![Mastering PortFast, BPDU Guard & Loop Guard: STP Protection Techniques Explained with Lab & CLI. [CCNP ENTERPRISE]](https://networkjourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Mastering-PortFast-BPDU-Guard-Loop-Guard_networkjourney.png)
If you’ve ever faced STP loops or mystery link flaps in your switching network, you know how frustrating it can be. Early in my networking career, I once spent hours chasing down a looping issue—only to find that someone plugged in a cable between two […]
![LACP vs PAgP: Cisco EtherChannel Types Explained with CLI & EVE-NG Lab [2025]. [CCNP ENTERPRISE]](https://networkjourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LACP-vs-PAgP_-Cisco-EtherChannel-Types-Explained-with-CLI_networkjourney.png)
One of the most common things I hear from learners in my CCNA/CCNP classes is: Why does EtherChannel break sometimes even though the cables are good? Well, the answer often lies in how you bundle those links—whether it’s LACP or PAgP, manual or dynamic. This […]
![STP Root Bridge Election Explained: Priority, MAC & CLI Examples [2025]. [CCNP ENTERPRISE]](https://networkjourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/STP-Root-Bridge-Election-Explained_Priority_MAC_CLI-Examples_networkjourney.png)
When I first started learning about Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), I thought, “Why does my switch block a link even when there’s no loop?” The answer: Root Bridge Election. Most learners get tripped up trying to remember how STP elects the root bridge and why […]
![Cisco LISP Protocol Explained with CLI, Labs, and Use Cases. [CCNP ENTERPRISE]](https://networkjourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Cisco-LISP-Protocol-Explained-with-CLI_Labs_and-Use-Cases_networkjourney.png)
If you’ve been diving into advanced routing or enterprise-level WAN designs, you may have come across a fascinating protocol called LISP (Locator/ID Separation Protocol). When I first encountered LISP while working on inter-DC communication and traffic engineering use cases, I realized it offered something most […]
![Cloud Networking Made Simple: Dive into IaaS, PaaS & SaaS [CCNP Enterprise]](https://networkjourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Cloud-Networking-Made-Simple_-Dive-into-IaaS_-PaaS_SaaS_networkjourney.png)
If you’re still scratching your head over the differences between IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS, you’re not alone. I remember the first time I tried to wrap my head around these concepts—it was confusing, full of buzzwords, and felt a bit too “cloudy” to grasp clearly. […]
![How Can GRE Tunnel Help Connect Remote Sites? Full Cisco Setup Guide [CCNP Enterprise]](https://networkjourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/How-Can-GRE-Tunnel-Help-Connect-Remote-Sites_networkjourney.png)
I’m bringing you one of the most essential yet often misunderstood technologies in networking — GRE Tunnels. I’ve seen students struggle to understand why or how GRE is used, and I completely understand! When I first came across GRE, I kept wondering how traffic magically […]
![VRF Lite Explained: Real-World Use Cases, Commands & Troubleshooting [CCNP Enterprise]](https://networkjourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/VRF-Lite-Explained_networkjourney.png)
If you’ve ever wondered how service providers keep customer traffic completely isolated even when using the same physical network, or how enterprises segment their internal departments securely, let me introduce you to a real game-changer:VRF Lite. As someone who’s helped countless students and professionals scale […]
![Network Design: High Availability vs Load Balancing – Know When to Choose What? [CCNP Enterprise]](https://networkjourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Network-Design_High-Availability-vs-Load-Balancing-–-Know-When-to-Choose-What_networkjourney.png)
I want to simplify one of the most misunderstood concepts in enterprise networking—High Availability (HA) versus Load Balancing. Over the years of designing, training, and troubleshooting production networks, I’ve seen engineers confuse these two techniques or treat them as interchangeable. Trust me, understanding their unique […]
![Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) – The Future of Flexible Networking [CCNP Enterprise]](https://networkjourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Virtual-Network-Functions-_VNFs-–-The-Future-of-Flexible-Networking-_networkjourney.png)
If there’s one shift in the networking landscape that has changed the game in recent years, it’s the rise of Virtual Network Functions (VNFs). I still remember a time when deploying firewalls, load balancers, or WAN optimizers meant racking up physical boxes in data centers. […]
Today we’re talking about one of the most foundational yet misunderstood topics in networking—Control Plane vs Data Plane. I can’t tell you how often I’ve seen even experienced engineers mix up the two, especially when jumping into technologies like SD-WAN, SDN, and Cisco DNA Center. […]
