Nmap from an Ethical Hacker's View Part 1

ddonzal writes: "What, another Nmap tutorial? Yes that's true, but I am hoping to approach it a little differently than what I have seen available. I want to describe Nmap from the viewpoint of an ethical hacker and at the same time give a clear, step-by-step method of attaining a good level of proficiency. After completing this 2 Part Series and having practiced the techniques described, one should not only be able to sit at a "roundtable" with advanced security professionals and "hold their own" in a discussion concerning Nmap, but also utilize this great tool in protecting their own network. http://www.ethicalhacker.net/content/view/155/1/"