Course Title: Determine best-fit topology for a local network
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2019
Course Code: COSC7360C
Course Title: Determine best-fit topology for a local network
School: 650T Vocational Business Education
Campus: City Campus
Program: C5341 - Diploma of Information Technology
Course Contact: Val Christou
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5076
Course Contact Email: val.christou@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Course Leader: Michael Edwards
9925 1615
Nominal Hours: 20
Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites
None
Course Description
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to determine the most appropriate way of networking computers to meet user needs and business requirements.
It applies to individuals in senior networking roles who are required to plan the most appropriate topology for a proposed network.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
ICTNWK516 Determine best-fit topology for a local network |
Element: |
1. Determine user needs |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1 Identify the different segments of the proposed network based on business requirements |
Element: |
2. Develop local area network specification |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 Determine the resource requirements for each network segment on the basis of functional analysis |
Learning Outcomes
Details of Learning Activities
A range of learning activities are planned for this course on a variety of topics as shown in the teaching schedule.
This may include self-paced and collaborative classroom activities such as:
- Class exercises
- Challenges
- Problem solving
- Project work
- Quizzes
We expect you to participate and contribute in all scheduled learning activities as each week builds on the next.
Teaching Schedule
Course Delivery:
The nominal hours associated with this are a guide only and represent the total teaching time and student effort required to successfully complete the course. This may include not only scheduled classes but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Week |
Week Commencing |
Topic |
Learning Materials and Activities |
Assessment Remarks |
1 |
11 Feb |
Introduction to the Course including: |
Intro to Packet tracer activity 1 Packet tracer activity 2 Weekly Handout with task details |
|
2 |
18 Feb |
IP addressing of networks |
Addressing Packet tracer activity 1 LAN Packet tracer activity 2 LAN Packet tracer activity 3 Troubleshooting Packet tracer activity 4 Weekly Handout with task details |
|
3 |
25 Feb |
More on IP addressing , Creating a basic Wireless Local Area Network, Switch configuration and VMWare |
WLAN Packet tracer activity 1 WLAN Packet tracer activity 2 Virtual Machine configuration Weekly Handout with task details |
|
4 |
4 Mar |
Virtual Machines, Installing operating systems, configuring a LAN, troubleshoot and documentation |
Virtual Machine configuration Weekly Handout with task details |
|
5 |
11 Mar |
Introduction to WAN, Configuring a router and troubleshooting |
WAN Packet tracer activity 1 WAN Packet tracer activity 2 WAN Packet tracer activity 3 WAN Packet tracer activity 4 Troubleshooting Packet tracer activity 5 Weekly Handout with task details |
|
6 |
18 Mar |
Revision of previous weeks tasks for Assessment 1 |
Revision of previous weeks work LAN and Wireless activities |
Revision for Assessment 1 next week |
7 |
25 Mar |
Assessment 1 – Configuring a LAN and a Wireless LAN as per business needs. |
Assessment 1 in class |
Assessment 1 in class |
8 |
1 Apr |
Resits, Introduction to WAN’s Routing protocols IP, IPX, AppleTalk. Router operations, double data rate (DDR), RIP, EIGRP, OSPF |
WAN Packet tracer activity 1 WAN Packet tracer activity 2 WAN Packet tracer activity 3 Weekly Handout with task details |
Assessment 3-Project specifications given out |
9 |
8 Apr |
Configuring a WAN, troubleshoot and document. Configuring router to be a DHCP. |
WAN Packet tracer activity 1 WAN Packet tracer activity 2 WAN Packet tracer activity 3 WAN Packet tracer activity 4 Troubleshooting Packet tracer activity 5 Weekly Handout with task details |
|
10 |
15 Apr |
Configuring a WAN, troubleshooting issues and documentation |
WAN Packet tracer activity 1 WAN Packet tracer activity 2 Troubleshooting Packet tracer activity 5 Weekly Handout with task details |
|
Break (Friday 19 April - Friday 26 April) | ||||
11 |
29 Apr |
Revision of previous weeks tasks for Assessment 2 |
In class WAN and LAN, router and switch activities |
Revision for Assessment 2 next week |
12 |
6 May |
Assessment 2 – Configuring a WAN as per business needs and constraints. |
Assessment 2 in class |
Assessment 2 in class |
13 |
13 May |
Resits, ACL’s, NAT, Lab Router Activity VPN’s, business considerations - growth projections, capacity planning, High and low speed links, redundancy paths. |
ACL Packet tracer activity 1 ACL Packet tracer activity 2 NAT Packet tracer activity 3 Router Packet tracer activity 4 Weekly Handout with task details |
|
14 |
20 May |
Response time and reliability requirements, Scope of operations, traffic flow patterns, traffic load and working on projects. |
WAN Packet tracer activity 1 WAN Packet tracer activity 2 Packet tracer activity 2 Weekly Handout with task details |
Activity to prepare for Assessment 3 submission |
15 |
27 May |
Assessment 3 - Project due |
Complete assessment task 3 and class Presentations |
Assessment 3 due |
16 |
3 Jun |
Feedback resits and review |
|
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
References
Other Resources
You will need laptop with charger for each class You may also refer to various media, websites, textbooks and e-books as indicated in Canvas
Overview of Assessment
In order to achieve competency in this unit, you must provide:
Performance Evidence
Evidence of the ability to:
- analyse business or organisational needs
- identify the most appropriate local area network (LAN), virtual private network (VPN) or wireless local area network (WLAN) topology
- document recommendations.
Knowledge Evidence
To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, you must:
- summarise the typical network topologies for the following:
- large and small LANs
- wide area networks (WANs)
- VPNs
- virtual local area networks (VLANs)
- WLANs
- identify and describe the typical components of a local network, including:
- adaptor cards
- bridges
- Ethernet hardware
- gateways
- hubs
- routers
- describe the software and programming requirements of a local network, including:
- security protocols
- transmission control protocol or internet protocol (TCP/IP)
- describe the business consideration for establishing a local network including:
- growth projections and capacity planning
- costs and queuing constraints
- high and low speed links
- redundancy paths
- response time and reliability requirements
- scope of operation
- traffic flow patterns
- traffic load
- application requirements of users
- outline of installation requirements for local area networks:
- cabling, particularly unshielded twisted pair (UTP), shielded twisted pair (STP) or optic fibre
- characteristics and relative strengths and weaknesses of LAN network topologies
- features and capabilities of current industry accepted hardware and software products
- features of line sharing protocols.
Assessment Conditions
Assessment must be conducted in a safe environment where evidence gathered demonstrates consistent performance in conditions that are safe and replicate the workplace. Noise levels, production flow, interruptions and time variances must be typical of those experienced in the network industry, and include access to:
- business requirements
- equipment specifications
- organisational and industry costing.
You are advised that you are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate your assessment work to your teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.
Feedback
Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions. You are encouraged to ask and answer questions during class time and online sessions so that you can obtain feedback on your understanding of the concepts and issues being discussed. Finally, you can email or arrange an appointment with your teacher to gain more feedback on your progress.
You should take note of all feedback received and use this information to improve your learning outcomes and final performance in the course.
Assessment Tasks
Please note the following two units:
COSC 7360C (ICTNWK516) - Determine best-fit topology for a local network
and
COSC 7361C (ICTNWK517) - Determine best-fit topology for a wide area network
are clustered and therefore co-delivered and co-assessed holistically.
Assessment Tasks
You are required to complete 3 Assessments. You must successfully complete all 3 assessments to be deemed competent in this unit.
Assessment 1: (Week 7)
Assessment 1 is an in class task where you determine user needs and develop a local area network specification based on the business requirements.
The tasks that need to be done are made up of 2 parts as follows:
- Part 1: An online multiple answer quiz to test the underlying principles and knowledge learnt so far in Local Area Networks.
- Part 2: This is a packet tracer activity. You will be asked to configure a wireless router with IP addresses, secure it with a SSID, a password, and connect wired and wireless devices to the router.
Assessment 2: (Week 12)
Assessment 2 is an in class task where you will identify WAN needs and create a WAN to specifications.
The tasks that need to be done are made up of 2 parts as follows:
- Part 1: An online multiple answer quiz to test the underlying principles and knowledge learnt so far in Wide Area Networks.
- Part 2: This is a packet tracer activity. You will need to configure a Wide Area Network to specification using a combination of network devices like routers, routing protocols, switches and PC’s.
Assessment 3: (Week 15)
In Assessment 3 you will submit a project that will be a tender document; this will be based on client /construction specifications given to you in class. This will be a group project and you will collaborate with your teammate to complete it. You will also present your project to the class in week 15. The project will include the skills and knowledge gained through the semester classes and will include LAN and WAN components.
- Create and summarise a typical network topology used
- Identify and describe the typical components of a local network
- Describe the software and programming requirements of a local network
- Describing the business consideration for establishing a local network
- Outline of installation requirements for local area networks:
- Create and summarise the typical network topologies for WAN
- Identify and describe the typical components and technologies required for a WAN
- Describe the business consideration for establishing a WAN.
Assessment Matrix
Elements/Performance Criteria |
Assessment Details |
|
1. Determine user needs 1.1 Identify the different segments of the proposed network based on business requirements 1.2 Determine segment needs, using network functional analysis 1.3 Estimate traffic content and volumes based on business requirements 1.4 Develop a prioritised organisational network functional matrix |
Assessment 1.2 LAN Assessment 2.2 WAN Assessment 3 Project |
|
2. Develop local area network specification 2.1 Determine the resource requirements for each network segment on the basis of functional analysis 2.2 Analyse features of the physical environment for the effect on network design 2.3 Conduct a costing process for possible topology options 2.4 Consider topology options with reference to available resources and network functional matrix 2.5 Select and document appropriate network topology based on business requirements and functional analysis |
Assessment 1.2 LAN Assessment 2.2 WAN Assessment 3 Project |
|
Performance Evidence Evidence of the ability to: analyse business or organisational needs identify the most appropriate local area network (LAN), virtual private network (VPN) or wireless local area network (WLAN) topology document recommendations. |
Assessment 1.2 LAN Assessment 2.2 WAN Assessment 3 Project |
|
Knowledge Evidence To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, the individual must: summarise the typical network topologies for the following:
identify and describe the typical components of a local network, including:
describe the software and programming requirements of a local network, including:
describe the business consideration for establishing a local network including:
outline of installation requirements for local area networks:
features of line sharing protocols. |
Assessment 1.1Quiz Assessment 1.2 LAN Assessment 2.1 Quiz Assessment 2.2 WAN Assessment 3 Project |
Other Information
Submission Requirements
You should:
• Ensure that you submit assessments on or before the due date.
• Always retain a copy of your assessment tasks. (hard copy and soft copy)
• When you submit work for assessment at RMIT University you need to use a cover sheet that includes a declaration and statement of authorship. You must complete, sign and submit a cover sheet with all work you submit for assessment, whether individual or group work. On the cover sheet you declare that the work you are presenting for assessment is your own work. An assignment cover sheet for submission of each assessment task is available on Canvas.
• Each page of your assessment should include footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment, unit code and title and page numbers. For example, Julie Macpherson, 324567, Task 2, OHS2345C Ensure safe workplace, Page 1 of 10.
Late Submission Procedures
You are required to submit assessment items and/or ensure performance based assessment is completed by the due dates.
If you are prevented from submitting an assessment item on time, by circumstances outside your control, you may apply in advance to your teacher for an extension to the due date of up to seven calendar days.
More Information: http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment/extension
Form to use: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/seca86tti4g4z.pdf
Where an extension of greater than seven days is needed, you must apply for special consideration. Applications for special consideration must be submitted no later than two working days after the assessment task deadline or scheduled examination.
More Information: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=g43abm17hc9w
Form to use: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/8a5dgcaqvaes1.pdf
Resubmissions (VET Programs):
If you are found to be unsuccessful in a Course Assessment Task you will be allowed one resubmission only. Your teacher will provide feedback regarding what you need to do to improve and will set a new deadline for the resubmission. The highest grade you will receive if your resubmission is successful is “CAG”.
If you are still not meeting the assessment requirements you must apply to your Program Manager in writing outlining the steps you will take to demonstrate competence in your course. Your submission will be considered by the Program Team and you will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible.
Adjustments to Assessment
In certain circumstances students may be eligible for an assessment adjustment. For more information about the circumstances under which the assessment arrangements might be granted please access the following website:
More Information: http://rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=7usdbki1fjf31
Marking Guide (Competency):
You must demonstrate that you have all the required skills/knowledge/elements in the unit of competency you are studying.
You will receive feedback on each assessment task that will inform you about your progress and how well you are performing.
Marking Guide (Grading)
After achieving competency we then grade your performance in the unit and you will achieve one of the following grades:
Final Grades table:
CHD Competent with High Distinction
CDI Competent with Distinction
CC Competent with Credit
CAG Competency Achieved – Graded
NYC Not Yet Competent
DNS Did Not Submit for assessment
Further information regarding the application of the grading criteria will be provided by your teacher.
Course Overview: Access Course Overview