Certified NetAnalyst Program, 3,200 and growing, since 1989

The Certified NetAnalyst program measures an understanding ofthe diverse technology found in today’s network environments — not just one vendor’s product. Professionals must understand all communication paths of mission-critical data to effectively troubleshoot and maintain complex systems.
NetAnalyst—Cross-Technology Cross-Technology certification covers IP,IPX,WAN/frame relay, Ethernet, Novell and Microsoft communications-related topics. This program will demonstrate a knowledge of the essential fundamental concepts of network analysis in several key technology disciplines. NetAnalyst—Architect Architect certification,designed for the more advanced NetAnalyst,shows an understanding of network management, network documentation,security,design,configuration management and application analysis topics. NetAnalyst—Security This certification indicates an in-depth understanding of major information security issues including substantial knowledge of security policies,risk analysis,vulnerabilities,exploits,intrusion methodologies,security auditing,assessment,intrusion detection and incident response procedures.

Certified NetAnalyst Benefits Certified NetAnalysts are better equipped to diagnose and optimize multi-vendor,multi-technology networks. Knowing the standards based theory allows individuals to work in any environment where Internet,IEEE and ANSI standards are used to develop products in use. There are now over 3,700 Certified NetAnalysts worldwide making this program the largest and most widely recognized within the network systems analysis discipline.

“One advantage that NetAnalyst has over other training companies is that their instructors are real-life analysts that understand network analysis and troubleshooting.” G.Sullivan, Canoga Park, CA

Valued by end-users

America Online, American Express, AT&T, Bank of America, Bell South, Boeing, Bristol-Myers, Caterpillar, Chase, Chevron, Cigna, Cisco, Citicorp, Compaq, Costco, Disney, Dow Chemical, Exxon, Fannie Mae, General Motors, GTE, Hewlett Packard, Home Depot, IBM, INTEL, JC Penney, Lockheed Martin, MCI, Metropolitan Life, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Motorola, Nestle, Philip Morris, Proctor & Gamble, Prudential, Sprint, State Farm, Xerox

• IP Related RFCs
• IP Subnetting
  • How to and why, tools and tips, subnet zero, network design implications
• IP Addressing
  • Classful addressing, classless addressing, CIDR blocks
  • Internal addressing (RFC 1918)
• IP Fragmentation
  • Mechanics of fragmentation
  • Fragmentation behavior of Windows 2000,NT, and Unix
  • Firewall and security issues
• ARP & Reverse ARP
• Network Address Translation
  • Static vs.dynamic NAT
  • Port address translation (PAT) or NAT overload
  • Application support issues
• Default Gateway
• ICMP
  • Types of ICMP messages and ICMP traceroute behavior
  • Firewall and security issues
• Forwarding Tables
  • Practical examples and exercises
• Canonical vs. Non Canonical Addressing
• VLANs
  • VLAN topologies
  • Comparing 802.1q and ISL
  • Security issues
• TCP Flow Control Details
  • TCP maximum segment size
  • RTT adaptive retransmission
  • TCP slow start
  • Windows vs.Unix behavior

• IP Multicasting
  • Publish and subscribe
  • IGMP/CGMP and DVMRP
  • Dense and sparse PIM
• Routing Stability Mechanisms
• Distance Vector vs Link State Routing
  • RIP and RIP2
  • Basic EIGRP
  • Basic OSPF
• Routing Design
  • VLSM
  • Prefix routing
  • Route aggregation
  • Redistribution
  • Route filtering
• Ethernet Standards & Framing
• Ethernet Troubleshooting
  • EMI/RFI
  • CRC errors and alignment errors
  • Multiple collisions, excessive collisions and late collisions
• 10/100/1000 Encoding
  • Manchester signalling
  • Copper/fiber encoding schemes
  • 4B/5B encoding,8B/10B encoding and code balancing
• Copper and Fiber Cabling Issues
  • Wiring and specifications for copper and fiber
  • Design rules and limitations
• Switch Operation
  • Autonegotiation and duplexing
  • Backpressure and buffer capacity
  • Port buffering and flow control
  • Cut through,store and forward, hybrid
• TCP Troubleshooting
  • Retransmissions
  • Loops on request
  • Frozen window
  • Silly window syndrome
  • Practical examples and exercises

• QoS and Prioritization
  • 802.1p tag and ToS bits
• 802.1d Spanning Tree
  • Rules of operation
  • Design recommendations
  • Configuration, troubleshooting and tuning for performance and stability
• Switched Network Design
  • Designing for manageability
  • Designing for troubleshooting
  • Rightsizing broadcast domains
• TCP Standards
  • Related RFCs
• TCP Session Analysis
  • Three-way handshake
  • Sequence and Acknowledgement Numbers
  • TCP Window Size
  • Practical examples and exercises
• TCP Packet Header Analysis
  • TCP SYN, TCP PSH, TCP Urgent Pointer, TCP Ack,TCP Reset, TCP Fin
  • Practical examples and exercises
• TCP Performance
  • Distance latency vs.bandwidth latency
  • Affect of window size on throughput
  • Affect of packet loss on throughput
  • Measuring latency across network device
  • Transport layer QoS mechanisms
  • Practical examples and exercises

• Network Analysis Essentials
  • A thorough understanding of how each layer of the OSI model interoperates with each other is critical to solving network problems. This module begins at the Physical layer and covers the basic operation of each layer up through the Application layer. The subjects covered here provide the glue that ties all of the modules offered in our other courses!
• Areas Covered:
  • OSI Model — bottom to top
  • IEEE addressing
  • LAN encapsulation
  • Problems by layer
  • Troubleshooting checklist
• Ethernet Operation and Analysis
  • In most companies today virtually every device is interconnected with an Ethernet network,from telephones to ultrasound machines to Storage Area Networks.This module starts with the methods that are used to physically encode bits of data,moves up through the Ethernet packet structure and ends with the coverage of error types and causes.Whether you are running a shared media network or a fully switched network,the understanding of how Ethernet operates is key to isolating and eliminating problems.
• Areas Covered:
  • Physical encoding — Manchester, NRZI, MLT-3, 4B/5B, 8B/10B
  • Ethernet packet structure
  • Characteristics of 10/100/1000 Ethernet networks
  • Auto detection of capabilities — Fast Link Pulse
  • Packet transmission times
  • Ethernet error — causes and resolutions
• Switched Network Analysis and VLANs
  • Switching plays a critical role in most corporate networks.Here we cover the operation of switches and examine problems that can occur through improper configurations,equipment incompatibilities and component failure. Also addressed is the increased use of Virtual LANs in today’s environments.We discuss the structure of VLAN tagged packets and many of the design issues that should be taken into consideration when building networks that will employ the use of VLANs.

• Areas Covered:
  • Basic switch operation: Flood, Learn, Forward
  • Bridge forwarding tables
  • Switch types — Cut-Through, Store and Forward
  • Spanning Tree operation
  • VLAN packet structure
  • Switch design considerations
• IP Operation and Analysis
  • The Internet Protocol acts as the Network Layer protocol for just about every application running on Local and Wide Area Networks.To ensure that it is configured and operating properly,it is important to understand exactly how the protocol looks on the wire.This module covers all aspects of the Internet Protocol. Exercises employing the protocol analyzers are used to show problems that can occur when routers are not configured properly or subnetting rules are not followed.
• Areas Covered:
  • ARP
  • IP Subnetting
  • IP Packet Header
  • ICMP
• Throughput and Latency Analysis
  • Applications that run well on the LAN rarely run as well in a Wide Area Network environment.This module covers in great detail why these applications don’t perform as well. Hands-on cases studies examine the impact of the roundtrip latency of a circuit on the performance of an application. Various WAN simulation and testing tools are used to demonstrate those changes that can be made to triple the data throughput with no changes to the physical WAN circuit.
• Areas Covered: Latency and throughput defined
  • Sources of latency
  • Impact of latency on various protocols
  • Measuring data throughput with your protocol analyzer
  • Tuning TCP to improve data throughput

• Wireless
  • With mobility a key in many networks, a good understanding of the operation of wireless networks is required for successful troubleshooting. This module covers the architecture, operation and many of the problems found in 802.11b wireless networks. Some of the areas covered in this module:
    • 802.11b — Standard and Architecture
    • Operational modes
    • Physical layer
    • MAC layer
    • WEP
    • Troubleshooting wireless LANs
• Routing Protocols
  • Routing protocols are the core technology of internetworks. Anyone who deals with routers, either in a LAN or WAN environment, needs to understand how these devices select the best path for data transmission and actually forward the data. This module will provide a thorough coverage of routing theory, focusing on routing in IP network environments. The foundations of routing theory and detailed descriptions of major routing protocols are included. Students will analyze trace files of routing protocols in action during both normal and abnormal operations.
    • Some of the areas covered in this module:
      • Theory of IP routing mechanisms
      • Routing protocol theory
      • Distance vector protocols
      • Link State Protocols
      • Routing Information Protocol (RIP I and RIP II)
      • IGRP/EIGRP
      • OSPF
      • Border and designated routers
      • Adjacencies
• IP Multicasting
  • Multimedia is becoming an important part of today’s networks. An efficient means of delivering the same content to multiple end nodes is IP Multicasting. A server sends a single packet out to a multicast address and the routers ensure that packet reaches every node that has requested that type of packet. While it sounds easy, the method by which the nodes request the data and the process by which the routers build a path from the source to the destination is not simple. This module covers the process of building the path, receiving data and tearing down the path from start to finish. The routing protocols, DVMRP and PIM will be covered as well as the multicasting protocols IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol) and Cisco’s CGMP

• Some of the areas covered in this module:
  • IGMP — versions 1 and 2
  • DVMRP — Distance Vector Multicast Routing Protocol
  • PIM — sparse and dense mode
  • CGMP — Cisco Group Management Protocol
  • IGMP snooping
• Broadcast Analysis
  • Broadcasts are a normal part of network operation, but too many, or the wrong ones can lead to network failures. This module is designed to provide a hands-on look at the broadcasts for a typical network. Emphasis is placed on which types of broadcasts we expect to see and which ones we want to eliminate from the network.
    • Some of the areas covered in this module:
      • • ARP
      • Novell NetWare Service Advertising Protocol
      • WINS
      • Microsoft Resource Browser
      • Intel Fault Tolerant NIC Heartbeat
      • HSRP
      • CDP
      • BPDU – Spanning Tree
• Using SNMP to Troubleshoot Your Network
  • Virtually every interconnection device in networks today has the ability to respond to Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) requests. This module takes a hands-on approach to learning how to utilize the information contained in these devices to isolate network problems.
    • Some of the areas covered in this module:
      • NMP version 1
      • SNMP version 2
      • RMON
      • MIB values key to troubleshooting SNMP monitoring tools— What’s Up Gold, MRTG, Fluke Networks, others.

• Server Message Block (Common Internet File System)
  • Server Message Block is the application layer protocol used to perform file operations and authentication in a Microsoft Windows environment. In this module,the SMB protocol will be reviewed in detail. Hands-on exercises will be used to demonstrate the communication between the client and the server during the authentication process and simple file operations.
    • SMB packet structure
    • SMB command structure
• Internet Application Layer Protocols
  • Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
    • Without HTTP, the Internet and World Wide Web would not exist as we now know it. HTTP is the key protocol used to transfer data across the Internet or Intranet.Numerous problems can arise with HTTP,causing users to be unable to use vital network resources.Only by understanding the internal operations of this protocol can IT pros prepare themselves to deal with these problems.This module focuses on the structure and operations of HTTP,including sample scenarios and trace file analysis.
      • Introduction
      • Protocol parameters
      • HTTP messages
      • HTTP request and responses
      • Persistent connections
      • Special operations
      • Protocol header field definitions
      • Security considerations
• Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
  • E-mail is arguably the most prevalent application on today’s networks. Most of us have become so dependent on e-mail that we would be much less productive without it.Yet many organizations experience a great deal of down time in their e-mail systems.At least some of this lost time could be prevented with a sound knowledge of the protocols that make e-mail possible.SMTP is one of a few such protocols.This course will emphasize normal SMTP protocol operations and help the student to develop solid SMTP troubleshooting skills.
    • The SMTP model
    • SMTP procedures
    • SMTP specifications
    • Case study and analysis.

• File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
  • FTP is one of the most commonly used protocols.It provides a relatively simple method for organizations and individuals to transfer various forms of data between systems or locations. But when things go wrong,your critical data transfers may fail!  The good news is that FTP problems are not that difficult to diagnose — if you know how it works.This module will help students to develop a complete understanding of FTP operations and to recognize common malfunctions via packet analysis techniques.
    • Introduction
    • Data Transfer Functions
    • File Transfer Functions
    • FTP specifications
    • Case study and analysis
• Voice Over IP
  • One of the most talked-about new technologies in the IT industry is Voice over IP (VoIP).This technology allows organizations to optimize the use of their existing or planned data network by also using them as a transport mechanism for telephone conversations,conferencing, and other similar purposes. But VoIP brings with it an entirely new set of protocols that must be fully understood in order to effectively implement and manage it.This module will provide a thorough coverage of all major aspects of VoIP,including its role in the organization, related standards,VoIP protocol theory and analysis,and VoIP performance assessment. At the completion of this module,the student will be prepared to work confidently with this emerging technology.
    • Introduction
    • VoIP standards
    • VoIP architecture
    • VoIP protocols and their analysis
    • VoIP’s impact on the network
    • QoS

• NetBIOS
  • NetBIOS provides several important functions in a Microsoft Windows environment. It provides a transport mechanism for the Server Message Block protocol,as well as providing name resolution functionality through applications such as WINS (Windows Internet Naming Service).The focus of this module will be to examine the packet structure for the NetBIOS session layer and the flow of packets between client and server.

• DHCP/WINS/DNS
  • Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) DHCP is used by most organizations to ease the burden of IP address management.When it works,it’s great!  But when it fails,DHCP can be one of the more difficult protocols to troubleshoot,especially in complex environments.This module will help you to sort out DHCP issues and optimize your ability to solve problems quickly.This is accomplished by giving you a firm grasp of how DHCP should operate,and how to decipher DHCP packets and transactions.
    • Introduction
    • Client-server protocol
    • DHCP operations
    • Analysis and case study
• Domain Name System (DNS
  • Like HTTP, DNS is critical to the operation of the Internet.It would be virtually impossible to access the broad array of resources offered via the Internet (and some Intranets) without a way to access them by name. DNS offers that ability. DNS failures uniformly result in the inability to access resources efficiently. But like any other protocol,it is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of normal DNS operations and abnormal situations in order to maintain healthy operations.This module teaches the theory of DNS,but goes beyond theory to discuss common DNS problems and pitfalls.
    • Introduction and overview of DNS
    • DNS operations
    • Analysis and case study
• Windows Internet Naming System (WINS)
  • WINS is much like DNS, but instead of resolving domain names, WINS is used to resolve NetBIOS names. In this role,WINS is critical to most Windows environments,especially if resources are shared or made available using NetBIOS names. If NetBIOS names can not be resolved, your users may not be able to access job-critical resources efficiently,if at all. So it is vital to understand and be able to analyze this widely used system and the protocols that make WINS work.This module provides a detailed look at all major WINS components and functions. It also includes an analysis of packet operations,and describes special issues to consider when using WINS for Windows 2000 systems.
    • Introduction
    • WINS architecture
    • WINS clients
    • WINS proxy environments
    • General operations
    • Case study and analysis

Microsoft Protocol Analysis | TCP/IP & IPX in a Microsoft network environment

Course Description:
The fundamentals of implementing TCP/IP in a Microsoft (MS) network environment will be studied in depth. Definitions, screens, commands, flow charts, decision tables and coding standards will be used as analytical tools.
Who Should Attend:
Network managers, technologists and systems administrators responsible for supporting and troubleshooting TCP/IP and IPX based networks.
Prerequisites:
We recommend Network Theory and Principles (pg. 5) or equivalent training.

Application Analysis | Application sensitivities to throughput & latency

Course Description:
Application Analysis provides you with the necessary detail to prepare a Network Impact Statement and discover application sensitivities to throughput and latency. You will learn how to predict response times prior to large application roll-outs.
Who Should Attend:
Software developers, LAN/WAN administrators, systems administrators, network managers and other networking technologists.
Prerequisites:
We recommend Network Theory and Principles (pg. 5) or equivalent training.

Course Description: This hands-on workshop will show you how to diagram your network on a large format drawing using our DocuNet Layered Methodology. DocuNet will give you a “real” roadmap of your network. Network downtime can almost always be traced back to its root cause, poor network systemization. This course is more than “how to document your network”. It is a methodology that will change your network management and performance forever. Whether you will oversee or actually administer the process for your organization, you won’t want to miss this eye-opening program.

Benefits:

➤ View the network infrastructure on a
single current diagram
➤ Increase your configuration control
➤ Improve network systemization
➤ Increase troubleshooting capabilities

Who should attend: CIOs, MIS directors, networking managers, technologists, systems administrators, LAN/WAN administrators and systems integrators.

• DocuNet On-Site Training
  • This 3-day workshop will show you how to diagram your network on a large format drawing using our DocuNet Layered Methodology. DocuNet will give you a “real” roadmap of your network. Imagine the advantages of viewing your entire network infrastructure on a single current diagram. This blueprint will increase your configuration control and the troubleshooting capabilities of all technology groups.
• Getting Started Package
  • This service is designed for organizations that have the staff bandwidth, but not the expertise to take on a project of this scope. It is a three part process that will equip your team with the intellectual knowledge, methodologies and skills to take charge of the project, implement change controls and maintain the document as your network grows. The number of days needed for this package will be determined by your needs.

• DocuNet Management Service
  • Distributed computing requires the end user community to be in charge of network management and systemization methods. The DocuNet Management Service incorporates knowledge transfer on ongoing documentation procedures and effective change controls. NetAnalyst provides best practice leadership, delivering services and changes critical to optimizing your organizations network. Choose from the following selection to create your customized DocuNet Management Service. You decide the level of outsourcing based on your staffing bandwidth.
• Additional Related Services
  • There are several additional services that we can offer, either in conjunction with other services or as stand-alone products if needed. Please feel free to contact a NetAnalyst specialist to discuss these options