We all know that owning home or office network to practice your skills could be quite expensive (if not possible!), especially if you need to practice with:

• Cisco Routers and Cisco Switches
• Windows 2003 or 2008 servers
• MS-SQL 2003 or MS-SQL 2008 servers
• MS-SharePoint 2007
• MS-Exchange Server 2003 and 2007

Until today, it was possible only in an expensive classroom environment and for a short time (usually no more than for 5 days). Let's face it: is it possible to memorize all the information that instructors try to squeeze into your brain within short time in addition to the labs you really don't want to miss? The result? A lot of spent money and almost no memories of the presented material. Many of us had similar experience.

How many times you wish you had a full network with the Microsoft servers and workstations or Cisco routers and switches at home AS LONG AS YOU NEED having an opportunity to practice before taking the computer networking or operating system certification exam like MCSE or CCNA?

Just think about the total cost of the hardware and software! On the other hand, would it be great to be able to login to your own network from anywhere and be able to practice as long as you want?

• Reduce costs by not having to pay for hardware or license software
• Save energy by not powering your own dedicated equipment
• Utilize staff time better by not having a burden of maintaining and developing your own test labs (for corporations).
• Wide range of technologies covered (Microsoft and Cisco)
• Very affordable fees

 Practice Labs for IT Training have been developed to cover most of the hands-on tasks required for industry certifications. They can be customized to your tasks. We can also create a new lab (will be available online) crafted to your specification per your request. Please click on the PC requirements tab to get a full list of computer and broadband requirements needed for Practice Labs.

RTEK 2000 provides flexibility and a freedom of choice:

• Access the labs from Home PC, laptop, or Office PC
• Buy 3, 6, or 12 month subscription to online hands-on labs
• Save more if you buy a "Total Training Solution" or together with Transcender software or Self-Training Video (with the instructor available 24x7)!
• Buy only one lab access that you need now or as many as you need with a great saving! Contact us now, and we will find the best solution for your current needs.

Browse our labs (next tab on the right).

 Minimum Requirements for Practice Labs online access:
In order to access the Practice Labs the End User must meet the following requirements (minimum):

1. Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 (and above) installed on their workstation
2. A minimum 512KB broadband internet connection
3. At least 1024 x 768 screen resolution
4. Firewall port 80 (http) and 443 (https) open
5. The ability to install digitally signed ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer

In order to connect to the service successfully please ensure the following components are installed for your computers relevant operating system:
     Windows XP Users:

• Sun Java (Use the url provided to download the latest version Java for Windows and Internet Explorer)
• Remote Desktop Connection (Terminal Services Client 6.0) for XP

     For all browsers and OSs:
- Add https://labs.rtek2000.com to trusted sites in Internet Explorer security settings.

 Labs Portal Guide (PDF) - recommended reading.


Before You Start

• Windows XP Users
• Windows Vista Users

Recommended & Minimum System Requirements Get Started

• Connecting to the Portal
• Signing In to the Portal
• Getting around the Portal
• Connecting to Your Practice-Lab
• Using Your Practice-Lab
• Logging Out

Sharing Your Lab (Mentoring or assistance)

• Share your lab
• Accessing a Shared lab
• Removing a share
• Windows Server 2003 Connection Procedure
• Windows XP Connection Procedure
• Using the 3rd Party

Host Power Functions

• Supported Hosts
• The device states
• Issuing Power Commands
• What if I close the window?

Using Notes

• Introduction
• Creating a note
• Amending a note
• Deleting a note
• Potential connection problems

You will gain unrestricted access to real server and network equipment to develop practical IT skills and be ready for tough exam questions. Using your browser, you will be able learn, explore and perform without fear of breaking anything. No matter what your actual experince is (beginner or professional) our hands-on labs will be your strong base to build the confidence in your skills.

  Questions? Give us a call!

  Lab Demo by Our Partner

  Latest notes from our users:

Task ideas for Microsoft MCSE lab by Ricky
Created: 01/05/2009 16:24:00

• Join the stand alone server to the Active Directory domain.
• Create a new Active Directory domain on the stand alone server.
• Create a second domain controller on the stand alone server.
• Create and deploy group policies.
• Try some scripting -
• New user scripts.
• Change user details.
• Create new DNS zones.
• Install and configure WINS.
• Install and configure DHCP.

Changing SPLAT NIC configuration by Jeggs
Created: 02/05/2009 13:06:00
ethtool eth0

ethtool -s (interface name) speed (speed) duplex (duplex) autoneg (on | off)

to set the nic to 100/full duplex with no auto negotiation
ethtool -s eth0 speed 100 duplex full autoneg off

Exercise2 resolution by Karen
28/04/2009
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/841996

Task ideas for Microsoft MCSE lab by Ricky
Created: 01/05/2009 16:24:00
-Join the stand alone server to the Active Directory domain.
-Create a new Active Directory domain on the stand alone server.
-Create a second domain controller on the stand alone server.
-Create and deploy group policies.
-Try some scripting -
-New user scripts.
Change user details.
-Create new DNS zones.
-Install and configure WINS.
-Install and configure DHCP.



Performance Based Testing by Ricky
15/04/2009
I came accross this article (a little old) but none the less it shows that Microsoft are trying to make certifications more difficult to get. Going forward you wont be able to memorise the questions from a brain dump will actually have to know your product.

http://www.certmag.com/read.php?in=3443

TCL Shell - Ping example by Jeggs
08/04/2009
Ever used the tcl shell?

Here is an interesting use:

Creating a script that pings a number of devices in sequence, for instance:

tclsh

foreach ipadd {
192.168.16.1
192.168.17.1
} {puts [exec "ping $ipadd"]}
this small script will go away and ping the two ip addresses enter.... handy!

Microsoft Windows XP Keyboard Shortcuts by Ricky
01/04/2009

• Open Windows Explorer - "Windows Key" + e (at the same time)
• Launch Run - "Windows Key" + r (at the same time)
• Launch Task Manager - "Ctrl" + "Shift key" + "Esc" (at the same time)

Creating html document elements in Javascript by Jeggs
31/03/2009
var new_div = document.createElement('div');
document.body.appendChild(new_div);
new_div.id = 'newdiv';
new_div.className = 'brightblue';
new_div.innerHTML += 'Hello';


Checkpoint disk space usage by Jeggs
28/03/2009
At regular intervals the disk space on your Checkpoint firewalls should be monitored. If you are using Checkpoints Secure Platform (commonly known as SPLAT) then you can check the diskspace usage using the following command:

You will need to enter Expert mode to run this command:
"df -k"

This will give you a list of partition space usage. Be carefull when you have a high amount of rules being logged on your Checkpoint installations as without correct log rotation you can quickly eat up hundreds of MB's of diskspace each day.

Routing - Terminal Server Example by Ricky
20/03/2009
Terminal Server (Console server, using NM-32A) basic example
service timestamps debug datetime localtime show-timezone
service timestamps log datetime localtime show-timezone
no service password-encryption
!
hostname TServer
!
logging buffered 16000 debugging
!
!
no ip domain-lookup
ip host r10 2042 172.16.1.1
ip host r9 2041 172.16.1.1
ip host r8 2040 172.16.1.1
ip host r7 2039 172.16.1.1
ip host r6 2038 172.16.1.1
ip host r5 2037 172.16.1.1
ip host r4 2036 172.16.1.1
ip host r2 2034 172.16.1.1
ip host r3 2035 172.16.1.1
ip host r1 2033 172.16.1.1
!
!
!
!
interface Loopback1
ip address 172.16.1.1 255.255.255.255
!
interface Ethernet0/0
ip address 192.168.0.1 255.255.255.0
!
!
// NM Lines below (slot Network Module (NM) slot - 0)
// allowing all transports (telnet etc)
line 33 64
flush-at-activation
no exec
transport input all


Enable Control Panel Category View by Ricky
16/03/2009
In Control Panel:
Open Folder Options | General tab | Tick: "Show common tasks in folders" | Apply | OK
Switch to Category View

RIPV2 configuration 1 by Jeggs
11/03/2009
Routing Configurations for "Routing Protocol Concepts and Configuration"