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Monash University

FIT2018 Network and systems administration - Semester 1, 2013

This unit will provide students with fundamentals and theoretical foundations of network and systems administration. In addition, students will acquire practical skills needed to plan, provide and manage networks through laboratory activities and projects.

This unit covers the following topics: Network administration scope, goals, and philosophy; IT system components and network structures; host computer and user management; standards, technology and protocols; managing networked devices; management issues: planning, implementation, fault diagnosis and performance; network documentation; security and administration; provision and management of common network and application services.

Mode of Delivery

Sunway (Day)

Contact Hours

2 hrs lectures/wk, 2 hrs laboratories/wk

Workload requirements

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

Prohibitions

CPE3012, CPE5013, CSE3153, CPE2009, FIT3149

Prerequisites

One of CPE1007, CPE2002, CSE2318, CSE3318, FIT1005, FIT1031, FIT2008 or equivalent

Chief Examiner

Dr Lua Eng Keong

Campus Lecturer

Sunway

Dr Eng Keong Lua

Tutors

Sunway

Mr Shaikh Abdul Khalique

Academic Overview

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this unit students will have -A knowledge and understanding of:
  • the role of a network administrator;
  • the configuration and management of network infrastructure protocols used in internets (such as ICMP, DHCP, DNS, LDAP etc);
  • host computer and user management;
  • network application protocols used by network management systems (such as SNMP, RMON);
  • factors involved in and be able to manage the security, reliability and performance of computer networks.
The ability to:
  • adopt a problem-solving approach;
  • independently research topics and resolve problems associated with network management;
  • understand and use a range of hardware and software tools for network and systems administration;
  • install, configure and manage network application services such as name, database, mail and web servers;
  • act in accordance with best practice, industry standards and professional ethics.

Unit Schedule

Week Activities Assessment
0   No formal assessment or activities are undertaken in week 0
1 Introduction to Network Administration  
2 System and Network Components  
3 TCP/IP Networking  
4 TCP/IP Network Administration Assessment Task 2 commences during tutorials of Week 4 through to Week 9
5 TCP/IP Network Services  
6 Electronic Mail and Users  
7 Network Security  
8 Directory Services and Network Monitoring  
9 Switching and Routing  
10 Wide Area Networking  
11 Network Maintenance and Operations Assessment Task 1: Project demonstrations during tutorials
12 Other Network Matters and Revisions Assessment Task 1: Report due
  SWOT VAC No formal assessment is undertaken in SWOT VAC
  Examination period LINK to Assessment Policy: http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/
academic/education/assessment/
assessment-in-coursework-policy.html

*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your learning system.

Assessment Summary

Examination (2 hours): 40%; In-semester assessment: 60%

Assessment Task Value Due Date
Network Administration Project 30% Week 11 - Presentation; Week 12 - Report
Tutorial/Lab Assessments Total of 30% spread across several tutorial/lab assessments. During tutorials of Week 4 through to Week 9
Examination 1 40% To be advised

Teaching Approach

Lecture and tutorials or problem classes
This teaching and learning approach provides facilitated learning, practical exploration and peer learning. 
Lectures will cover theory, standards, and ethics, which will be put into practice in a hands-on lab environment.

Assessment Requirements

Assessment Policy

Faculty Policy - Unit Assessment Hurdles (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/staff/edgov/policies/assessment-examinations/unit-assessment-hurdles.html)

Academic Integrity - Please see the Demystifying Citing and Referencing tutorial at http://lib.monash.edu/tutorials/citing/

Assessment Tasks

Participation

  • Assessment task 1
    Title:
    Network Administration Project
    Description:
    Students in groups of at most four members will be required to build, document, and demonstrate a TCP/IP network, configured with essential network services and additional features. Several base scenarios will be available to choose from as a starting point. Time will be allocated during some tutorials for work on the project using equipment in the labs. Students will be expected to answer questions about their system during the demonstration.
    Weighting:
    30%
    Criteria for assessment:
    1. The network and its services work as intended: 50% of the project mark
    2. The report documents the system and indicates a correct understanding of how the network components fit into the whole. The report and demonstration are 30% of project mark.
    3. The project management component will constitute the remaining 20% of the project's total marks, and will also be used to assess individual contributions to the project outcome.
    Due date:
    Week 11 - Presentation; Week 12 - Report
  • Assessment task 2
    Title:
    Tutorial/Lab Assessments
    Description:
    During a number of tutorials, students will be assessed as they accomplish configuration, installation and operational tasks. The entire tutorial period may be allotted for the assessment, with tutors on hand to provide reasonable assistance. 
    Weighting:
    Total of 30% spread across several tutorial/lab assessments.
    Criteria for assessment:

    Individuals will be required to demonstrate correct configuration, installation, analysis, troubleshooting or operation of one or two network components, which would combine both hardware and software. Partially correct executions of what is required will be awarded partial points. Students may be asked to explain their work as part of assessing the correctness of what was accomplished.

    Due date:
    During tutorials of Week 4 through to Week 9
    Remarks:
    Students will be allowed to consult whatever references they can find, whether in print or online, but they may not consult other students of this unit on any campus at any time during the assessment.

Examinations

  • Examination 1
    Weighting:
    40%
    Length:
    2 hours
    Type (open/closed book):
    Closed book
    Electronic devices allowed in the exam:
    None

Learning resources

Monash Library Unit Reading List
http://readinglists.lib.monash.edu/index.html

Feedback to you

Types of feedback you can expect to receive in this unit are:
  • Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
  • Graded assignments with comments
  • Interviews
  • Solutions to tutes, labs and assignments

Extensions and penalties

Submission must be made by the due date otherwise penalties will be enforced.

You must negotiate any extensions formally with your campus unit leader via the in-semester special consideration process: http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/equity/special-consideration.html.

Returning assignments

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

Referencing requirements

All references in the project should be identified and properly cited in the project report. Failure to do so may constitute an act of plagiarism if the source material is neither paraphrased sufficiently nor quoted.

Refer to the Library Guides for Citing and Referencing at http://guides.lib.monash.edu/content.php?pid=88267&sid=656564

Assignment submission

It is a University requirement (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/conduct/plagiarism-procedures.html) for students to submit an assignment coversheet for each assessment item. Faculty Assignment coversheets can be found at http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/forms/. Please check with your Lecturer on the submission method for your assignment coversheet (e.g. attach a file to the online assignment submission, hand-in a hard copy, or use an online quiz).

Online submission

If Electronic Submission has been approved for your unit, please submit your work via the learning system for this unit, which you can access via links in the my.monash portal.

Required Resources

Please check with your lecturer before purchasing any Required Resources. Limited copies of prescribed texts are available for you to borrow in the library, and prescribed software is available in student labs.

You will need access to the following software:

  • A virtual machine platform. For compatibility with the labs, use VirtualBox 4.0.14 (https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Download_Old_Builds_4_0). You are free to use any combination of virtualisation platform and operating system, but only VirtualBox 4.0.n and the operating system images distributed as part of the unit materials will be directly supported.
  • A vector graphics tool for creating diagrams. Dia is recommended: (http://dia-installer.de/) the current Dia release (0.97.2) has been tested successfully on Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP, Linux and Mac OS X.

Prescribed text(s)

Limited copies of prescribed texts are available for you to borrow in the library.

Northcutt, Stephen. (2004). IT Ethics Handbook : Right and Wrong for IT Professionals. (http://library.monash.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2327958) Syngress.

Recommended Resources

Other Texts Recommended:

•   Nemeth, E., Snyder, G., Hein, T., Whaley, B., UNIX and Linux System Administration Handbook (4th Edition), Prentice-Hall, 2010.

•   Limonchelli, T. A., Hogan, C. J., Chalup, S. R., The Practice of System and Network Administration (2nd Edition), Addison-Wesley, 2007.
(http://library.monash.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2253326)

•   Burgess, M., Principles of Network and System Administration (2nd Edition), Wiley, 2004. 
(http://library.monash.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2017671)

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

•   Stallings, W., Data and Computer Communications (7th Edition), Prentice Hall, 2004.

•   Hunt, C., TCP/IP Network Administration (3rd Edition), OReilly, 2002.

•   Mikalsen, A. and Borgesen, P., Local Area Network Management, Design and Security, John Wiley and Sons, 2002.

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

•   Stallings, W., SNMP, SNMPv2, SNMPv3 and RMON I and II (3rd Edition), Addison Wesley, 1998.

Essential System Administration References:

http://library.monash.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1898564

Principles of Network and System Administration.
http://library.monash.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2017671

TCP/IP Network Administration, 3rd Edition
http://library.monash.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1722783

DNS and BIND
http://library.monash.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2908296

LDAP System Administration
http://library.monash.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1898558

Cisco IOS in a Nutshell
http://library.monash.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2010030

Wicked Cool Shell Scripts : 101 Scripts for Linux, Mac OS X, and UNIX Systems
http://library.monash.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2297376

Cyber Crime Investigator's Field Guide
http://library.monash.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2887613

The IT Regulatory and Standards Compliance Handbook
http://library.monash.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2699975

The Illustrated Network: how TCP/IP Works in a modern network
http://library.monash.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2850250

Network Consultants Handbook
http://library.monash.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1797622

Other Information

Policies

Monash has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and to provide advice on how they might uphold them. You can find Monash’s Education Policies at: www.policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/academic/education/index.html

Key educational policies include:

Graduate Attributes Policy

http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/management/monash-graduate-attributes-policy.html

Student services

The University provides many different kinds of support services for you. Contact your tutor if you need advice and see the range of services available at http://www.monash.edu.au/students. For Sunway see http://www.monash.edu.my/Student-services, and for South Africa see http://www.monash.ac.za/current/.

Monash University Library

The Monash University Library provides a range of services, resources and programs that enable you to save time and be more effective in your learning and research. Go to www.lib.monash.edu.au or the library tab in my.monash portal for more information. At Sunway, visit the Library and Learning Commons at http://www.lib.monash.edu.my/. At South Africa visit http://www.lib.monash.ac.za/.

Disability Liaison Unit

Students who have a disability or medical condition are welcome to contact the Disability Liaison Unit to discuss academic support services. Disability Liaison Officers (DLOs) visit all Victorian campuses on a regular basis.

Your feedback to Us

Monash is committed to excellence in education and regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through the Student Evaluation of Teaching and Units (SETU) survey. The University’s student evaluation policy requires that every unit is evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys. The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.

For more information on Monash’s educational strategy, see:

www.monash.edu.au/about/monash-directions and on student evaluations, see: www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/quality/student-evaluation-policy.html

Previous Student Evaluations of this Unit

Based on previous student feedback this unit is well structured except the Tutorials/Laboratories and minor changes to the Tutorials/Laboratories have been made for this semester.

If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to
https://emuapps.monash.edu.au/unitevaluations/index.jsp

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