171 Architecture courses in Birmingham

ZigBee training course description A hands on course covering the entire ZigBee protocol stack. ZigBee operation, primitives and frame formats are covered in detail using software tools to test and analyse ZigBee commands and demonstrate how these affect the 802.15.4 MAC. Analysers are used to decode packet formats. What will you learn Describe the ZigBee architecture and applications. Explain the workings of ZigBee protocol stack including the 802.15.4, NWK, APS and ZDO sub layers. Describe in detail the ZigBee primitives and how they are used to pass data; make networks; join networks and repair networks. Secure ZigBee networks. ZigBee training course details Who will benefit: Technical staff requiring grounding in ZigBee including application engineers. Prerequisites: RF fundamentals. Duration 2 days ZigBee training course contents Wireless data overview What is 802.15.4 and ZigBee? WLAN, WPAN, Bluetooth vs. ZigBee. Markets. Applications and architecture. ZigBee demonstration. ZigBee Standards and technology The 7-layer model, IEEE WPAN standards overview, 802.15.4 & ZigBee, ZigBee alliance. ZigBee Protocol stack The ZigBee 5 layer model, The network (NWK) sub layer, Application support sub layer (APS), the ZigBee Device Object (ZDO). 802.15.4 Radio Frequencies, modulation, power, DSSS, BPSK/ O-QPSK, channels, symbols, chips and bit rate. 802.15.4 PHY PHY data transfer primitives. The PHY packet. PHY PIB management. 802.15.4 MAC layer The MAC layer overview, CSMA/CA, addresses, frame types, super frames, MAC layer: Data, Data control, Scan and join, PAN maintenance, MAC PIB. Hands on 802.15.4 frame analysis. ZigBee Topologies Point to point topology, star topology, cluster tree, wired integration. Hands on Building a ZigBee network. ZigBee frame formats General frame format, data frames, command frames. Hands on Analysing ZigBee frames. ZigBee NWK NWK data primitives: Request. Confirm. Indication. NWK management primitives: Network discovery, network formation. Permit joining. Start router. Join. Direct join. Leave. Reset. Sync. NWK database management. Hands on NWK analysis ZigBee APS Address mapping, matching devices, binding devices, binding tables. Hands on APS analysis. ZigBee ZDO Device roles, binding requests, initiating and responding, device discovery, service discovery, network management. ZDO Endpoint 0. ZigBee Security Security issues, security modes, MAC security, NWK security, APS security. Applications Writing ZigBee applications, application profiles, End points, Endpoint addressing, clusters of attributes, broadcasts. Hands on Sample ZigBee application.

VoIP training course description Convergence of voice and data is now a common place mainstream technology. Our Voice Over IP course investigates the characteristics of voice transmission and then studies the impact on IP networks. Practical sessions with soft phones, hard phones and gateways allow the students to see all aspects of VoIP. Network analysers are used to study packets on the wire. What will you learn Describe the issues of voice and data convergence. Describe techniques, which can be used in IP to provide low uniform delay. Evaluate VoIP technologies. Design data networks, which will support voice. VoIP training course details Who will benefit: Anyone working in the field of networking or telecommunications. Prerequisites: TCP/IP foundation for engineers Intro to data communications & networking Duration 3 days VoIP training course contents What is VoIP Voice over IP, brief review of IP, brief review of telephones and voice. Configuring IP softphones What are softphones? Downloading, installing. Hands on Building the base IP network, a simple VoIP call with softphones, Internet telephony. Addressing E164, FQDN, IP addresses, URIs, DNS, SIP addressing, H.323 addressing. VoIP issues Bandwidth, Delay, Jitter, digitising voice, digitisation steps, coding, quality issues, MOS, voice compression, silence suppression, packetising voice, prioritising voice, jitter buffers. Hands on Simple packet analysis. Architectures Desktop, backbone, gateway, hard phones, PoE, integrating phones and PCs, carriers, Softswitches. Hands on Integrating Softphones, hard phones and analog phones. IP performance and QoS ITU delay recommendations, IP DSCP field, DiffServ, IP precedence, queuing strategies; FIFO, WFQ, custom, priority, RED, LLQ. VoIP protocol stack RTP, RTCP, mixers and translators, RSVP. Bandwidth, Erlang models, link layer overhead. Hands on Calculating VoIP bandwidth, analysing RTP packets. ITU Recommendation H.323 Architecture, protocols, terminals, Call setup, Gatekeepers, gateway discovery, H.323 registration with a gatekeeper. Hands on PC to PC using H.323. IETF - Session Initiation Protocol What is SIP? SIP protocol stack, SDP, Sip architecture, SIP messages, Initial SIP phone startup, SIP servers, proxy server, redirect server. Hands on PC to PC using SIP. Carrier networks Signalling systems, SS7, media gateways, Media gateway controllers, signalling gateways, MGCP, Megaco, SIGTRAN. Hands on PSTN interworking. Video over IP Video components, digital video, pictures and audio, video codecs, issues and solutions, video conferencing, multipoint video conferencing, video protocol stack. Appendix 1: Multicasting. Appendix 2: Voice/data integration without IP.

VoIP and IP Telephony training course description A concise overview course for management covering voice communications using IP networks. The course focuses on how VoIP works at a simplified level enabling delegates to recognise the key decisions to be made when implementing VoIP. What will you learn Describe the key buzzwords used in the VoIP arena. Explain how VoIP and IPT work (at a simplified level). Describe the issues of providing a converged architecture. Recognise the key decisions to be made when implementing VoIP VoIP and IP Telephony training course details Who will benefit: Anyone, although the course is particularly aimed at non-technical personnel needing some knowledge of VoIP. Prerequisites: Network fundamentals Duration 1 day VoIP and IP Telephony training course contents Introduction What is VoIP, brief review of IP, brief review of telephones, voice and signalling. VoIP issues Bandwidth, Delay, Jitter. Voice coding and compression, packetising voice, comparison of techniques, MOS.IP performance and QoS. The need for QoS, prioritising voice. Architectures Hard phones, soft phones, video phones, desktop, backbone, gateway, integrating analog phones and PCs, carriers, Softswitches. VoIP protocol stack RTP, RTCP. H.323 vs SIP, other signalling protocols. H.323 Architecture, Call setup, Gatekeepers. SIP Comparison with H.323, SIP proxy, proxy servers, redirect servers, location servers. MGCP and MegaCo Carrier networks, PSTN breakout, SS7 gateways, MGCP, Megaco. IP PBXs Integrating IP into 'normal' PBXs, IP PBXs, Asterisk. UM, other telephony applications.

Essential optical transmission course description Transmission is the process of sending information along a medium of, copper, fibre or wireless. This course looks at transmission techniques for fibre networks. The course aims to demystify the technologies involved by explaining all the buzzwords used in optical transmission. What will you learn Describe various optical transmission technologies. Explain how SDH and OTN work. Explain how WDM, CWDM and DWDM work. Explain PON, GPON and GEPON. Essential optical transmission course details Who will benefit: Anyone working in telecommunications. Prerequisites: None. Duration 2 days Essential optical transmission course contents Transmission basics nsmission basics Systems, media, signals. Signal degradation, noise, distortion, attenuation. Digital, analogue. Modulation, encoding. Fibre transmission Fibre vs copper, optical transmission, fibre characteristics, fibre component parts. Multi Mode Fibre (MMF). Single Mode Fibre (SMF). Fibre connections. Lasers. Attenuations, dispersion, optical signal noise ratios (OSNR) and their effects. Channel Spacing and Signal Direction. Limiting factors to single wavelength. SDH Timing and synchronisation of digital signals, the plesiochronous digital hierarchy (PDH), the synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH), service protection with SDH. TDM. Standards, basic units, frames, STM1 frame, bit rates, STM0, STM1, STM4, STM16, STM64, STM256, SDH architecture, rings, Add drop multiplexors. SDH network topologies, structure of SDH equipment, SDH synchronisation, protection switching in SDH networks, SDH alarm structure, testing of SDH, equipment and systems, Ethernet over SDH. OTN G.709, OTN interface structure, Optical transport modules, ONNI, OCh, OUT, ODU, OPU. G.709 amendments. WDM overview Multiplexing, TDM, WDM benefits. WDM standards. CWDM vs. DWDM. Four Wave Mixing (FWM). Impact and countermeasures to FWM on WDM. DWDM ITU G.694.1, channel and spacing. Optical Terminal Multiplexers (OTM). Optical Add/Drop Multiplexers (OADM). Adding versus dropping. Optical Amplifiers. Erbium Doped Fibre Amplifiers (EDFA). Transponders and Combiners. Optical and Electrical Cross Connects (OXCs/DXCs). Cross Connect types (Transparent/Opaque). Advantages and disadvantages of various Optical cross connects. FTTx Fibre installation and air blown fibre, FTTH, FTTC, FTTN, FTTD, FFTH topologies and wavelengths, active or passive optical network. PON variants Gigabit passive optical network (GPON), Gigabit Ethernet passive optical network (GEPON), Time division PON (TDM-PON), XG-PON, Wave Division Multiplexing PON (WDM-PON), 1Gbps, 10Gbps, 40Ggps, 100Gbps FSAN (Full Service Access Network) NGA (Next Generation Access), Strategies for TDM-PON to WDM-PON migration, Architecture of NG-PON (hybrid WDM/TDM PON), Additional services than triple play.

WANs training course description A concise overview course covering Wide Area Networks with particular emphasis on the WAN options available including the use of the Internet. What will you learn Choose and evaluate WAN technologies. Recognise the role of service providers. Describe the benefits of VPNs. Describe how the Internet can be used as a WAN. Describe the equipment needed to connect LANS to WANS. List the speeds of various WAN technologies. WANs training course details Who will benefit: Anyone, although the course is particularly aimed at non-technical personnel needing some knowledge of WANS. Prerequisites: Network fundamentals Duration 1 day WANs training course contents WANS WAN architecture, Common WAN terms, Core vs access, service providers, relationship with 7 layer model, WAN equipment, how to choose a WAN. Layer 1 Copper, phone lines, fibre, coaxial, satellite, wireless. Cabling to the building, CPE cabling, interfaces. Layer 2 Dial up vs. Dedicated vs. packet switched networks and when to use them. Packet switching vs. circuit switching. Point to point and point to multipoint. Dialup access technologies Modems, ISDN, BRI, PRI. Access with dedicated lines XDSL, leased lines. WAN services X.25, SMDS, Frame Relay, CIR, ATM, Internet, MANS, dark fibre and other services. Case study: Selecting WAN technologies. Service provider technologies MPLS, SDH, WDM, DWDM. Routers Network addressing, default gateways, routing tables, routing protocols. Internet architecture Service providers, ISPs, private peering, public peering, core WANs in the Internet. VPNs Private networks, public networks, What are VPNs?, benefits of VPNs, tunnelling, encryption, IPSec. Case study: Specifying WAN connectivity.

Definitive Segment Routing course description This Segment Routing (SR) training course is a comprehensive program designed to equip network professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to implement and manage SR in modern networking environments. Segment Routing is a cutting-edge network architecture that enhances network flexibility, scalability, and efficiency. This course offers in-depth coverage of SR principles, protocols, and practical implementation techniques. Hands on sessions are used to reinforce the theory rather than teach specific manufacturer equipment. What will you learn Explain packet paths when implementing SLB. Explain how Segment Routing works. Explain the relationship between SR and MPLS. Use SR for Traffic Engineering. Troubleshoot Segment Routing. Implement TI-LFA using Segment Routing Definitive Segment Routing course details Who will benefit: This course is ideal for network engineers, architects, and administrators who want to stay up-to-date with the latest networking technologies and enhance their expertise in Segment Routing. Prerequisites: Concise MPLS for engineers Duration 3 days Definitive Segment Routing course contents Introduction to Segment Routing (SR) What is SR? Source based routing, SPRING, history, segments, why SR? SR benefits.SR usage: Traffic Engineering, Shortest path, local protection. Relationship between SR and MPLS, SRv6. Hands on Investigating the base network. Segment Routing architecture SR domains, SR paths, SR segments. Segment types. Segment IDs, combining segments, IGP extensions, control plane components. Hands on Configuring SR, exploring how SR works, Segment Routing protocols SR-MPLS. MPLS label stack operations. Segment Routing Global Block (SRGB). SRLB. IS-IS and OSPF extensions for SR. Prefix segments, adjacency segments. SRGB/IGP interactions. Multidomain SR policies. SPF, Strict SPF. Hands on Analysing IGP SR extension operation. Investigating the SRGB. Segment Routing Traffic Engineering RSVP-TE versus SR-TE. SR policies. Anycast and binding SIDs. SR flexible algorithm flex-algo, Performance measurement delay. Hands on Optimising network paths for various applications. SR integration with 'older' technologies MPLS and LDP integration with SR. Hands on Integration. Topology Independent Loop Free Alternative Classic LFA and IP/MPLS protection mechanisms. TI-LFA protection options. Hands on TI-LFA operation with SR and LDP traffic. Scenarios SDN. Managing SR with SR controllers. Analyse, optimise, automate. Network slicing. BGP peering segments Path Computation Elements, BGP Link State. BGP prefix segments, BGP peer segments. Egress peer engineering. SR enabled VPNs. Hands onBGP segment routing. Troubleshooting Segment Routing IP toolkit: ping and traceroute. MPLS toolkit: MPLS ping, MPLS echo request/reply, MPLS ping, MPLS traceroute and path discovery. Router show commands. Hands on Used throughout the course during exercises. SRv6 Note this is an optional extra day. See our one day SRv6 course for details. IPv6 headers review, routing headers, IPv6 segment, SRv6 segment Identifiers. IPv6 Segment Routing Header. SRH procedures. Hands on Configuring SRv6, Analysing SRv6 operation.

Telecomms training course description A comprehensive tour of the telecommunications technologies and terminology currently in use, and under development. What will you learn List and describe components of the PSTN. Explain how calls are made over the PSTN Compare analog and digital transmission methods. Describe the technologies within the transport plane. Recognise the benefits of extra features available in today's telephone networks. Telecomms training course details Who will benefit: Anyone new to the Telecommunications industry. Prerequisites: None. Duration 2 days Telecomms training course contents Telephone network architecture Handsets, local loop, distribution points, Local exchanges, main telephone switches, PBXs. Making a call - some basics Telephone call components, how a telephone call works, accessing the local exchange, loop disconnect, DTMF, standards, E.164, PSTN routing, Intelligent Networks, Special Rate Services. Analogue vs Digital Voice characteristics, PSTN bandwidth, analogue signalling, Digital encoding, PCM and the 64k, ADPCM and other voice compression methods. PBXs PABX, Call processing, networking PBXs, PBX facilities, bandwidth, blocking probability and Erlangs, Erlang models, using Erlang tables. Transmission methods Two wire transmission, 64k circuits, Nx64, E1, 2 wire to 4 wire conversion, echo, echo suppression, echo cancellers, twisted pair, coax, fibre optic, power lines, satellite systems, microwave. Signalling Analogue signalling, loop start, earth calling, E&M, AC15. Digital signalling -CAS, robbed bits and E1 slot 16 signalling. Digital signalling CCS, Q.931, SS7, Q.SIG, DPNSS, DASS2. Transport planes PDH, PDH issues, SDH, SDH architecture, SDH standards, SDH bit rates, SDH mulitplexors, DWDM. Networks Circuit Switched Networks, TDM, Packet Switched Networks, Frame Relay, Message Switching, Circuit Switching, STDM, Cell Switching, ATM, ATM cells, ATM traffic parameters, ATM QoS, MPLS. Other network access Modems, modulation, speeds, ISDN, BRI, PRI, xDSL, SDSL, ADSL. Other Services Centrex, VPNs, FeatureNet, CTI, Call Processing Systems, Voice Mail, Automated Attendant Systems, Interactive Voice Response, Call Management Systems, Call Conferencing, Star Services. Mobile communications 3 types of wireless telephone, mobile generations, base stations, cells, GSM, GPRS, 3G, UMTS, WCDMA, 4G, LTE. VoIP overview What is VoIP, VoIP benefits, What is IP? The IP header, Packetising voice, VoIP addressing, H.323, SIP, RTP. Bandwidth requirements.

Cyber security training course description This cyber security course focusses on the network side of security. Technologies rather than specific products are studied focussing around the protection of networks using firewalls and VPNs. What will you learn Describe: - Basic security attacks - RADIUS - SSL - VPNs Deploy firewalls and secure networks Explain how the various technologies involved in an IP VPN work. Describe and implement: - L2TP - IPsec - SSL - MPLS, L3, VPNs. Cyber security training course details Who will benefit: Anyone working in the security field. Prerequisites: TCP/IP foundation for engineers Duration 5 days Cyber security training course contents Security review Denial of service, DDOS, data manipulation, data theft, data destruction, security checklists, incident response. Security exploits IP spoofing, SYN attacks, hijacking, reflectors and amplification, keeping up to date with new threats. Hands on port scanning, use a 'hacking' tool. Client and Server security Windows, Linux, Log files, syslogd, accounts, data security. Hands on Server hardening. Firewall introduction What is a firewall? Firewall benefits, concepts. HAnds on launching various attacks on a target. Firewall types Packet filtering, SPI, Proxy, Personal. Software firewalls, hardware firewalls. Firewall products. Hands on Simple personal firewall configuration. Packet filtering firewalls Things to filter in the IP header, stateless vs. stateful filtering. ACLs. Advantages of packet filtering. Hands on Configuring packet filtering firewalls. Stateful packet filtering Stateful algorithms, packet-by-packet inspection, application content filtering, tracks, special handling (fragments, IP options), sessions with TCP and UDP. Firewall hacking detection: SYN attacks, SSL, SSH interception. Hands on SPI firewalls. Proxy firewalls Circuit level, application level, SOCKS. Proxy firewall plusses and minuses. Hands on Proxy firewalls. Firewall architectures Small office, enterprise, service provider, what is a DMZ? DMZ architectures, bastion hosts, multi DMZ. Virtual firewalls, transparent firewalls. Dual firewall design, high availability, load balancing, VRRP. Hands on Resilient firewall architecture. Testing firewalls Configuration checklist, testing procedure, monitoring firewalls, logging, syslog. Hands on Testing firewalls. Encryption Encryption keys, Encryption strengths, Secret key vs Public key, algorithms, systems, SSL, SSH, Public Key Infrastructures. Hands on Password cracking. Authentication Types of authentication, Securid, Biometrics, PGP, Digital certificates, X.509 v3, Certificate authorities, CRLs, RADIUS. Hands on Using certificates. VPN overview What is a VPN? What is an IP VPN? VPNs vs. Private Data Networks, Internet VPNs, Intranet VPNs, Remote access VPNs, Site to site VPNs, VPN benefits and disadvantages. VPN Tunnelling VPN components, VPN tunnels, tunnel sources, tunnel end points, tunnelling topologies, tunnelling protocols, which tunnelling protocol? Requirements of tunnels. L2TP Overview, components, how it works, security, packet authentication, L2TP/IPsec, L2TP/PPP, L2 vs L3 tunnelling. Hands on Implementing a L2TP tunnel. IPsec AH, HMAC, ESP, transport and tunnel modes, Security Association, encryption and authentication algorithms, manual vs automated key exchange, NAT and other issues. Hands on Implementing an IPsec VPN. SSL VPNs Layer 4 VPNs, advantages, disadvantages. SSL. TLS. TLS negotiation, TLS authentication. TLS and certificates. Hands on Implementing a SSL VPN. MPLS VPNs Introduction to MPLS, why use MPLS, Headers, architecture, label switching, LDP, MPLS VPNs, L2 versus L3 VPNs. Point to point versus multipoint MPLS VPNs. MBGP and VRFs and their use in MPLS VPNs. Hands on Implementing a MPLS L3 VPN. Penetration testing Hacking webservers, web applications, Wireless networks and mobile platforms. Concepts, threats, methodology. Hands on Hacking tools and countermeasures.

IPsec training course description This hands on course focuses on IPsec VPNs. Rather than focusing on one implementation this course concentrates on the technologies and protocols of IPsec. Starting with an overview of the complete IPsec architecture the course then moves onto ESP packet analysis along with encryption and authentication provided. IKEv1 and IKEv2 are both covered in detail. Having covered IPsec with pre shared keys the course then moves onto IPsec with certificates followed by IPsec issues. The course is vendor neutral with hands on with both Cisco and Microsoft implementations. What will you learn Explain how IPsec works. Explain the role of AH, ESP and IKE. Configure IPsec. Troubleshoot IPsec. IPsec training course details Who will benefit: Technical staff working with IPsec. Prerequisites: Definitive IP VPNs for engineers. Duration 3 days IPsec training course contents What is IPsec? How to spell IPsec, IPsec is IP security, confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, replay protection, what is a VPN? Network layer security, IPsec and IPv4, IPsec and IPv6, the suite of protocols, the standard, IPsec RFCs, IPsec history. Hands on Analysis of 'normal' IP packets. IPsec architecture The IPsec protocols, AH vs ESP, Why two headers? transport mode, tunnel mode, Remote access VPNs, site to site VPNs, security associations, SA database, Security Parameters Index, implementations: Host tack, Bump in the Stack, Bump in the Wire. Hands on Configuring IPsec. AH What AH does, the stack, The AH header, What is authenticated? Device authentication. AH in transport mode, AH in tunnel mode. Hands on AH packet analysis. ESP What ESP does, the ESP header, ESP in transport mode, ESP in tunnel mode, ESP and SA, ESP and SPI. Hands on ESP packet analysis, policy configuration. IPsec encryption IPsec is a framework, standard algorithms, ESP keys, the role of IKE, key lifetimes, how IKE generates the keys, DES, 3DES, AES, cipher block chaining, counter mode, other encryption. Hands on Encryption configuration. IPsec authentication Authentication types, IPsec authentication, Authentication algorithms: MD5, keyed SHA-1, HMAC-MD5, HMAC-SHA-1, HMAC-RIPEMD, other authentication algorithms. Hands on Authentication configuration. IKE Internet Key Exchange, IKE and the SAD, the two phase negotiation, ISAKMP, ISAKMP header, pre shared keys, digital signatures, public key encryption, Diffie Hellman, proposals, counter proposals, nonces, identities, phase 1 negotiation: main mode, aggressive mode, base mode. Phase 2 negotiation: quick mode, new group mode. Hands on IKE packet analysis. More IKE PFS, IKE and dynamic addresses, XAUTH, hybrid authentication, CRACK, ULA, PIC. User level authentication. IKE renegotiation, heartbeats. Hands on Troubleshooting IPsec. IKEv2 The IKEv2 exchange, IKE_SA_INIT, IKE_AUTH, CREATE_CHILD_SA, IKEv2 packets, the informational exchange. Comparing IKev1 vs IKE v2. Hands on IKEv2 configuration and analysis. PKI What is PKI?, Digital certificates, Certificate authorities, CA servers, RA, VA, certificates, CA hierarchy, CRLs, certificate formats. Hands on installing and configuring certificate servers. IPsec issues NAT, IPsec overhead and fragmentation. Summary IPsec strengths and weaknesses. Where to get further information.

Definitive Salt training course description Salt is a remote execution framework and configuration management system. This course covers Salt from the basics. After a quick first taste the course moves onto execution modules, salt states, minion and master data, jinja, Salt extensions and then topology and configuration options. Hands on sessions are used to reinforce the theory rather than teach specific manufacturer equipment. What will you learn Install and use Salt. Describe the architecture of Salt. Manage configurations with Salt. Extend Salt. Definitive Salt training course details Who will benefit: Anyone working with Salt. Prerequisites: Linux fundamentals. Duration 2 days Definitive Salt training course contents Introduction What is Salt? High- level architecture, Some quick examples, system management, configuration management, A brief history, Topology options, Extending Salt. Quick start: First taste of Salt Single-master setup, from packages, bootstrap scripts, Starting up, Basic commands, salt: the main workhorse, salt-key: key management, salt-call: execution on the minion, salt-run: co-ordination of jobs on the master, summary of commands, Key management, viewing keys, accepting keys, rejecting keys, key files, Minion targeting, minion ID, list (-L), glob, regular expressions (-E), grains (-G), compound (-C), targeting summary, Additional remote execution details, Conclusion. Execution modules: The functional foundation sys: information and documentation about modules, sys.doc basic documentation, sys.list_modules, sys.list_functions: simple listings, cmd: execute via shell, cmd.run: run any command, pkg: manage packages, virtual modules, pkg.lists_pkgs: list all installed packages, pkg.available version: see what version will be installed, pkg.install: install packages, user: manage users, user.add: add users, user.list_users, user info: get user info, saltutil: access various Salt utilities, Summary. Configuration management: Salt states Salt files overview, SLS example: adding a user, working with the multi-layered state system, Highstate and the top file, the top file, State ordering, require: depend on another state, watch: run based on other changes, odds and ends, Summary. Minion data / master data Grains are minion data, performing basic grain operations, setting grains, targeting with grains in the top file, Pillars are data from the master, querying pillar data, querying other sources with external pillars, Renderers give data options. Extending Salt: part I Introduction to Jinja, Jinja basics, Templating with Jinja, filtering by grains, Custom execution module, Custom state modules, Custom grains, External pillars, Summary. More on the matter Runners, manage minions, manage jobs, The orchestrate runner, The event system, The reactor system, Summary. Extending Salt: part II Python client API, reading configuration data on a master and minion, using the master client (localclient) API, Using the caller client API, Custom runners, writing a custom runner, using the runnerclient API, Summary. Topology and configuration options Master configuration, directories and files, logging, access control, files server options, Topology variations, masterless minions, peer systems, syndication masters, multiple masters. Brief introduction to salt-cloud Overview, Setup AWS and salt-cloud, installing salt-cloud, cloud providers, cloud profiles, cloud maps, Introspection via salt cloud, Creating infrastructure, More information. Using vagrant to run Salt examples YAML.