N-415: Implementing and Operating Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (ENCOR)

Course Overview:

The Implementing and Operating Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (ENCOR) course gives you the knowledge and skills needed to configure, troubleshoot, and manage enterprise wired and wireless networks. You’ll also learn to implement security principles, implement automation and programmability within an enterprise network, and how to overlay network design by using SD-Access and SD-WAN solutions.

Attendees to N-415: Implementing and Operating Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (ENCOR) will receive TechNow approved course materials, expert instruction, and prepare you to take the 350-401 Implementing Cisco® Enterprise Network Core Technologies (ENCOR) exam.

Dates/Locations:

No Events

Duration: 5 Days

Course Objectives:

Illustrate the hierarchical network design model and architecture using the access, distribution, and core layers
Compare and contrast the various hardware and software switching mechanisms and operation, while defining the Ternary Content Addressable Memory (TCAM) and Content Addressable Memory (CAM), along with process switching, fast switching, and Cisco Express Forwarding concepts
Troubleshoot Layer 2 connectivity using VLANs and trunking
Implementation of redundant switched networks using Spanning Tree Protocol
Troubleshooting link aggregation using Etherchannel
Describe the features, metrics, and path selection concepts of Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP)
Implementation and optimization of Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)v2 and OSPFv3, including adjacencies, packet types, and areas, summarization, and route filtering for IPv4 and IPv6
Implementing External Border Gateway Protocol (EBGP) interdomain routing, path selection, and single and dual-homed networking
Implementing network redundancy using protocols including Hot Standby Routing Protocol (HSRP) and Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP)
Implementing internet connectivity within Enterprise using static and dynamic Network Address Translation (NAT)
Describe the virtualization technology of servers, switches, and the various network devices and components
Implementing overlay technologies such as Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF), Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE), VPN, and Location Identifier Separation Protocol (LISP)
Describe the components and concepts of wireless networking including Radio Frequency (RF) and antenna characteristics, and define the specific wireless standards
Describe the various wireless deployment models available, include autonomous Access Point (AP) deployments and cloud-based designs within the centralized Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) architecture
Describe wireless roaming and location services
Describe how APs communicate with WLCs to obtain software, configurations, and centralized management
Configure and verify Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP), WebAuth, and Pre-Shared Key (PSK) wireless client authentication on a WLC
Troubleshoot wireless client connectivity issues using various available tools
Troubleshooting Enterprise networks using services such as Network Time Protocol (NTP), Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), Cisco Internetwork Operating System (Cisco IOS®) IP Service Level Agreements (SLAs), NetFlow, and Cisco IOS Embedded Event Manager
Explain the use of available network analysis and troubleshooting tools, which include show and debug commands, as well as best practices in troubleshooting
Configure secure administrative access for Cisco IOS devices using the Command-Line Interface (CLI) access, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Access Control List (ACL), and Secure Shell (SSH), and explore device hardening concepts to secure devices from less secure applications, such as Telnet and HTTP
Implement scalable administration using Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) and the local database, while exploring the features and benefits
Describe the enterprise network security architecture, including the purpose and function of VPNs, content security, logging, endpoint security, personal firewalls, and other security features
Explain the purpose, function, features, and workflow of Cisco DNA Center™ Assurance for Intent-Based Networking, for network visibility, proactive monitoring, and application experience
Describe the components and features of the Cisco SD-Access solution, including the nodes, fabric control plane, and data plane, while illustrating the purpose and function of the Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN) gateways
Define the components and features of Cisco SD-WAN solutions, including the orchestration plane, management plane, control plane, and data plane
Describe the concepts, purpose, and features of multicast protocols, including Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) v2/v3, Protocol-Independent Multicast (PIM) dense mode/sparse mode, and rendezvous points
Describe the concepts and features of Quality of Service (QoS), and describe the need within the enterprise network
Explain basic Python components and conditionals with script writing and analysis
Describe network programmability protocols such as Network Configuration Protocol (NETCONF) and RESTCONF
Describe APIs in Cisco DNA Center and vManage

Prerequisites:

CCNA certification
Implementation of Enterprise LAN networks
Basic understanding of Enterprise routing and wireless connectivity
Basic understanding of Python scripting

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User: don.seguin

Instructor comments: Tim was a great.

Facilities comments: The classroom was great.

User: jrtrussell

Instructor comments: Awesome

Facilities comments: Great

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VM-345: VMware Infrastructure Security: VMware Install, Configure, and Manage with Security Objectives

Course Overview:

This course explores the VMware Infrastructure and related security, which consists of VMware ESX Server & VMware Virtual Center Server. We will look at both the design environments and operational processes of the VMware Infrastructure including security. This course provides IT architects with the insight needed to tackle tough issues in server virtualization such as virtual machine technologies, storage infrastructure, and designing clustered environments with security practices included. Extensive hands-on labs provide for a rich student experience.

Hypervisors and their supporting environment require attention to security due to the aggregated risk of hosting multiple virtual servers. This course explores the security of virtualized environments. Student configure ESXi by learning to manage the security and risk between ESXi, virtual servers and security integration of ESXi to the physical network infrastructure including appropriate segregation from other sensitive networks and management networks. How to configure virtual networks when some hosts are dual or multi homed, but internally segregate between the two or more connected networks with different security levels. Appropriate integration of zero-clients and thin clients. Configuration of defensive measures on hosts, servers, hypervisors within the virtual environment and practices for those guarding it externally. Integration of Active Directory and other AAA/CIA related services relative to a virtualized environment.

Students are also walked through DoD ESXi Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG). Introduction to the impact of Intel Trusted Execution Technology integrated with ESXi to create a trusted platform for virtual machines. Additionally the instructor walks the students through NIST Special Publication 800-125A: Security Recommendations for Hypervisor Deployment on Servers, and NIST Special Publication 800-125B: Secure Virtual Network Configuration for Virtual Machine (VM) Protection.

Attendees to “VM-345: VMware Infrastructure Security: VMware Install, Configure, and Manage with Security Objectives” will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

Dates/Locations:

No Events

Duration: 5 Days

Course Objectives:

• Virtual Infrastructure Overview
• ESX and ESXi Server Installation
• Configuration of Networking, Scalability and Security
• Storage
• Install and Configure vCenter Server and Components
• Creation, Deployment, Management, and Migration of Virtual Machines
• Utilize vCenter Server for Resource Management
• Utilize vCenter Server for Virtual Machine Access Control and User Managment
• Use vCenter Server to increase scalability
• Monitoring Your Environment
• Data & Availability Protection Troubleshooting
• Use VMware vCenter Update Manager to apply ESXi patches
• Use vCenter Server to manage vMotion, HA, DRS and data protection.

TN-542: Establishing a Security Operations Center (SOC) People, Processes, and Technologies

Course Overview:

TN-542: Establishing a Security Operations Center (SOC) People, Processes, and Technologies is the big picture overview of a SOC, other courses provide a deep dive into the technologies that a SOC may utilize. This course addresses the internal workings of staff, skills required, required authorizations, internal agreements, and setting appropriate expectation levels of a SOC within budget constraints. A SOC is not a one size fits all, the instructor has decades of security experience and brings to the table opportunities to discuss what can work within constraints. Many organizations are coming to the realization that some level of a SOC is now required and to learn just what decisions need to be made: Out-sourced, In-sourced, budgets, capabilities and many more. Students leave with a worksheet of how to progress when they get back to their organization.

TN-542: Establishing a Security Operations Center (SOC) People, Processes, and Technologies – Is a course that incorporates lecture, demos, and group exercises for standing up a Security Operations Center (SOC). Students learn strategies and resources required to deploy, build, and run Network Security Monitoring (NSM) and work roles and flows for a SOC. No network is bullet proof and when attackers access your network, this course will show you options and resources to build a security net to detect, contain, and control the attacker. Examples on what it takes to architect an NSM solution to identify sophisticated attackers and a response strategy. Properly implemented detection and response technologies is integral to incident response and provides the responders timely information and tools to react to the incident. Effective demonstrations are given of Open Source technologies that build up a SOC, but any software can be used and demonstrations are provided to demonstrate technology families not push a specific solution.

TN-542: Establishing a Security Operations Center (SOC) People, Processes, and Technologies demonstrations utilize a cyber range that gives each student in-depth knowledge of monitoring live systems to include: Cisco, Windows, Linux, IoT, and Firewalls; and software and services to provide orchestrate Incident Response, Intelligence Analysis, and Hunt Operations.

Attendees to TN-542: Establishing a Security Operations Center (SOC) People, Processes, and Technologies class will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

Dates/Locations:

No Events

Duration: 2 Days

Course Objective:

Prerequisites:

Students should have an understanding of the security field.

Course Outline:

What threats does my organization care about?
What does a threat look like?
What does a threat look like?
How to present the SOC internally.
Communication with Stakeholders and Executives
People
- Establishing a skill matrix and work roles for SOC members
- Establishing a training path
- Personnel background requirementsProcesses
Processes
- Alignment to standards: NIST, PCI, HIPAA, etc.
- Risk related decision trees
- Playbooks
- Threat Intelligence Integration
Technology – Tool Suites to Support:
- Ethical Hacking
- Network Security Monitoring and SIEM
- Forensics
- Dashboards
- Analysis and Hunting
- Incident Management and Ticketing

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TN-515: Implementing Cybersecurity and Information Assurance Methodologies

Course Overview:

Learn to protect yourself and your company against hackers, by learning their tools and techniques, and then testing your network. This course is heavily based on Kali and primarily on Metasploit. In TN-515: Implementing Cybersecurity and Information Assurance Methodologies class you will learn the step by step process that hackers use to assess your enterprise network, probe it & hack into it, utilizing a mixed-platform target environment including Windows, Linux, Solaris, and Cisco. This course is 90% hacking, but defenses for demonstrated hacks will be discussed. If you want to know the ins and outs of the hacks presented in this course, then this is the course for you.

Attendees to TN-515: Implementing Cybersecurity and Information Assurance Methodologies Class Attendees will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

Dates/Locations:

No Events

Duration: 5 Days

Course Objectives:

Introduction to Pen Testing using the PTES model
Metasploit Basics
- MSFconsole, MSFcli, Armitage, MSFpayload, MSFencode, NasmShell
Intelligence Gathering
- Nmap, Databases in Metasploit, Port Scanning with Metasploit
Quick Intro to Ruby
- Writing a simple Ruby script to create a custom scanner
Vulnerability Scanning
- Importing Nessus Results
- Scanning with Nessus from Within Metasploit
Exploitation
- Using the Metasploit Framework and console to exploit
Meterpreter
- Compromising a Windows System
- Attacking MS SQL, xp_cmdshell
- Dumping Usernames and Passwords, extracting and dumping hashes
- Pass the Hash and Token Impersonation
- Pivoting
- Railgun
- Using Meterpreter Scripts: Migrating a process, Killing AV, Persistence
Avoiding Detection
- Creating Stand-Alone Binaries with MSFpayload
- Encoding with MSFencode and Packers (go Green Bay:)
Exploitation Using Client Side Attacks
- Introduction to Immunity Debugger
- Using Immunity Debugger to Decipher NOP Shellcode
Metasploit Auxiliary Modules
Social Engineer Toolkit (SET)
- Spear-Phishing, Web Attack
- Creating a Multipronged Attack
Creating Your Own Module
- Adapt an existing Module
- Add some PowerShell and Run the Exploit
Meterpreter Scripting
Capture The Flag Exercise

Prerequisites:

This is an advanced Cybersecurity and Information Assurance Course which requires basic Windows & UNIX competency
Certification or 2 years of experience in these operating systems is highly recommended
An understanding of TCP/IP

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TN-965 Windows Security Automation with Powershell

Course Overview:

PowerShell is made for Security Operations (SecOps) automation on Windows. SecOps requires automation in order to scale out security changes and monitoring beyond a handful of hosts. For example, when a vulnerability must be remediated but there is no patch for it yet, automation is needed to quickly and consistently enact the changes necessary. PowerShell “remoting” is encrypted remote command execution of PowerShell scripts in a way that can scale to thousands of endpoints and servers.

Imagine being able to hunt for indicators of compromise across thousands of machines with just a few lines of PowerShell code. Or imagine having the local Administrator account password reset every night on thousands of endpoints in a secure way, and being able to retrieve that password securely too.

We will show you to do these tasks and more. Transcription logging for forensics, strong encryption code signing, application whitelisting of scripts, IPSec port control, and Just Enough Admin (JEA).

As more and more of our systems are moved up to the cloud, PowerShell will become even more important. Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Office 365, Hyper-V and VMware already support PowerShell administration for many tasks.

Attendees to TN-965: Windows Security Automation with PowerShell will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

Date/Locations:

Date/Time	Event
04/28/2025 - 05/02/2025 08:00 -16:00	TN-965 Windows Security Automation with Powershell TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX
07/07/2025 - 07/11/2025 08:00 -16:00	TN-965 Windows Security Automation with Powershell TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX
11/03/2025 - 11/07/2025 08:00 -16:00	TN-965 Windows Security Automation with Powershell TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX

Duration: 5 days

Intended Audience
This course is intended for IT Professionals already experienced in general Windows Server and Windows Client administration or already experienced in administering and supporting Application servers and services including applications like Exchange, SharePoint, and SQL. It is broadly intended for students who want to use Windows PowerShell to automate administrative tasks from the command line, using any Microsoft or independent software vendor (ISV) product that supports Windows PowerShell manageability.

Course Objectives:

PowerShell Overview and Tips

- Getting started running commands
- Using and updating the built-in help
- Execution policies
- Fun tricks with the ISE graphical editor
- Piping .NET and COM objects, not text
- Using properties and methods of objects
- Helping Linux admins feel more at home
- Aliases, cmdlets, functions, modules, etc.
- Customizing your profile script

What Can We Do With PowerShell

- PowerShell remote command execution
- Fan-out remoting and security
- File copy via PowerShell remoting
- Capturing the output of commands
- Parsing text files and logs with regex patterns
- Searching remote event logs faster with XPath
- Mounting the registry as a drive
- Exporting data to CSV, HTML and JSON files
- Parsing and mining nmap port scanner XML output
- Running scripts as scheduled jobs
- Pushing out scripts through Group Policy
- Importing modules and dot-sourcing functions
- http://www.PowerShellGallery.com

Write your own scripts

- Writing your own functions
- Passing arguments into your scripts
- Function parameters and returning output
- Flow control: if-then, do-while, foreach, switch
- The .NET Framework class library: a playground
- How to pipe data in/out of your scripts

Continuous Secure Configuration Enforcement

- How to use Group Policy and PowerShell together
- Automate with INF security templates
- How to customize INF templates
- Microsoft Security Compliance Manager (SCM)
- SECEDIT.EXE scripting
- Building an in-house security repository for SecOps/DevOps
- NSA’s Secure Host Baseline GPOs

Group Policy Precision Targeting

- Managing Group Policy Objects (GPOs) with PowerShell
- LSDOU, Block Inheritance, Enforced GPOs
- Group Policy permissions for targeting changes
- ADMX templates for mass registry editing
- Deploying PowerShell startup and logon scripts
- WMI item-level targeting of GPO preferences
- GPO scheduled tasks to run PowerShell scripts
- Remote command execution via GPO (not remoting)
- Empowering the Hunt Team to fight back!

Server Hardening for SecOps/DevOps

- Server Manager scripting with PowerShell
- Adding and removing roles and feature
- Remotely inventory roles, features, and apps
- Why Server Nano or Server Core
- Running PowerShell automatically after service failure
- Service account identities, passwords, and risks
- Tools to reset service account passwords securely

PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC)

- DSC is Configuration Management built in for free
- Using DSC for continuous reinforcement of settings
- Writing your own DSC configuration scripts
- Free DSC resource modules: www.PowerShellGallery.com
- How to push DSC configurations to many targets
- DSC background job processing in push mode
- Examples: sync files, install roles, manage groups
- Auditing a remote target against a DSC MOF template
- “ApplyAndAutoCorrect” mode for continuous enforcement

PowerShell Just Enough Admin (JEA)

- JEA is Windows sudo, like on Linux
- JEA is Windows setuid root, like on Linux
- Restricting commands and arguments
- Verbose transcription logging
- How to set up and configure JEA
- Privilege Access Workstations (PAWs)

PowerShell and WMI

- Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) service
- What is WMI and why do hackers abuse it so much?
- Using PowerShell to query WMI CIM classes
- WMI authentication and traffic encryption
- Inventory operating system versions and installed software
- WMI remote command execution versus PowerShell remoting
- PowerShell security best practices
- PowerShell transcription logging to catch hackers

Prerequisites:

Previous Windows Server and Windows Client management knowledge and hands on experience.
Experience installing and configuring Windows Server into existing enterprise environments, or as standalone installations.
Knowledge and experience of network adapter configuration, basic Active Directory user administration, and basic disk configuration.
Knowledge and hands on experience specifically with Windows Server 2012/Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows 8/Windows 8.1 would be of benefit but is not essential.

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