Network management training for warrant officers

Army Communicator, Spring, 2006 by Kevin Hanner, Adrian King

Introduction

The lessons learned from operations in Iraq prove we need to transform the capabilities of the Signal leader/technician. The Signal warrant officers provided critically needed expertise enabling the success of the Joint Network Transport Capability.

Embedded with the brigade combat team, division, and multinational corps, warrant officers are relied upon as the Signal Master Gunner. Warrant officers must plan, establish, integrate, maintain, and troubleshoot the network.

The Warrant Officer Training Division within the School of Information Technology develops advanced network management training to educate and prepare basic and advanced warrant officers students to manage the network. This training is provided in several labs.

Lab focus

The doors opened in new training facilities in Moran Hall January 2006 on Fort Gordon. These network management labs (which rival any technical college labs) consist of more than three million dollars worth of state-of-the-art information technology equipment used to teach Signal technicians. The labs' capabilities include:

   Voice Switching
   Joint Multiplexing
   Voice-and-Video over IP
   Network Security
   Network Management

The primary goal is to provide high-quality hands-on training to Signal warrant officers, enhancing their skills to provide better service to the warfighter.

Lab staff

Senior 250N warrant officers and 25 series senior non-commissioned officers from all Signal disciplines and backgrounds staff these labs. Students include 250N, 251A, and 254A.

Implementation

The training blueprint incorporates five specialized labs. Each lab grooms the student for technical expertise in the different focus areas:

* The Voice Switching Lab includes 48-hours of detailed training on REDCOM IGX, AVAYA Private Branch Exchange Vantage Switch, and Switch Multiplexer Unit.

Manager, Voice Gateways and IP telephony. This class is 40 hours of training in preparation for implementing a pure IP based network

* The Video-over-IP (VTC) lab includes 24 hours of training and includes Multipoint Control Unit, Gatekeeper, Collaboration Server, studio suites, and desktop client

* The Network Security lab adds 64 hours of Cisco security training comprised of Cisco Private Internet Exchange firewalls, VPN tunneling and security procedures, and Juniper Netscreen

* The Network Management (mobile) lab consists of 32 hours that relates to management practices and software such as Simple Network Management Protocol and Solarwinds

Summary

As result of the increased training requirements for warrant officers, the Leader College for Information Technology and School of Information Technology has introduced advanced network management training within its Warrant Officer Training Division. These labs include the major equipment strings found in Joint Network Node equipped units as well as corps and echelons above corps units. With more dedicated hands-on training, these labs will enhance the Signal warrant's ability to master the network.

For more information contact:

CW3(P) Hanner at DSN 780-6306 or via email at hannerjk@gordon.army.mil CW3 King at DSN 780-4510 or via email at kinga@gordon.army.mil

CW3(P) Kevin Hanner is currently assigned as an instructor/writer for the Warrant Officer Training Division, School of Information Technology, Fort Gordon, Ga. He was previously assigned as a systems engineer with Lockheed Martin as part of the Army's Training with Industry Program. While stationed in Gaithersburg, Md., he worked on the WIN-T program from '04 to '05. He has held positions from platoon leader to theater network technician in over 10 years of warrant officer experience. CW3 Hanner graduated from the Warrant Officer Advanced Course, Class 01-01, in April 2001.

CW3 King is currently an instructor/writer with the School of

Information Technology and provides instruction to Warrant Officer Basic, Signal Officer Basic, and Warrant Officer Advanced Courses.

King has served as a Signal Center subject-matter-expert for numerous programs include JNN, SECTERA, JNMS, ISYSCON, ATM, and HCLOS. Most recently he deployed to Iraq with the Signal Center Network Optimization Team lead by COL Jeffrey Smith. CW3 King served as the network management technician for DISA Europe, U.S. Embassy/NSA, and III Corps Fort Hood, Texas. Prior to warrant service CW3 King served at Joint Communications Support Element, MacDill AirForce Base, and the United States Military Training Mission, Saudi Arabia.

ACRONYM QUICKSCAN

DISA--Defense Information Systems Agency

IP--Internet Protocol

JCSE--Joint Communications Support Element

JNN--Joint Network Node

JNTC-S--Joint Network Transport Capability-Spiral

LCIT--Leader College for Information Technology

MCU--Multipoint Control Unit

PBX--Private Branch Exchange

PIX--Private Internet Exchange

SIT--School of Information Technology

SNMP--Simple Network Management Protocol

SMU--Switch Multiplexer Unit

USMTM--United States Military Training Mission

VoIP--Voice over Internet Protocol

VPN--Virtual Private Network

WOTD--Warrant Officer Training Division