This document provides an overview of the key concepts in the network layer data plane, including:
- The goals and functions of the network layer data plane and control plane.
- The basic components and operations of a router, including input ports, switching fabrics, output ports, and buffer management.
- Forwarding and routing as the two key network layer functions.
- IP as the core network layer protocol used in the Internet, including its addressing and packet format.
- Generalized forwarding and software-defined networking approaches.
- Common queuing, scheduling, and buffer management techniques used within routers.