Essential IT for the Small Business (Business Outreach) -- Detailed Description
The small business owner or administrator today has little time for the following kinds of problems:
- Computer and Network Administration
- Internet Connectivity and Troubleshooting
- Email Issues, such as Spam, Failed Message Notificiations, and Filtering
- Printing and Scanning Problems
- Security, Profiles, Permissions and Spyware
- Application Issues
- Computer Use and Productivity
And yet if you run a small business today you will find yourself spending WAY too much time trying to troubleshoot these and other issues surrounding one of the most critically important part of your organization -- technology. Some companies solve this problem by outsourcing their IT needs completely, but that can be expensive. That's why we have developed this course.
During a four week period, you will spend three hours each Wednesday morning learning precisely what you need to know about every one of the following topics above and more. The information will be delivered so that ANYONE can understand it, and a set of troubleshooting tools will be developed by the student so that they can begin to think the way IT professionals think when they solve problems.
Have you ever spent three hours banging your head against the wall while you try to solve a problem with the network, computers, or perhaps email, until you finally gave up, called an IT professional, and they solved the problem in less than a half hour? The reason for this apparent magic is more than experience - it's a way of thinking about technology. Specifically, it is a method of troubleshooting that acts as a laser to identify problems, and it so happens that it has been developed without a structured approach, but through many years of experience. For the first time, we are going to deliver this method to the person who needs it the most -- the small business owner or administrator.
BONUS -- those who enroll in this course before December 15th will receive free email consultation for their business during the four-week period of the course. They will be allowed to email the instructor with any technology question that might be problematic for their business and the instructor will respond with specific solutions. This bonus itself can prove to be worth the price of the course.
Week 1 - The Basics
No one can create a comprehensive set of tools or change the way they solve IT problems without covering certain body of knowledge. The first week will be spent doing just that, but in an easy-to-understand format. Using graphic examples, and topical analogies, you will learn how your entire network is put together, and, more importantly, how it works. This includes not just the computers you employ in your office, but how they connect to the world. On the server, the concepts of authentication, permissions, and rights will be explained in simple, non-technical language. For the employee computers, topics will include rights, permissions, printing issues/drivers, and application problems. Plenty of anectdotes and real-life examples will be delivered so that what you will understand precisely how to apply what you are learning. At the end of the session there wil be thirty minutes devoted to question and answer so that specific issues can be addressed. Homework will be assigned so that the student will spend some time in the ensuing week examining their own business environment so as to learn how the lecture top applies to them.
Week 2 - Computer, Network and Server Administration
Building on prior basic understanding, you will learn this week how to add users to the network, the fundamentals of network administration from connectivity standpoint, measuring performance, understanding how Email systems work, as well as rights, permissions and authentication. An understanding of basic security principles will be covered, so that the student can begin to make the relevant choices in order to apply the principles to their own business environment. More extensive homework assignments will provide the student with a foundation for the creation of a set of troubleshooting tools and methodology.
Week 3 - Fundamentals of Troubleshooting
Armed with the knowledge of the prior two weeks, students will begin to tackle common problems that occur, with an eye toward developing a troubleshooting methodology. Network connectivity, performance, computer resource enhancement, LAN vs. WAN, Email problems, and DNS will all be covered in such a way so that you will be able to pinpoint precisely what the source of the problem is, and how to solve it. The homework assignment for this week will be the initial development of the Troubleshooting Kit which is customized for each individual taking the class, so that by the end of the course the student has a very specific set of tools and procedures they will follow when troubleshooting their own problems.
Week 4 - Advanced concepts in Troubleshooting and Network Architecture
Some problems have a way of hiding behind others, where the true source of the problem is masked, and many hours can be spent chasing red herrings in an effort to solve a given problem. These kinds of issues can cost a great deal of time, and this part of the course is designed to prevent you from falling victim to these kinds of issues. Students will also complete their Troubleshooting Kits, and refine them to the point that they become truly useful.
A bonus topic for this final week will be the deployment of some advanced networking architecture, particularly the development of an Intranet, and a Virtual Private Network. Remote Access will also be covered, and how to configure your routers and firewalls to allow for these techniques. This is an optional component of the course. Those who would rather hone their troubleshooting techniques and develop their kits can do so during this discussion. The last class will go through 1PM to accomodate these additional topics for those that are interested.
