Courses

We try to keep headcount requirements flexible, particularly student minimums. Please contact us at support@agaas.com with your estimated student count so we can determine course duration and pricing.

Also note that we can adjust the content of the course to suite your requirements, which can lengthen or shorten the duration from what is shown in the descriptions below.


NEW
  • We now offer the use of a captive GTD-5 training switch. Training at your premise and/or with your equipment is still offered, of course.
  • The course materials for the GTD-5 Maintenance and GTD-5 Support courses have been significantly updated.


Alcatel-Lucent 5ESS
Name

5ESS Maintenance
#

30002
Days

5
Intended for those beginning or with some experience, the Time-Space-TIme architecture is described, and then main module types -- Administrative Module (AM), Communications Module (CM) and Switching Module (SM) are discussed as well as the components and functions of each. Analog-line and -trunk, and digital-line and -trunk Interface Units are explained, as well as Service Units, and their connections to the processors. Switch loading and back-up and other general concepts are performed, as well as interfacing with the Switching and Master Control Center consoles.


GENBAND DCO (aka Siemens DCO or Stromberg-Carlson DCO)
DCO Courses

There is no pre-requisite for DCO Maintenance and generally no prerequisite for DCO Line and Trunk, although it is recommended that students taking Line and Trunk have some experience already with DCO database programming. Previous experience in other switch database programming can also be helpful as the topics are often analogous. Course topics can be made slightly more elementary or advanced depending on the needs of a class. The DCO Support course requires the DCO Maintenance course first, although it may be possible to combine the two courses into one shorter course than if taking the two separately. Please note that the success of doing so depends on the existing backgrounds and abilities of students.
Name

DCO Maintenance
#

20002
Days

5
This course provides introductory training on the GENBAND (previously Siemens and Stromberg-Carlson) Digital Central Office (DCO) switch. Administration, translations and tier-1 maintenance procedures are all discussed, with an emphasis on Task functions such as $UTILITY, $TCOS and $TRK. Database functions $TTU, $RTR are also demonstrated, as are various administrative functions like DBVER and FILSYS. Other topics like Utility Scheduling or ancillary devices such as SS7 hardware and interfaces, 4TEL, recorder announcers, ring generators and external clock sources and the interfacing to these devices are described as needed.
DCO Support
20003
10
A more detailed course that expands on topics from DCO Maintenance, including more advanced troubleshooting on Call Processing and Telephony Pre-Processing, Storage Systems, Differential and TSI SC bus structures and Circuit structure. Cabling and frame design are discussed to help switch technicians locate more difficult faults or harvest and re-allocate switch resources. Validation Menu functions, switch backup and recovery using AMOPT functions and other emergency procedures are shown. PWBA descriptions and where feasible, component level repair, is shown. Other topics of interest to the customer can be added to suit the needs of students for a given class.
DCO Line and Trunk
20010
4
An entry-to-intermediate level of switch programming intended for students who have taken the DCO Maintenance course or for those with some switch administration experience already. The $RTR function is used to administer and verify database and associated routing, while $TCOS and $TRK are used to build and maintain trunk groups. ADD, CHNG, DERV and DEL are demonstrated along with all variable field definitions. Digit translation using $TTU is shown, where attributes like AUX, CODE, SCREEN, etc are demonstrated. As needed, the status function $UTILITY is shown in greater detail. The SS7 versions of TCOS, TRK, TTU and RTR are also shown, with additional emphasis on network setup, GTT, and some common trunk turn-up issues experienced with other switch types. Other specifics of line and trunk assignments and feature programming can be included per needs of the customer.


Alcatel-Lucent GTD-5 EAX (aka AG Communication Systems GTD-5 EAX)
Database Courses

It is recommended that students take the GTD-5 Line and Trunk course prior to other database training, or otherwise have significant experience in GTD-5 database techniques prior to enrollment in other GTD-5 database courses. We can often design certain components of the Centrex, Equal Access, SS7 / AIN / LNP into the Line and Trunk course, often providing a shorter overall training duration than taking certain courses individually, although please note the success of doing so can depend on the existing knowledge and abilities of students.
Name

GTD-5 Line and Trunk
#

10010
Days

5
Learn about the GTD-5's nomenclature and how to add, change and delete directory numbers, basic digit collection and translation, and how switch-based features including CLASS features are assigned (line administration). Also learn the basics about intra- and inter-switch trunk group translations, SS7 and Equal Access databases (trunk administration). Finally, students also learn about digit translation which shows how to set-up screening, announcements, billing parameters, office timing values, etc. As required, some overview on administering lines to survivable remotes like the RSU or a GR-303 remote, or how to program BRI lines can also be provided in this course. An introduction to the GTD5IO command input software is shown if needed.
GTD-5 Centrex
10011
4
Emphasizes business features such as those used in hunt groups, BRI lines, and for digital, PRI and SS7 trunk groups used to connect to PBX or other switch devices. Also teaches different types and features in business groups, including intra- and inter-group calling, and automatic route selection based on time-of-day, preferred carriers, etc. Special topics like E911, E800, and other special circuits are also discussed as needed.
GTD-5 Equal Access
10012
4
Inter- and Intra-LATA translations are emphasized, with several different variations and methods to set-up for each. The difference between direct telco trunking and in-band or SS7-based equal access is discussed. Also, translations for domestic, access-tandem or international calls, using different feature groups, or sending one class of call to one IXC and all others to another IXC, and set-up of billing and AMA records is shown. Finally, various reports and statistics about equal-access information is demonstrated.
GTD-5 SS7, AIN & LNP
10013
4
Demonstrates the difference between direct trunking, SS7 direct trunking (F links) and signal transfer point (STP)-controlled trunks (using A links), and how to build a trunk group and the necessary database for each example. Also explains triggers and how they are used with the Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN), and in particular, how local number portability (LNP) triggers are set up.


Hardware Courses

Students taking the Support course should have taken the Maintenance course previously, or already have significant experience with GTD-5 card-level repair techniques. Concepts from the Overview, Maintenance and Support courses can be combined into one accelerated single course of overall shorter duration than any combination of the three, although please note the success of doing so can depend upon a students' prerequisite knowledge and general existing background in switching systems.
GTD-5 Overview
10001
3
Intended for surveillance and central office personnel who need to report issues or act as first-response to various alarms, the general design concept and architecture of the GTD-5 is discussed with an emphasis on the nomenclature of the switch, how to interrogate alarms and basic switch database, and how to find the physical location of a frame or card based upon that information.
GTD-5 Maintenance 
10002
5
UPDATED

An accelerated version of the traditional GTD-5 maintenance course offered within the industry over the years, new block diagrams and frame images enhance this already effective course, designed to jump-start the student from just a basic level of little or no switching knowledge to a competency of where they can perform level-1 (card-level) repair on virtually any of the main modules of the GTD-5. Ancillary equipment such as SS7 links, recorder announcers, ringing generators, and other gateways such as those that support the internet, billing and remote switch monitoring are also discussed as needed. After taking this course, the student should be able to correct most types of card-faults on their own, and be much better able to work with other departments within their organization relating to switch issues. Trouble-shooting techniques are also taught pro-actively.
GTD-5 Support 
10003
10
UPDATED

A much-accelerated version of the traditional GTD-5 support course offered within the industry, this course is designed to take students with maintenance-level knowledge and teach them how to consider other types of faults, such as circuit-level, cable, backplane and database, as well as other types of optional GTD-5 modules or adjunct systems. New, full-color designs and block diagrams of the latest modules like the expanded SSW, REU and TSWE are offered, helping to clear confusing between original and new versions of these.

Because the GTD-5 is a modular switch with many different configurations, this course can be designed to teach about other network elements that may be unique to a certain region. In addition to improving confidence and understanding of the GTD-5 switch, this course will also improve over-all troubleshooting skills. Length of course will change depending upon subjects desired, but it can be adjusted depending if other courses are being taken at the same time.

It is recommended that students take the GTD-5 Maintenance course first, or have significant experience in the GTD-5 before enrolling in the GTD-5 Support course.

Depending on the needs of the organization, the GTD-5 Support course can be extended to cover the many different types of hardware found in larger or more complex networks.
Operations Gateway
10020
3
This important device is the key of the Extension Complex, and has helped modernize the GTD-5 by performing many key roles in daily switch operations such as AMA and billing record recording, alarm information, and certain types of database administration such as for the Alcatel-Lucent XAIU line frame or fiber-optic High-Speed Interface trunking. It also is used to load new software releases, or standard switch image and loading procedures. It also offers a highly versatile user's guide terminal, a VPN connection between the GTD-5 and the internet, several ethernet-based input-output terminals, plus other gateway functions which make the OG a very flexible maintenance device. Because it runs on a UNIX shell, it uses a different command-line and desktop topology than other GTD-5 terminals. This layout and user commands are discussed, for both the underlying OS and higher level switch applications. Also, if using a highly-available OGHA (redundant) unit, techniques on how to inquire and control each "copy" are shown, as well as the correct maintenance techniques used to change cards.

Since most telcos do not utilize all available aspects of the Operations Gateway, the 3 day course duration is usually sufficient to familiarize students with most concepts of their daily job functions. However, those requiring knowledge of multiple OG applications or those with no previous familiarity with UNIX shell commands might require additional time. In these cases, course durations of 4 or 5 days are usually sufficient to cover all needed instruction and practice.