Cisco Packet Tracer Overview May 2013

Agenda Cisco Packet Tracer Overview Packet Tracker Key Features Packet Tracer Key Benefits Summary

Packet Tracer Overview

What is Cisco Packet Tracer? Comprehensive networking technology teaching and learning software developed by Cisco Networking Academy Offers a unique combination of realistic simulation and visualization experiences, complex assessment and activity authoring capabilities, and opportunities for multiuser collaboration and competition

Packet Tracer Simulation-Based Learning Innovative features help students and teachers collaborate, solve problems, and learn concepts in an engaging and dynamic social environment Supports lectures, group and individual labs, homework, exams, games, collaborations and competitions Allows instructors to easily teach and demonstrate complex technical concepts and networking systems design Helps students develop important 21st century skills

Benefits of Simulation-Based Learning Students who explore and experiment using Packet Tracer develop intellectual curiosity and critical thinking skills. Packet Tracer’s visually rich simulation environment facilitates comprehension of complex technology concepts. Students who troubleshoot networks using Packet Tracer develop problem solving skills. Students who design and build virtual networks using Packet Tracer improve their innovation and creativity skills. Students who explore concepts at their own pace in Packet Tracer’s safe, virtual environment gain confidence in their decision making skills and abilities. Using Packet Tracer for team collaboration and competition activities builds social, communication, and negotiation skills.

Packet Tracer Key Features

Simulation, Visualization, Collaboration Simulate IOS Commands Visualize Network Traffic Collaborate on Multiuser Activities Innovative features of Packet Tracer help students and teachers collaborate, solve problems, and learn concepts in an engaging and dynamic social environment. Some of the benefits of Packet Tracer are as follows: Provides a realistic simulation and visualization learning environment that supplements classroom equipment Enables multiuser, real-time collaboration and competition for dynamic learning

Supports Homework, Pre-Lab Prep, and Assessment These screenshots represent typical examples of how an instructor might use Packet Tracer support classroom activities. Allows students and teachers to design, build, configure, and troubleshoot networks using virtual equipment Supports a variety of teaching and learning tasks such as lectures, group and individual labs, homework, and competitions

Packet Tracer Activity Wizard Anyone can author, the PT Activity Wizard guides you The process is basically write instructions, build a correct answer network, specify grading, specify an initial network, save Ability to create your own learning activities, tasks, labs, games and complex assessments Build scaffolded learning experiences, formative and summative assessments

Activity Wizard for Editing PT Activities This examples shows how you can use the Activity Wizard to also edit existing activities, in this example the instructions were localized for a Spanish-speaking class. Enables authoring and localization of structured learning activities such as labs, demonstrations, quizzes, exams, and games Instructors can localize, edit, or enhance existing activities using the Activity Wizard

Packet Tracer Multiuser Functionality PT is a network-capable (peer to peer) application, using the real network (TCP socket connections) to carry the Packet Tracer virtual packets The PT application running on one computer can communicate with the PT application running on 1 or more other computers This connectivity between multiple instances of PT supports teamwork, classroom games, collaboration, competition, remote instructor-student interaction, and social networking Packet Tracer traffic is isolated to prevent any access to external equipment keeping your school network secure.

Example Multiuser Scenarios 2 teams, 1 instructor 3 Packet Tracer instances interacting via Packet Tracer Messaging Protocol (PTMP) 3 different classes Real TCP Socket Connection PC 2 PC 1 Real TCP Socket Connection Real TCP Socket Connection 3 students from home PC 3

Multiuser Games for Social Learning These are examples of 2 multiuser games from the instructor’s view on his console Instructor console view of multiuser “Relay Race” game Instructor console view of multiuser “King of the Hill” game

Packet Tracer Features Logical and Physical Workspaces Real-Time and Simulation Modes User friendly Command Line Interface (CLI) Global event list (packet sniffer) LAN, switching, TCP/IP, routing, and WAN protocols Activity Wizard, Lab grading Multiuser functionality Multiple platform support Multiple language support Integrated Help and Tutorials

Key E-Learning Component Learning theories stress early hands-on experiences Key components of Networking Academy e-learning strategy include In-person, hands-on labs with real equipment Online curriculum and assessment Cisco Packet Tracer Instructor Collaboration Tools Learning cycles alternating both Packet Tracer activities and in-person, hands-on lab experiences with real equipment are a best practice for teaching CCNA-level networking to beginners

Supports Networking Academy Curricula Supports the majority of protocols and technologies taught in CCNA Routing and Switching, CCNA Discovery, CCNA Exploration, and CCNA Security, and can also be used to teach concepts from IT Essentials and CCNP courses Students Launch Packet Tracer Directly From CCNA Curricula to Access Activities That Reinforce the Curriculum

Packet Tracer 6.0.1

Packet Tracer 6.0.1 Highlights IOS 15 - Models new devices and IOS licensing IPv6 - IPv6 desktop config. IPv6 Tunnel over IPv4, CBACv6 HSRP - Hot Standby Routing Protocol Graded Circling Tool - Model the key classroom interaction of “circling” aspects of networks Isomorphs - Isomorphs with varying IP addresses, device names, & topology orientations

Packet Tracer 6.0.1 Features (1 of 3) New Features Description Benefits IPv6 Enhancements IPv6 desktop configuration IPv6 Tunnel over IPv4 Context-Based Access Control (CBAC) Up-to-date practice, feedback, assessment, and gaming for ALL learners as the world moves to the IPv6 vision of an “internet of Things” Support Cisco ISR 1941, 2901, 2911 and IOS 15 New Cisco devices New IOS licensing mechanism Enhance opportunities to practice on new Cisco products and new IOS licensing mechanism HSRP (Hot Standby Routing Protocol) High availability gateways and load balancing Enhance opportunities to practice with redundancy Enhanced modeling of hands-on lab environments PC firewall + terminal server + async octal cable + server with 2 NICs + ACL Sequence number Enable increased comparison and contrast of the simulated Packet Tracer environment to the hands-on lab environments Enhance “learning by modeling”

Packet Tracer 6.0.1 Features (2 of 3) New Features Description Benefits Next Generation Performance Exams Isomorphs with varying IP addresses, device names and topology orientations Problem injection & event feedback Variable Manager Address exam security by creating tasks at the same level-of-difficulty with vary “surface” features Enables a wide variety of practice, feedback, intelligent tutoring, and game-like experiences Graded Circling Tool Ability to annotate the topology and have them graded as the authors specify Model the key classroom interaction of “circling” aspects of networks like collision and broadcast domains, IP subnets, VLANs, OSPF areas, etc. Save as Common Cartridge PT file operations now support metadata (web page info, tags) Enable LTI/CC interoperability in future technology phases

Packet Tracer 6.0.1 Features (3 of 3) New Features Description Benefits Under the Hood Code Improvements Increased use of Coverity Code Analysis More of model exposed via API Script Module Enhancements More efficiently running code for users Improved bug identification More powerful PT Ecosystem products that use the API and Script Module features

IPv6 Enhancements Packet Tracer 6.0 is a major release that includes new and enhanced functionality.

Support Cisco ISR 1941, 2901, 2911 and IOS 15

Graded Circling Tool The Encirclement Tool ( Add Shape Test) located in the Answer Network page allows you to specify certain devices and even down to the port level on those devices. Then the used is expected to use the Polygon tool and draw a circle around those objects and none of the objects excluded from the Shape test.

LAN Multiuser Agent The Packet Tracer LAN and WAN servers provide an effective and time efficient way for synchronously deploying multiuser activities and games in and out of the classroom.

Other Features Server with 2 NICs Host Based Firewalls HSRP

Packet Tracer Key Benefits

Packet Tracer Benefits Makes teaching easier by providing a multiuser environment for instructors (and free to NetAcad students) to easily teach complex technical concepts Makes learning easier by providing a realistic simulation and visualization environment for exploration, experimentation and explanation Packet Tracer benefits both instructors and students in many ways Instructors and students can create their own virtual “network worlds” for teaching and learning networking concepts and technologies

Key Instructor Benefits Ability to teach complex networking concepts Demonstrate technologies and configurations Author custom guided activities, labs and assessments with immediate feedback using the Activity Wizard Use for lecture demonstration, individual and group labs, homework, assessments, games, network design, troubleshooting and modeling tasks, reinforcement of hands-on lab activities, case studies, competitions Supplements classroom equipment and provides complementary learning opportunities that are not possible in the classroom alone Supports social learning processes via multiuser collaboration and competition

Benefits for Students Provides a free practice and visualization environment for the design, configuration and troubleshooting of network environments Observe virtual packets in controlled time as they travel through your network Allows practice outside of the physical classroom and lab (home computers, mobile laptops) Create and configure much larger topologies than possible with physical equipment available Provides a rich learning environment beyond standard networking technology instructional practices Provides valuable hands-on expertise to help you succeed in the classroom and on the job

Summary

Packet Tracer Key Take Aways Packet Tracer is a powerful network simulation program that allows students to experiment with network behavior and ask “what if” questions Makes teaching and learning network technologies easier Not intended to replace experiences with real equipment, but rather to complement them A laboratory for teaching and learning; you can experiment, you can create your own virtual network “world” Helps students develop 21st century skills such as decision making, creative and critical thinking, and problem solving Packet Tracer is an integral part of the Networking Academy comprehensive learning experience

Packet Tracer Availability Packet Tracer is available free to all Networking Academy instructors, students and alumni To download Packet Tracer, log in to Cisco NetSpace, click Offerings >Packet Tracer, then select your download package

For More Information The following Packet Tracer resources are available on Cisco NetSpace > Offerings > Packet Tracer FAQs At A Glance Overview Presentation Packet Tracer 6.0.X Errata List Packet Tracer 6.0.1 Executables Windows Linux Linux – Ubuntu installation

Packet Tracer Discussion Forum Access the global instructor community for questions, discussions, collaboration, and activity sharing