Jones/NCTI Launches New Broadband Training Courses

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Date: 
08/28/2006

Courses in Local Area and Wide Area Networks
Round Out Networking Technician Certificate Program

DENVER (August 22, 2006)-Jones/NCTI™, the largest provider of corporate training products, professional services and education for the broadband and cable industry, has recently launched two, new training courses: Introduction to Networking: Local Area Networks (LAN) and Introduction to Networking: Wide Area Networks (WAN).

The new courses are the final in a four-course, Networking Technician Certificate program that prepares technicians to operate the all-digital IP networks being deployed by cable operators. The other courses in the program are Internetworking with TCP/IP and Introduction to Networking: Home and Peer-to-Peer Networks.

"Technicians need to understand how the cable network relates to the other networks it interfaces with," said Tom Brooksher, Jones/NCTI president and CEO. "As cable becomes all-digital, these four courses will provide the baseline knowledge for operating both the network and the advanced digital services it will carry."

Through Jones/NCTI's University Program, created in conjunction with Arapahoe Community College, each completed course in the Networking Technician Certificate program earns students three college credit hours that are fully accredited and can be applied toward a two- or four-year degree.

Introduction to Networking: Local Area Networks (LAN)

Introduction to Networking: Local Area Networks explains the technologies and components used to build and maintain local area networks and prepares students to operate the all-digital Internet Protocol (IP) networks being deployed by cable operators. It covers Ethernet, Token Ring and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), as well as the network operating systems most widely used in local area networks: Novell NetWare, Windows and Linux. Additionally, the course teaches the principles of network design and the roles of hubs, switches and routers to optimize network traffic. Lessons also include information on the elements of wireless LAN technologies, Ethernet Data Link protocols, 10-Gigabit Ethernet, Virtual LANs (VLAN) and Layer 3 switching.

On completion, students will:

  • understand how to build a small, peer-to-peer network;
  • correctly use the tools necessary to analyze and troubleshoot computer networks;
  • identify and explain the purpose of the common types of networking devices;
  • have a basic understanding of how the Internet works; and
  • describe what Internet protocols are and their roles in establishing local area networks.

Introduction to Networking: Wide Area Networks (WAN)

The WAN networking course describes the technologies and functions of wide area networks and how they help support broadband-related services such as Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP). The course begins with how WANs can be used to support voice and data services in commercial businesses through private branch exchange (PBX). It then discusses how WANs transport information, focusing on cable modems, switched circuits, leased lines, Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Lines (ADSL) and T-carriers. Also covered are various WAN protocols, including High-Level Data Link Control (HDLC), Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP) and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). Converged technologies and their supporting services, including VoIP, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) and frame relay are explored, and the course concludes with an explanation of private-/public-switched telephone networks (PSTN), virtual private networks (VPNs) and PSTN remote-access services.

On completion, students will be able to:

  • identify the physical and logical technologies used for WAN communications;
  • configure WANs to support network-based services, such as VoIP;
  • combine WAN and LAN technologies to build an end-to-end, enterprise networking solution;
  • identify layered WAN protocols to support networking applications, including remote access, VPNs, and voice over technologies such as VoIP; and
  • understand how WANs relate to the delivery of voice and data services to commercial enterprises.

For more information about these courses and other Jones/NCTI products and services, please visit http://www.jonesncti.com/.