Contact and inventory information about the Academy Marketplace and the Course Catalog. Resource Center and relevant material to involved.  It will cover program information, curriculum resources, professional development material and special news/announcements.  Location for accessing, uploading and downloading documents. Customer Service and the Virtual HelpDesk will be covered.  Helpdesk is 24 hours a day.  Also include will be a glossary of terms and  become aware of important legal obligations associated in being a member of the Cisco Networking Academy Program.

The Academy Marketplace offers products and services to academies at a cost or discounted price. The products include hardware, software, lab kits, reference material and apparel. Many partners include:  Sun Microsystems, Panduit, Fluke Networks, SIGMAnet, Cisco Press, The Siemon Company, Land’s End, Adobe Systems, Hewlett Packard, Adtran, JourneyEd, APC and CompTIA. Cisco is committed to creating partnerships that will benefit academies, instructors and students.

The course catalog is available anyone who might want to get information about courses that are available to an academy.  If a course is not available it is noted with an asterisk.

The library is the central repository for content.  A navigation bar is available which includes:  program information, course and curriculum, professional development, and news and announcements. Program Information:  Overview, guides, reports, policies and guidelines are available about the Cisco Networking Academy Programs. Course and Curriculum:  Overview, labs and equipment, downloads, and reports for specific courses and curriculum. Professional Development:  This area give guidance relating to certifications/career paths, continued education and life long learning, workplace learning initiatives, and job placement and career development. News and Announcements:  This area will give current information on many aspects of the Academy Community.  Some include events, procedures, changes in policies and schedules and reports.

Instructors may share materials in which they have developed via the upload area in the resource center.  The user must accept the legal agreement. When uploading the use must provide:  language, information type, curriculum, course, short Title.

Instructors can download material made available by colleagues.  Instructors can search for downloads based on keywords, information type, curriculum, course, version, language, and topic.  Once an instructor finds the material in which to use, statements will have to be checked in regards to I have read … and  I have accepted the terms…..

The resource center has many valuable tools available for the delivery of the curriculum which include:  Subnet Calculator, Configuration Maker, Cisco Network Designer,  eSims,  eLabs, Instructor and Student Training Guides

The Academy Connection Support Team is staffed 24/7, 365 days by four methods:  phone, email, fax, and AOL instant messenger. Users can access an online website for FAQs about the Academy Program.  If a user cannot find the information needed, they can contact the support team via the already discussed methods.

The Knowledge Management Tool will give the majority of the program support.  The features include: Search for Information, ask if information is not found, rate the answer you receive, receive automated updates when information changes. Each user is given a personal area of the Knowledge Management Tool.  This will allow them to access question both current and previously submitted questions. The Academy Connection Support team strives to do their best and are continually modifying to improve the Knowledge Management Tool.  Any FAQs will be updated throught the Intelligent Knowledge Base.

A list of non-curriculum terms are available to assist in explaining and defining words or concepts that might not be familiar.  The Resource Section of the user’s homepage is where this can be found.

Copyright:  It is very important to know that all program material, including but not limited to, curriculum, exams, and course materials are Cisco Systems copyrighted material. Trademarks:  The Networking Academy logo may be used active academies when following the guidelines.  This is both with marketing and delivery of the program.  The logo and guidelines are available for download.  Please follow the guidelines and if there are questions be sure ask or go to www.cisco.com/logo/policy.html Security Guidelines:  All program material must stay within the Academy community.  In regards to curriculum downloads, it was be put on an Academy LAN and be password protected. In regards to classroom instruction, students should be given access to program material and not to the instructor online area.  Pay close attention to students in regards to cheating on exams and copying program material. The Program exam procedures are to be followed, which means exams are to be taken online via the Academy Connection. Program Termination:  If a program is terminated it must to all termination requirements.  This involves returning all Program material.  Written notification will be sent to Cisco or the parent Academy within ten days of termination.

This concludes Chapter 7 on resources.  Discussed was the Academy Marketplace, the Resource Center, and the Legal Issues.