Shoretel Installer Training

[jrsmith1279]

I just finished the TC-101 ShoreTel Certified Installer course in Mesa, Arizona yesterday and took the test today.. I learned a few new things here and there and actually got the chance to do things like multi-site setups, experiment with SIP trunks and T1 tie lines since I haven't had a chance to do these things in the real world yet. Although I did learn things, I feel like most of the information that I received in the course was stuff that I learned on my own by just setting up a system for the first time. The question I have is, how much more advanced is the Advanced System and Troubleshoting course (TC-104)... Ajay Hauzaree, the instructor who taught the course that I attended, said that he recommends that you be a CCNA before taking the advanced course because you need to completely understand all aspects of networking.

Has anyone taken the advanced course? Can you give me a little insight as to how advanced the course is?

Thanks,
Jack Smith

[Forum]

Alot of us have taken the class, and AJay was my instructor. I thought it was pretty detailed, but of course, I have a CCNA. I don't remember all of it, but it does get more into optimal site design, understanding the Shoretel parent/child relationship, advanced failover, QOS requirements, how to appropriately spec a system based on needs, advanced troubleshooting, maintence, and learning how to accurately calculate (and understand) WAN useage (little things like operator call monitor -call presence in general- DO affect bandwidth, albeit not much).

It's definetly an interesting class to say the least.

Anybody know if Jim Pelligrini still works for Shoretel? Now there was an AWESOME trainer.

-Charles

[jrsmith1279]

Before taking the installer class I hadn't ever even considered looking in to CCNA, not I'm seriously considering putting it ahead of my MCSE studies.

A few questions I have about the advanced exam:

Are the questions as ambiguous on all of the ShoreTel exams as they were on the tc-101? There were a few questions that could be interpreted in different ways and the group of us that were taking the exam all had different opinions on the meaning of the questions. For example - The ip560 can monitor up to 6 extensions simultaneously - true or false.. Would you consider your extension to be included as 1 of the 6 extensions that you are monitoring because if so then the answer is true. If you consider that your extension is non-negotiable then you only have 5 buttons available to monitor extensions on which would make the answer false. I personally think that the answer was true, but basically our group was about 50/50 on what we thought was the correct answer.

How many questions and how much time is allowed for the exam? (I understand if nobody can remember this)

Is the exam and open-book exam like the tc-101? Is there any documentation that I can look at and study up on before even taking the course? For example, for the tc-101 the installation and planning guide and the system administrator guides were very helpful and contained probably 99% of the information that was in the exam.

Thanks,
Jack Smith

[Forum]

wow, it was like 2 years ago. The class covers the maintence manual, and has it's own classroom book that is pretty good as well. The final exam is 2 parts, 1 part written, and one part hands on. You are given an outline of a "Example" company, and asked to configure it within the time allowed (6 hours). You are in a lab, so you have your own equipment, and you have to start by loading Director, add switches, add trunks, Class of services for the various users, add the users, Hunt groups, etc. Basically build an entire multi site system with DVM. After you leave (go home), they log on and evaluate the system and give you a grade (took a week till I found out if I passed). Stupid stuff like Bandwidth Admission and little details is what gets most people.

To answer your question, an IP560 has 6 call appearcnces. 5 Can be programmed to monitor extensions. The first one is reserved for call appearance.

monitoring extensions is "technically" a different function as far as Shoretel is concerned.

I got a 98% (top of my class) in Installation, and I know I had above a 95% at system engineer class (I only remember because my boss told me I better score higher than him, and he had gotten a 95%). Of course, I "get it".