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FIT2018 Network administration - Semester 1 , 2008

Unit leader :

Jefferson Tan

Lecturer(s) :

Caulfield

  • Jefferson Tan

Malaysia

  • Tham Weng Kee

Introduction

This unit guide contains information regarding the intended delivery of this unit. The synopsis, objectives, and broad assessment details for this unit are published in the official university handbook entry:

 http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/FIT2018.html 

This unit guide does not supersede the official handbook entry as in the above link. However, the sequence of lectures and topics, or the degree of emphasis on particular topics as implied by their inclusion in the topical outline in this unit guide, may be varied during the semester at the discretion of the chief examiner. However, such variations will never compromise the unit objectives.

Unit synopsis

The unit will provide students with fundamentals and theoretical foundations of Network Administration as well as practical skills needed to plan, provide and manage networks, by presentation of the following topics:
  • Introduction to Network Administration. Scope, Goals, Philosophy and Standards .
  • IT System Components and Network Structures, Technology and Protocols.
  • System Administration: Host computer and User management.
  • Network Administration methods and standards.
  • Device Management methods and standards.
  • Management issues: Planning, Implementation, Fault diagnosis and Performance.
  • Network Simulation as a management tool.
  • Network Documentation.
  • Network Security and Administration.
  • Provision and Management of common network and application services, such as name, database and web servers.

Learning outcomes

This unit will develop student knowledge of the tools and techniques for Network Administration. On completion of this unit, the student should:
  • have an understanding of the role of a network administrator
  • have basic knowledge and experience in configuration and management of network infrastucture protocols used in internets
  • have basic knowledge of network application protocols and data structures used for system and network management
  • understand factors involved in and be able to manage the security, reliability and performance of computer networks
  • be able to independently research topics and resolve problems associated with network management
  • be able to understand and use a range of hardware and software tools for network administration
  • be able to install, configure and manage network application services such as name, database and web servers.

Workload

Students will be expected to spend a total of 12 hours per week during semester on this unit. This will include:

  • Lectures: 2 hours per week
  • Tutorials/Lab sessions: 2 hours per week per tutorial
  • and up to an additional 8 hours in some weeks for completing lab and project work, private study and revision.

Unit relationships

Prerequisites

Before attempting this unit you must have satisfactorily completed FIT1005 Networks and Data Communications, or equivalent. Some known equivalents to FIT1005 are CSE2318, CSE3318, CSE9801, BUS3150 and FIT2008. To determine equivalency of other possible prerequisites, please consult with chief examiner via email.

Relationships

FIT2018 is a core unit in the net-centric major of the Bachelor of Information Technology and Systems degree.

Before attempting this unit you must have satisfactorily completed FIT1005 Networks and Data Communications or equivalent.

You may not study this unit and CSE3153 Network Administration or CPE3012 Network Administration in your degree.

CPE5013 Network Administration shares some similar lectures and tutorials as FIT2018, but they are not equivalent.

Continuous improvement

Monash is committed to ‘Excellence in education' and strives for the highest possible quality in teaching and learning. To monitor how successful we are in providing quality teaching and learning Monash regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. Two of the formal ways that you are invited to provide feedback are through Unit Evaluations and through Monquest Teaching Evaluations.

One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through Unit Evaluation Surveys. It is Monash policy for every unit offered to be evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys as they are an important avenue for students to "have their say". The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.

Student Evaluations

The Faculty of IT administers the Unit Evaluation surveys online through the my.monash portal, although for some smaller classes there may be alternative evaluations conducted in class.

If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to http://www.monash.edu.au/unit-evaluation-reports/

Over the past few years the Faculty of Information Technology has made a number of improvements to its courses as a result of unit evaluation feedback. Some of these include systematic analysis and planning of unit improvements, and consistent assignment return guidelines.

Monquest Teaching Evaluation surveys may be used by some of your academic staff this semester. They are administered by the Centre for Higher Education Quality (CHEQ) and may be completed in class with a facilitator or on-line through the my.monash portal. The data provided to lecturers is completely anonymous. Monquest surveys provide academic staff with evidence of the effectiveness of their teaching and identify areas for improvement. Individual Monquest reports are confidential, however, you can see the summary results of Monquest evaluations for 2006 at http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/cheq/evaluations/monquest/profiles/index.html

Unit staff - contact details

Unit leader

Dr Jefferson Tan
Lecturer
Phone +61 3 990 31172
Fax +61 3 9903 1077

Lecturer(s) :

Dr Jefferson Tan
Lecturer
Phone +61 3 990 31172
Fax +61 3 9903 1077
Mr Weng Tham

Additional communication information

The best opportunity for discussing unit topics is through tutorials and face to face consultations. These are scheduled regularly during the semester. Additional consultation is possible, but please e-mail the lecturer or tutor in order to make an appointment.

The Blackboard/MUSO discussion tool (forum) is another option. In some situations, this will be more appropriate, particularly where the question may be relevant not only the student posing the question. The response time, however, may vary. Lecturers and tutors will endeavor to reply in a timely fashion, but there is no guarantee of immediate electronic replies after hours, whether by e-mail or Blackboard/MUSO.

Teaching and learning method

  • On campus Lecture
  • On campus Tutorial/Laboratory

Communication, participation and feedback

Monash aims to provide a learning environment in which students receive a range of ongoing feedback throughout their studies. You will receive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This may take the form of group feedback, individual feedback, peer feedback, self-comparison, verbal and written feedback, discussions (on line and in class) as well as more formal feedback related to assignment marks and grades. You are encouraged to draw on a variety of feedback to enhance your learning.

It is essential that you take action immediately if you realise that you have a problem that is affecting your study. Semesters are short, so we can help you best if you let us know as soon as problems arise. Regardless of whether the problem is related directly to your progress in the unit, if it is likely to interfere with your progress you should discuss it with your lecturer or a Community Service counsellor as soon as possible.

Face to face consultation is generally best, particularly when discussing unit topics. Apart from scheduled consultation hours and tutorials, students may arrange for alternative appointments via e-mail, either with the lecturer or their tutor.

In some situations, Blackboard/MUSO forums via the Discussion Tool will be preferable, particularly where the discussion will benefit not only the student raising the question. While the lecturer and tutors will do their best in responding to forum posts in a timely fashion, there is no guarantee of immediate replies, particularly after hours. 

Unit Schedule

Week Topic Key dates
1 Introduction to Network Administration  
2 IT System Components  
3 System Management  
4 Configuration management  
Mid semester break
5 TCP/IP Network Administration Assignment 1 due
6 Methods of Network Administration: SNMP & RMON  
7 Fault management. Performance management  
8 DeskTop & Enterprise management Assignment 2 due
9 Network security  
10 Network Simulation & Documentation  
11 Web Based Network Management  
12 Future of Network Administration Net Admin project due
13 Revision & Exam preparation  

Unit Resources

Prescribed text(s) and readings

There are no Required texts for this unit, however please see the Recommended Reading section below.

Text books are available for loan from the Monash University library and for purchase from the Monash University Book Shops. Availability from other suppliers cannot be assured. The Bookshop orders texts in specifically for this unit. You are advised to purchase your text book early.

Recommended text(s) and readings

Primary texts recommended:

Burgess, M. Principles of Network and System Administration (2nd Ed), Wiley, 2004, ISBN 0470868074.

Limonchelli, T. A., Hogan, C. J., Chalup, S. R. The Practice of System and Network Administration (2nd Ed), Addison-Wesley, 2007, ISBN 0-321-49266-8.

Supplementary texts:

Burke, J.R., Network Management Concepts and Practice: a Hands-on Approach, Pearson, 2004, ISBN 0130329509.

Subramanian, M.. Network Management: Principles and Practice, Addison Wesley, 2000, ISBN 0201357429.

Stallings, W., SNMP, SNMPv2, SNMPv3 and RMON I and II (3E), Addison Wesley, 1998, ISBN 0201485346.

Stallings, W., Data and Computer Communications (7E), Prentice Hall, 2004, ISBN 0131006819.

Hunt, C., TCP/IP Network Administration (3E), OReilly, 2002, ISBN 0596002971.

Mikalsen, A. and Borgesen, P., Local Area Network Management, Design and Security, John Wiley and Sons, 2002, ISBN 0 471 49769 X.

Required software and/or hardware

You will need access to the following software:

  • A Freeware Unix of some recent flavor, e.g., KNOPPIX (Linux), FreeBSD, Fedora Core Linux [Note that Unix installations, whether installed or running from a live CD, typically include certain tools that we will use, e.g., BIND, sendmail, nslookup, tcpdump, wireshark, etc..]
  • Web browser for online reading references
  • A word processor for writing up assignments, e.g., Microsoft Word or OpenOffice.
  • A vector graphics tool for creating diagrams, e.g., Microsoft Powerpoint or OpenOffice.
  • PDFCreator for generating PDF output (Adobe Acrobat file), if using Microsoft Windows.

Note that PDFCreator and freeware Unix flavors such as KNOPPIX and others mentioned can be downloaded from the Internet. The KNOPPIX ISO image must be burned into a CD in order to boot into KNOPPIX Linux. FreeBSD, Fedora Core Linux and other flavors of Linux must likewise be burned into a CD in order to install to one's hard drive. PDFCreator must be installed into one's Windows installation by an administrator.

Note that alternatives for the above may all exist from different sources, e.g., Adobe Acrobat Professional instead of PDFCreator, although the former is a commercial product (and is therefore not free). 

Equipment and consumables required or provided

Hardware is provided for use during tutorials and projects in the Caulfield School of IT network laboratory for on-campus students. However, students will have to provide their own CDs for burning KNOPPIX Linux images into. The KNOPPIX CD must be brought along for lab work for all tutorials. Students are also encouraged to carry USB flash drives in order to store intermediate work, such as configuration files and scripts, or partial reports.

Information about computer use for students is available from the ITS Student Resource Guide in the Monash University Handbook. You will need to allocate up to 8 hours per week for reading and private study, including time for the use of a computer to access web-based discussion groups.

Study resources

Study resources we will provide for your study are:

  • This Unit Information outlining the administrative information for the unit
  • The FIT2018 web site on MUSO, where lecture slides, weekly tutorial requirements, assignment specifications, sample solutions and supplementary resources and other material will be posted
  • Web-based discussion groups that can be accessed from the FIT2018 unit web site.

Library access

The Monash University Library site contains details about borrowing rights and catalogue searching. To learn more about the library and the various resources available, please go to http://www.lib.monash.edu.au.  Be sure to obtain a copy of the Library Guide, and if necessary, the instructions for remote access from the library website.

Students should also check the Monash Library reading list for this unit, which includes digitized pages from selected references.

Monash University Studies Online (MUSO)

All unit and lecture materials are available through MUSO (Monash University Studies Online). Blackboard is the primary application used to deliver your unit resources. Some units will be piloted in Moodle.

You can access MUSO and Blackboard via the portal (http://my.monash.edu.au).

Click on the Study and enrolment tab, then Blackboard under the MUSO learning systems.

In order for your Blackboard unit(s) to function correctly, your computer needs to be correctly configured.

For example :

  • Blackboard supported browser
  • Supported Java runtime environment

For more information, please visit

http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/downloadables-student.html

You can contact the MUSO Support by: Phone: (+61 3) 9903 1268

For further contact information including operational hours, please visit

http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/contact.html

Further information can be obtained from the MUSO support site:

http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/index.html

If your unit is piloted in Moodle, you will see a link from your Blackboard unit to Moodle at http://moodle.med.monash.edu.au.
From the Faculty of Information Technology category, click on the link for your unit.

Assessment

Unit assessment policy

To pass a unit which includes an examination as part of the assessment, a student must obtain:
  • 40% or more in the examination, and
  • 40% or more in the unit's non-examination assessment, and
  • an overall unit mark of 50% or more.
If a student does not achieve 40% or more in the unit examination or the unit non-examination assessment, then a mark of no greater than 44-N will be recorded for the unit.

Assignment tasks

  • Assignment Task

    Title : Assignment 1

    Description :

    Students will write up a report for a topic covered in the previous weeks. Specific requirements for each assignment will made available to students two weeks prior.

    Weighting : 5%

    Criteria for assessment :

    The assessment criteria will be released with the assignment details.

    Due date : 19 March, 2008

    Remarks ( optional - leave blank for none ) :

    In order to be a valid submission, the report must be submitted electronically via Damocles: http://viper.infotech.monash.edu.au/damocles/submit/. Note that Damocles is not simply a submission system: it detects and rates plagiarism based on matches between assignments, across semesters, as well as with online sources. Electronically submitted documents must be in the following formats: Word Doc (not Docx), RTF (rich text format) or non-scanned PDF (Adobe Acrobat). Multiple submissions are possible, with previous submissions to be overwritten, but only the latest submission will be marked. Unacceptable submissions will be rejected, and deadlines may not be extended accordingly, so students must verify that their documents are readable and compliant with one of the formats listed above.

    The Faculty cover sheet for assignments must be submitted separately: printed, filled out and signed. It must then be dropped into the lecturer's mail box in Level 7 of Building H, by 23 May, 2008 (1 day after the report is due). Alternatively, the filled out and signed sheet may instead be scanned and e-mailed to the lecturer with the subject heading "CPE5013 assignment cover sheet". Note that blank cover sheets are available from the Blackboard/MUSO Assessments link.

  • Assignment Task

    Title : Assignment 2

    Description :

    Students will write up a report for a topic covered in the previous weeks. Specific requirements for each assignment will made available to students two weeks prior.

    Weighting : 10%

    Criteria for assessment :

    The assessment criteria will be released with the assignment details.

    Due date : 17 April, 2008

    Remarks ( optional - leave blank for none ) :

    In order to be a valid submission, the report must be submitted electronically via Damocles: http://viper.infotech.monash.edu.au/damocles/submit/. Note that Damocles is not simply a submission system: it detects and rates plagiarism based on matches between assignments, across semesters, as well as with online sources. Electronically submitted documents must be in the following formats: Word Doc (not Docx), RTF (rich text format) or non-scanned PDF (Adobe Acrobat). Multiple submissions are possible, with previous submissions to be overwritten, but only the latest submission will be marked. Unacceptable submissions will be rejected, and deadlines may not be extended accordingly, so students must verify that their documents are readable and compliant with one of the formats listed above.

    The Faculty cover sheet for assignments must be submitted separately: printed, filled out and signed. It must then be dropped into the lecturer's mail box in Level 7 of Building H, by 23 May, 2008 (1 day after the report is due). Alternatively, the filled out and signed sheet may instead be scanned and e-mailed to the lecturer with the subject heading "CPE5013 assignment cover sheet". Note that blank cover sheets are available from the Blackboard/MUSO Assessments link.

  • Assignment Task

    Title : Network Administration Project

    Description :

    This project will entail both practical and theoretical aspects of the unit. Specific requirements will be made available to students in Week 8. Students will be given time to work on their project during tutorial hours using lab equipment.

    Weighting : 25%

    Criteria for assessment :

    The assessment criteria will be released with the assignment details.

    Due date : 22 May, 2008

    Remarks ( optional - leave blank for none ) :

    In order to be a valid submission, the report component of this project must be submitted electronically via Damocles: http://viper.infotech.monash.edu.au/damocles/submit/. Note that Damocles is not simply a submission system: it detects and rates plagiarism based on matches between assignments, across semesters, as well as with online sources. Electronically submitted documents must be in the following formats: Word Doc (not Docx), RTF (rich text format) or non-scanned PDF (Adobe Acrobat). Multiple submissions are possible, with previous submissions to be overwritten, but only the latest submission will be marked. Unacceptable submissions will be rejected, and deadlines may not be extended accordingly, so students must verify that their documents are readable and compliant with one of the formats listed above.

    The Faculty cover sheet for assignments must be submitted separately: printed, filled out and signed. It must then be dropped into the lecturer's mail box in Level 7 of Building H, by 23 May, 2008 (1 day after the report is due). Alternatively, the filled out and signed sheet may instead be scanned and e-mailed to the lecturer with the subject heading "CPE5013 assignment cover sheet". Note that blank cover sheets are available from the Blackboard/MUSO Assessments link.

Examinations

  • Examination

    Weighting : 60%

    Length : 3 hours

    Type ( open/closed book ) : Closed book

Assignment submission

In order to be a valid submission, the assignment must be submitted electronically via Damocles: http://viper.infotech.monash.edu.au/damocles/submit/. Note that Damocles is not simply a submission system: it detects and rates plagiarism based on matches between assignments, across semesters, as well as with online sources. Electronically submitted documents must be in the following formats: Word Doc (not Docx), RTF (rich text format) or non-scanned PDF (Adobe Acrobat). Multiple submissions are possible, with previous submissions to be overwritten, but only the latest submission will be marked.

Assignment coversheets

Assignments 1 and 2, and the Network Admin project report, must all be submitted electronically online. However, printed coversheets, read carefully, filled out completely and signed, must be dropped into the lecturer's letterbox on or before the particular deadline for that assignment or report. Coversheets may also be scanned and emailed to the lecturer (jefferson.tan@infotech.monash.edu.au), with the subject given as "FIT2018 <assignment title> coversheet".

Blank coversheets may be downloaded from http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/assignments/

University and Faculty policy on assessment

Due dates and extensions

The due dates for the submission of assignments are given in the previous section. Please make every effort to submit work by the due dates. It is your responsibility to structure your study program around assignment deadlines, family, work and other commitments. Factors such as normal work pressures, vacations, etc. are seldom regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions. Students are advised to NOT assume that granting of an extension is a matter of course.

Requests for extensions must be made in writing at least two days before the due date, using the appropriate application form. You will be asked to forward original medical certificates in cases of illness, and may be asked to provide other forms of documentation where necessary. A copy of the receipt form or other written communication giving permission for an extension must then be attached to the assignment submission.

Late assignment

Assignments received after the due date, without previously arranged extension (see 14.8 Extensions, below...), will be subject to a penalty of 5% per day, including weekends. Assignments received later than one week (seven days) after the due date will not normally be accepted. In some cases, this period may be shorter if there is a need to release sample solutions.

This policy is strict because comments or guidance will be given on assignments as they are returned, and sample solutions may also be published and distributed, after assignment marking or with the returned assignment.

Return dates

Students can expect assignments to be returned within two weeks of the submission date or after receipt, whichever is later.

Assessment for the unit as a whole is in accordance with the provisions of the Monash University Education Policy at http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/assessment/

We will aim to have assignment results made available to you within two weeks after assignment receipt. Uncollected submissions will be retained by the Lecturer until the end of the following semester, after which unclaimed material will be discarded.

Plagiarism, cheating and collusion

Plagiarism and cheating are regarded as very serious offences. In cases where cheating  has been confirmed, students have been severely penalised, from losing all marks for an assignment, to facing disciplinary action at the Faculty level. While we would wish that all our students adhere to sound ethical conduct and honesty, I will ask you to acquaint yourself with Student Rights and Responsibilities (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/about/committees-groups/facboard/policies/studrights.html) and the Faculty regulations that apply to students detected cheating as these will be applied in all detected cases.

In this University, cheating means seeking to obtain an unfair advantage in any examination or any other written or practical work to be submitted or completed by a student for assessment. It includes the use, or attempted use, of any means to gain an unfair advantage for any assessable work in the unit, where the means is contrary to the instructions for such work. 

When you submit an individual assessment item, such as a program, a report, an essay, assignment or other piece of work, under your name you are understood to be stating that this is your own work. If a submission is identical with, or similar to, someone else's work, an assumption of cheating may arise. If you are planning on working with another student, it is acceptable to undertake research together, and discuss problems, but it is not acceptable to jointly develop or share solutions unless this is specified by your lecturer. 

Intentionally providing students with your solutions to assignments is classified as "assisting to cheat" and students who do this may be subject to disciplinary action. You should take reasonable care that your solution is not accidentally or deliberately obtained by other students. For example, do not leave copies of your work in progress on the hard drives of shared computers, and do not show your work to other students. If you believe this may have happened, please be sure to contact your lecturer as soon as possible.

Cheating also includes taking into an examination any material contrary to the regulations, including any bilingual dictionary, whether or not with the intention of using it to obtain an advantage.

Plagiarism involves the false representation of another person's ideas, or findings, as your own by either copying material or paraphrasing without citing sources. It is both professional and ethical to reference clearly the ideas and information that you have used from another writer. If the source is not identified, then you have plagiarised work of the other author. Plagiarism is a form of dishonesty that is insulting to the reader and grossly unfair to your student colleagues.

Register of counselling about plagiarism

The university requires faculties to keep a simple and confidential register to record counselling to students about plagiarism (e.g. warnings). The register is accessible to Associate Deans Teaching (or nominees) and, where requested, students concerned have access to their own details in the register. The register is to serve as a record of counselling about the nature of plagiarism, not as a record of allegations; and no provision of appeals in relation to the register is necessary or applicable.

Non-discriminatory language

The Faculty of Information Technology is committed to the use of non-discriminatory language in all forms of communication. Discriminatory language is that which refers in abusive terms to gender, race, age, sexual orientation, citizenship or nationality, ethnic or language background, physical or mental ability, or political or religious views, or which stereotypes groups in an adverse manner. This is not meant to preclude or inhibit legitimate academic debate on any issue; however, the language used in such debate should be non-discriminatory and sensitive to these matters. It is important to avoid the use of discriminatory language in your communications and written work. The most common form of discriminatory language in academic work tends to be in the area of gender inclusiveness. You are, therefore, requested to check for this and to ensure your work and communications are non-discriminatory in all respects.

Students with disabilities

Students with disabilities that may disadvantage them in assessment should seek advice from one of the following before completing assessment tasks and examinations:

Deferred assessment and special consideration

Deferred assessment (not to be confused with an extension for submission of an assignment) may be granted in cases of extenuating personal circumstances such as serious personal illness or bereavement. Information and forms for Special Consideration and deferred assessment applications are available at http://www.monash.edu.au/exams/special-consideration.html. Contact the Faculty's Student Services staff at your campus for further information and advice.