TITLE ISDN Technology and Applications COURSE # AZNU365K SCHEDULE: Thursday, July 11, 1996 DURATION 6.0 Hours ABSTRACT Within the past year, ISDN's popularity has skyrocketed. Integrated Services Digital Network is the telecommunications industry's blueprint for providing end-to-end digital services using the worldwide public telephone network. ISDN services are now available in most of the United States, and equipment that makes use of it has proliferated rapidly. A variety of applications now make extensive use of ISDN, ranging from voice telephones to video conferencing to tele- commuting to Internt access. But ISDN is not always easy to order or set up. While it is dependent upon telephone companies who provide access lines, many telephone companies, especially in the United States, have made ISDN configuration and installation very difficult. Worldwide standards are a starting point but users must cope with many vendor-specific and local variations. This course will provide a user-oriented introduction to ISDN, addressing both technical issues and practical ones. Topics include the evolution of the digital telecommunications network, ISDN services, ISDN protocols, international and national standards, ISDN tariffs, and ISDN equipment. Additional emphasis will be placed on practical ways to use ISDN for popular applications such as Internet access and LAN interconnection, and the practical issues of interoperability that affect the way different types of ISDN gear make use of the network. PREREQ. Familiarity with basic data communications concepts OBJECTIVE Upon completion of this course participants will: - Understand the basic principles of telecommunications networks - Be familiar with how ISDN provides end-to-end digital services - Recognize important issues around ISDN compatibility - Be able to make informed decisions about ISDN's potential costs and benefits - Be aware of issues surrounding the provisioning of ISDN services - Have enough understanding of ISDN to make practical use of it avoiding the most common problems that plague new users CONTENTS Course Outline Session 1: What is ISDN? - Provide an overview of ISDN, its origins, and its uses - Explain how ISDN can benefit both network operators and customers - What types of services does ISDN provide? - Describe circuit switching and the evolution of the telephone network - Introduce packet switching and its relationship to ISDN Session 2: How does the Telephone Network Support ISDN Services? - Describe digital transmission systems and how they carry both voice and data - Explain how a digital switching system operates Specific services offered by ISDN - Introduce the ISDN Bearer services and how they can be used - Describe some common Supplementary Services and their applications - Introduce the concept of Teleservices Session 3: ISDN Architecture - Introduce the ISDN Reference Model, Reference Points and related terminology - Explain how ISDN interworks with other networks - Describe how different types of ISDN equipment help users attach to the network - ISDN Low-layer protocols - Explain the Physical layers for Basic Rate and Primary Rate - Introduce Rate Adaptation protocols and their application Session 4: ISDN Layer 2 and 3 Control Protocols - Describe LAPD, the data link protocol for the D channel - Explain how Basic Call Control works using the DSS1 protocol - Introduce the ways Supplementary Services can be requested - Describe SPIDs and how they are used - Explain the impact of the variations in ISDN protocols - Data encapsulation over ISDN - Describe options for carrying data across and ISDN link - Introduce PPP and how ISDN uses it Session 5: ISDN Applications Today - Describe ISDN's uses for voice telephony - Describe how ISDN can be used for many data applications, especially Internet access - Introduce issues surrounding ISDN attachment to personal computers - Show how ISDN is used for video conferencing - Practical problems facing ISDN users - Outline the current status of ISDN deployment - Explain ISDN tariffs and how to make best use of them - Tell how to actually get ISDN ordered, up and running! SCHEDULE: Thursday, July 11, 1996