Networking

The Network: It's always been full of itself.

The Internet is the most documented collection of software on the planet.

Standards (and 37 Cross References for computers and communications) lists organizations involved with managing the global infrastructure.
The December List since 1992, is "a comprehensive collection of information sources about computer-mediated communication and the Internet."
Security | Speed | Cisco | Novel | 3Com | IBM

Ethernet
The tie that binds as few as two computers which then comprise a network.

Charles Spurgeon's Ethernet Web Site:
All Things Ethernet, beginning with the first drawing by its inventor. His Quick Reference is especially helpful.

An on-line Ethernet Tutorial from the CIS department at the University of New Hampshire.

Steve DeRose's guide to CAT5 wiring is a "hands-on" manual. Cabletron Systems and Startechcomp.com techtips provide connectivity examples of pinouts and color coding for standard ethernet cabling.

Network Management:
From the server that functions as the archive base for the comp.dcom.net-management usenet newsgroup.

Network Magazine Tutorials:
142 networking articles from August of 1988 to May of 2000.

Principles of System Administration
An introduction to the aims and guiding principles of system administration, in Scriptured rhythm; the "Why" of IT.

Security

The SANS Institute
"The System Administration, Networking, and Security Institute is a cooperative research and education organization through which more than 96,000 system administrators, security professionals, and network administrators share the lessons they are learning and find solutions for challenges they face."

NTBug Traq
A mailing list for the discussion of security exploits and security bugs in Windows NT and its related applications.

Computer Incident Advisory Capability:
Issues Information and Adivisory bulletins to notify and recommend actions in regards to security vulnerabilities.

Phrack.org:
"Since 1985 has been posting "philes (that) may include articles on telcom (phreaking/hacking), anarchy (guns and death & destruction) or kracking. Other topics will be allowed also to an certain extent."

At Shields UP!, Anti-Online! and Privacy.net you can test your system's present time vulnerability to access from the internet. Then go on over to Zone Alarm and download the latest in personal firewall software. For Free.

Use Network-Tools.com to trace any computer on the Internet.

Speed

How fast is your connection? There's a page that'll test it at Navas Cable and another at Leslie's modem speed test page. CableModem.net and DSL Reports run test protocols for cable and DSL modems. For "the best broadband tweaks and patches on the net," click on Speedguide.net.

Microsoft
Systems Administration is provided by Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers who have completed a fairly rigorous battery of examinations. Many of them can be passed with a little "hands on" experience of the OS and help from these sites.

Microsoft Technet (Network):
Cut straight to the chase.

MCP Magazine:
Sells the company store and their Discussion Forums are the most easily accessed communities of Microsoft professionals anwhere. (Registration minimal, but required.)

Marc's MCSE Study Links:
How to get Certified without paying an arm and two legs. This is where I started!

MCSETutor:
Serious self-study assistance from the folks who bring you Windows 2000 Magazine.

FTQ:
"We tried to remember as many questions we were tested on as possible, and about 40-50% are the same. We wrote them down (we call them FTQ--Frequently Tested Questions) and gave them to our friends who wanted to take this exam."

Brian Talbert's Certnotes:
Best of the Braindumps from the MSCE certification exams.

Cramsession:
Free study guides, practice questions and information for CompTia, Microsoft, Novell, Linux/Unix, Cisco, Lotus and Oracle.

LearnQuick:
"Choke" Braindumps and study assistance for the MCSE.

J. Helmig's FAQ:
Lot's of bells and whistles and good data on Windows Networking.

SWYNK.COM
Provides the single largest independent resource for Microsoft related BackOffice technologies. Here you'll find information on SQL Server, Exchange, SMS, Windows 2000 and more.

NT RegHacks:
Jerold Schulman's site (jsiinc.com) has over 2300 useful tips for working with WindowsNT.

System Internals:
Provides advanced utilities, technical information and source code related to Windows 9x and Windows NT/2K.

Central Institute of Technology's free online self-study IT courses from New Zealand. This link is to the mirror site at the University of Kentucky.
Comprehensive support for engineers pursuing certification.

SearchNetworking
From the folks who bring you Whatis.com, SysAdmins are targeted for specialized search support. Scroll to the bottom of that page for more tech specific search engines.

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TCP/IP Analyzer: Reads the relevant registry settings within the browser window (using JavaScript), then makes recommendations as to how you can improve the overall performance of your internet connection.

You can acquire The Comprehensive Resource On Digital Subscriber Line Technology online. Fill in the form and download the whole darn book. It's as comfortable to read in PDF format as a sharp stick in the eye... but it's free.

An Introduction to Incident Response and Handling in a Microsoft Environment:
A Primer for the Unprepared Administrator

Help with understanding NT/2000 informational messages is available at EventId, a user supported database of WinNt/2000 Event Ids and Sources provided by Altair Technologies of Toronto.

BovisTech: An extraordinary selection of bootdisks, drivers, tips, help and utilities.

Practically Networked: Plain language small networking.

Cisco
Routers and Bridges and Switches,
Oh My!

Cisco Primer:
Internetworking Technology Overview, an example of the depth of material availble from Cisco.

The Cisco Knowledge Suite
Expert recommendations, tutorials, articles, and reference material in 11 major topic areas, including content from Cisco Press.

Group Study:
The Independent Website for the Cisco Certification Mailing List.

The Cisco Tutor

TCPMAG.COM:
Cisco's Online Certification zine. Study help, notification of changes in exams and, "Setting up your Home Lab," with Cisco routers. A minimum of three is recommended.

A Cisco Pricelist
Nobody is giving routers away.

RouterGod:
E-zine for Cisco Professionals.

Fatkid.com offers free training labs on Cisco routers and switches, free practice questions, and a rack of equipement that you can rent time on.

Novell
The Second Most Popular NOS (Network Operating System) and still in serious competition with What's In First.

The FAQ
The Knowledge Base
Product Documentation
Network Manager's Training

Tips for taking the CNE Tests

3Com
Makes bullet proof Network Interface Hardware. And has for a long time.

3Com Support

3Com White Papers

IBM
Big Blue has an 'open door' policy to its library of Red Books.

The IP Network Design Guide is representative of the talent and effort invested in the Red Books. And the best illustrated networking primer you'll ever find.

At Ponder This, you are cordially invited to match wits with some of the best minds in IBM Research. These are brain stretchers, not teasers. They make great warm-up exercises for a certifications marathon although most have nothing to do with computers.

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The Network: It's always been full of itself.

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