controller (e.g., OpenDaylight)
  • Infrastructure Layer: OpenFlow switches
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13
Q

Compare proactive and reactive flow handling in OpenFlow.

A
  • Proactive: Low latency (rules pre-set), less flexible for dynamic changes
  • Reactive: Adapts to traffic dynamically, higher initial setup delay
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14
Q

Compare UDP and TCP in terms of reliability, ordering, and congestion control.

A
  • Reliability: UDP (No) vs. TCP (Yes, ACKs/retransmit)
  • Ordering: UDP (No) vs. TCP (Yes, seq. numbers)
  • Congestion Control: UDP (No) vs. TCP (Yes, AIMD)
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15
Q

What is CIDR?

A

CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing) allows flexible subnetting, improving address efficiency and reducing routing table size.

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16
Q

Differentiate between intra-domain and inter-domain routing.

A

Intra-domain routing (e.g., OSPF, RIP) occurs within an Autonomous System (AS); inter-domain routing (e.g., BGP) occurs between ASes.

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17
Q

What is an Autonomous System (AS)?

A

An AS is a domain with a unified routing policy under one organization, supporting hierarchical routing.

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18
Q

What is ARP?

A

ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) maps IP addresses to MAC addresses using broadcast queries and caching responses.

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19
Q

What is the difference between MAC and IP addresses?

A
  • MAC: 48-bit, hardware-based, local
  • IP: Logical, hierarchical, globally routable
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20
Q

How does routing differ when addressing another LAN versus the same LAN?

A

Same LAN uses direct MAC resolution; other LANs route through a gateway using the MAC of the router.

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21
Q

What are link layer services?

A
  • Framing
  • Addressing (MAC)
  • Error detection/correction
  • Reliable delivery
  • Medium access
22
Q

Where is the link layer implemented?

A

In NIC hardware, OS software, or firmware.

23
Q

What is the structure of an Ethernet frame?

A
  • Preamble
  • Dest MAC
  • Src MAC
  • Type
  • Payload
  • CRC
24
Q

What is CSMA/CD?

A

CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) is a protocol that senses the channel and retransmits on collision.

25
How do switches learn MAC addresses?
By inspecting source MACs in incoming frames and updating internal tables.
26
What do VLANs solve?
VLANs segment broadcast domains for security, efficiency, and scalability.
27
What is the operation of port-based VLANs?
Switch ports are grouped into VLANs; inter-VLAN traffic requires routing.
28
What is the 802.1Q VLAN tag?
A 4-byte tag including a 12-bit VLAN ID inserted in Ethernet frames.
29
What is the difference between parity and CRC?
* Parity detects single-bit errors * CRC detects burst errors using polynomial division
30
How does CRC work?
CRC appends a remainder from polynomial division; the receiver re-divides to check.
31
What is Forward Error Correction (FEC)?
FEC adds redundancy so errors can be corrected without retransmission.
32
What is Hamming distance?
Hamming distance measures bit differences between codewords; a higher distance means better error correction.
33
What is Net Neutrality?
Net Neutrality is the principle of equal treatment of data.
34
What are the pros and cons of Net Neutrality?
* Pros: Innovation, fairness * Cons: May hinder investment, flexibility
35
What are Specialized Services?
Services like VoIP/IPTV that get priority and are exempt from neutrality rules.
36
What is Ghana’s stance on Net Neutrality?
Ghana supports equal access in the 2012 Broadband Policy, but no law enforcing it yet.
37
Explain the term 'fate-sharing' in Internet design.
Fate-sharing means that state information is stored at the end hosts, not routers.
38
What are the implications of distributed management in Internet architecture?
Different networks manage their resources independently, enabling scalability but introducing complexity in coordination.
39
What does the 'hourglass model' of Internet architecture imply?
The model originally had a narrow waist (IP), but growing complexity at the IP layer is violating end-to-end principles.
40
What challenges arise from the erosion of end-to-end transparency?
Challenges include connection tracking, NAT traversal issues, and broken assumptions about statefulness.
41
Why is ARP considered a 'plug-and-play' protocol?
ARP operates without manual configuration, improving efficiency and adaptability.
42
How does ARP use broadcast addresses?
ARP queries are sent to FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF, introducing broadcast traffic which can lead to congestion.
43
How does link-layer reliability differ between wired and wireless environments?
Wired links have low error rates, while wireless links have high BER, necessitating local error correction.
44
What is the difference between half-duplex and full-duplex modes?
* Half-duplex: One-directional communication at a time * Full-duplex: Simultaneous bi-directional communication
45
Why is CRC preferred over parity checks in high-speed networks?
CRC detects burst errors efficiently with low overhead, making it ideal for fast, noisy channels.
46
In what scenario is FEC preferred over retransmission?
In live streaming or satellite communication where latency or return paths are limited.
47
What is the function of the TPID field in 802.1Q VLAN tagging?
TPID marks a frame as VLAN-tagged, allowing switches to interpret and process the VLAN ID.
48
Why might VLAN tagging be a security risk if not properly configured?
Misconfigured switches could allow VLAN hopping, gaining unauthorized access.
49
Why is the IP address considered both a locator and an identifier?
As a locator, it reflects topology; as an identifier, it represents the host.
50
What’s the implication of using private IP ranges on global Internet routing?
Private addresses are not routable on the public Internet and must be translated, adding complexity.
51
Why is the link-layer often implemented in hardware?
For speed and efficiency, hardware offloading reduces CPU load and ensures real-time frame handling.
52
What’s the difference between a controller and a driver in a NIC context?
Controller is hardware managing transmission; driver is software interfacing with the OS to control the NIC.

Computer Networking (1 decks)

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