Convergence: Preparing for CompTIA Convergence+ Certification
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| Duration: 2 Days |
Once you have mastered the technologies for VOIP and converged networks, it’s
time to become certified. Cisco, Microsoft, and other vendors offer programs
to certify competence in working with their various products, but CompTIA offers
vendor-neutral certifications that identify competence in an entire area rather
than a particular product. For VOIP professionals, CompTIA offers a Convergence+
certification for IT professionals working with VOIP networks. Whether you
intend on taking the certification test or not, this training program is designed
to provide the detailed knowledge you will need to succeed in this area.
Who Should Attend
Voice and data network designers, managers, analysts
and engineers who intend to take the CompTIA Convergence+ certification exam,
or anyone who requires a more detailed understanding of converged networks,
VOIP systems and technologies.
What You Will Learn
- Describe the major equipment and service elements found in an enterprise
voice networks and the overall process of voice traffic engineering.
- Identify the major applications and configurations for VOIP systems,
including the business justification for each.
- Review the OSI Reference Model and the major TCP/IP protocols,
both media and signaling, that are used to support IP telephony, define the
major elements and how they are configured in a VOIP system.
- Overview the security issues surrounding IP telephony, the major
vulnerabilities, and the essential elements in a VOIP security solution
- Describe in detail the major technologies that are used in IP
voice and video systems including voice/video coding options, signaling systems,
and the potential impact of packet technologies on voice and video quality.
- Identify the major quality issues that come into play with IP
telephony, the required performance levels we must maintain, and the standard
mechanisms for measuring voice quality.
- Describe the configuration of hybrid versus IP PBX systems, and
the issues involved in configuring local area networks to support voice services.
- Overview the 802.11/Wi-Fi technology used in wireless LANs, and
identify the capacity, security, quality of service and other features required
for WLAN voice.
- Compare the wide area data services used to support VOIP including
MPLS VPNs, and their general capabilities, pricing elements, and their
suitability for voice.
- Understand the overall process of troubleshooting a VOIP network,
the types of tools that are available, the typical problems encountered,
and their likely causes.
A. Voice System Configurations and Design
- Voice Network Services and Requirements
- Local Switching:
- PBX and KTS
- Trunks and Stations
- System Features
- Call Detail Recording (CDR)
- PBX versus Centrex
- Integrated Components:
- Voicemail, ACDs
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
- Automated Attendant
- User Features: Transfer, Conference, Call Forward, etc.
- Automatic Route Selection (ARS)
- Call Detail Recording (CDR)
- Network Services
- Network Interfaces: Analog Loop/Ground Start, DS-1, ISDN BRI/PRI
- Local Service
- Long Distance Options: Volume Discounts, Toll-Free, SDNs/VPNs
- Tie Lines: DS-1, PRI, Q.Sig
- Traffic Engineering for Voice Networks
- Traffic Engineering Terms and Concepts: Traffic Load, P-Grade of
Service
- Traffic Engineering: Erlang B and C
- Conducting a Traffic Study
B. The VOIP Market
- Fundamental Justification: Direct and Indirect Cost Savings
- Local VOIP Solutions
- IP PBX/Hybrid IP PBX
- Voice over Wireless LANs
- Enterprise Wide Area VOIP
- Enterprise Router Networks
- Remote Access/Teleworker Solutions
- IP Trunking Service
- Consumer VOIP
- Cable Telephony, FTTx, Vonage, Skype
- Click-to-Call Services
C. TCP/IP Protocols for VOIP
- OSI Reference Model
- TCP/IP Model
- Application Protocols: FTP, SMTP/POP. Telnet, HTTP, RTP
- Transport Protocols: TCP, UDP
- Internetwork Protocols: IP, ICMP, ARP
- Network Access Protocols: Ethernet, Wi-Fi, PPP, Frame Relay, DOCSIS,
etc.
- VOIP Protocols
- Media Transport: RTP, UDP, IP
- Signaling: H.323, SIP, MGCP (RFC 3435), Megaco (RFC 3425/H.248)
- RTP Operation
- Time Stamping, Sequencing
- Jitter Buffers: Fixed Adaptive
- Real Time Control Protocol (RTCP)/Extended Reports
D. VOIP System Components
- User Devices
- IP/Ethernet Handsets
- SIP Phones
- Softphone Clients: Laptop, PDA
- Wi-Fi Handsets
- Telephony Server/Softswitch
- Packet Transport Network
- LAN Switch
- Wide Area Router Networks: Private Line, Frame Relay, IP, MPLS-VPN
- Gateways
- Trunk Gateway
- Station Gateway
- Other Elements
- Session Border Controller
- Firewall
- Multipoint Conferencing Unit (MCO)
- Traffic Shapers
- In-Line Power Components
E. VOIP Security
- Vulnerabilities
- Authentication Hijack
- Eavesdropping
- Denial of Service
- Worms, Viruses, Malware
- Theft of Service
- Management Port Access
- Security Configuration Elements
- Firewalls
- DMZ/Screened Subnets
- Antivirus Software
- Network Access Control (NAC)
- Intrusion Detection/Intrusion Prevention Systems
- Encryption Mechanisms
- RC-4, DES, 3DES, AES
- Secure Tunnel VPN
- Secure Shell
- Secure RTP
- Wi-Fi: WEP, WPA, WPA/2
- Proxies
F. VOIP Technologies
- Packet Network Impact
- Delay
- Jitter
- Packet Loss
- QOS Impact
- Voice Coding Options: Bit Rate, Delay, Loss Tolerance
- PCM- G.711: A-Law, µ-Law
- ADPCM- G.726
- Wideband: G.722
- G.729A Compression
- G.723.1 Compression
- Video Coding Options
- Video Compression: Standard Definition, High Definition
- ISDN versus Packet-based Video Systems
- Video Coding Options:
- NTSC, PAL, SECAM
- MPEG2, MPEG3, MPEG4
- H.320, H.323, H.261 (CIF, QCIF), H.262, H.263, H.264
- T.120- Multimedia Conferencing
- VOIP Signaling Protocols
- ISDN D Channel Signaling: Q.921, Q.931
- H.323
- Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)
- Megaco/H.248
- Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP)
G. VOIP Quality Issues
- Quality Issues In IP Telephony
- Sound Quality: Voice Coding/Packet Loss
- Transit Delay/Jitter
- Clipping
- Echo Control
- Voice Quality Measurements
- “Toll Quality”
- Absolute Category Rating: MOS Scores
- Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ): ITU P.861, P.862,
P.563
- R-Factors ETSI TS 101 329-5, ITU G.107
- Other Quality Issues: Blocking, Dial Tone Delay, Disconnects, etc.
H. LAN Issues for IP PBX Systems
- LAN Infrastructure
- Fully Switched Configuration
- Power over Ethernet (802.3af/ax):
- Mid-Span versus End-Span
- Heat Dissipation Issues
- UPS/Battery Back-Up
- LAN Protocol Features
- Virtual LANs: 802.1q
- Priority: 802.1p
- IP PBX Configuration
- Hybrid PBX versus IP PBX
- Telephony Servers
- IP/Ethernet Handsets and Softphones
- Gateways: Trunk, Station
- Signaling Options, H.323, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)
- Configuration Recommendations
I. WLANs for Voice
- WLAN Basics
- WLAN Configuration Options
- General Capabilities/Limitations
- Radio Links: 802.11a, b, g, and n
- WLAN Switches
- Network Design
- Configuration Options: Centralized, Distributed
- WLAN Voice Configuration
- WLAN Infrastructure Requirements
- Handsets
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi/Cellular
- Softphones
- Technical Requirements for WLAN Voice
- Security Options: WEP, WPA, WPA2, 802.1x
- Quality of Service (QOS) OPtions:
- 802.11e/Wi-Fi Multi-Media (WMM), HCCA/ WMM-Scheduled Access
- SpectraLink Voice Priority (SVP)
- Meru’s Air Traffic Control
- Other VoWLAN Issues
- Roaming
- Battery Life
- Call Access Control/Load Balancing
- WLAN Voice Configuration Recommendations
J. Implementing VOIP over Wide Area Services
- Packet Service Distinctions:
- Connection Oriented versus Connectionless
- Switched and Permanent Virtual Circuits (SVCs and PVCs)
- Best Effort versus QOS-Capable Packet Services
- Quality of Service Options
- Layer 2: 802.1p, 802.11e, DOCSIS
- Layer 3: DiffServ and MPLS
- QOS Mapping Requirements
- Private Line
- Transmission Rates
- DSUs/CSUs
- Frame Relay
- Network Configuration
- Performance Guarantees/Committed Information Rates
- Pricing Elements
- Implementing QOS Over Frame Relay
- Basic IP Service
- Best Effort Concept
- Security Requirements
- Using Basic Internet Service for VOIP
- MPLS Virtual Private Networks/RFC 2547bis
- Basic Concepts
- QOS Capabilities/Limitations
- Excess Traffic Handling
- Security Features
- Pricing Elements
K. Troubleshooting VOIP Networks
- Basic Tools
- Ping, Trace Route, SNMP, RMON
- QOS Measurement Tools
- Traffic Monitors
- Protocol analyzers
- Symptoms: Poor call quality (Constant/Intermittent), delay, echo, clipping,
disconnects, wrong numbers, no service, blocked calls
- Problems: Transmission errors, packet loss, jitter buffer settings, configuration
errors, port settings, QOS mapping errors, hardware failures, service failures,
station class of service settings
- Problem logging, tracking, and follow-up procedures
Course Leaders:
Michael Finneran, President, dBRN Associates, Inc.
Gary Audin, President, Delphi, Inc.
Jeff Buckwalter, Assoc. Professor, University of San Francisco
Zachary Cohen, Principal, Briarwood Associates
Harvey S. Hershkowitz, President, Harvey S. Hershkowitz Associates, Inc.
Buddy Shipley, President, Shipley Consulting International