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Communications Networks
When we are all connected, great things happen. Web applications create new experience and people collaborate in new ways. Today, networks are an essential part of business, education, government and home communications. The emergence of the network as a platform changing the entire value chain of technology and placing the network squarely at the center of innovation: as many as 14 billion devices will be connected to the Internet by 2010. The explosion of devices will be fueled by more and more services and tasks being handled online, from phone calls to personalized searches to downloading videos, games and other forms of entertainment.
Communications networks are going through a transformation empowered by the Internet and networking technology. Below are three examples of how the transition to a network-centric architecture is having profound and dramatic effect on entire industries:
- IP Communications and IP Video
Communications networks are going through a transformation empowered by the Internet and networking technology. We are aggressively moving into a new realm of IP, with the promise of IPTV on the horizon, and pervasive video on the Internet.
- Emergency Responder Communications
Voice communications interoperability requirement, enabling communications across any type of device, whether push-to-talk (radio) systems, cell phones or landline phones. This technology, called IPICS (IP Interoperability and Collaboration System). It can enable preexisting communications systems to interoperate, eliminating the need to completely replace deployed systems.
- Healthcare Information Technology
There is a growing consensus that our health-care system is outdated, inefficient, and prone to errors. Extensive attention has guided to modernize the health care system through electronic health records and information sharing that will improve its quality reduces costs. Thus we need to create regional and national health data networks that will enable information sharing so that critical patient information is available to health-care providers in a timely fashion.
Cisco is leading the transition to a network-centric technology environment. By combining its core strength (IP) with intelligence, the company is creating a powerful communications platform that will serve as the basis for the convergence of data, voice, video and mobile communications in a secure, integrated architecture.
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Cisco Corporate Information
Cisco Systems is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Today, networks are an essential part of business, education, government and home communications, and Cisco's Internet Protocol-based (IP) networking solutions are the foundation of these networks. Cisco was founded in 1984 by a small group of computer scientists from Stanford University . Since the company's inception, Cisco engineers have been leaders in the development of Internet Protocol (IP)-based networking technologies. Today with more than 47,000 employees worldwide, at a time when the technology industry is going through a period of dramatic change, Cisco is the market leader in multiple areas, such as routing and switching, unified communications, wireless and security. The company helped catalyze the industry's move toward IP and, now that it is fully underway, the company is at the center of fundamental changes in the way the world communicates.
Cisco has extended its networking technology expertise in the enterprise and service provider markets into the high-growth consumer networking market with the addition of its Linksys Division in June 2003. Linksys has the most extensive product line in home networking, with more than 70 products including wireless routers and access points for simultaneous sharing of broadband Internet connections, wireless network adapters and wireless print servers as well as traditional wired products such as Ethernet routers and cable modems, unmanaged switches and hubs, print servers and network attached storage for easy sharing of digital music, photo and video media files. Moreover, Cisco's IP Next Generation Network architecture offers providers an open platform for service differentiation, allowing them to move beyond digital video/IPTV to develop and deliver a variety of integrated media services in the connected home. For more information on Cisco and its technology initiatives, go to www.cisco.com.
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Cisco Networking Academies
The Internet enables anytime, anywhere learning for all students, regardless of location, socio-economic status, gender, or race. Also, the Internet has the power to change the way people learn, work, and play, and the Cisco Networking Academy Program is in the forefront of this transformation. The program continually raises the bar on e-learning and educational processes that provides students with the Internet technology skills essential in a global economy. The Networking Academy delivers web-based content, online assessment, student performance tracking, hands-on labs, instructor training and support, and preparation for industry standard certifications.
Launched in October 1997 with 64 educational institutions in seven states, the Networking Academy has spread to more than 150 countries. Since its inception, over 1.6 Million students have enrolled at more than 10,000 Academies located in high schools, technical schools, colleges, universities, and community-based organizations.
Interested educational institutions are given the designation of Networking Academy at the level of training that they will be providing in the program. There are currently three possible tiers of training:
- Industry experts at Cisco Systems train the Instructor Trainers at the Cisco Academy Training Centers (CATCs).
- CATC Instructors train Regional Academy Instructors.
- Regional Academy Instructors train the Local Academy Instructors who then educate students.
Utilizing this three-tier training model helps to provide instructors the training they need in close proximity to where they are located. Educational institutions may play a role at one or more of these training levels.
With the United Nations Development Program, the United States Agency for International Development, and the International Telecommunication Union, Cisco has made the Academy program available to students in Least Developed Countries to help them build their country's economies. Salahaddin University is engaged in an ambitious networking project developed out of a partnership between the ESCWA, the government of Kurdistan region and Cisco Systems that is poised to be an efficient educational model. ESCWA/INA headed by Mr. Abdulilah Dewachi sought out opportunities in Iraq and organized contributions made in grants and product donations to qualifying nonprofit organizations in education development program, creating hope and opportunity in education by attracting students through technology and supporting four Regional Academies located in Baghdad, Mosul, Basrah and ultimately in Erbil, and larger number of Local Academies.
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Salahaddin University Regional Academy ( ICT Regional Academy ) Program
A team from the Salahaddin University headed by Dr. Kamal Younis, Dean of Engineering College visited ESCWA / INA at 11 April 2006 and Lebanese American University LAU at 12 April to discuss the process of establishing a Regional Academy and a number of affiliated Local Academies under the umbrella of Salahaddin University and operation in accordance with instructions and observation given by the LAU CISCO Academy (being the CATC Academy).
Initially ICT Regional Academy created to prepare instructors for the Cisco Program and Software Training:
- Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA).
- IT Essentials I: PC Hardware and Software and IT Essentials II: Network Operating Systems.
- The Academy curriculum will be expanded in the future with Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) degrees.
Salahaddin University honored three of its staff with the opportunity to be an instructor in the ICT Regional Academy and to lead the way or introduce new opportunities in the education and the development. The academy program uses assessment data to adapt and improve lessons, labs, and teacher training. The academy in turn contribute their expertise in instructor training and support for the currently five Local Academies located in:
- College of Engineering , Salahaddin University.
- Sulaimania University.
- Kirkuk University.
- Koya University.
- Technical Institute in Erbil.
Moreover, the Regional Academy has a great ambition to support more locals to enhance the education opportunity for more peoples.
Also, Hardware Training courses covering the installation, operation and maintenance of some of the equipment supplied will be scheduled. The equipment being covered is:
- Hewlett Packard File server.
- Uninterrupted Power Supply System (UPS).
- Photocopier.
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College Engineering Academy ( ICT Local Academy ) Program
ICT Local Academy is one of the Local academies who educate students, and supported by an ICT Regional Academy.
The e-learning program in the academy offers students an opportunity to success in the workforce, apply their networking education to excel in a variety of industries or advance their careers and motivates them to continue their education and learning. The academy program recognizes multiple learning styles of students with Web-based, multimedia content; online assessment and evaluation throughout the course; hands-on labs. Upon completion, students have the opportunity to take a certification exam.
Through the academy connection participants have the access to a community of users to share best practices, solve problems, access discounts, and request assistance.
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