IPTV training course description A current hot topic in recent years has been the provision of multimedia services over IP networks aka triple or quadruple play. This course investigates the characteristics of video transmission and then studies the impact on IP networks. What will you learn Use Wireshark to analyse and troubleshoot TV streams. Describe techniques, which can be used in IP to provide low uniform delay. Evaluate IPTV technologies. Design data networks, which will support IPTV. IPTV training course details Who will benefit: Anyone working with IPTV. Prerequisites: TCP/IP Foundation for engineers Intro to data communications & networking. Duration 3 days IPTV training course contents What is IPTV? What is IP? What is TV? Pixels, frames, colour, digital modulation, digital video broadcasting. SDTV, HDTV, 4K. IPTV architectures, Contribution, distribution, delivery. IPTV standards. Hands on Base IP connectivity, VLC. IPTV protocol stacks IP, TCP, UDP, RTP. IPv6. HTTP. Bandwidth requirements. Hands on IPTV bandwidth calculations. Video codecs What is a CODEC, pictures and audio, digitisation, sampling, quantisation, encoding, compressing. MPEG, bit rates, resolution. I, B, P frames, GOP. MPEG 2, MPEG 4, H.264, H.265, VP9, AV1. Hands on Analysing MPEG frames. IP issues Quality vs. bandwidth. Bandwidth, delay, latency, jitter, signalling. Routers. Hands on Analysing jitter and other performance issues. IPTV performance and QoS IP DSCP field, queuing strategies; FIFO, WFQ, custom, priority, RED. Differentiated services, Diffserv. 802.1Q. Traffic shaping. QoE. Hands on best effort versus prioritisation. UDP versus TCP Reliable, unreliable, connection oriented, connectionless. Broadcasts, multicasts and unicasts. TCP flow control, TCP and performance. Hands on TCP window sizes. RTP RTP, ports, mixers, translators, RTCP, SMPTE, FEC. Hands on RTP analysis with Wireshark. Multicasting Multicasting compared to unicasting and broadcasting, when to use and when not to use multicasting. IGMP, PIM-SM, SSM. MLD. Hands on Analysing multicast streams. OTT TV HTTP, HTTPS, Chunked HTTP. Adaptive streaming. HTML5. DASH vs HLS. Hands on Analysing HTTP streams. Security Firewalls, TLS, DRM, watermarking. Encryption. Geolocation. VPNs. IPTV architecture and other protocols Content providers, Service providers, delivery networks, home networks. Caching, Service discovery. RTSP. SAP, SDP. DHCP, DNS, NTP Hands on Fixing the network.
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.
Definitive Ethernet switching course description A hands on comprehensive look at Ethernet switches with extensive coverage of VLANs. The course focuses on the technology and not any one manufacturers product enabling delegates to configure switches from any manufacturer. What will you learn Configure and troubleshoot switches using: Console port telnet HTTP TFTP Configure and troubleshoot switch features such as: Duplex/speed Port based MAC security Spanning Tree Link aggregation Tagged ports Configure and troubleshoot VLANs. Definitive Ethernet switching course details Who will benefit: Technical staff. Prerequisites: Intro to data communications & networking. Duration 3 days Definitive Ethernet switching course contents What is Ethernet? LANs, network cards and cables, CSMA/CD, Ethernet frames, Ethernet evolution, 802.3. Hands on: ping, Ethernet speeds, CSMA/CD. Ethernet layer 2 Layer 2 functions, NICs, MAC addresses, unicasts, multicasts and broadcasts, frame formats. Hands on: Configuring NICs, Analysing MAC addresses with Wireshark IP and Ethernet Relationship Hands on: ARP. What is a switch? Switches connect multiple devices, switches versus hubs, simultaneous conversations, switches work at layer 2, the forwarding database, how the forwarding database is built, broadcast and collision domains Hands on: Difference between hubs and switches. Switch configuration Switch configuration Managed/unmanaged switches, configuration methods, reasons to configure switches. Console ports, HyperTerminal (and alternatives). Hands on: Using the console port to troubleshoot and configure switches. Switches in more detail Latency, forwarding mechanisms, switch fabrics. Hands on: Using telnet and HTTP to switches. Ethernet extensions Auto negotiation, Power over Ethernet. Hands on:Configuring and troubleshooting switch ports: Speed, duplex and security. Redundant links Loops, broadcast storms, STP, BPDU format, STP convergence. Hands on: Tracking blocked ports. STP convergence. Backbone links Architectures, link aggregation, LACP, load sharing, resilience. Hands on: fail over times. VLANs Virtual versus physical LANs, Why have VLANs? Broadcast domains, Creating VLANs, Assigning ports to VLANs. Hands on: Analysing the effect of VLANs on traffic. Enterprise VLANs VLANS are internal, multiple VLANs, Load balancing, Default VLAN, VLAN registration protocols: VTP, GVRP, MVRP. Hands on: VLANs on multiple switches. Tagging/Trunking Reason for tagging, terminology, tagging process, 802.1Q, Tag format, VLAN stacking. Hands on: Configuring and troubleshooting tags. STP variants RSTP, Common STP, Multiple STP, PVST, ring alternatives. Hands on: RSTP. Inter VLANs Layer 3 switching, IP addressing rules, Interconnecting VLANs. Hands on: Routing between VLANs. Troubleshooting Ethernet Methods, tools, locating faults, layer 1 issues, layer 2 issues Hands on: Fixing the network.
LTE Architecture and Protocols course description This course provides a comprehensive tour of the LTE architecture along with services provided and the protocols used. What will you learn Describe the overall architecture of LTE. Explain the information flows through LTE. Describe the LTE security. Describe LTE mobility management. Recognise the next steps for LTE. LTE Architecture and Protocols course details Who will benefit: Anyone working with LTE. Prerequisites: Mobile communications demystified Duration 3 days LTE Architecture and Protocols course contents Introduction History, LTE key features. The 4G ITU process. The LTE 3GPP specifications. Specifications. System Architecture LTE hardware architecture. UE architecture and capabilities. E-UTRAN and eNB. EPC, MME functions, SGW, PGW and PCRF. System interfaces and protocol stacks. Example information flows. Dedicated and default bearers. EMM, ECM, RRC state diagrams. Radio transmission and reception OFDMA, SC-FDMA, MIMO antennas. Air interface protocol stack. Logical, transport and physical channels. Frame and slot structure, the resource grid. Resource element mapping of the physical channels and signals. Cell acquisition, data transmission and random access. MAC, RLC, PDCP protocols. LTE spectrum allocation. Power-on procedures Network and cell selection. RRC connection establishment. Attach procedure, including IP address allocation and default bearer activation. LTE detach procedure. Security in LTE networks LTE security features, identity confidentiality, ciphering and integrity protection. Architecture of network access security in LTE. Secure key hierarchy. Authentication and key agreement procedure. Security mode command procedure. Network domain security architecture. Security associations using IKE and IPSec. Mobility management RRC_IDLE, RRC_CONNECTED. Cell reselection, tracking area updates. Measurement reporting. X2 and S1 based handovers. Interoperation with UMTS, GSM and non-3GPP technologies such as cdma2000. QoS, policy control and charging QoS in LTE, EPS bearers, service data flows and packet flows. The architecture and signalling procedures for policy and charging control. Data transport using GPRS, differentiated services and MPLS. Offline and online charging in LTE. Delivery of voice and text messages over LTE Difficulties and solutions for Voice over LTE. Architecture and call setup procedures for circuit switched fallback. Architecture, protocols and call setup procedures in IP multimedia subsystem. Enhancements in release 9 LTE location services. Multimedia broadcast / multicast service and MBSFN. Cell selection, commercial mobile alert service. LTE Advanced and release 10 Impact of carrier aggregation on LTE air interface. Enhanced MIMO processing on uplink and downlink. Relaying. Release 11 and beyond. OAM and self organising networks Operation, administration, maintenance and provisioning for LTE. Self-configuration of base station parameters. Fractional frequency re-use, inter-cell interference co-ordination. Self-optimisation of base station procedures. Self-healing to detect and recover from faults.
Any successful business manager will tell you that you never get the deal you deserve - you always get the deal you negotiate! This two-day workshop includes recent research and practical techniques from the Harvard Business School Negotiation Project and provides a unique opportunity to learn and practice these skills in a safe environment using up to date materials and life-like practice negotiation case studies. This course will help participants to: Understand the basics of negotiation Develop negotiating skills Increase their business acumen Develop their communication skills Learn the models, techniques and tools for an effective negotiation Identify the barriers to agreements Close the deal 1 What is negotiation? Key skills for negotiation Types of negotiation Win-lose negotiations versus Win-win negotiations Wise agreements and Principled Negotiation 2 Four key negotiating concepts BATNA - Best alternative to negotiated agreement Setting your reservation price ZOPA - Zone of possible agreement Creating and trading value 3 Business acumen Understanding pricing, gross margins and profit Knowing the key points on which to negotiate 4 A Four Phase Model for negotiation Nine steps to successful planning Discussing a deal - creating and claiming value Making and framing proposals Bargaining for the winning deal 5 Effective communication Effective questioning Active listening skills Understanding and interpreting body language Barriers to effective communication 6 Understanding influence and persuasion Influencing strategies Ten proven ways to influence people Six universal methods of persuasion Understanding why people do business with other people 7 Negotiating tactics Tactics for win-lose negotiations Tactics for win-win negotiations Effective team negotiating Understanding and using powerv What do you do when the other side has more power? 8 Barriers to agreement Common barriers to agreement The Negotiators Dilemma Dealing with die-hard negotiators Dealing with lack of trust 9 Potential barriers to cross-border agreements Understanding business methods and practice in other cultures Figuring out who has the power and who makes decisions Recognising and dealing with cultural differences What's OK here might not be OK there 10 Closing the deal Four steps to closing the winning deal
Give your staff market-leading delivery skills and intercultural communication techniques with our unique course. TILT has been delivered to military and commercial clients and is seen as best-practice for those training internationally.
We need to talk openly about how we are performing and we sometimes need to have an 'honest' conversation with our manager. We all know this, but it can be difficult. This short, focused workshop will give you the confidence and skills to have a conversation with your manager (or anyone else for that matter) about your performance and how you can add value. It will focus on how to get yourself heard and build better working relationships with those key to your success. The programme will help you: Overcome the barriers to effective performance conversations Receive feedback without taking it personally Improve working relationships with your manager Agree realistic expectations and targets (and get 'buy-in' for them) Improve your communication style Plan and prepare for honest conversations in the workplace 1 What is an honest conversation? Why don't we have them more often? What stops us? The cost of not having them 2 Asking for feedback 3 Preparing for challenge 4 The expectations conversation 5 Your communication styles 6 Planning and preparing for an honest conversation
In the fast-changing world of business, and especially IT, everyone in the organisation should be involved in sales. One of the best ways is to give the customer an outstanding experience. The customer experience is the competitive battlefield of today. Sales may be won or lost here. You can either close a sale for a quick buck, or open a long-term relationship to create a high lifetime value customer. By developing excellent communication skills, rapport and, most of all, a desire to serve and listen to the needs of the customer to the best of their ability, both sales teams and other IT professionals will create trust, nurture relationships and develop awareness of other opportunities with the customer. By the end of this course, participants will be able to: Understand the power of a positive customer experience in developing sales opportunities Recognise and develop a sales opportunity when it arises Engage with customers and develop rapport and trust Use verbal and non-verbal communication skills and pick up on signals Ask powerful questions - and listen to the answers Create 'magic moments' for the customer Turn a complaint into an opportunity Know when to ask for referrals and testimonials Pass on leads to the relevant people 1 Introduction Aims and objectives Beliefs about sales 2 Building rapport First impressions Short cuts to rapport Finding common interests 3 Selling or serving? Managing emotions and behaviour - Transactional Analysis Moments of truth - creating 'magic moments' Speed sells - the follow-up 4 Meetings Planning a successful meeting Pre-meeting connection and assistance Sales meeting failure reasons Right v wrong mindset 5 Communication - verbal and non-verbal The 3 Vs - Visual, Verbal, Vocal Picking up on signals 7 power questions Questioning techniques LISTEN - 3 types of listening skills 6 Influencing 6 levels of influence Framing to change perspectives Turning complaints into opportunities 7 Referrals The power of referrals How and when to ask for a referral 5 steps from rapport to referral 8 Presentation and pitching (optional session) Basic presentation structure and delivery Creating powerful impressions Creating a 60-second pitch The elevator 10-second pitch - answering 'What do you do?' Sales presentations Emotion v Intellect - how to engage Using visuals
Transmission demystified training course description Transmission is the process of sending information along a medium of, copper, fibre or wireless. This course looks at transmission techniques for both telecommunications and data communications with a particular focus on Microwave, SDH, DWDM transmission. The course aims to demystify these technologies by explaining all the buzzwords used in transmission. What will you learn Describe various transmission technologies such as multiplexing and demultiplexing. Explain how Microwave works. Explain how SDH works. Explain how DWDM works. Transmission demystified training course details Who will benefit: Anyone working in telecommunications. Prerequisites: None. Duration 2 days Transmission demystified training course contents Transmission basics Systems, media, signals. Signal degradation, noise, distortion, attenuation. Digital, analogue. Modulation, encoding. RF Frequency, wavelength. Distance / range issues, interference, Antenna, power, dB, RF propagation, testing. Microwave transmission What is microwave transmission, point to point communications, line of sight, parabolic antenna, relays, planning considerations, rain and other issues Wired transmissions Copper, Fibre, 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. Introduction to SDH Timing and synchronisation of digital signals, the plesiochronous digital hierarchy (PDH), the synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH), service protection with SDH. TDM. SDH6 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. WDM overview Multiplexing, TDM, WDM benefits. WDM standards. CWDM vs. DWDM. Four Wave Mixing (FWM). Impact and countermeasures to FWM on WDM.tructure of SDH equipment, SDH synchronisation, protection switching in SDH networks, SDH alarm structure, testing of SDH, equipment and systems, Ethernet over SDH. 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. IP transmission Telecommunications versus data communications, IP transmission, VoIP, MPLS.
Developing the high performing team takes time and effort. But above all, it requires an understanding of the dynamics of high performing teams. This programme helps managers and leaders understand what high performing teams do and how they do it. It focuses on enabling managers to see their teams from different perspectives, allowing them to adapt their styles to maximise team outputs. A core theme is the need for managers of teams to 'hold up the mirror' to themselves and to see themselves as a leader of people, to reflect on how others see them and to modify their style accordingly. This programme will help managers / team leaders: Analyse the constituents of a 'high performing' team Apply essential influencing techniques Use a range of communication techniques to support effective teamwork Create and articulate team vision Generate common values Assess team effectiveness and take/recommend the appropriate actions Make more efficient use of team time Understand and agree on techniques to manage conflict Define and implement team meeting protocols that will facilitate team effectiveness Use the Prime Focus model to create the environment and framework for a high performing team Draft your team strategy to take them to the next level Day 1 1 Welcome and introduction Participants are welcomed to the programme and invited to share their personal objectives and people challenges Participants are given an action plan template to complete throughout the workshop 2 Your team The concept of 'positive intention' The difference between a team and a high performing team Assess your team effectiveness What is your 'interference'? 3 The team environment Setting the scene Building rapport Active listening Team goals and role profiling 4 Your style Tuckman model of team stages - how do you manage each stage? Team standards and goals Your team vision 5 Effective team meetings Influencing in team meetings How to make them interesting and relevant The pure role of the chair Day 2 1 Effective communication techniques Giving and receiving feedback Your communication style How to adapt, pace and lead to build rapport The Mehrabian theory of communication 2 How to manage conflict What is conflict? What is your default conflict approach? Tools and tips for managing conflict Practice sessions 3 Team skills Undertake a team skills analysis Types of team member Motivating team members Reframing situations 4 Setting your strategy Seeing the bigger picture The Prime Focus Model Your strategy for success Articulating your strategy Action plans revisited