Resource Library

For smaller companies, configuring a dial plan to account for variations in dialed numbers is often not a problem. However, companies that are larger and more global in nature encounter a number of issues when designing their dial plan approach.

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is a fascinating protocol because there are a lot of things that can be done with BGP. However, there has always been an issue with BGP, which is convergence (the time the network or protocol takes to accept change). BGP was designed for scale, not speed, so it’s something that we’ve had to tolerate from its inception.

License provisioning has always been a bit of a challenge in the CUCM environment. Prior to CUCM v9.0, licensing was managed on a per-cluster basis with each cluster requiring its own license files that were tied to the media access control (MAC) address of the cluster’s publisher. This approach to license management was limiting in the fact that one cluster might have unused licenses while another cluster may be at its limit and sharing between clusters was not possible.

Occasionally I am asked to configure the ability to block calls based on Caller ID. Prior to Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) v8, the only way to block these calls was to configure voice translation rules and profiles on the gateway receiving the calls. This has changed in CUCM v8 with the introduction of an additional parameter in translation patterns: Route Next Hop By Calling Party Number.

More challenging Microsoft certification exams require the demanding Microsoft boot camps at Global Knowledge. Rebuilt from the ground up to provide students all the study tools needed to master the Microsoft skills needed to certify and succeed.

Interested in SharePoint 2013 administrator training?  Learn from SharePoint instructor Tracy Wallace, if you're a good candidate and which SharePoint 2013 administrator class you should take.

Moving data from one networked device to another requires several different functions. Each function has its own protocol or protocols that define how it is accomplished. Also, the process of delivering data from one device to another can vary. The main factor in data delivery is determining whether the two devices are directly connected or remotely connected.

Moving data from one networked device to another requires several different functions. Each function has its own protocol or protocols that define how it is accomplished. Also, the process of delivering data from one device to another can vary. The main factor in data delivery is determining whether the two devices are directly connected or remotely connected.

In this video, instructor Charles Strother does a quick overview of what is needed to install a Read-Only Domain Controller (RODC) in a Windows Server 2008 environment.

While most organizations have not yet fully (or in many cases even partially) adopted cloud computing, the trend is growing in all but the smallest businesses.

The process of learning how to subnet IP addresses begins with understanding binary numbers and decimal conversions along with the basic structure of IPv4 addresses. This paper focuses on the mathematics of binary numbering and IP address structure.

If you're running SharePoint 2010, learn how SharePoint 2013 is different and what you'll need to learn to deploy it effectively.

The Logical Volume Manager (LVM) is a powerful tool for managing storage on Linux servers. This video provides an overview of how LVM works and explores several ways that LVM makes storage management easier and more flexible. Examples include how to expand storage capacity on the fly using LVM and resize2fs, and how to migrate data from local storage to a storage area network (SAN) without downtime using pvmove.

While the Internet uses IP addresses assigned by an Internet authority such as the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN), there are too few of these numbers to uniquely identify the millions of computers and computing devices in the world. Therefore, most enterprises use private addresses which allow them to identify the aforementioned computers. Of course, these IP numbers cannot be allowed on the Internet because all private networks use the same ones so there would be vast overlapping of addresses, and the addresses are not compliant anyway. Therefore, it is necessary to change the identity of a private host to a legal public host. This process is called Network Address Translation (NAT) and may be implemented on Cisco firewall products and Cisco routers. The firewall device(s) at the Internet demarcation point is by far the more popular way to implement NAT, but routers are used in small offices or small-to-medium-sized networks in which a separate firewalling solution is not possible or affordable. The focus of this paper is on the router-based NAT solution.

In this video, you will learn about the latest version of ReportBuilder available in SQL Server 2008 R2.

Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is dead, or at least it should be. It’s too slow to converge when there’s a change, and it causes issues with performance because there is only one forwarding path. It was developed in 1985 by Radia Perlman at Digital Equipment Corporation to allow for redundant paths within a Layer 2 topology, which was great in 1985. In fact, it was huge! So much so, that it was later standardized by the IEEE as 802.1D, and we’ve been living with it ever since.

Cisco Access Control Lists (ACLs) are used in nearly all product lines for several purposes, including filtering packets (data traffic) as it crosses from an inbound port to an outbound port on a router or switch, defining classes of traffic, and restricting access to devices or services. Knowing how to design, configure, and troubleshoot ACLs is required for all network engineers working within a Cisco network.

RTMT provides a set of canned views of both system resources and application counters that provide you with a snapshot of your environment right out of the box. Read on to learn how you can make RTMT even more helpful by customizing it to show you different views of your resources and CUCM environment.

In this video, instructor Glenn Weadock examines new Taskbar capabilities, such as pinning non-loaded programs, customizing the jump list, and selectively hiding all but one active program.

In this video, Practice Leader Craig Brown discusses our exclusive Server 2008 course - Configuring, Managing, and Maintaining Server 2008 R2 (M6419). Specifically, the enhancements we've made to this course through Server 2008 R2 supplemental learning materials and custom hands-on labs that enable the student to utilize critical Server 2008 R2 functions after completing the course.

In this video, you'll learn how to utilize a great new feature of SQL Server 2008 called Policy Based Management for Multi-Server Management capabilities.

In this video, you will learn how to a use a new feature of SQL Server 2008 R2 and Office 2010 called PowerPivot for Self-Service Business Intelligence.

Learn the fundamentals of technology with Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) training. Designed for business professionals who work with technology and IT professionals looking for cross-training, MTA courses provide a foundational technology education in topics such as networking, security, software development, Windows OS and more. Three days of intensive training will get you on the right track to working effectively in the ever-changing IT industry.

In the spring of 2013, Cisco announced major updates to their Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) curricula, including a new version of the CCNA Routing and Switching exam (200-120 CCNA). This paper provides a review of the CCNA Routing and Switching exam's critical concepts, as an aid to students preparing to pass the latest version of the CCNA Routing and Switching exam.

Global Knowledge Practice Leader, Craig Brown, explains what students will learn in our "Monitoring and Troubleshooting the Performance of a Windows Server Environment" workshop.

Mark Morgan is a Global Knowledge Senior Instructor. He has worked in the IT industry for over 20 years and has taught Microsoft courses for Global Knowledge since 2000. In this video clip, Mark shares some tips for students preparing for the Microsoft Windows 7 and Server 2008 certification exams.

Many companies are already using VoIP while incorporating video capabilities into their portfolio of services. One question that I am often asked is, “How can we ensure that the voice and video quality is good and consistent when using VoIP?”

If you're running SharePoint 2007, learn what had changed in SharePoint 2013 for administrators and developers.

In this video, Practice Leader Craig Brown discusses how Microsoft Lync can function in enterprise environments to streamline communication and increase productivity.

Join Microsoft SQL Server expert Brian Egler for an hour-long webinar covering the key features and updates in the upcoming release of Microsoft SQL Server 2014! You will get a thorough review, along with demonstrations, of how SQL Server 2014 provides substantial improvements in performance, manageability, and availability that will make your job easier.

If you’re in IT, you’ve likely heard the saying, “In technology, the only thing constant is change itself,” and boy is that right! For technical companies, if you are not moving forward, then you’re falling behind. There is no such thing as standing still! A perfect example of this mindset is in Cisco’s evolution of video conferencing and telepresence.

According to Cisco marketing, Dynamic Multipoint VPN (DMVPN) “will lower capital and operation expenses, simplifies branch communications, reduces deployment complexity, and improves business resiliency.” Okay. But what is it, really, and why should we care?

In this seminar, discover how OpenStack can simplify your cloud infrastructure management. Experts from Red Hat, the leading contributor to the OpenStack project, will fill you in on how organizations have solved problems and increased business value with open-source cloud technology. They will also give you a peek into the future of Red Hat OpenStack and reveal how Red Hat training and certification can ensure the success of your cloud deployment.

With the advent of video use in our everyday communications, a number of questions commonly surface. One of them is the question of terminology. What's the difference between video conferencing and telepresence? What is meant by immersive technologies? Frankly, there is no one single right answer.

The short answer (and a common one in our industry): it depends. When comparing Cisco IOS with Juniper Junos, the decision to choose one over the other is difficult and often boils down to cost. Of course, there are other factors to consider.

In this video, Practice Leader Craig Brown discusses the new Microsoft Cloud Computing platforms and how to keep your organization's data secure and functioning properly while operating either partially or entirely on the cloud.

Instructor Carol Kavalla talks about the advantages of taking a Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric Implementation class from Global Knowledge.

Microsoft Lync Server 2013 requires a proactive approach during deployment. This white paper provides valuable recommendations as well as the technical links that help you avoid common mistakes during a Microsoft Lync Server 2013 deployment.

Your Microsoft SQL Server database often contains the most valuable information in your organization. Get tips for securing it properly and effectively in this free, information-packed webinar with Microsoft SQL Server expert Gidget Pryor. In just an hour, Gidget will demonstrate the layered security approach used by SQL Server. She will step you through the process and best practices of setting up logins, users, roles, schemas, and permissions, and she will review the security model changes that have taken place from SQL Server 2005 through SQL Server 2012. She will also review SQL Server 2012 training and certifications.

The default shortcut for the SharePoint 2013 Management Shell uses PowerShell.exe; however, a few small changes can easily yield a SharePoint Management Shell based on the more awesomely powerful PowerShell ISE.

In this report, I've reviewed the 15 most popular certifications according to our more than 12,000 North American respondents to our annual IT Skills and Salary Survey. For each certification, you'll find a brief description, the average salary, and some insight into why it is popular.

You know you need to invest in training, but how do you get the best return on investment (ROI) from your training dollars? To help you make smart training decisions, we've put together this guide, which illustrates some alternative and little-known payment options, the types of discounts and promotions available with training and a suggested list of courses that give you excellent value.

By using and implementing a many-to-many relationship in a cube, existing tables with user account information can be used directly to secure cube contents, rather than converting to role based security in the cube. You can also secure your analysis services more easily and access sensitive information contained within it.

Need to control the digits contained in the telephone number that enter or leave a gateway? Digit manipulation involves adding, subtracting, and changing telephone numbers. You can manipulate calling numbers, called numbers, and redirecting numbers, as well as the numbering plan and ISDN number type. Learn about the techniques that are applied to incoming or outgoing calls, or globally to all calls. You can also manipulate telephone numbers before or after a dial peer is matched.

Frequently, questions come up in the Cisco Contact Center Express classes I teach concerning the ability of the system to perform this or that task. In this blog post, I will cover some of the more popular questions I get during class.

In this video, instructor Glenn Weadock demonstrates how Group Policy settings can control new user interface features such as the Taskbar, and resuscitate obsolete features such as classic menus in Windows Explorer.

Instructor John Harmon explains subnetting using binary numbers and decimal conversions.

As a power user, find out if you're ready for the SharePoint Site Collection and Site Administration class and how it can benefit your organization.

Instructor John Harmon continues his explanation of subnetting by showing how subnet masks can be used to sub-divide networks.

In numerous Cisco classes, students learn about IPv4 and IPv6 address subnetting, complex subnetting, variable length subnet masking (VLSM), summarization, prefix routing, and address aggregation. These are valuable skills. In order to apply these skills efficiently, a network designer should possess one additional skill. Planning the IP address space for a Class A or B IPv4 address is necessary to apply the complex skills listed above properly. Complex subnetting, VLSM, and IP address summarization can be implemented simply and efficiently with proper planning.

John Barnes, Global Knowledge's Cisco Course Developer, discusses enhancements to our UCS Troubleshooting Boot Camp and suggestions for students in preparation for this course.

In this video, you will learn how to a use a new feature of SQL Server 2008 called Transparent Data Encryption for enhanced security.

Many experts agree that memory is the most important resource with regard to SQL Server performance. There are hundreds of performance counters, and therefore, it can be complex to figure out just what to monitor. Here are some suggestions in understanding whether memory pressure might be the performance problem with your SQL Server.

Meet Global Knowledge course director and lab topology architect Joey DeWiele, a specialist in Unified Communications. Joey will walk you through the benefits of our exclusive Cisco UC lab architecture - a more scalable and stable approach to the all-important labs featured in unified communications courses. Our labs feature upgraded hardware and software including Custom Lenovo T61 PCs, 7965 IP Phones, 3560 Switches and Call Manager 7. With our flexible UC architecture, students are able to view and experience the full lab architecture regardless of which Cisco UC course they are taking or the skill set they are seeking. The lab architecture features a realistic network with redundant environments that are made rich with multiple machines, pre-deployed tools with shortcuts, online documentation that is particular to individual pods, and multiple OS support for all virtual machines (Windows, Linux, VMware).

Global Knowledge instructor Doug Notini discusses the benefits of our FIREWALL 2.0 - Deploying Cisco ASA Firewall Solutions course.

In this video, you will learn about the High Availability options in SQL Server 2008: Server Clustering, Database Mirroring, Log Shipping and Peer-to-Peer Replication.

One of the most difficult concepts for me as I was learning database syntax was joins. Of course, I tried reading and understanding articles and books that dealt with this topic. In almost every case, I was faced with the Venn diagram examples.

Diane Teare, Global Knowledge's Cisco Course Director, discusses the advantages to taking our CCNA Boot Camp.

Global Knowledge Course Director and Lab Topology Architect Joey DeWiele, a specialist in Unified Communications, explains presence.

A video covering our Cisco Unified Communications courses - ACUCW1 & ACUCW2 - by Global Knowledge Course Director and Lab Topology Architect Joey DeWiele, a specialist in Unified Communications.

Global Knowledge Course Director and Lab Topology Architect Joey DeWiele, a specialist in Unified Communications, discusses Cisco Unity, Unity Connection & Unity Express.

Chief Technical Architect Craig Brown discusses the Windows 7 certification and skills tracks available to Global Knowledge students.

Course director Jim Thomas explains how our custom labs, which utilize external hosts, ISR routers, and DMZ, provide a real-world environment for students.

New in Windows Server 2012 is the Unified Remote Access (URA) role. In Windows Server 2008 R2, DirectAccess and Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) were two separate roles. In fact, they could not be co-located on the same server. In Windows Server 2012, DirectAccess and RRAS can be co-located, allowing for what is now legacy remote access VPN client connectivity (L2TP/IPsec, PPTP, and SSTP). This means that the Unified Remote Access provides DirectAccess, Remote Access VPN, and site-to-site VPN and can now serve as your complete remote access solution.

Rodger Foster, our senior Cisco instructor, reviews how multiple gateways are used to provide redundancy in the network.

There exists a need to properly read, deploy, and examine the results of Group Policy. By its architecture, Group Policy Deployment to the Clients or Servers can be erratic and latent, or even non-existent throughout your Enterprise Organization, frustrating Administrators who are rolling out the Group Policy to Client or Server computers. To help mitigate this behavior, I compiled these insights into a two part series from real-world examples, experiences, and fixes that have worked for me. I know that these Tips and Tricks will work for you, too.

This is another topic of heated debate, and it changes from network to network, but I found a simple approach that works in most cases. Since I have four queues and four classes of traffic, I need to categorize my important traffic into four classes. Strictly for explanation purposes I took some liberty in defining four categories of traffic that are very effective in both large and small networks. These classes are: Real Time Protocol (RTP), Network Management (NetMgt), Business Critical, and the Default.

That depends on their configurations. For example: While it makes very good sense to include redundant physical links in a network, connecting switches in loops, without taking the appropriate measures, will cause havoc on a network. Without the correct measures, a switch floods broadcast frames out all of its ports, causing serious problems for the network devices. The main problem is a broadcast storm where broadcast frames are flooded through every switch until all available bandwidth is used and all network devices have more inbound frames than they can process.

Some of you might just be starting out as a database administrator and need to know what a basic Transact-SQL query is for Microsoft SQL Server 2012, others might already be creating database objects. Either way, we put together a list of a few terms regarding Microsoft SQL Server that any database administrator should know.

As we discussed previously, Cisco created the Nexus Operating System (NX-OS) to power its next-generation data-center switching platform. While this new OS shares many similarities to the original IOS, there are some definite differences that you need to be aware of as you begin using it.

The most obvious difference is that hubs operate at Layer 1 of the OSI model while bridges and switches work with MAC addresses at Layer 2 of the OSI model. Hubs are really just multi-port repeaters. They ignore the content of an Ethernet frame and simply resend every frame they receive out every interface on the hub. The challenge is that the Ethernet frames will show up at every device attached to a hub instead of just the intended destination (a security gap), and inbound frames often collide with outbound frames (a performance issue).

Global Knowledge Course Director and Lab Topology Architect Joey DeWiele, a specialist in Unified Communications, explains the difference between Cisco's Call Manager Express & Call Manager.

This week we'll review the IPv4 Address Classes including subnet masks, examples of Class C, Class B, and Class A subnet masks, and planning IPv4 addresses.

Both technologies, Ethernet and FC, satisfied the two conditions at that time, but there was a catch. Read more. 

Network security is everyone's concern, and this applies to computer security as well. Many security breaches occur due to user ignorance of basic security principles, not malicious intent. Network and computer security are like an onion - there are multiple layers. Good security begins with understanding what you can do to keep your systems safe and implementing a layered approach. If you depend on one program or feature to secure your computer, then when (not if, but when) that dependency is breached, you may have personal information stolen or even have your computer taken over.

In the previous post, we discussed the need for VXLAN in the cloud along with the issues it solves. In this post, we will focus more on how VXLAN works.

Global Knowledge Course Director and Lab Topology Architect Joey DeWiele, a specialist in Unified Communications, explains QoS.

The 'Go Further' video is an testimonial to the value of Microsoft Certification as a validation of technical skills. Whether you're just starting your IT career, or looking to advance it, certification can make a huge impact. Take a look at the video, and hear the stories of real MCPs.

Configuring a wireless lab for study and testing capabilities is a bit more involved than you might think at first glance. Most of the requirements take place on the management devices, but the underlying switch infrastructure requires some preparations as well. The tasks involved are as follows:

Anyone who’s managed switches over the years knows that the Spanning-tree protocol (STP) is both the best and worst thing to ever happen to the data center at layer 2 of the OSI model. On the plus side, the Spanning-tree protocol is what first allowed us to create redundant paths within our switching infrastructure, making our data center much more resilient to outages than ever before. Anyone who’s experienced a “broadcast storm” knows the full value of Spanning-tree in the traditional switching environment. We’ve also seen many improvements in Spanning-tree over the years to make it work faster and more efficiently (i.e. Rapid Spanning-tree, Bridge Assurance, and many others).