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