Contents

How to Use the Course 5

Questions and Tasks 10

Taking the Test 11

Course Description (includes technical requirements) 13

Course Guide 15

Installation Procedure 25

Computer Managed Instruction (CMI) Administration 27

.

How to Use the Course

To start the course

If you are using the course completely independently and you have to install it for

yourself, consult the section 'Installation Procedure' in this manual.

Normally, the course will have been installed for you, and all you will have to do

is start it up.

First turn on your computer.

Make sure you know which drive the course is installed on. (The course

administrator or whoever is in charge of the installation should be able to

tell you. It is normally installed on the C: drive or on your LAN.)

Run windows, open the appropriate CBT group and then select the course.

All you have to do now is follow the instructions on screen.

If the Student Registration system is in place

Type your user-number. This will be supplied by whoever is administering the

course.

You may also be asked to type a password. This will be supplied by your course

administrator.

If the Student Registration system is not in place

Type 0 when you are asked for your user-number.

This will take you straight to the main menu screen.

If the Self Registration system is in place

If you have not been allocated a user-number, type self.

You will then be prompted to enter your name and whatever number you choose.

Your user-number will then be created for you, and any time you re-enter the course, you should enter this user-number..

Main menu/course map

When you first enter the course, you will be presented with the course map,

which also functions as the course menu, with course units listed.

To see the topics menu for any unit, click that unit. To see the topics menu for

another unit, there is no need to close the current topics menu: simply click the

relevant unit in the list of course units to replace the current topics list with the

required topics list.

Double-click any topic to enter the unit at the start of that topic.

Double-click any screen number to enter the unit at the start of that

particular screen.

Option button Keypress Action

Bookmark Alt + b Takes you back to the start of the

screen you were in when you last left

the course (only active if you have

been into the course before)

Test Alt + t Takes you to the test menu

Progress Alt + p Shows parts of the course accessed and your

test score (if applicable)

Glossary Alt + g Takes you to the course glossary

OK Alt + o Takes you into the course at the topic or

screen selected

Close Alt + l Takes you back to the point in the course

where you chose the Navigate option (only

active if you have entered the course map

from the Navigate option in the course)

Exit course Alt + x Takes you out of the course

Course screens

Option button Keypress Action

Objectives Alt + o Displays objectives

 

Exit course Alt + x Takes you out of the course

Help Alt + h Takes you to the course help

Navigate Alt + n Takes you to the course map, from where

you can navigate through the course

Footnote Alt + f Not active on this screen

 

Step back Alt + s Not active on this screen

Continue Alt + c Takes you to the first screen of the course

Close Alt + l Closes the objectives window

Unit Navigation

Right-clicking the mouse anywhere on the screen displays a pop-up menu with a list of all the topics in the current unit. Left-clicking on the topic name displays the screen numbers relevant to that topic. Left-clicking on a screen number brings you to the start of that topic screen.

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Unit summary screen

Option button Keypress Action

Summary Alt + s Displays full summary for the unit

Exit course Alt + x Takes you out of the course

Help Alt + h Takes you to the course help

Navigate Alt + n Takes you to the course map, from where

you can navigate through the course

 

Footnote Alt + f Not active on this screen

Step back Alt + s Not active on this screen

Continue Alt + c Takes you to the course map

Close Alt + l Closes the full summary

Unit Navigation

Right-clicking the mouse anywhere on the screen displays a pop-up menu with a list of all the topics in the current unit. Left-clicking on the topic name displays the screen numbers relevant to that topic. Left-clicking on a screen number brings you to the start of that topic screen.
Regular course screen

Option button Keypress Action

Exit course Alt + x Takes you out of the course

Help Alt + h Takes you to the course help

Navigate Alt + n Takes you to the course map, from

where you can navigate through the

course

Step back Alt + s Displays the previous block of text

along with its graphic. Clicking

repeatedly on this button allows

you to backtrack to the start of the

current screen

 

Footnote Alt + f Displays extra text relevant to the

point you are at in the course (active

only when a footnote is available)

 

Continue Alt + c Takes you forward through the

course, by bringing up the next

piece of text, graphic or question

Unit Navigation

Right-clicking the mouse anywhere on the screen displays a pop-up menu with a list of all the topics in the current unit. Left-clicking on the topic name displays the screen numbers relevant to that topic. Left-clicking on a screen number brings you to the start of that topic screen.

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Simulation screen

Option button Keypress Action

Exit course Ctrl + shift + x Takes you out of the course

Help Ctrl + shift + h Takes you to the course help

Navigate Ctrl + shift + n Takes you to the course map, from where

you can navigate through the course

Skip task Ctrl + shift + s Allows you to bypass tasks

Continue Ctrl + shift + c Takes you forward through the course,

by bringing up the next piece of text,

graphic, question, or task

Question window

Option button Keypress Action

OK Alt + o 1. Confirms choice

or Enter 2. Closes question window after

feedback

Cancel Alt + c Takes you forward to correct answer

Help Alt + h Shows question help

Hint Alt + i Provides a hint to help you to answer the question

Redo Alt + r Undoes any attempt you have made

at the question and allows you to

start again (only available before you

choose OK to complete the question)

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Test question window

Option button Keypress Action

OK Alt + o 1. Confirms choice

or Enter 2. Closes question window after

feedback

Redo Alt + r Undoes any attempt you have made

at the question and allows you to

start again (only available before you

choose OK to complete the question)

Help Alt + h Shows question help

Status Alt + s Tells you how much of the test you have

completed and gives your percentage

score so far

Exit Test Alt + x Allows you to abandon the test. In this

case, your score so far will be discounted

Questions and Tasks

As you work through the course, you will find that presentation of material is

constantly tempered by questions.

Some questions are asked in order to check that you have understood a point

you learned earlier in the course. But more often, you are asked discovery

questions. These are questions that you may not know the answers to. This is

part of our teaching technique and is a strategy for drawing you into active

participation in your own learning.

Discovery questions are there not to test you but to provide you with the

opportunity to enter into dialog with the course. They are asked in a spirit of

involvement, nudging you towards conclusions, helping you to make

connections. Instead of being a passive recipient of snippets of narrative, you

are asked to take an active part, attempting to work out for yourself how you

think the narrative will unfold. For this reason, you should not feel intimidated

by these questions, or feel that you should be able to answer them all. If you

answer a question incorrectly, that is not a mark of failure; look on it simply as

an opportunity to learn the right answer.

In addition, the course may include simulations, where you are invited to

practice using the application by completing a series of tasks. If you complete

a task correctly, you will not normally be given feedback, but your action will

simply have the result it would have in a real application environment. If you

do not complete the task successfully, you will either be invited to try again, or

the task will be completed for you.

Taking the Test

The test is presented in two formats: you can take a course test, where you are

tested on the contents of the whole course; or there may also be individual unit

tests.

We recommend that you should follow the course and then take the course test.

The test results indicate which units if any you need to review. We suggest that

you should review the recommended units, and then take the appropriate unit

tests (if available). You could also repeat the full course test if you wish.

The course test can also be used as a pre-course test. If you feel you are

reasonably proficient in the course material, you could test your skills by taking

the course test before you follow the course. The results may indicate that you

should take the whole course, or that you should concentrate on particular units.

Again, if you decide to concentrate on particular units, you can test your

knowledge of these units afterwards by taking the unit test.

In any case, it is not recommended that you follow a unit and then take the unit

test immediately. It is better to allow a time lapse, and perhaps to take a group of

unit tests together.

To take the test, click the option button Test at the foot of the Course Map

screen. You will be presented with a menu, from where you can choose the test

you require.

The first option on this menu is Full Course Test. If you choose this option, you

will be taken into a test consisting of a large number of randomly generated

questions ranging over the content of the whole course. Because the questions are

randomly generated, you may take the full course test more than once without

being presented with the same selection of questions.

Alternatively, you may choose to be tested on any individual unit, simply by

selecting that unit from the test menu. Note that the questions in the unit-based

tests are not randomly generated, so if you repeat any unit test, you will be asked

the same series of questions.

Although the questions in the test look much like questions in the course, it is

important to realize that they serve a different function - that of assessing your

assimilation of material covered in the course. For this reason, questions in the

test are more strictly judged than questions in the course. You will not have the

option to skip questions (ie the Cancel button will not be active) and you will not

normally have a second chance to attempt a question after feedback has been

given.

At the end of the test you will be given your results, and it will be indicated to

you which units of the course you need to review, if any.

It is especially important to type answers carefully in the test. The test is not

designed to accept as wide a range of spelling errors as the course.

Your score is electronically recorded via the CMI (computer managed

instruction) system. If you take the course test, and subsequently take individual

unit tests, your score in the unit test will over-ride your score in the same units in

the course test. If you take the course test again, your latest course-test score will

over-ride any other tests you may have taken earlier.

Your test score is accessible to the course administrator and you can also check it

yourself at any point from the main menu screen. Simply click on the Progress

button (or press Alt+ p) at the foot of the main menu screen.

ATM Networking

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Preceding course: ATM Principles

Following course: ATM Architecture and Protocols

Course duration: 4 hours

Audience: Managerial and operational staff

Pre-requisites: Some knowledge of wide area networks and familiarity with the

courses WAN Fundamentals, Fast Packet Technologies, and

ATM Principles

Course aim: To describe the ATM technology and provide the student with a

foundation in ATM operations and applications

Learning objectives:

After taking this course, the student should be able to

q describe the ATM network hierarchy

q illustrate the concept of virtual channels and virtual paths

q describe ATM switches and multiplexors

q describe how virtual channel and virtual path switching are achieved

q illustrate the application of ATM in LANs and WANs

q discuss ways to evolve towards ATM

Course incorporates:

Test
Units and topics in ATM Networking

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ATM networks

ATM network architecture

Virtual channels and paths

Virtual connections

ATM transmission

Cell transmission

Switching in ATM networks

The UNI

Network applications

ATM and LANs

Connecting LANs accross ATM networks

ATM and WANs

ATM equipment

Evolving to ATM

Upgrading networks

How to move to ATM

Barriers to ATM

______________________________________________________________________

To run the course, you need

* 386SX or faster PC, MS-DOS V3.1 or later, Windows 3.1

* VGA monitor and card

* 4Mb of RAM

* at least 12MB of space available on the hard disk

The course will be installed in a directory called ATMNET.

Course Guide

Units in ATM Networking

ATM networks

ATM transmission

Network applications

Evolving to ATM

ATM networks

Topics

ATM network architecture

Virtual channels and paths

Virtual connections

Unit aim

To provide an outline of the technical features of ATM networks

Unit objectives

After completing this unit you should be able to

q describe the basic features of the ATM network architecture

q describe the structure of the ATM layer

q explain how user-data is carried from endpoint to endpoint on the network

q outline the process of actually transmitting ATM cells

Unit summary

The ATM network architecture has a layered structure.

The ATM layer provides the basic transport functions whereas the adaption layer communicates with higher-level services and the physical layer handles the hardware interface.

The ATM layer is composed of the virtual channel level and the virtual path level.

A transmission path may carry several virtual paths and a virtual path may comprise several virtual channels.

Virtual connections, which provide endpoint to endpoint delivery, are formed by joining together virtual channels.

ATM can provide switched, semi-permanent and permanent connections.

ATM can be seen as a continuous stream of fifty-three-octet cells flowing across a physical transmission interface.

ATM networks will support a variety of terminal hardware including some which are not directly ATM-compatible.

Users Notes
ATM transmission

Topics

Cell transmission

Switching in ATM networks

The UNI

Unit aim

To explain how ATM networks transmit data

Unit objectives

After completing this unit you should be able to

q provide a general description of ATM transmission

q explain how ATM networks perform switching functions

q describe the ATM user-network interface

Unit summary

ATM is a high-bandwith, high-speed, low-delay switching and multiplexing technology.

It transmits data in fixed-sized 53-octet cells.

There is a wide variety of ATM switching networks.

Routing within switching networks may be on a table-controlled or a self-routing basis.

The ATM UNI (user-network interface) is an interpretability specification which includes

q physical layer specifications

q ATM layer specification

q an interim local management interface

Users Notes
Network applications

Topics

ATM and LANs

Connecting LANs accross ATM networks

ATM and WANs

ATM equipment

Unit aim

To outline the practical issues involved in implementing ATM networks

Unit objectives

After completing this unit you should be able to

q describe how existing local area networks can be adapted to ATM

q describe the LAN Emulation (LANE) protocol

q outline how ATM fits in with existing WAN technologies

q describe the basic types of ATM hardware

Unit summary

There is a long-term movement towards replacing existing network technologies with ATM.

LAN Emulation(LANE) has made it easier to use ATM with existing networks.

Applications can be run over a network with LANE providing data conversion between the ATM cells and LAN packets.

LANE allows users to retain their existing LAN infrastructures, while taking advantage of those features supported by ATM.

LANE is a layer 2 protocol. It causes an ATM network to appear as a connectionless segment to higher-level protocols and applications.

For the moment, ATM must co-exist with many disparate LAN technologies.

ATM can handle other standards apart from cell relay.

SMDS and frame relay are two of the most important standards that ATM will initially have to co-exist with.

ATM hardware can be classified under the following broad headings:

q Campus and LAN switches

q Private network switches

q Routers

q Adapter cards

q DSUs

Users Notes
Evolving to ATM

Topics

Upgrading networks

How to move to ATM

Barriers to ATM

Unit aim

To describe the process of evolution to ATM and to point out some of the potential problems

Unit objectives

After completing this unit you should be able to

q describe how network equipment is evolving to support ATM

q prepare for the transition to ATM

q list the factors which obstruct the spread of ATM

Unit summary

At the network level, evolution to ATM will require entirely new network hardware.

Existing terminals will be easier to adapt to ATM than network equipment.

The movement from existing networks to ATM will be made easier if the user exercises foresight.

Among the obstacles that inhibit the acceptance of ATM are the lack of agreed standards, prohibitively high lowest speeds, incompatibility with existing hardware and the need to redesign networks as traffic is moved from private to public networks.

Users Notes

Installation Procedure

To install the course

First run Windows.

Then insert disk 1 in the A or B drive, as appropriate.

From the Program Manager, choose File - Run.

Next either

q type a:setup (or b:setup, as appropriate) and press Enter

or

q use the Browse option and select your floppy disk drive and then

setup.exe

You will then be given the option to change the drive on which the course is to be

installed. When you are happy with the options here, click Continue.

Next, you will be asked to specify where you wish to install the Windows resource

files which the course needs. You may choose to install these in the course

directory or in your Windows SYSTEM directory. If installing on a network,

read Considerations for network use on the next page before installing.

You will be prompted to insert further disks as required.

To remove the course

Run Windows.

Insert the course disk 1 in drive A or B, as appropriate.

From the Program Manager, choose File - Run.

Next either

q type a:remove (or b:remove, as appropriate) and press Enter

or

q use the Browse option and select your floppy drive and then remove.exe

You will then be asked to select the drive where ATM Networking is

installed.

If you choose Continue, and if the course is on the selected drive, the course will be deleted and the subdirectory removed.
Considerations for network use

There are a number of Windows resource files which the course needs in order to

run.

During installation, you are given the choice of installing these in either the

course directory or the Windows SYSTEM directory.

If you are installing the course on a LAN drive, it is best to put these files in the

course directory, so that they will be accessible to other workstations on the

network.

Access from other workstations

To access the course from a workstation other than the one used to install the

course, follow these steps:

Load Windows.

Either create a program group for CBT Systems courses, or

open this group if it already exists on the workstation.

Choose File - New - Program Item.

Using the Browse option, select the file ATMNET.EXE in the course

directory on the network drive where you installed the course.

Click OK when satisfied with the options.

There will now be an icon for the course on your Windows desktop.

Double-clicking on this icon will run the course.

Computer Managed Instruction Administration

The course is administered via a CMI (Computer Managed Instruction) system.

Normally, only the course administrator has access to the CMI system.

How to install the CMI Administration system

It's best to install the CMI Administration system on the course administrator's PC.

But remember, the CMI system must be able to access the course - if the course is not on

a LAN, you must install the CMI system and the course on the same PC.

First run Windows (version 3.1 or later required).

Insert the CBT Curriculum - CMI Admin Disk in drive A or B, as

appropriate.

From the Program Manager, choose File - Run.

Next either

type a:setup or b:setup (as appropriate), and press Enter

or

use the Browse option to select your floppy disk drive and then type

setup.exe

You are now given the option of changing your CMI system installation drive.

When you're ready, click Continue.

The CMI Administration system is now installed on your selected drive, and a

program group called 'CBT Systems CMI Administration' is created.

This group contains the program icon. If you want, you can move this icon to

another group.

How to enter the CMI Administration system

Run Windows and select the CMI Administration icon from the

appropriate group.

On entering the program, you will be asked to enter your CMI password.

If this is the first time the program is being run, enter a new password - this will

then become the CMI password.

If the program has been run before, you must enter the existing CMI password.

If you want to change the existing password, click the New button. You must

then enter the existing password, before entering your choice for the new

password.

The CMI password is not case-sensitive.

How to register a course with the CMI Administration system

From the Setup drop-down menu select Register Course(s).

Specify the drive(s) you wish to search for CBT courses.

To specify all drives, click the Select All button.

Click the Search button.

Your specified drive(s) will now be searched for CBT courses, and you are

given a list of all that are found.

Highlight the course(s) you wish to register.

Click Select All if you want to highlight all courses found.

Click the Register Course(s) button.

Your selected course(s) are now registered.

*NOTE* If you have previously registered any other course, all

existing students will automatically be registered in the

new course or courses.

Course registration - drive selection options

Select All selects all listed drives

Search initiates the search for courses on the selected drive(s)

Cancel closes the drive list and returns to the main menu

Course registration - list of course options

Register Course(s) registers the selected courses

Select All selects all listed courses for registration

Cancel closes the course list and returns to the main menu

How to de-register a course with the CMI Administration system

From the Setup drop-down menu select De-register Course(s). You are given a

list of all registered courses.

Specify the course(s) you want to de-register.

If you want to de-register all courses, click the Select All button.

Click the De-register button.

After individual confirmation, each selected course will be de-registered.

*NOTE* This procedure only removes the course from the CMI

Administration system. The course itself - and all student

details related to it - is not affected.

Course de-registration - list of course options

De-register de-registers the selected course(s)

Select All selects all listed courses for de-registration

Cancel closes the course list and returns to the main menu

How to register a student to the CMI Administration system

From the Setup drop-down menu select Register Student.

Fill in the two fields, Name and Number, in the Student registration dialog box.

Select Register.

Student registration dialog box options

Register confirms your entries in the Name and Number fields and registers

the student to the system

Cancel closes the dialog box

Advanced displays the Site/Dept, Mastery, and Password fields, for more

detailed student registration

Student registration dialog box fields

Name for name of the student to be registered

Number for number of the student to be registered (the number must be

alphanumeric and can consist of up to eight characters)

Site/Dept to identify the student by department or site (optional field)

Mastery allows you to set the pass level for course tests (70% is the default)

Password for a password for the student to be registered

How to change a student's registration details

From the Setup drop-down menu, choose Change Student Details.

Select the student whose details you want to change, and click the Change option button.

When the Change student details dialog box appears, make the required changes

in the appropriate fields.

Click the Accept option button.

Student selection dialog box options

Cancel cancels the operation, closes the dialog box and returns you to the

main CMI menu screen

Change accepts the selected student and moves you to the next dialog box,

where changes are made

Change student details dialog box options

Accept confirms changes made (or current student details) in the dialog

box fields

Cancel closes the Change student details dialog box and returns you to the

Student selection dialog box

Change student details dialog box fields

These are the same as the Student registration dialog box fields.

*Note* Before changing student details, ensure that all CBT courses

are registered.

How to remove a student from the CMI Administration system

From the Setup menu choose Delete Student(s).

Highlight the appropriate student name(s).

Click Delete.

Delete Student(s) dialog box option buttons

Cancel closes the dialog box

Select All selects all the listed students (for deletion)

Delete deletes the selected student(s) from the CMI system

*Note* Before removing students, ensure that all CBT courses are

registered.
How to generate a report on a student's progress

From the Reports drop-down menu choose Student Progress.

Highlight the student(s) for whom you require a report.

Click Report.

Select Students dialog box option buttons

Cancel closes the dialog box

Select All selects all the listed students (for reports)

Report displays the Student Progress - Report Options dialog box

Student Progress - Report Options dialog box options

Report Type allows you to select either general or detailed student course

progress report(s)

Output Destination allows you to select to have your report(s) sent to a text or comma-

separated file, displayed on screen, or printed out

Generate generates the report for the selected student(s)

Cancel closes the report options dialog box