TIA - Convergence Technologies Professional (CTP)

Curriculum

Firebrand Training has an aggressive educational schedule that thoroughly covers all essential elements necessary for certification.

• Data Networking
• Telephony Networking
• Converged Technologies
• Study, Testing Day

Official TIA CTP Courseware

Firebrand Traininguses Official TIA CTP Courseware for the highest standard training of CTP certified professionals

Through lecture, group discussion, and lab work, you will learn the following concepts and skills:

DATA NETWORKING DOMAIN

Industry Standards and Protocols Objectives

• Identify the layers of the OSI reference model
• Identify the functions of each layer of the OSI reference model
• Identify the protocols and services of each OSI layer
• Explain data encapsulation (including but not limited to: data, segment, packet, frame) in relation to frame assembly

LAN/WAN Infrastructure Objectives

• Compare and contrast various LAN topologies (including but not limited to: ring, bus, star)
• Compare and contrast various WAN topologies (including but not limited to: full mesh, partial mesh, point-to-point)
• Identify the functions of routers, switches and hubs in relation to data networking hardware
• Compare and contrast the functions of a modem and CSU/DSU in relation to data networking hardware
• Recognize standards, protocols and their characteristics (including but not limited to: 802.2, 802.3, 802.5, PPP, frame relay, ATM, SONET/SDH)
• Identify the purpose of Spanning Tree Protocol (STP)
• Distinguish between DTE and DCE
• Distinguish among the categories of cabling (including but not limited to: CAT3, CAT5, shielded twisted pair [STP], V.35, thinnet, RG58, fiber optic [single-mode, multi-mode])
• Identify cable terminators
• Identify the function of VLANs
• Identify the function of a MAC address

IP Protocols Objectives

• Compare and contrast the format of IPv4 and IPv6 addresses
• Identify network classes (A, B, C, D)
• Identify network, host and broadcast addresses
• Identify private network numbers
• Identify the importance of subnet masking
• Determine the number of host addresses in a subnet
• Determine the network number given a host address and subnet mask
• Identify the subnet mask by both the bit count and dotted decimal notation
• Distinguish between routed and routing protocols
• Distinguish among dynamic, static and default routes
• Identify DNS features and functions
• Identify DHCP features and functions
• Identify NAT features and functions
• Compare and contrast connection-oriented and connectionless transport in relation to TCP/UDP
• Describe well-known, registered and random/dynamic ports in relation to TCP/UDP
• Identify common ports (including but not limited to: Telnet, HTTP, FTP, TFTP, SMTP, POP3, SNMP, DNS) in relation to TCP/UDP

Troubleshooting Objectives

• Use ICMP (tracert, ping and error messages) in relation to troubleshooting tools
• Recognize other available troubleshooting tools for cabling, hardware, and configuration of devices (software and hardware)
• Determine when to use straight-through vs. crossover cable
• Identify common configuration errors in IP devices

TELEPHONY NETWORKING DOMAIN

Industry Standards and Protocols Objectives

• Recognize standard reference nomenclature (including but not limited to: X.nnn, Q.nnn, I.nnn, E.nnn)

Basic Telephony Concepts Objectives

• Identify the call-processing steps (call setup, call connection, call completion)
• Compare and contrast analog trunks and station lines
• Identify electrical characteristics of ground-start and loop-start analog trunks (not including local voltage specifications)
• Identify the various types of E&M trunks (2W/4W audio) in relation to analog trunks
• Identify various DSH technologies (including but not limited to: DS0, DS1, DS3, OC3, OC12, OC48, OC192)
• Compare and contrast analog ringing (electrical specs) vs. digital alerting (A&B bits) in relation to signaling types
• Identify the primary analog transmission impairments involved in a phone call (including but not limited to: loss, echo, noise, cross-talk, delay)
• Identify the need for echo cancellation in 2-wire to 4-wire hybrids
• Define pulse code modulation in telephony
• Compare and contrast A-Law and Mu-Law in relation to digitizing voice
• Identify the functions of class 4 (tandem) and class 5 (end-office) switches in relation to PSTN/GSTN
• Identify various numbering plans (including but not limited to: global, NANP, private)
• Recognize Digital Signal Hierarchy (DSH) terminology (STRATUM)
• Distinguish between FXO and FXS interfaces

Infrastructure Objectives

• Identify safety procedures (including but not limited to: cabling, power, grounding, ESD, NEBS)
• Determine proper cabling procedures in specific environments (PVC vs. plenum)
• Identify troubleshooting tools (including but not limited to: 4-pair tester, inductor/buzzer/toner, linesman test set (butt set), volt meter, laptop)
• Identify the symptoms of improper clocking configuration
• Identify various cable terminations (including but not limited to: USOC/RJ-nn standards, ITU/V.nnn standards)

Signaling Objectives

• Compare and contrast the signaling of ground-start and loop-start analog trunks (not including line voltages)
• Compare and contrast in-band vs. out-of-band in relation to signaling types
• Identify the signaling functions of ISDN (e.g., ISDN BRI, ISDN PRI, ISDN 23 and ISDN 30) and SS7/C7
• Compare and contrast E&M, ground start, loop start and OPX in relation to signaling types (A, B, C and D bits)
• Compare and contrast analog dialing (DTMF) vs. digital addressing (set-up messages) in relation to signaling types

CONVERGENCE TECHNOLOGIES DOMAIN

Industry Standards and Protocols Objectives

• Identify the major industry standards (including but not limited to: 802.x, RFCxxxx, E.nnn, G.nnn, H.nnn, Q.nnn, X.nnn) that apply to the technologies relevant to convergence
• Identify the major standards bodies (including but not limited to: IEEE, ITU, IETF, EIA, TIA, ANSI, Bell) that apply to the technologies relevant to convergence

Voice-over Convergence Objectives

• Define latency, jitter and wander, and identify their impact on real-time communications
• Identify the importance of a jitter buffer
• Identify the impact of large data frames on real-time communications
• Recognize the need for Quality of Service (QoS) in converged networks
• Identify Quality of Service (QoS) technologies (including but not limited to: RSVP, DiffServ, IntServ, 802.1P/Q) for converged networks
• Identify common codecs (G.7xx) and their bandwidth requirements in a converged environment
• Describe the impact of compressing voice
• Compare and contrast the use of T1, E1 and J1 for data and voice
• Identify the factors that affect the bandwidth of packetized voice
• Identify requirements for transporting modem and fax through a converged solution

Topology Convergence Objectives

• Identify the types of signaling protocols for converged networks (including but not limited to: H.245, H.320, H.323, H.450, SIP, MGCP, NCS)
• Identify the function of a gatekeeper
• Identify differences in call flows between convergent-based and circuit-based calls
• Identify the function of gateways
• Identify characteristics of circuit-switched and packet-switched technologies