Cisco Systems CCNA 2 manual Copyright 2004, Cisco Systems, Inc

Cluster diagrams help students generate and organize thoughts. When students brainstorm, a question or concept is put in the center of a cluster and all of their ideas are added to the cluster. Similar ideas are grouped together. Cluster diagrams are also used as concept maps or to present course material to students. They can also be used to assess how well students understand a concept.

Problem-solving matrices are a standard part of design documentation. In their simplest form, a variety of design options such as network media, network architecture, or protocols are listed vertically and the specifications against which choices will be rated are listed horizontally. In theory, the option that earns the highest score against the specification rubric is chosen. However, design is a repetitious process and many layers of matrices are typically created with increasingly refined specifications, weighted rubrics, and significant brainstorming and research.

Flowcharts are a standard part of computer programming. Flowcharts and process flow diagrams are generally used to graphically represent various branches of a process. Flowcharts are used throughout the curriculum to describe configuration, troubleshooting, and communications processes.

Block diagrams are standard in the electronics industry. A few simple symbols or pictorials and arrows are used to indicate the flow of information. Block diagrams include simple descriptions of the functions of the various blocks. Block diagrams represent an intermediate level of detail for electrical systems. They are not circuit-level schematic diagrams. A block diagram of the following components is a good accompaniment to flowcharts that explain the processes that occur among the blocks:

•The internal components of a PC

•The internal components of a router

•The devices make up the LAN or a WAN

In networking there are logical topological diagrams and physical topological diagrams. Logical topologies refer to logical interconnections and the flow of information in a network. Physical topologies refer to the devices, ports, interconnections, and physical layout of a network. Both of these diagrams are used extensively.

Electrical engineers refer to voltage versus time graphs of signals as the time domain. These graphs show the output from an oscilloscope, which is a device that measures voltage. These graphs summarize many important networking concepts, particularly in the first semester curriculum:

•Bits

•Bytes

•Analog signals

•Digital signals

•Noise, attenuation

•Reflection

221 - 238 CCNA 2: Routers and Routing Basics v3.1 Instructor Guide – Appendix B Copyright ♥ 2004, Cisco Systems, Inc.