RE: Communications Analyst role, 3 rd level -- MIDRANGE-L

Rob:
I would think in order to be a 3rd level comm support guy, you would first
need to do the tasks that the 1st level and 2nd level people do.  Gotta
start at the bottom.  Comms are a different animal.  I have been doing data
comms for over 20 years now, and there is always something new to learn.
The easiest way to diagnose a comm problem are to use problem solving skills
to eliminate 80% of the potential problems/issues and then focus in on the
remaining 20%.

I seriously doubt you are going to find a single source to learn the A to Z
of all the various comm protocols mentioned.  Experience is the key, you
learn by doing, not by reading a book.  (at least that is how I learn).
Most comm protocols are based on the OSI model or use some variation on it,
so that is a good place start.  You need to understand the how the various
levels work and how they relate to one another.  In a nut shell, this is not
a month of intense training and you are done.  You will need to learn TCP/IP
from one place, SNA/APPC from another (not many places teaching that these
days) and BSC from a history book (or from an old guy like me).  

One book that I use a lot for IP issues is "learn tcp/ip in 14 days".  Two
years later I still don't know it all, but it was a great book for the
basics.  The rest is all about hands on.

cjg

Carl J. Galgano
EDI Consulting Services, Inc.
550 Kennesaw Avenue, Suite 800
Marietta, GA  30060
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http://www.ediconsulting.com
AS400 EDI, Networking, E-Commerce and Communications Consulting and
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-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Rob Phillips
Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2003 10:09 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Communications Analyst role, 3 rd level


HI I am looking into what skills and knowledge is required to be a Comm.
analyst who would resolve problems that customers are having connecting to a
AS/400 application. The platforms that the customers use are either AS/400
(50%), or anything else, using TCP/IP, APPC, and some HTTP. I am looking for
source info on how to resolve typical problems, in fact, what would be
typical problems, and how do they get resolved?
 
Thanks,
 
Rob

"Chevalier, Rick" <Rick.Chevalier@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: Touche. Yes, some
tools should be retired when they have outlived their usefulness.

Rick



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