Next Generation Networks: Current Developments and Emerging Trends

Focus

Next Generation Networks: Current Developments and Emerging Trends provides comprehensive instruction in the design and implementation of state-of-the-art data networks. This intensive five day course program is designed to present engineering and IT professionals with clear insight into the way the essential features of networking are being redefined and how traditional approaches are being replaced with innovative new technologies. The principal emphasis in this course is on the technologies that are embedded in the three lower layers of the OSI reference model – the infrastructure technologies of the industry.

The telecommunications and computer networks industry has undergone remarkable changes over the last several years. For some time, innovation and investment were stifled by the economic downturn, but as this industry sector recovers, there are now important opportunities to be pursued.

The IP-based infobahn has become a reality. Everyone with a career commitment to technologies affected by these events is faced with challenging developments that are revolutionizing this industry. This course presents an imaginative, forward-looking engineering-level perspective on emerging network technologies, and maps this fascinating and dynamically changing landscape.

Delegates will be guided through a systematic development and applications of emerging technologies that are defining the global infobahn; broadband infrastructure, wireless innovations, network routing and switching, high speed LAN/MAN systems, the Internet Architecture, and mobile computing applications.

Course Objectives

The objective of this course is to present the technical features, applications and design considerations of new and emerging network technologies -- and develop a comfortable, practical understanding of how each technology is best applied.

Specific, technical objectives include developing for each delegate:

• A working knowledge of emerging network technologies, how they are used, what their advantages/disadvantages are, and what their future offers.
• A comfortable understanding of applicable terminology, which is critical to a successful learning experience.
• An appreciation that appropriate network performance is always the result of deliberate, continuing management and reengineering efforts -- never a one-time design initiative.
• A understanding of the process of evaluating technologies with a view to judging their suitability for specific purposes, and recognizing associated risks.

Who Should Attend

This intensive short course is designed to appeal to:

• Network engineers and designers who have responsibility for keeping networks current
• IT professionals who respect the fact that networks are an increasingly vital segment of the IT world
• Technical managers who are committed to defining a networks vision for their enterprise
• Specialists in related disciplines who need an effective understanding of how developments in this field will impact their work

Course Material and Program Features

Each delegate will be provided with a permanent, comprehensive workbook that is much more than a set of lecture notes. In addition to being a workbook that tracks with the lecture portion of the program, it is designed with features that give it real value as a permanent reference resource.

These include:

• A descriptive text format, designed to be a highly readable, valuable reference on the job.
• A text-book style Subject Index and a comprehensive Table of Contents, consistent with enabling effective reference access to content details.
• A thorough, highly readable subject-specific glossary that provides detailed descriptive treatment of key items of terminology.

This course is presented as a workshop program with a series of network design activities. Delegates will have opportunity to develop design concepts and interact with others in preparing designs and plans to support state-of-the-art enterprise network applications.

Delegates are invited to be bring descriptions of their own network configurations, so that issues and technologies developed in the program can be directly related to their work circumstances.

Program Outline: Next Generation Networks: Current Developments and Emerging Trends

PART I: ADVANCED LAN SYSTEMS

(i) Introduction
Characteristics of networked systems
Network timing and control
Call control procedures
Network traffic statistics
Multiplexing and multiple access methods (FDMA/TDMA/CDMA)
Bridged/routed connectivity and limitations to scalability
Network reengineering strategies

(ii) Extending Hub Architectures
Switching hubs: Cornerstone of LAN services
Features of switched and routed connectivity
Virtual LANs; features and alternatives
Comparison; Layer 2 vs. Layer 3 Switched VLANs
Policy-based switching
Backbone architecture; performance limitations

(iii) High Speed Desktop Technologies
100 Base-T (Fast Ethernet) features
Switched 100 Base-T configurations
Gigabit Ethernet (IEEE 802.3z) over fiber and copper
10 Gbps Ethernet (IEEE 802.3ae)
40 and 100 Gbps Ethernet initiatives
IEEE 802.1p Frame Tagging; features and applications

(iv) MAN Solutions Adapted From LANs and WANs
The first MAN technologies were "purpose built"
The telecom industry preference For ATM in the MAN
Switched Ethernet to the MAN -- current best practice
Competition, application and performance issues

(v) Other Interesting High Speed LAN/MAN Technologies
Resilient Packet Ring (IEEE 802.17)
Fibre Channel and HIPPI
FireWire (IEEE-1394)
Dynamic Synchronous Transfer Mode (DTM)
Free Space Optics

PART II: BROADBAND WIDE AREA NETWORKING

(vi) Bandwidth-On-Demand Technologies
Limitations of traditional fixed capacity networks
Packet switching; distributed time-divsion multiplexing
In-Band vs. Out-of-Band control methods
Congestion control, flow control and throughput

(vii) Modern Packet Networks; ATM and IP Internetworking
ATM features, adaptation layers and cell structure
Virtual path, switching and traffic shaping
ATM classes of service and traffic partitioning
Converging ATM and IP-based architectures

(viii) Broadband Internet Access Via The Public Network
The "Last Mile" problem; an aging infrastructure
Digital subscriber line technologies
Passive optical network (PON) developments
Cable TV architecture, DOCSIS and digital services
Broadband over power lines (BPL)
Wireless subscriber access; WiMAX and the WLL
Trends in broadband networking

(ix) SDH WAN Technologies
Plesiochronous vs. synchronous networking
SONET/SDH signal hierarchy summary
Synchronous multiplexing; drop and insert procedures
Logical and physical structure of SDH
SDH framing features
ATM over SDH

(x) Technology Projects Sampler
Fiber optic projects, e.g. FLAG
LEO and MEO satellite projects
Innovation With GEO technology
MAN aviation platforms; HALO, Centurion and SkyStation

PART III: THE INTERNET ARCHITECTURE, WIRELESS AND SECURITY

(xi) Essentials of The Internet Computing Architecture
Connectionless features of Internet Protocol
ICMP, ARP and other auxiliary protocols
Transmission control and user datagram protocols
Limitations of current versions of IP and TCP
Key features of Next Generation IP and TCP

(xii) Adapting The ICA to Real Time Service
IP Convergence; Adapting IP to serve multimedia
Quality of service; issues and concepts
Integrated services vs. differentiated services
The IPv6 'Flow' and RSVP
Multicast addressing and routing
Real time applications and RTP

(xiii) Voice Over IP and IPTV
Technical and economic opportunities
Configuration models
Voice encoding methods and packet delay issues
Managing the echo problem
Signaling and revenue coordination issues

(xiv) Mobile Computing and The Wireless Web
Mobile IP; issues and solutions
Mobile packet data; GPRS
Third generation mobile and WCDMA
The wireless web; iMode and WAP
Wireless Application Protocol: features and limitations

(xv) Wireless LANs and Bluetooth
IEEE Standards summary
Emerging configuration models and applications
Practical WLAN design considerations
Bluetooth; a WLAN competitor or accessory?

(xvi) Fixed Wireless Initiatives
Community wireless projects using WiFi (IEEE 802.11)
Wireless local loops provide subscriber access
WiMax (IEEE 802.16) technology and applications
Mobile broadband wireless access (IEEE 802.20)

(xvii) MultiProtocol Label Switching
MPLS architecture overview
Relation to quality of service, RSVP and tag switching
Frame and cell mode MPLS
MPLS-based Virtual Private Networks
Generalized MPLS and lambda switching

(xviii) Network Management Automation Tools
Elements of the network management system
Role of the agent process and the MIB
Network management protocols; SNMP
Web-based network management
TMN and CORBA Developments
Service-oriented architectures and enterprise service busses

(xix) Developments in Network Security
Characterizing security issues and priorities
The increasingly important role of standards
Currently popular encryption methods
Firewalls and "deperimeterization" initiatives
Cisco's "Self Defending Networks"
Wireless LAN and mobile security solutions
Dealing With the global Internet security threat

Appendices
Glossary of Terminology
Suggestions For Further Reading

General Index

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