Cisco Certification: The OSI Model, Part I

To conquer the Introduction To Cisco Networking exam, and to begin the process of becoming an expert network troubleshooter, you have to master the OSI model and learn what happens at each of the seven layers.

In this three-part series, we'll examine each level of the OSI model, paying particular attention to the details that will help you pass the CCNA exams and give you the foundation you need to become a true networking professional.

We'll start at the top layer, the Application layer.

It won't surprise you to find that the Application layer is the OSI model layer where most end users have interaction with said applications. Passing the CCNA exam is all in the details, though, and you need to know what happens at the Application layer, as well as the common and not-so-common applications that run at this layer.

The Application layer's tasks include identifying the remote communication partner, ensuring that the needed resources for communicating with that partner exist, and user authentication. If you're prompted for authentication, you're most likely at the Application layer of the OSI model.

Keep that in mind if asked to identify Application layer protocols. I've noticed that CCNA candidates tend to identify Telnet as running at the Application layer. That's an understandable misconception, since the first thing you enter in Telnet is an IP address, and it's often used to communicate with a router. However, keep in mind that Telnet is an Application layer service, not a Network layer service. You've got to authenticate to Telnet to a Cisco router in the first place, remember!

Other common applications that run at Layer 7 are Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP, port 25) and File Transfer Protocol (FTP, port 21).

In short, if an end user is interacting with a program, especially if they're being prompted for authentication by a program such as Telnet or FTP, they're working at the Application layer of the OSI model.

Let's take a look at the Presentation layer.

Layer 6 of the OSI model is the Presentation Layer. While we don't have a great deal of interaction with this layer, you need to know what happens at this layer to pass your Intro and CCNA exams.

The main purpose of the Presentation Layer is making sure that the communication that will be seen at the Application Layer is presented in the appropriate format.

That's all well and good, but what does it mean? J Have you ever opened a document with MS Word and gotten screens and screen of garbage? That's a presentation layer problem - the program being used to open the document is unable to present the data in an appropriate format.

The three major tasks of the Presentation layer:

1. Compatibility with the operating system.

2. Proper encapsulation of data for network transmission.

3. Data Formatting (ASCII, binary)

Encryption and compression of data is also handled at the presentation layer.

Let's keep working our way down the OSI Model. Next up, the Session Layer!

The Session layer of the OSI model basically acts as the manager for the entire model. Some have called it the PHB (Pointy-Haired Boss) of the OSI model if that helps you remember its role, that's fine with me!

The Session layer establishes, manages, and tears down connections between applications. The Session layer uses port numbers to keep multiple conversations between two end points separate. You may have heard the term well-known port-numbers before. That term refers to port numbers that are often-used and static in that they use the same port numbers every time. You'll be expected to know common well-known port numbers to pass your Intro exam, such as 23 for Telnet and 21 for FTP.

That's about all there is to Layer 5, the Session Layer. From here on out, there's more you need to know about each layer, and that starts with Layer 4 - the Transport Layer. We'll take a look at that layer in Part II of this OSI tutorial.

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of over 100 free certification exam tutorials, including Cisco CCNA certification test prep articles. His exclusive Cisco CCNA study guide and Cisco CCNA training is also available!

Visit his blog and sign up for Cisco Certification Central, a daily newsletter packed with CCNA, Network+, Security+, A+, and CCNP certification exam practice questions! A free 7-part course, "How To Pass The CCNA", is also available, and you can attend an in-person or online CCNA boot camp with The Bryant Advantage!

Earning Your MCSE Certification

As an IT professional, you understand all too well the importance of certifications. Obtaining a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer certification is definitely a positive move for your career. MCSE is a Microsoft-specific certification that proves your knowledge and abilities in the design and implementation of the network infrastructure for businesses. The MCSE certification requires the IT professional to successfully pass seven exams. No wonder it's considered one of Microsoft's Premier Certifications.

In today's highly competitive IT market, advancing your education is very important. The fact that you are rising above other IT professionals to keep your competitive edge does not go unnoticed. Business owners looking for a self-motivated engineer to fill a position in their company often look for current certifications. Microsoft offers a wide variety of Microsoft Certified Professional certifications. Microsoft's certifications carry a lot of influence with business owners. Whatever Microsoft certification you're pursuing, you won't be disappointed by the results after you add your certification to your résumé.

Earning an MCSE certification is no simple task. This fact, paired with the demand for corporate level IT professionals, makes an MCSE a very valuable certification to acquire.

Your MCSE may be on Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000, Windows NT4.0 or Windows 2000. MCSE training is most appropriate for those already in a professional IT field. Systems engineers, technical support engineers, systems analysts, network analysts and technical consultants would already be familiar with the basic framework in a business' infrastructure. IT professionals who have experience are already be familiar with some of the subject matter on the exams and would have the ability to put real-world experience to the test. Related work experience gives you the edge over someone who isn't as familiar with design and implementation of a network infrastructure.

After you have achieved the MCSE certification on the operating system of your choice, you will have the opportunity to pick a specialty to further set yourself apart from your peers. MCSE specializations are a way for IT professionals to more easily identify their focus in a particular field. You may choose to specialize in messaging or security with any MCSE certification you acquire. Business owners often require an employee with specific specialization in security. An MCSE: Security would let potential employers know you are MCSE certified with a focus on security.

Many websites offer reading material, study guides and even free practice tests to help you prepare for your MCSE exam. Microsoft often offers a free second-chance test if you don't pass the exam the first time. Many professionals require a second chance, so don't let a first-exam failure deter you from reaching your goal.

The seven examinations leading up to certification consist of four on networking, one on client operations, one on design and one elective. The elective examination is of your choice and ranges from servers to security. Upon completion of the exams, you will receive your MCSE Certificate, a wallet card, a lapel pin and a few other bonus gifts from Microsoft. Students passing the examination can download their transcripts through the exclusive MCP member website. You will reap the benefits of the real reward when you've added your MCSE certification to your résumé and negotiated a higher salary or landed a new job.

In addition to your certificate and other gifts from Microsoft, you will receive great deals on industry-specific magazines, websites and MCP-only databases. Through the MCP member website, you can access Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine Online. The magazine has been regarded as one of the industry's leading career and professional development magazines. Regular online chats with other Microsoft professionals will keep you in the loop and help further your education and career.

Todd Moss is an IT professional and owns http://mcsestudysite.com

Understanding MCSD.Net Certification by Microsoft

If you are a software developer and have good knowledge of Microsoft .Net Framework 1.0 and 1.1, Visual Studio 2003 and 2008 and want to prosper and earn high bugs, it's time to get certified by Microsoft. Microsoft offers Microsoft Certified Solution Developer certification for advanced programmers. MCSD.Net certified developers are in great demand today in IT industry that design and develop leading edge enterprise solutions using tools and technologies developed by Microsoft and .Net framework.

Candidates who have got 2 years or more experience of development and maintaining solutions and applications is eligible to take MCSD.Net certification. Candidates opting for this certification are required to pass all four Core exam and one Elective exam. The Core exam tests the candidates with their technical proficiency and expertise in developing and maintaining enterprise applications that are based on Microsoft Development Tools, technologies and Microsoft .Net Framework 1.0 and 1.1. The elective exam includes technical expertise in any of the Microsoft Server Product. This certification holds its value for your entire lifetime for as long as demand of IT Professionals exists in the market. MCSD.Net Certification costs approximately 125$ for each exam. You can get comprehensive and updated information about list of exams on Microsoft website. Whenever some exam gets retired or some tracks are redesigned you needn't take the whole certification again. You are required to pass only the replacement exam after you get certified then there's no need of Re-Certification.

Software Training Academy offers 3-day intensive course for MCSD.Net preparing candidates. It offers different modes of teaching- Onsite Training, In-Class Training, Coached Self paced and Live-Class via Web. You can choose any mode according to your suitability of location as well as pace of learning. It also offers your interaction with instructor. There are a number of training providers for this certification. You can google about it and get more details.

You can get reference material for MCSD.Net certification on Microsoft Website for your guidance. Pressman book is a great book to get your fundamentals right about various Microsoft Technologies. But just reading is not enough; you need to practice them a lot on Microsoft Certified Tools.

If you are looking for Microsoft certification exams training like 70-503 and 70-504. I'd like to advise to make use of practice exams, study guides, self-test engines, certification tutorials developed by Industry leading Exams Expert with 100% passing and money back guarantee in-case you fail in your exam. Visit for more details.

CNA Training Certification Verification

If you are a certified nursing assistant, you will have a licensing number and paperwork to prove that you have received your CNA certification. The certification reflects the work you completed in a training program and that you passed the certification exam. Your work to maintain your certification is not done upon completion of certification.

In order to keep your certified nursing assistant certification valid, you will need to complete any required CEU credits and training programs throughout the year. It will most likely be necessary to work a minimum number of hours to maintain your active certification even if you are only working part-time.

Certifications need to be renewed every so often. It will most likely be required every couple of years. If you forget to take the steps to renew your nursing assistant certification it will run out. The steps you need to take to become certified again will depend on the state where you live.

If for any reason you are unsure if your CNA Certification is still valid, you can use CNA certification validation. In some states it is as easy as accessing the nursing aide registry board on your computer. Many states now make it possible to verify certifications directly from the website using a person's name and other identifying information. You can easily check the status of your own certification in these states.

Some states do not make it so easy to verify a CNA certification. In these states, you will need to visit the local nursing aide office. Head in to the office with any information you have on your certification: licensing number and date of issuance for example. You will probably need some photo ID too.

When you go to the nursing aide registry, you will be asked for information to identify you and to help find your CNA certification information. Once they pull your information, they will be able to determine if it is still active. You can ask to have your CNA certification validation sent to either your mailing or your email address.

A potential employer has a couple ways to complete CNA Certification validation. If your state is one of the states where certification details can be accessed online, a potential employer can quickly check to make certain that you are certified and that your certification is still active. They will need to know your name and perhaps some other basic information in order to access these records.

Some employers will use a third-party validation company in order to make certain that you are certified and ready to work as a certified nursing assistant for their facility. This is a more expensive method on checking to make certain a potential employee is certified.

Of course, you can easily validate your certification for a potential employer if you have a copy of your certification and your licensing number. They will be able to look at the date of issuance and will also be able to note when the certification is due to be renewed. If the employer has any doubts as to authenticity of your documents, they can then proceed with a more thorough validation process.

If you would like to get more information about CNA Certification Verification, then visit Catherine's site to get the best tips and guidance on CNA Training.

Microsoft MBS Certification - Why Choose This?

Microsoft business solutions certification is awarded from Microsoft, one of the leading companies in the information technology field. As information technology was used all over the world for all purposes, people from all part of the world started showing interest in studying of special certification courses in order to change their career path to information technology field. Microsoft business solutions certification is also the one of the high professional certification that is issued by Microsoft. In particular businesses, some IT backup or support is necessary for performing various tasks no matter what business it may be.

In order to make successful turnouts from any challenges or from even bigger challenges, companies are looking forward to hire best professionals and wish to achieve goals as early as possible. Many graduates will go for several professional certifications apart from their normal university degree in order to add these extra qualifications to their CV's. According to this professional certifications point of view, Microsoft offers their best certifications to the young candidates and one of the best certifications from Microsoft is MBS certification. This certification shall be the best example of a certification which you will need in an organization to work for them and also to understand about the business aims as well as goals to create infrastructure and technical supports accordingly.

In order to obtain this MBS certification, the candidate should attend the training classes offered by Microsoft or can also do that offline from Microsoft website itself. Many people will think that examination fee will be very expensive and majority of the people will skip to study this course due to this reason. The truth behind is candidates will benefit more than the money invested in this. Successful certified professionals will be having very good career prospects and also high reward opportunities in their respective field. So, if you plan for MBS certification, the best option for getting success is to choose the best training institute in order to get well trained and get high scores in the examination.

If you're looking for MBS Certification exams training for exams like MB2-631 and MB2-632. I'd advise to prepare yourself using practice exams developed by Exams Expert. Visit for more details.

Teaching Abroad With a TESOL Or TEFL Certification

TEFL and TESOL are acronyms for teaching English as a foreign language and teaching English to speakers of other languages. If you plan to teach English overseas then getting a TEFL or TESOL Certificate is a prime requirement.

Nowadays there is huge demand for TEFL and TESOL certified teachers around the world owing to vast usage of English as a second language. The TEFL qualification can get you an English teaching job in non-native English-speaking countries like China, Japan, Mexico and United Arab Emirates. The TEFL certification is the easiest way to start a new life overseas; TEFL is also a great option for travelers looking forward to earning money on their trips abroad. The TEFL certification is offered across the Australia in Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney. However if you aim to teach English to immigrant students in Australia, USA or New Zealand then you may be required to possess a TESOL certification. TESOL certification is provided by Australia and USA. Those who have a TESOL certificate enjoy an edge above the TEFL certified teacher as the former imparts a better technical knowledge.

Now after going through the reasons as to why you need to acquire the certifications a major question that comes to the mind is where to does one get the TEFL or TESOL certifications? As already mentioned the certifications are offered by Australia and USA but one can also get the certifications online. Many websites offer resources to find a comprehensive course to train students for teaching English in non-native English-speaking countries. The online courses can be completed in one to six months depending upon the student and the sites also boast placing its students abroad. Acquiring an online TEFL or TESOL Certification will be an added value to a person's profile as compared to the non-certified teacher courses, owing to the reason that certification is becoming the standard requirement when applying for an esl job. There are a few websites that offer online certification for $295.00 that have excellent material quality consisting of 140+ pages, and constant touch with its certified students working abroad and good classroom modular programs.

There is a general misconception among the students that TESOL and TEFL certification courses are really tough to master. These two certifications can be easily achieved by a person who is willing to speak English and can be confident in delivering their knowledge in front of thirty eager to learn individuals. As a matter of fact, TEFL requires no prerequisite and the course itself starts from a basic knowledge of grammar, and the curriculum is designed so that by the end of the course the student is comfortable in English speaking and writing. The certifications of TESOL and TEFL are signed by the IATQUO (International Association of TESOL Qualifying Organizations) making it accountable worldwide.

The IATQUO certifies that the course undertaken meets the basic British criteria of 100+ hours of classroom time and 6+ hours of practical teaching practice. So if you want to teach English as a foreign language then becoming certified in TEFL and/or TESOL is a must.

Frank Collins is an traveler and an editor for Exploring Abroad.com

CCNA Security Certification

CCNA Security is other types of certification which is offered to people and thus they can enter into the certification field which is offered by Cisco at any time. The process for getting them registered for this certification is through online or the use of their website can result in this thing as well. Thus it has also been found out that it is there next level of their career where they can have more worth and importance of their entire career. At the same time this certification is even for those students as well who have a great need of getting higher education or to move further in their CCNA certification level.

CCNA security certification is for those who have some knowledge about the networking that is taking place in the world and even they can also get a chance to meet and get them indulged into network security issues and thus they can become professionals in networking field though. However this is the certification level where the knowledge of people regarding the trouble shooting, installation and other software's is being checked and if someone do not have the knowledge then they can get to know about the installation and troubleshooting processes from their instructors. Moreover the very basic skills of people are checked regarding the security concepts.

All the information about CCNA security can be checked on the Cisco website and much of the information can be gathered from there. The main aim of Cisco is providing certification to their people in CCNA security is that they want their students to prepare them for the first and entry level of the career regarding the Security opportunities. All the Cisco certifications and even including this CCNA Security certification is also recognized worldwide and is much preference as compared to other education institutes. In order to move further into the degree, it must be ensured that people must have some knowledge or must have gone through the CCNA Exploration or Discovery concepts and on the other hand it has been said by Cisco that no prerequisite is required in order to get them into CCNA Security certification.

However if people have some information about CCNA Exploration, Discovery or others then it would be beneficial for them in order to pass in the entry level courses of CCNA and thus their success would had been ensured. The CCNA Discovery and Exploration are somehow the next steps which occur after the completion of CCNA Security. Through this the carer of the person would be enhanced and the person would be able to get much of the knowledge as compared to other people and as a result it won't be much difficult for the person to find a job as well in any country as it's recognized widely in the world. It should be made sure that the person must know about the networking concepts and skills as well in order to move further in the certification level. In some cases the internet and its navigation skills are also required.

Visit CCNA Practice Exams and CCNA Practice Test.

International Association of Coaching Certification - The Process

Certification is an important step to being recognized as a professional in the life coaching profession. Potential clients may screen coaches by making sure that they are certified, while your peers recognize certification as demonstration of your professional commitment.

The International Association of Coaching (IAC) certification process for members includes three steps. First, you take the sample exam for free. This exam is based on the coaching masteries, which can be downloaded for free on the IAC website. When you are comfortable that you can pass the written exam, you pay a fee (currently $35.00) to take the Certification Part One Written Examination. A passing score on this examination qualifies you to take the Certification Part Two Evaluation. This involves submitting two recorded coaching sessions that will be evaluated to ensure you have adequately mastered the practical application of the coaching masteries. The fee to review the tapes is currently $350. If you do not pass on the first review there is a fee of $175 for each additional recording you submit for review. Yikes!

You spend so much time studying and practicing before submitting your certification tapes to an organization like the International Association of Coaching (IAC). You've probably taken a professional coaching course and you want to maximize your chances of getting certified the first time you try. And while the IAC provides extensive study material to help you prepare, it sure would be nice to have some warning about common mistakes so you could listen for them as you are selecting your tapes for consideration.

And here's the good news-In a recent article, Barbra Sundquist, IAC certifier, lists the top five errors she hears on tapes she reviews. They are:

1. Talking too much and not allowing enough silence for the client to process and come to new insights,


2. Rushing to solve the client's problem without a full exploration of the agenda,


3. Accepting what the client says at face value,


4. Holding back the coach's insights or failing to challenge the client out of a desire to be polite,


5. And telling the client want to do instead of allowing the client to discover the answer by using appropriate questions.

As you review the tapes you plan to submit for certification, consider each of these points. Put yourself in the place of the certifier and try to score the tapes yourself. Do you feel you have a passing tape with a comfortable margin of error? If you do a careful evaluation of the tapes you submit prior to submission and wait until you have really demonstrated the Masteries on your evaluation tapes, you will maximize your change of being certified on the first try. For more details on this process and to read Ms. Sundquist's article yourself, check out the IAC website at http://certifiedcoach.org/

Good like on your journey to certification! For more helpful hints, take a look at my blog for aspiring life coaches at Transformation Coaching. I'm also available for private consultation and your first session with Soar is always FREE!

Cynthia J Hanevy, CTA-CC, NLC-CCC,
Soar Coaching and Consulting LLC