In recent years, Iran has witnessed a significant migration of its specialists due to social and economic challenges. As someone who has taught networking for years, I decided to start a different kind of course. Traditionally, students have followed a sequential path based on their needs: starting with Network+ as a prerequisite, then moving on to Cisco CCNA, and finally specializing in Microsoft, MikroTik, or Linux. This approach stems from the fact that large-scale networks in Iran are few, while small-scale networks are numerous. Companies typically require a generalist who can manage various aspects of their network rather than a deep specialist focused solely on Cisco protocols or services.
Moreover, due to sanctions and the high cost of the dollar, the types of tools and equipment used have changed. A company that once used Cisco equipment might now rely on MikroTik, or one that had Microsoft email servers might now use Linux tools. These examples illustrate the current state of networking in Iran. The market demand and prevailing conditions have necessitated a broad-based skill set rather than deep specialization in one area. With this idea, I created a comprehensive masterclass in networking, combining the essentials of the most widely-used equipment and operating systems into one course, called the Network Masterclass, available on the Netmask site.
The course includes:
- Network+: This prerequisite course covers theoretical concepts fundamental to networking.
- CCNA: Focuses on installing, implementing, and managing Cisco equipment, with an emphasis on routing, switching, and working with routing protocols.
- MTCNA: Covers routing, switching, and some security aspects of MikroTik, enabling participants to handle various tasks within MikroTik.
- MCSA: Provides extensive knowledge on managing network services in Microsoft environments. Topics include user management, disk and access level management, domain controller setup and management, DNS, DHCP, and more.
- LPIC1: Teaches Linux on the popular Ubuntu distribution, covering installation, partitioning, user management, access control, networking, firewall configuration, and more. Additionally, we will have four sessions on Linux networking with Jadi.
Throughout the course, participants will have access to virtual machines for Cisco, MikroTik, Windows, and Linux. For those wanting dedicated resources, a special lab pack is available.
Additionally, we will host 15 specialized webinars with industry leaders such as Jadi, Yashar Shahinzadeh, Milad Afshari, Mark Pashm Foroush, and Mohammad Abedini. We will also organize 15 meetups in underdeveloped cities to establish networking communities before expanding to larger cities.
I am personally sponsoring 30 students from Iran’s border regions. If you are from these areas and face financial difficulties, please email masterclass@netmask.ir with your situation. Netmask will contact you if you qualify.
Businesses can support in three ways:
- Financial sponsorship. Email marketing@netmask.ir to receive a proposal and discuss further.
- Sponsoring students’ tuition.
- Hiring top graduates as interns.
We also need media partners to cover our networking news. Contact us via the same email for collaboration.
We have also launched a Telegram bot for learning networking in a fun and rewarding way. More details will be shared soon.
Best regards,
Saeed Souzangar
