Beginners Guide to Networking & Datacomms

Course Overview

The objective of this course is to provide an in-depth introduction to all aspects of current computer networks. A wide range of topics including cabling, signaling, serial, wide and local area networks, network protocols and network operating systems in use today are discussed.

A mixture of equipment, including serial, ISDN, LAN servers, clients, analysers and bridges /routers, are available throughout the course to provide delegates with hands on experience and to provide active demonstrations.

Audience

Anybody looking to gain a good basic understanding of networks.

Prerequisites

None, but previous exposure to networking would be an advantage.

Course Outline

Reference models

• ISO OSI reference model

Serial networks & protocols

• DTE & DCE, data rates, flow control, V.24/EIA232, .11/X.21, EIA449, EIA530, EIA422, V.35,
• Async (start, stop, parity), sync (HDLC, SDLC, LAPB, LAPD, LAPM)

Analogue networks, modems and multiplexors

• PSTN and leased line (2 and 4 wire)
• Line drivers, PSTN & LL modems, AT & V.25bis commands
• Modem modulation standards (Bell, CCITT and proprietary)
• Frequency, classical and statistical time division multiplexing

Permanent digital networks

• BT Kilostream, PDH networks (E1 - E4, T1 - T4, BT Megastream SONET/SDH (STS-n, STM-n, OC-n, packet formats/payload)

ISDN network and equipment

• ISDN channels (B & D channels), ISDN services (BRI & PRI).
• Devices & network points. The passive bus,
• Basic ISDN addressing.
• ISDN equipment (bridges/routers, ISDN phones, fax machines, terminal adapters, synchronous PC cards)

Packet switched networks & X.25

• PVC, SVC, DTE & DCE, LCN, SVC addresses, X.25 TE, X.25 PAD, connecting to X.25, ISDN D channel service, X.25 LAPB, X.25 PLP

Frame relay

• DLCI numbers and FRADs. Congestion control (CIR, DE).
• Congestion notification (BECN, FECN)

ATM & SMDS

• Traffic nature, ATM reference model, ATM cells, UNI, NNI, ATM connections (VCI, VPI), traffic flow (SCR, CLP), cell formats, adaptation layer services. ATM on LANs. SMDS (connectionless, fully meshed, addressing, LAN behaviour)

Introduction to LANs

• ast, broadcast, multicast. LAN equipment, protocols NIC, MAC, unic

LAN physical layer

• Ethernet (CSMA/CD, 10Base5/2/T. 100baseTX/T4/FX), 100VG-anyLAN. Token ring (MAU, cabling, connectors),
• FDDI (rings, attachments, modes, concentrators, CDDI)

Network connection concepts

• Topologies, bridges (tables, filtering, STP, SRB, ARE, SRE), switches (store & forward / cut through, dual NIC, performance gain)

Introduction to IPX

• ng, RIP, SAP, watchdogs, spoofing, snapshot routing
• NCP, SPX
• IPX addressi
• Introduction to IP
• IP addresses (class A to E), IP networks, broadcasts, private nets, routers, TCP/IP naming (HOSTS, DNS), subnet masks

Advanced topics / packet format reference

Analogue and digital signaling

• Digital over analogue (A/F/PSK, QAM), digital (RZ, NRZ, NRZi, manchester), analogue over digital (PCM, ADPCM, CVSD, CELP)

LAN frames

• Ethernet_II, 802.3, 802.5, ISO9314, LLC, SNAP

LAN protocols over serial networks

• SLIP, CSLIP, PPP, MPPP, security (PAP, CHAP)