COURSE # TRO-396

…excellent introduction to enhanced network survivability ‘by design’ presented in a clear manner with examples and practical, post 9/11 solutions...

This comprehensive two-day class, presented by the author of the text book by the same title, reveals techniques and strategies designed to keep emergency services, government, and enterprise data and voice networks in service under critical circumstances. It blends information technology with reliability engineering, network planning, performance management, facility design and recovery planning. It concentrates on how to achieve network continuity by design using preventive approaches to survivability, instead of relying solely on disaster recovery procedures .

This class presents numerous techniques on how to minimize single points of failure through redundancy and elimination of serial paths. It also reviews how to choose and use conventional networking technologies and services to improve survivability and performance. It stresses fundamental principles that are key to developing an IT infrastructure that can withstand adverse events. This "art of war" approach to network continuity stresses learning rather than training. Participants leave the course with an acute sense for spotting network vulnerabilities, assessing the consequences and considering practical remedies.

Applications and benefits:

You will benefit by enhancing your understanding of the:

• Network vulnerabilities (common, and not so common).
  
• Fundamental principles behind network continuity, availability and reliability.
  
• How to spot vulnerabilities in a network.
  
• How to select the right networking technologies to improve survivability and performance.
  
• How to leverage protective features of different technologies for continuity.
  

Who should attend:

The events of 9/11 added yet another dimension to the ever-present threats to network continuity and security. As the far-reaching improvement efforts led by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are underway, we still remember the commercial ‘mishaps’ of recent past.

In 2003, 50 million people in the northeast experienced the worst power outage in our country’s history. In spite of the continuity precautions major businesses had taken since 9/11, many were still left inoperable. During these critical times of growing dependence upon, and vulnerability of networks, network planners and operators more than ever before are under pressure to create reliable and survivable network infrastructure. Whether a power outage, terrorist attack, fiber cut, security breach, natural disaster or traffic overload, networks must be designed to withstand adverse conditions and provide continuous service. This class introduces the techniques and critical thinking necessary to design for such occurrences, while recognizing and avoiding situations that often lead to a false sense of security.

This introductory course is designed for Network Architects, IT Managers, Service Providers, Business Continuity Planners representing government agencies, corporations, public agencies, educators and consultants. The class is an invaluable resource for Homeland Security professionals, and even seasoned continuity professionals will find this course to be a valuable refresher with a different perspective.

Course Outline:

• Basic Principles of Continuity

  Fundamental model of network faults

  Principles of redundancy

  Identifying points of failure

  Types of tolerance (fault tolerance, fault resilience, high availability)

  Network continuity design principles

• Continuity Metrics

  Network recovery metrics

  Reliability models

  Estimating network availability

  Exposure metrics

  Risk/Loss metrics

  Outage cost evaluation

  Capacity metrics

  Performance metrics

• Network Considerations for Continuity

  Network topologies and their vulnerabilities

  Choosing network protocols for continuity

  Coordinating protocols to handle disruption

  Building survivability into Local Area Networks (LANs)

  Using Wide Area Networks (WANs) for continuity

  Using Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) technologies for continuity

  Voice network access survivability

  Data link access redundancy techniques

  Using wireless technologies for continuity

• Processing, Load Control and Internetworking for Continuity

  How to utilize clusters for reliable processing control

  Load balancing traffic techniques

  Working with the Internet and Web site systems

  Using caching and Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)

• Platform Continuity

  Platform availability characteristics

  Platform tolerance comparisons

  Server platform architectures for continuity

  Network platform features for continuity

  Approaches to platform management

  Platform power considerations

• Software Application Approaches to Continuity

  Classifying critical applications

  Application development requirements

  Application architectures for reliability

  Application Performance Management (APM)

  Application recovery

  Application / platform interactions

  Application performance checklist

• Data Storage Approaches to Continuity

  Developing critical storage requirements

  Approaches to data replication

  Replication strategies

  Backup strategies

  Storage systems and technologies

  Using storage sites and services for backup

  Networked storage

  Storage operations & management

  Data restoration/recovery

• Planning Facilities for Continuity

  Facility location and layout guidelines for continuity

  Designing survivability into cable plant network

  Developing reliable power plant architectures

  Environmental strategies for system protection

• Network Management Approaches to Continuity

  Topology discovery

  Network monitoring

  Problem resolution

  Restoration management

  Carrier/supplier management

  Traffic management

  Service Level Management (SLM)

  Quality of Service (QoS)

  Policy Based Network Management (PBNM)

  Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

  Change Management

• Using Recovery Sites and Services

  Types of recovery sites

  Using recovery services

  Implementing and managing recovery sites

  Recovery operations

• Testing Strategies for Continuity

  Requirements and testing

  Developing critical test plans

  Establishing test environments

  Key test phases for network continuity

• Wrap-Up

Text: Mission-Critical Network Planning 2003, by Matthew Liotine.

Dr. Liotine is the author of the course textbook Mission-Critical Network Planning (Artech House Publishing). He holds a Ph.D. Degree in Engineering from Princeton University.

Course: TRO-396        Duration: 2 Days        FEE: $1,299        CEUs: 1.44

Please direct any additional inquiries regarding our courses to Zygmond Turski, Program Director, by e-mail, FAX: (240) 371-4488 or TELEPHONE: (301) 871-9608.

Call toll free 1-800-683-7267 from anywhere in the Continental U.S. or CANADA.

Last modified April 6, 2008.