Nakia Stringfield, Russ White, Stacia McKee. Cisco Express Forwarding

Published Apr 24, 2007 by Cisco Press.How does a router switch a packet? What is the difference between routing a packet and switching a packet? What is this CEF feature that is referred to in Cisco documentation and commonly found in Cisco IOS commands? Cisco Express Forwarding addresses these questions through comprehensive discussions of Cisco Express Forwarding (CEF). CEF is a term used to describe one of the mechanisms used by Cisco IOS routers and Cisco Catalyst switches to forward packets. CEF offers the benefits of improved performance, scalability, and resilience. CEF is found in almost all Cisco IOS routers and Catalyst switches, however, documentation of the topic is very scarce. This book addresses common misconceptions about CEF and packet switching across various platforms. It will help you understand CEF and how to troubleshoot whether a CEF or another problem is occurring in the network. The book guides you through CEF basics, supplying exercises and troubleshooting scenarios that enhance their ability to recognize common mistakes, as well as to provide them with some models for configurations that they can follow in their networks.