Nokia IS-IS Routing Protocol study plan
Nokia IS-IS Routing Protocol · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
IS-IS Routing Protocol
Map the IS-IS protocol data units (IIH, LSP, CSNP, PSNP) to their purpose and flooding scope
Label the fields of a Level 1 and Level 2 header and identify which fields differ between levels
Distinguish intra-area, Level 1, Level 2, and inter-area routes by their advertisement path
Explain the role of the System ID, NET, and area address in router identity
Your checkpoint
A one-page diagram of PDU types and header fields, plus a 10-item self-quiz scored at 80% or better
IS-IS Routing Protocol
Trace the neighbor adjacency state machine from initial IIH exchange to Up
Compare broadcast and point-to-point adjacency formation and their IIH behavior
Identify the three-way handshake conditions for a stable adjacency
Diagnose three adjacency failure causes from configuration and log evidence
Your checkpoint
A troubleshooting table mapping five adjacency symptoms to likely causes and verification commands
IS-IS Routing Protocol
Describe the DIS election process on broadcast segments and its preemption behavior
Explain pseudonode LSP generation and its effect on the flooding topology
Compare IS-IS DIS with OSPF DR/BDR behavior on key operational points
Predict which router becomes DIS given a set of priorities and System IDs
Your checkpoint
A worked DIS election example with at least four routers, showing priorities, tie-breaks, and resulting pseudonode LSP
IS-IS Routing Protocol
Describe the link-state database synchronization process using CSNP and PSNP
Explain LSP flooding, aging, and the remaining lifetime field
Identify how the overload bit changes forwarding behavior
Outline the SPF calculation steps from the local LSP to the shortest-path tree
Your checkpoint
A step-by-step LSP flooding and database sync walkthrough between two routers, checked against command output
IS-IS Routing Protocol
Configure a multi-area IS-IS topology with Level 1, Level 2, and Level 1-2 routers
Verify the Level 2 backbone requirement for inter-area reachability
Configure route leaking and explain its effect on Level 1 routing tables
Compare narrow and wide metrics and their TLVs
Your checkpoint
A lab topology with three areas, captured routing tables, and a written explanation of each route's origin
IS-IS Routing Protocol
Configure authentication for IIH, LSP, and SNP PDUs and verify each independently
Explain the difference between clear-text and HMAC-MD5 authentication behavior
Configure mesh groups and explain their effect on flooding
Identify the TLVs used for authentication and their placement
Your checkpoint
A configuration matrix showing authentication type per PDU class, with verification output for each
IS-IS Routing Protocol
List the TLVs carried in LSPs and their roles in reachability and capability advertisement
Explain how segment routing extensions and other capability TLVs are signaled
Describe graceful restart and its helper behavior at a high level
Diagnose a routing loop or suboptimal path scenario using TLV and metric evidence
Your checkpoint
A TLV reference sheet with at least 12 entries and a written diagnosis of one suboptimal routing case
IS-IS Routing Protocol
Review all weak areas from prior weeks using missed-question logs
Complete a timed full-length practice set under exam conditions
Re-derive SPF, DIS election, and flooding from memory
Consolidate a final one-page summary of key facts and commands
Your checkpoint
A timed practice score of 85% or better plus a personal errata sheet of remaining weak points
Milestones
Week 2: Can explain adjacency formation and failure causes without notes, scoring 80% on a self-made quiz
Week 4: Can walk through LSP flooding, database sync, and SPF calculation end to end in under 10 minutes
Week 6: Can configure and verify multi-area IS-IS with authentication in a lab without reference material
Week 8: Scores 85% or better on a timed full-length practice set and has a written errata sheet