vzw BiASC asbl

CiscoLive Announcing Meraki Dashboard for Catalyst Switches

Cisco Systems is combining the simplicity that its Meraki brand offers with the power of its flagship Catalyst portfolio of campus switches and wireless controllers and access points.

CiscoLive 2022

For Cisco Catalyst switches you can now  choose between either Cisco DNA Center or the Meraki dashboard for cloud-based network management.

The cloud management conversion capability was introduced at Cisco Live 2022 by Todd Nightingale, executive vice president and general manager of Cisco’s enterprise networking and cloud business: ”Catalyst technology is undeniably the most powerful campus networking equipment in the world and the fastest-ramping product Cisco has ever had. Meraki is undeniably the simplest cloud management platform, the highest adopted and deployed on the market. Bringing these two things together. Power and simplicity without compromise; I truly believe that can change how IT is managed … it can change the industry.”

Prior to launching this service, Cisco catalyst switches were managed either through the command-line interface (CLI) or DNA Center, which are both deployed on-premise. For customers who choose to keep key applications on-premises, they can use the DNA Center either on physical, on-premises appliances or use the newly-launched virtual appliance capability for virtual machine (VM) instances in private data centers or cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS).

 

NetAcad Roles

The traditional NetAcad roles of Instructor and Student have been expanded. Below you can see the current overview of all NetAcad Roles together with their permissions.

Class Archiving

• Class “archiving” happens 3 months after the end date. Means class access is not possible, but Course details page contains student roster, final cumulative course grate, certificate of completion
• All Canvas classes must be concluded by July 31, 2021 and later will be “archived” with NO possibility to be recovered. Instructors must back up  any data (gradebooks, customizations, files) from such classes manually, if needed
• Current max. class length is 12 months for student classes and 6 months for instructor classes. Default class length is 3 months, but can be adjusted.  Means that current max. class availability period is 15 months (12+3).
• Netacad HelpDesk normally can help to unarchive some classes by request. Note that old Canvas classes will be impossible to unarchive after 15 September 2021, this is a no return date for Canvas classes.

Networking Academy Maintenance - Image & Hardware Support

All Networking Academy instructors can request access to download IOS images directly from Cisco as part of the NetAcad Maintenance program.  Please keep in mind that in order to download IOS images, the instructors will need to log in with their NetAcad login details. 

Networking Academy Maintenance - Image & Hardware Support
Instructions are provided further below on how to download IOS images directly from the “Networking Academy Maintenance - Image & Hardware Support" document, located on the Cisco NetAcad site. As a reminder, we recommend that users always verify the most current list of the IOS covered under the program before downloading IOS.   In addition, this document will take you directly to the download URL.

Networking Academy Maintenance IOS Download Guide
Another very useful document is the "Networking Academy Maintenance IOS Download Guide". Page 2 will explain how to download the correct IOS.

How to locate the necessary information
Please find below the steps to follow to locate these documents:

1. Log In into the Cisco Networking Academy site – www.netacad.com
2. Click on the 'Resources' tab
3. Click on 'Marketing and Program Resources'
4. Click on 'Equipment Information'
5. Under the 'Networking Academy Maintenance' section, click on the blue 'NetAcad Maintenance' link
6. Scroll down and locate 'Networking Academy Maintenance - Image & Hardware Support'

Software products that are not listed are not covered and should not be downloaded or used by academies. Back-end auditing will be used to verify conformance to this policy.

Webex Education Community

URL: https://community.cisco.com/t5/webex-for-education/bd-p/disc-education

Install the Cisco Webex Education Connector in Your Learning Management System

It is possible to install the Webex Education Connector in Canvas by Instructure, Blackboard Learn, Moodle, Brightspace by D2L, Schoology, or Sakai using Learning Tool Interoperability (LTI). The Webex Education Connector integrates Cisco Webex Meetings and Webex into your Learning Management System (LMS).

More information: https://help.webex.com/en-us/n77zrcq/Control-Hub-Site-Administration-Install-the-Cisco-Webex-Education-Connector-in-Your-Learning-Management-System

Webex Accounts for NetAcad

All NetAcad instructors that teach Cisco Career and Training (CCT) courses are eligible to receive a Cisco Networking Academy Webex account. CCT courses include: CCNA, CCNP Enterprise, CyberOps Associate, DevNet Associate and CCNA Security. Instructors that started a Cisco Career and Training class on or after July 26, 2020 and who currently do not have an existing WebEx account associated with their NetAcad profile email will be granted a NetAcad Webex account.

More information

URL: https://www.netacad.com/portal/resources/professional-development/instructor-resources-virtual-learning

Tips & Tricks for NetAcad Instructors

In the recent presentation from IPD Week you will find a lot of useful tips and tricks:

• How to request help from the support desk?
• How to report an error in Packet Tracer?
• What to do if you discover an error in a course or in a test?
• How to generate course certificate?
• How about certification discounts?

Powerpoint Presentation
PPT: Download NetAcad Wizard_Tips & Tricks Oct 2020

More references
NetAcad FAQ Page: https://netacad.com/portal/faq-page

 

NetAcad Platform Migration 2020: Learning Environment Only

Click on the image to enlarge
The Cisco NetAcad platform undergoes a thorough migration every ten years. In 2020 a major migration is going on which concerns the learning environment only. Here are a few notes to support NetAcad instructors.

Overview by Ben Jehring, NetAcad Platform Manager: Download NetAcad LMS Transition

What parts of the NetAcad platform are influenced by the transition?

• The migration only implies the learning environment. This is the part of the NetAcad platform where instructors activate tests and send messages to students. It is the part of the environment where students select what to do. Selecting course content modules or online tests are the main function of the learning platform for students.
• The migration does not influence the course content or the online tests. Course content and tests are managed outside from the learning environment.
• As courses become available in the new environment instructors can choose to create those courses in the New or Legacy Experience.
  • Legacy Experience courses are limited to 31 July 2021.
  • We advise instructors to select the New Experience.

NetAcad Courses Migrating to New Learning Environment

Since the Summer all of the NetAcad course are being migrated to a new learning platform. The migration does not influence the course content and online testing.

If you create a legacy course it will have to terminate on 31 July 2021. Only courses in the new environment can last longer than this date.

By 11 December 2020 all NetAcad courses will have migrated to the new environment.

Networking Academy Overview for Educators

 

Many new Cisco Networking Academy courses and updated versions are arriving between now and the next academic year. The presentation Overview-networking-academy-for-educators gives you a description of the Cisco Networking Academy portfolio:

• Course Overview from beginner to expert
• Resources for teachers and instructors
• Resources for students
• Talent Bridge Program
• Jobs with employers around the world
• Support and marketing services
• Instructor Training

NetAcad Courses Requiring Instructor Accreditation

Cisco Networking Academy offers more than 30 interactive online courses from beginner to expert level. For some courses it is required that the teacher, trainer or instructors provides evidence that s/he understands the concepts and masters the necessary skills. Here is an update regarding the accreditation requirements. A formal industry certification is not required for Cisco Academy instructors.

Instructor-teaching qualifications vary depending on the course or courses selected. The courses listed below require accreditation or instructor training to ensure quality learning outcomes for your students. We also recommend completing the free online Academy Orientation course for helpful information in setting up courses and using the education platform, NetAcad.com. 

New Hardware Bundle CCNA + Security for Netacad Members

Every Cisco Academy is able to buy Cisco hardware at a discount of 75%. Here is a quote from 2018 only for BiASC members. Prices are subject to change.

 A Cisco Netacad hardware bundle is a fixed grouping of hardware that you cannot change. It consists of:

• Three routers
• Three switches
• Extra modules, cabling and licences
• Adaptive Security Appliance ASA (only for CCNA Security*)

Below are the unit prices for the standard lab equipment for CCNA and CCNA Security

• LAN Switch WS-C2960: €330.32
• Internet Router Cisco ISR 4321 : €508.87
• Internet Router with integrated firewall Cisco ISR 4321 with security bundle: €763.94 (*)
• Firewall Device ASA5506-K9 ASA 5506-X with FirePOWER services: €253.80 (*)

(*) Only necessary for CCNA Security courses

REMARK: for the CCNA 1 and CCNA 2 courses it is not necessary to buy hardware equipment. It is feasible only to use the simulation tool Packet Tracer. As a member of BiASC educational institutions have the license to use Packet Tracer for their students.

Frequently Asked Questions/ Netacad Certification Exams/ Discounts

Here are some FAQs about certifications and discounts for Cisco Networking Academy students: 

Can I exchange my CCNA composite discounts? (see the answers below)
How do I register for a certification exam?
How can I locate information about my Cisco Career Certifications?
How can I send my Cisco Certification credentials to the Support Desk?
Which CCNA courses offer a certification exam discount?
What are the terms of the CompTIA A+ Certification Renewal Policy?
How can I provide proof of my CompTIA Certification so I can enroll in an Instructor Fast Track (IFT) course?
How do I contact the Cisco Certifications Team?
How can I request a certification exam discount for a Cisco certification exam?
Which courses do students need to take in order to prepare for their CCENT Certification exam?
I saw a website listing the answers of the exams. Should I report it?
Does Networking Academy provide discounts for Cisco certification exams?

NetAcad Membership Guide v3.3 Oct 2016

The following document provides a detailed description of the Networking Academy program requirements, policies, and resources.

FULL PDF: Download NetAcad Membership Guide v3.3 Oct 2016English

Contents

• Becoming a Cisco Academy
• Roles and responsibilities
• Policies

What is new in the CCNA R&S 5.1 course?

CCNA R&S 5.1 is a minor revision of the CCNA R&S ITN (Introduction to Networks) course.

The CCNA R&S 5.1 ITN course provides the following enhancements:
- Revision and re-organization of content to improve clarity and instructional flow
- Relocation of non-certification content (25-30%) to the appendixes
- Simplification of CCNA labs and PT activities (50 minutes to complete)
- Integration of instructional videos

Please view the CCNA R&S 5.03 and 5.1 announcements in the Instructor Resource Spotlight for additional information.

BiASC vzw/asbl

BiASC vzw/asbl is an independent non-commercial educational organization operating in Belgium and the Benelux to inform, advise and support educational institutions on the many innovations regarding the professonal use of  Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in training and education.

BiASC is an open organization providing services for higher and secondary education, non-commercial training centers and schools in Brussels, Flanders, Wallonia,  the German-speaking Community of Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxemburg.

The main activities of BiASC are curriculum advice, instructor training and networking events to inspire educational institutions to start new ICT educational programs and to improve the way people learn ICT.

BiASC has many relationships with other similar organizations within Europe and the rest of the world, like the Netherlands, IT Bildungsnetz in Germany, AFPA in France, GRA in the UK, INATA in Madagascar, and INLEA in Spain.

BiASC cooperates intensively with IT vendors and integrators to improve the flow of information towards its members. Currently BiASC mainly focuses on education programmes in cooperation with Cisco Networking Academy. Apart from that, BiASC provides advisc and support for programmes offered by NDG Linux, Linux Professional Institute (LPI), CompTIA, VMware IT Academy, RedHat, Corning Network IQ and Oracle Academy.

Primary Contact

Yvan Rooseleer
Belgian IT Academy Support Center vzw/asbl
0474 56 45 76
www.biasc.be
www.facebook.com/groups/biasc/
<yvan.rooseleer@biasc.be>

For more information and to view the list persons active within the different target groups of BiASC: http://honim.typepad.com/biasc/contact/

How to Access and Redeem Cisco Certification Exam Discount Vouchers

Here is a step-by-step guide for Netacad students to obtain and use Certification Exam discount vouchers (August 2013).

Download Step-by-Step Guide to Access and Redeem Cisco Certification Exam Discounts

BiASC First Support Contact

Whenever a Cisco Academy has a question or a problem to solve, BiASC should be your first point of contact.

We are developing a list of contact professionals and advisors to support BiASC members. The present list of experienced Cisco Academy Professionals for you to look at is under the Contact link on this website.

 

Cisco Networking Academy Titles

The list of books available from Cisco Networking Academy can be found at the following URL: http://www.ciscopress.com/store/index.asp?st=42108