1. Introduction

The military doctrine and the reform implementation of BA require the developing of a mobile and combat-ready army with a new command and control structure. This goal imposes the introduction of the latest solutions in the field of computer networks and communications.

The development of IT and Internet recognized CISCO SYSTEMS as the world leader of networks equipment production. There is a world CISCO training program (Cisco Networking Academy Program – CNAP) in sophisticated IT , based on CISCO decisions. The creation of regional and local CISCO academies underlies that that program.

CNAP program gives students the opportunity to acquire two levels of certificates: Cisco Certified Networking Associate (CCNA) –Cisco certified associate for work with networks, Cisco Certified Networking Professional (CCNP) – Cisco certified professional for work with networks. According to IDC, CCNA certificate grants an average annual income of $78 000 in the USA.

The CISCO Academy at “Rakovski” Defence and Staff College is a regional Academy in accordance with contract No 36562/16.11.2000. It is developed and functions within the Advanced research Defence institute of “Rakovski” Defence and Staff College, in compliance with Order No 836?20.12.2000 of the the college Commandant. Military personnel and civilians from the Ministry of Defence, as well as civilians from other ministries, departments and companies are trained there.

The chief of the Academy is Leut.Col. of the reserve Assoc. prof. PhD Vesselin Tselkov, and Col. Assoc. prof. Ivan Hristozov and research workers Maj. Zarko Zdravkon, Ivan Gabrovski and Maya Bozhilova who are certified instructors.

The Academy is equipped with a lecture hall and a laboratory with 10 to 12 students capacity and equipment worth of US $50 000

Seven local academies have been opened – in the ARDI, Research and Demo Center , Command and Staff Faculty of “Rakovski” College, Center of Information Provision of the General Staff and the Military Academies in Varna , Dolna Mitropolia and Shumen with the total of 18 instructors.

Over 200 people have been trained at CISCO Academy since its establishing. 6 people who have attended the full time 4 semester training have already become CCNA experts.

2. Academic Curriculum

The training is conducted in compliance with the academic curriculum developed by CISCO Systems. It is divided into 4 semesters, 70 teaching sessions each

3. Requirements to applicants

It is meant for persons with no initial knowledge and skills in design, development, administration and maintenance of computer networks. Students should be able to use one of the following languages - English, Russian, German, French, Spanish, Hungarian or Chinese at technical level.

Lectures and workshops are given in Bulgarian.
There are no special requirements for professional qualification.

4. Types of courses

Classes are normally conducted in groups (courses).

Depending on the time, classes are divided into:

1. daily;
2. evening;
3. weekend;
4. other.

Classes are conducted from 08:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., every day (the weekend including).Within that working time, three academic blocks are formed (3.5 acad. hours each)

From 08:30 to 12:00 a.m.

From 01:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. ;

From 5:00 p.m to 8:30 p.m.

Courses are organized as follows:

Type of course	Duration (weeks)	Attendance (number of attendance weekly)	Time of conducting classes	Total number of classes
DAYLY COURSES
Daily, extensive	10	2	One block 8.30-12.00 or 13.00-16.30	70
Daily, standard	5	2	Two blocks 8.30-16.30	70
Daily, intensive	2	5	Two blocks 8.30-16.30	70
EVENING COURSES
Evening, extensive	10	2	17.00–20.30	70
Evening, intensive	5	4	17.00–20.30	70
WEEKEND COURSES
Saturday or Sunday	10	1	Two blocks between 8.30–20.30	70
Saturday and Sunday	5	2	Two blocks between 8.30–20.30
OTHER
Other – at organizing a group on request and negotiating in advance.*)

Organizing of courses is possible at any negotiated and with different number of classes (per semester) or combined with computer literacy courses - Windows, MS Office and others if necessary.

5. FFES

CISs and Staff College and SISCO Systems, the training fees cover only actual expenses and are calculated in compliance with:

Decision of the Academic Council of “Rakovski” College, in relation to Methods of calculating training course costs, conducted at “Rakovski” Defence and Staff College”;

Recommendations and requirements of CISCO Network Prices Calculator;

MO No OX-225/01.06.1996.

Around Jen. 01, 2004, training fees are:

250 lv.per student, per semester.(for students included in the social adaptation program 20% discount is given, and the price becomes 200 lv. per semester.

MO No OX-225/01.06.1996.

6. For contacts and additional information:

Col. Assoc.prof. Ivan Hristozov –
“Communication and Information Systems” chair.
Tel: 359 2 92 26 596

Maj. Assoc.prof. Zarko Zdravkov – ARDI
Tel. 359 2 92 26 597

Assoc.prof. Ivan Gabrovski - ARDI
Tel. 359 2 92 26 598

Research worker Maya Georgieva Bozhilova ARDI
Tel. 359 2 92 26 597

7. Training Goals

The goal is for students to aqcuire knowledge abd skills necessary for design, development,administration and maintainance of computer networks. The graduates are given world-recognized certificate.
Table 1

TERM 1. BASIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT COMPUTER NETWORKS
Basic knowledge about computer technology, computer networks and Internet.
The seven-layer model of the Open Interconnected Systems and four-layer TCP/IP model.
Local nets (LANs). Transport media for information exchange. Copper and optic cables used in the local nets. Cordless LANs.
Electronics and signals
Means for transfer, connections and conflicts
Local net and technology standards
Net design
Routing and addressing, protocols
Transport, session, presentation and application level

TERM 2. ROUTERS AND BASES FOR ROUTING
• Global nets and routers. WAN standards and technologies. Router functions.
• Command interface. Mode of routers' work
• Router elements (RAM, ROM, FLASH, NVRAM, in/out interfaces)
• Configuration router files. Configuration modes.
• Global configuration modes. Global parameters' adjustment.
• Standard Access Lists and Extended Access Lists for IP traffic limitation. Observation and check of the functions of the chosen filters for router' access.
• Description of the functions of TCP/IP protocols of the transport level (level 4).

TERM 3. BASES FOR WORK WITH NET SWITCHES. VIRTUAL NETS AND ROUTING AMONG THEM
• Introduction to routing with usage of nets with a changing mask.
•  RIP routing protocol, version 2.
•  OSPF routing protocol. Concept, configuration, testing and diagnostics.
•  EIGPR routing protocol. Concept, configuration, testing and diagnostics.
•  Testing and diagnostics of RIP , OSPF , IGRP и EIGRP .
•  Introduction to Ethernet/802.3 nets. Ethernet switch function. Basic modes of work.
•  Computer net design. Methodology. Peculiarities in designing the levels of the nets – 1, 2 and 3 of the OSI model.
•  Management and renovation of the system files (the operation system) of switch Cisco Catalyst 2900.
•  Management of the configuration files of a net switch.
•  Spanning tree protocol. Description of its functions. Advantages when using it in the nets.
•  Virtual local nets (VLANs). Concept and function. VLANs types.
•  Virtual trunking protocol (VTP). Concept, function and configuration
• Routing between VLANs. Introduction, basic problems and approaches for solving them. Configuration of the routing between VLANs.

TERM 4. WAN TECHNOLOGIES
• Scaling of IP nets. Use of Network address translation (NAT) and Port address translation (PAT).
•  Dynamic host configuration protocol – DHCP. Peculiarities, function, configuration.
•  Introduction to WAN technologies. WAN devices and standards. WAN encapsulation.
•  Serial interfaces. Point to Point Protocol. Introduction to serial interfaces' function. Configuration. Diagnostics.
•  WAN technologies. ISDN – concept, standards, functions, referent points and channels.
•  ISDN – configuration and diagnostics.
•  Dial on Demand routing configuration.
•  Dialer profiles configuration.
•  WAN technologies. Frame Relay. Concept, terminology, basic parameters.
•  Frame Relay interface configuration. Testing and diagnosis.
•  Computer net administration. Servers and working stations. Net operation systems – Microsoft NT, 2000. Unix based operation systems.
• Observation and management of computer nets. Net management model.