Celestix’ North Star™ professional-services team offers a technical-training course that teaches WSA/IAG fundamentals to Celestix customers who use WSA appliances. This course explains in detail the technical aspects of WSA appliances including how the appliance platform functions, how to perform day-to-day administrative tasks, how to troubleshoot issues, and how to extend and customize the system using the features of the WSA platform including Microsoft IAG 2007 software and Celestix Networks additions/extensions/modifications.

North Star delivers WSA training classes on-site at at customers' locations. Student labs include a slide presentation that covers technical information and hands-on training on live WSA appliances in the customer’s network environment. This course is highly technical in nature. We recommend this course for people who have at least a medium skill level in multiple disciplines such as networking, applications, and system administration. We also recommend this course for people who have medium to low skill levels in the field of web development.

North Star delivers WSA training courses on site using the customer’s actual network environment. The course's teacher incorporates many of the customer’s requirements into the matrix of the training. This tailored training for each customer ensures that the curriculum is highly relevant to each customer as compared with generic courses, which may not address specific needs.

Individuals who have already taken the Administrative Training course and have a solid understanding of IAG or E-Gap (implementation, integration, and administration) with a minimum recommended exposure time of 6 months, may wish to consider taking the Advanced Administrative Course which delves into more detailed information on customizing the platform and more low-level troubleshooting.

The WSA Administrative Training Course is a three-day training class with a single class fee that covers up to six attendees at each class. Contact us for current pricing. Additional attendees may join for a nominal charge. Travel expenses are not included in the class fee and vary depending on the location. If the course is purchased as part of a professional services package, standard travel rates apply.

The following is a list of topics covered in the course curriculum.

WSA System Overview

• Hardware and software technology used in WSA appliances; details components of the WSA and IAG platform.
  
• Distinctions between ISA and IAG and how they interoperate within WSA
  IAG-specific terminology
  
• IAG trunks
  
  • What basic trunks are and when/how to use them. What are their limitations?
    
  • What webmail trunks are and when/how to use them. What are their limitations?
    
  • What a portal trunk is and why to use a portal trunk over other options?
    
• The PKI (SSL Certificates) structure used by IAG.
  
• Authentication Repository basics
  
• The Celestix Advantage.

Initial setup of the system; steps to getting WSA online and working.

• Understanding what IAG passphrase and passwords are and setting them.
  
• IAG service packs.
  
• Should WSA be joined to the domain?
  
• Ramifications and elements that may require joining to the domain.

Basic, Webmail, and Redirect Trunks

• Details what a basic trunk is.
  
  • Details the steps necessary to build basic trunks including issues that may affect the building process and the options available.
    
  • Describes troubleshooting steps that effect the usage of the basic trunk.
    
• Details what a webmail trunk is.
  
  • Details the steps necessary to build webmail trunks, including issues that may affect the building process.
    
  • Describes troubleshooting steps that effect the usage of a webmail trunk.
    
• Details what a redirect trunk is.
  
  • Details the steps necessary to build a redirect trunks including issues that may affect the building process.
    
  • When and why it is better to delete these trunks.
    
• Server name translation and Initial Host Selection.
  
• What it is used for and why is it used only for basic and webmail trunks but not portal trunks?

Portal Trunks

• What are portal trunks and how to use them
  
• How to create Portal Trunks: Fields are explained in detail as are options for the applications used under the trunks.
  
• Types of applications that can be built under portal trunks
  
• Understanding Host Address Translation function and why does it apply to portal trunks?

SSL VPN (Socket level communication)

• Client computer pre-requisites to using any form of socket communication.
  
• What is SSL Wrapper/ Learn its features, limitations, and the systems that can use it.
  
• What is the Socket Forwarder?
  
  • How does it function, what are its limitations?
    
  • Troubleshooting
    
• Usage of the Network Connector.
  
  • When to use it vs. SSL Wrapper and/or Socket Forwarder
    
  • Troubleshooting
    
  • Configuration and options in detail

Monitoring and Debugging

• Understanding how IAG produces its logs and traces, as well as where the output is.
  
• How to debug the system
  
• Understanding the difference between traces and logs
  
• Usage of the Web Monitor
  
  • Statistics and Data Queries.
    
  • Securing the Web Monitor and access outside of IAG directly.
    
• Using the IAG backup system (how to generate backups, limitations, migrations and disaster/recovery)
  
• The Celestix Backup (LGV) and restoration.

Security features of WSA

• Detailing how IAG handles authentication both for portal access, but also for Single-Sign On.
  
• Describing in detail the various authentication repositories (Stock)
  
• Describing the security options for session information (in detail)
  
• Endpoint policies
  
  • How to build them, how to define them
    
  • When and how to apply and use them (Application and Session Level)
    
• Attachment Wiper (describing use and customization)
  
• IAG Content inspection and URL checking
  
  • Understanding how URL rule set checking applies to WSA with Administrators.
    
  • Understanding what content can WSA inspect and how to utilize it.

Authentication and Authorization

• Using Authorization schemes to limit access to resources.
  
  • Describes the use of layered security.
    
  • Describes the use of Local Groups
    
• Describes in detail the authentication methods available within WSA. Separate from repository information
  
• Understanding how authentication works in WSA plus process flow and options that are available.

Look and Feel Customization and Advanced Customization

• Where and how to make aesthetic changes to WSA.
  
  • Details alternate and framework changes.
    
  • Alternate/Multiple Language Support within WSA.
    
  • This is done on both the “inside” and the “outside” of WSA (exterior portal as well as internal menu that is presented post authentication)
    
• Using the Application Wrapper functions to make application level customizations without affecting the native application.
  
• Detailed information on how the Application Wrapper (AKA: AppWrap) works as well as when and how to make these changes.

Basic Tutorial of XML, Regular Expressions, ASP, and HTML

• Basic overview of XML structure
  • WSA uses a significant amount of XML for functional, aesthetic, and security/performance reasons.
    
  • Understanding how to edit and extend XML is critical to use and enhancement of WSA.
    
• Basic overview of Regular Expressions
  • Understanding what a regular expression is.
    
  • A quick chart of how to utilize regular expressions and the variable makeup of it.
    
• Basic overview of ASP and HTML
  • ASP overview (format, variables, and structure)
    
  • HTML response codes and some basic tag information.

Student Labs

• Building trunks and applications.
  
• When and why to choose specific templates
  
• Troubleshooting steps for when things do not go as expected.

For more information contact: education@celestix.com or call (510) 996-7626.