VISUAL LEARNING: CASE STUDY OF CISCO NETWORKING
ACADEMY’S PACKET TRACER 5.0 APPLICATION
Jozef Janitor*, František Jakab**
*Regional Cisco Networking Academy and Computer Networks Laboratory
at Technical University of Košice, **Cisco Systems Slovakia, Bratislava
Jozef.Janitor@cnl.tuke.sk, fjakab@cisco.com
6th
Int. Conference on
Emerging e-learning
Technologies
and Applications
Abstract. Learning about more abstract subjects, such as computer networks, where a higher level of
student’s imagination is necessary to understand some topics can be supported by using visual
learning techniques. Students often more easily understand the subject when they can see how it
really works and what is really going on in the background. This paper is a case study of practical
usage of a computer networks simulator - Packet Tracer - that is freely available for the Cisco
Networking Academy students.
The High Tatras,
Keywords: Cisco Networking Academy, Visual Learning, Emerging Teaching Methods, Packet
Slovakia
September 11-13, 2008 Tracer, Simulation.
tools such as webs, mind maps and animations are used in
visual learning to enhance thinking and learning skills.
Students can understand subjects much more easily if they
can see or even touch them in real. Visual learning uses
methods that help students to open their minds and think
graphically. Associations between images and some sort of
information can help to better memorize and use the learned
knowledge or information.
1. INTRODUCTION
Understanding the functionality of complex computer
networks might be an advanced task. Computer based
animations can help students to understand the functionality
of different networking protocols and ways of exchanging or
forwarding information from a source towards a destination.
Creating a simple animation can take several hours of work,
even though there are many applications (e.g. Adobe Flash,
etc.) available that enable quick and easy creation of
computer animations. Therefore, instructors or teachers
usually do not intend to create these animations. On one
side, it requires few hours spent with the animation
development; furthermore, it is necessary to know how to
create these animations in different applications.
Therefore, tools like Packet Tracer are very likely used in
Networking Academies, as they enable very easy, yet
powerful simulation of computer networks. These kinds of
tools usually enable to look inside of “wires” that are
interconnecting devices between each other and carrying the
information flows itself. Students can visually see and
therefore more easily understand what is really going on in
the network, how are computers and networking devices
exchanging an email message from a source host to the
destination.
This paper describes how can Cisco Networking Academy
instructors and students use Packet Tracer 5.0 to make their
teaching and learning experience more productive and fun.
2. CISCO NETWORKING ACADEMY
We live in an increasingly connected world, creating a
global economy and a growing need for technical skills.
Cisco
Networking Academy delivers information
technology skills to over 500,000 students a year in more
than 165 countries worldwide. Networking Academy
students have the opportunity to participate in a powerful
and consistent learning experience that is supported by high
quality, online curricula and assessments, instructor training,
hands-on labs, and classroom interaction. This experience
ensures the same level of qualifications and skills regardless
of where in the world a student is located. Networking
Academy students will become the architects of the
networked economy; enabling everyday experiences on the
global human network. With the ever-increasing demand for
their skills, Networking Academy students have the chance
to dream about business-critical positions never before
imagined, in industries ranging from medicine and finance
to entertainment and aerospace. Networking Academy opens
doors to rewarding careers and opportunities for economic
advancement and local community development. Students
only need to be ‘Mind Wide Open’ to the possibilities [2].
2. VISUAL LEARNING
As in [1] “Visual Learning is the use of graphics, images
and animations to enable and enhance learning in science
and engineering”. Visual learning is a proven method in
which ideas, concepts, data and other information are
associated with images and animations, while the subject is
represented graphically. As an example, techniques and
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3. PACKET TRACER
Networking courses usually consist of theoretical learning
materials and practical hands on experiences in labs. As the
hands on experiences and lab activities are very important
part of networking education, students are requested to
spend in the lab environment as much time as it is possible.
Unfortunately, the price of the lab equipments is usually
very high. Smaller academies may have lower resources and
cannot afford a single device per student. Students have to
share access to devices among them, and perhaps are using
older and slower devices with less available features. In
addition, access to labs is usually permitted only during
official class hours.
To overcome these issues, and to provide better teaching
and learning experiences with interactivity and animations,
the Cisco Networking Academy introduced a tool called
Packet Tracer.
Packet Tracer is a self-paced, visual, interactive teaching
and learning tool implemented in a form of computer
networks simulation software. It is designed to increase
interaction between students and instructors, promote
student learning, and enhance instructor presentations.
Packet Tracer can be used to teach and lean complex
networking concepts and to supplement lab equipments.
Packet Tracer provides a simulated environment where
processes between various networking devices, such as
routers, switches, wireless access points, computers, links
and applications are visible with animations and
descriptions. Students can more easily understand the
functionality of different networking devices and networking
protocols, when they see the “big screen” with every event
that occurs in real networks.
Fig. 1 – Packet Tracer 5.0 Starting Splash Screen
Packet Tracer in version 5.0 is available for the following
platforms and operating systems:
 Windows (XP, 2000, Vista)
 Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora)
Logical and Physical Workspaces feature allows to display
the interconnection between devices (fig. 2,3) as there are
distributed on their real physical locations (geographical
areas, cities, buildings, rooms, etc.) and their logical
topology (fig. 4) as it is usually visible for a network
designer. Student understand differences between physical
and logical topologies as they move devices thought
different physical locations. Wireless Access Points cover
only a small area (few meters) around, so computers with
wireless network cards must be put in the area with wireless
link coverage.
The most important features, from a learning and teaching
point of view are:
 Supported networking protocols
 Multiple platform support
 Logical and Physical Workspaces
 Real-Time and Simulation Modes
 User friendly CLI
 Global event list (packet sniffer)
 LAN, switching, TCP/IP, routing, and WAN
protocols
 Activity Wizard, Lab grading
 Multiple language support
 Integrated Help and Tutorials
 Multiuser Capability
 Application Programming Interface
Fig. 2 – Physical Topology View – Intercity View
Packet Tracer in version 5.0 supports the following
networking protocols:
 HTTP, TFTP, Telnet, SSH, DNS, DHCP
 TCP and UDP
 IPv4, ICMP, ARP, IPv6, ICMPv6
 RIPv1/v2/ng, Multi-Area OSPF, EIGRP, Static
Routing, Route Redistribution, L3 Switching
 Ethernet (802.3), HDLC, Frame Relay, PPP
 STP, RSTP, VTP, DTP, CDP, 802.1q, PAgP
 802.11
Fig. 3 – Physical Topology View – Wiring Closet View
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Real-Time and Simulation Modes are used to create network
topologies and to simulate the processes inside the created
topology. The real-time mode simulates a real environment,
with the same speed of networks and protocols convergence.
Devices can be easily added the to real-time topology just
by dragging them from the devices toolbar and dropping
them to the real-time logical topology window. The device
toolbar contains various devices divided into groups or
routers, switches, end devices, etc. Connectivity tests based
on “ping” tests, or application specific packets are be used
to check whether the connectivity between two end devices
is working. When switching into the simulation mode
(fig. 4), Packet Tracer shows the actual information
exchange between devices. Each packet, or frame, that
carries some information is shown as a small envelop
moving on a link between devices. Step by step packets or
frames tracing is supported, while students can see
explanations what’s happening in each step with the
information flow. It is also possible to define filters, so only
protocols that are interested for a simulation will be
displayed in the topology.
a text explanation of the layer functionality, while
describing the details of a PDU forwarding processes
towards its destination. The packet sniffer feature can also
display the PDU’s contents in their graphical representation.
Fig. 5 – CLI Wizard
LAN, switching, TCP/IP, routing, and WAN protocols are
simulated by the Packet Tracer. Although the simulated
protocols list is quite huge, and with every new major
release of Packet Tracer new protocols are added, there are
still some protocols or features that are not yet supported by
Packet Tracer. On the other hand, in version 5.0, Packet
Tracer can be used for almost every lab task required on a
CCNA level, and even some parts that are required for
CCNP courses.
Activity Wizard, Lab grading is a feature that enables
teachers to create assignments for students. Teacher can
enable the activity wizard mode from the top menu of
Packet Tracer. After starting the activity wizard, it is
necessary to define a starting and a final topology. They can
imported from previously saved files, or created from the
scratch. Differences between the starting and the final
topologies can be selected for evaluation and grading. The
assignment can be divided into several levels, while each
level can contain instructions that explain the task of the
level and lead students to the solution. A complete
assignment, that was created in the activity wizard can be
password protected before distribution to students, so only a
teacher can see the correct answers. When a student opens
the Packet Tracer Activity file on his computer, a list of
instructions and the starting topology is displayed.
Assignments can be also time limited. After a student has
completed all levels and tasks, he can click on the Grade
button and his work will be evaluated and points for each
successfully completed task will be added to his score.
Fig. 4 – Logical Topology View – Simulation Mode
User friendly CLI is one of the greatest feature of Packet
Tracer. Networking devices from the enterprise world are
usually managed or configured through a command line
interface (CLI). A network technician has to know many
different command line parameters and commands that are
used to configure some feature. Packet Tracer provides a
CLI wizard mode, where students can configure the device
graphically by clicking on different settings in the wizard
mode. After a new setting is allied by the wizard, the list of
commands that are used to configure it is displayed.
Therefore students can learn command line commands and
options even when they are using the wizard mode. When
configuring directly in CLI mode, Packet Tracer simulates a
CLI of real devices with almost the same functionality.
Multiple language support enables to create your own
localized version of Packet Tracer. Every text part of GUI
can be easily translated with a tool that is distributed
together with Packet Tracer. By default, only the English
localization is available after a clean installation. New
languages can be installed simply by copying a language
definition file to a directory where the Packet Tracer was
installed.
Global event list (packet sniffer) is a feature of Packet
Tracer that is available in the simulation mode. The global
event list displays each exchanged information between two
or more devices. When using the packet sniffer feature, after
clicking on an event’s representing envelop on a topology,
or on an event itself in the event list window, the PDU
(Protocol Data Unit) that was being exchanged between
devices is displayed in a new window. Students can then
review the processes that are happening with the PDU at
each ISO OSI layer. For each layer, Packet Tracer contains
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Integrated Help and Tutorials provide step-by-step guides
for new users of Packet Tracer. For more advanced features,
like the activity wizard, these tutorials are very handy. The
integrated help files also contain a small explanation of
several networking protocols and their functionality.
5. REFERENCES
[1]
Visual Learning in Science and Engineering, ACM
SIGGRAPH/Eurographics Workshop on Computer Grap
hics Education held June 2-5, 2004, in Hangzhou, China.
[2] Cisco Networking Academy, web page:
www.cisco.com/go/netacad
Multiuser Capability is one of the new and great features of
Packet Tracer version 5.0. As with online games, people
around the World connected to the Internet, or generally to
IP data networks, play together online games, Packet Tracer
brings this kind of feature for students that learn computer
networking. With the multiuser capability of Packet Tracer,
students can cross connect their Packet Tracers and create
one big topology. Each student is then responsible for its
own part of the topology, while they are together trying to
achieve the goal – a working big simulated network. This
feature enables creative work and builds a team play/work
between students. It also makes learning more enjoyable and
fun.
[3] Packet Tracer 4.11 Datasheet, available at:
http://tinyurl.com/6ffags
[4] Packet Tracer 4.11 FAQ, available at:
http://tinyurl.com/5o4uah
THE AUTHORS
Jozef Janitor was born in 1984 in Kosice,
Slovakia. He received his Ing. degree in
Information Systems and Technologies at
the Department of Computers and
Informatics of the Faculty of Electrical
Engineering and Informatics of the
Technical University of Kosice in year
2008. Currently he is continuing in his studies as a Ph.D.
student.
From year 2004 he is an active member of the Computer
Networks Laboratory (www.cnl.sk), where currently act as a
systems
administrator
and
assistant
manager.
From year 2004 he works also as an instructor of the
Regional Cisco Networking Academy in Kosice, where he
teaches
CCNA
and
IP
Telephony
courses.
Currently he is employed at the Centre of Computers at the
Technical University of Kosice. His research areas include
VoIP and IP Telephony fields, mobility and migration in IP
data networks and Quality of Service in data networks.
Application Programming Interface (API) is also a new
feature that was introduced in Packet Tracer 5.0 and enables
that developers can create their own addons to Packet
Tracer. The API provides access to almost every function of
Packet Tracer, so skilful developers can create very creative
applications that will use Packet Tracer. In this way, it is
possible to create an application that will integrate the
simulated topology build in Packet Tracer with real devices
connected to a computer when the Packet Tracer is running.
Team work can be also extended by integrating Packet
Tracer with general instant messaging (IM) applications, or
with integrating IM directly to Packet Tracer.
4. CONCLUSION
Packet Tracer makes teaching more easier by providing a
multiuser environment for teachers to easily teach complex
technical concepts. It makes extends the learning experience
by providing a realistic simulation and visualization
environment for exploration, experimentation and
explanation. Instructors and students can create their own
virtual “network worlds” for teaching and learning
networking concepts and technologies.
With Packet Tracer students can more easily understand
complex computer network topics in visual representation of
processes that are happening in the network. Visualization
of these processes makes it easier to understand their roles
in the environment of computer networks.
Furthermore, students can have hand on experience with
networking devices and protocols anytime and anywhere
with Packet Tracer.
Packet Tracer is available for all Cisco Networking
Academy students and instructors for free.
František Jakab was born in 1959. He received the MSc.
degree in Systemotechnic engineering at
the St. Petersburg Electrotechnical
Institute (Russia) in 1984 and the PhD.
degree in 2005. Since 2008 he is
employed as an Program manager at
Cisco Systems Slovakia (coordinator of
Cisco Networking Academy Program in
Slovakia) and a part time university
teacher at the Department. of Computers
and Informatics of the Technical University of Košice,
Slovakia. He is a head of the Computer Engineering Group
and Computer Networks Laboratory (www.cnl.sk). His
research interests include projecting of computer network,
modeling, simulation and network management, new form
of multimedia-based communication, QoS, telelearning
systems, intelligent tutoring systems. He has been a
coordinator of several large international e-learning oriented
projects supported by EC. He is a head of the Application
Section of the Communication Technology Forum
Association in the Slovak Republic.
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