CPE5013 Network Administration , Unit Information Guide (Semester 1, 2006)

• Scope, Goals, Philosophy & Standards;
• Challenges and common practice;
• Network Administrators Role.

• Network Structures;
• Technology (Sockets, Cables, etc);
• Protocols (TCP/IP, X.25, ATM, etc);
• Network Operating Systems.

• Hosts and Users;
• System Configuration and Maintenance.

• Managing devices using SNMP;
• Remote Management using RMON;
• DeskTop Management.

• TCP/IP Networks;
• TCP/IP Toolkit.

• identify the tasks or roles required of network administrators;
• refine and extend existing knowledge of network technologies and their management;
• understand current developments and standards for network management;
• identify principles involved in system and network administration;
• apply these principles to practical situations;
• analyse and classify the requirements for management of networks;
• design and implement network management policies;
• identify and compare different network management techniques and strategies.

• work with network management tools, their interface, capabilities and operation;
• be familiar with typical methods of documenting and modelling networks;
• effectively and efficiently setup networks and confirm correct operation;
• monitor networks and diagnose common network faults;
• construct test strategies and acceptance tests for networks.

• appreciate the need for cooperative management of networks and computer equipment;
• be able to Work effectively in groups to achieve a system implementation.

Required text(s)

There are no required texts for this unit. Students are advised to select from the Recommended reading list shown below.

Text books are available 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.

Software requirements:

The standard operating environment provided in FIT computer labs is considered adequate for most purposes. However, some tutorial exercises require the use of a CDROM bootable operating system called KNOPPIX. The appropriate CDROM will be issued to each student during the first lecture, and student should bring this CD to each class. Additional copies may be available from your tutor or downloaded from http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au/pub/knoppix/KNOPPIX_V4.0.2CD-2005-09-23-EN.iso (ISO CD image: 650MB).

Software may be:

• downloaded from 'http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au/pub/knoppix/KNOPPIX_V4.0.2CD-2005-09-23-EN.iso'
• purchased at academic price at good software retailers

Hardware requirements:

Students studying off-campus are required to have the minimum system configuration specified by the faculty as a condition of accepting admission, and regular Internet access. On-campus students, and those studying at supported study locations may use the facilities available in the computing labs. 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 use of a computer, including time for newsgroups/discussion groups.

Burgess M Principles of Network & System Administration 2nd Ed. Wiley (2004) ISBN 0-470-86807-4.
Subramanian M. Network management: Principles and Practice Addison-Wesley (2000) ISBN 0-201-35742-9.
Burke J.R. NETWORK MANAGEMENT Concepts and Practice Pearson Prentice Hall (2004) ISBN 0-13-032950-9.
Stallings W. SNMP, SNMPv2, SNMPv3 & RMON I and II 3rd Ed. Addison Wesley (1998) ISBN 0-201-48534-6.
Stallings W. Data and Computer Communications 7th Ed. Prentice Hall (2004) ISBN 0-13-100681-9.
Hunt C. TCP/IP Network Administration 3rd Ed. O'Reilly Associates (2002) ISBN 0-596-00297-1.
Mikalsen A., Borgesen P. Local Area Network Management, Design and Security Wiley (2002) ISBN 0-471-49769-X.
Cernick P., Degner M., Kruepke K. Cisco IP Routing Handbook M&T,IDG Books (2000) ISBN 0-7645-4695-3.

Study resources for CPE5013 are:

The FIT5013 web site on MUSO (and also http://www.netcomp.monash.edu.au/CPE5013) where unit outline, lecture slides, weekly tutorial exercises, assignment specifications, sample solutions and supplementary resource material will be available to registered students.

Web-based Notices, News and Discussion forum and computer mailing list, that can be accessed from the FIT5013 web site. http://webboard.netcomp.monash.edu.au/~CPE5013

A bootable KNOPPIX CDROM distributed to students at the first class and for use as part of some tutorial exercises in Labs.

The timetable for on-campus classes for this unit can be viewed in Allocate+

Assessment for the unit consists of:

• a written research assignment with a weighting of 30% to be submitted by each student;
  
• assessable tutorial exercises and tests worth 30%
  
• a network administration project worth 40% to be submitted by a group of students.

See the unit description and assessment pages on the unit web site for more details, including assignment specifications and marking guides. Read this section VERY carefully.

To pass this unit you must:

• gain at least 40% of the examination component: ie the final exam and any tests performed under exam conditions, taken as a whole
• gain at least 40% of the assignment component: ie the assignments and any other other assessment tasks (such as presentations) taken as a whole
• achieve at least 50% of the total marks for the unit.

For more details on the 40% Rule and many other things that students are expect to know about, visit the "For Current Students | Things you should Know" section of the Peninsula School of IT web pages.

Your score for the unit will be calculated by:

(A% * 30/100) + (T% * 30/100) + (P% * 40/100)
where:
A% is the total %mark awarded for the individual research assignment,
T% is the total %mark of all assessable tutorial exercises and test, and
P% is the total mark awarded for the group network administration project.

Assessment Requirements

Assignment specifications will be made available on the FIT3030 unit web site assignment page. Information about assignments will be published on the Unit's Notices Newsgroup.

The parts of the assignments that require written submission must be delivered to the labelled mailbox at the offices of the Caulfield School of IT office on or before the nominated submission date and time, with the appropriate cover sheet correctly filled out and attached. Do not email the written submissions.

Other parts of the assignments require participation in web-based conference or mailing lists. See the assignment specifications and key-dates sections for more details.

Late submission of assignments

Assignments or parts thereof which are received after the due date, without previously granted extension will be given a grade of Zero.

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. 

Extensions

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. 

Requests for deadline extensions must be made in writing using the Application for Extension form available from the Peninsula School of IT web site, and submitted to the lecturer at least two days before the due date of the relevant assignment. 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. If approved, the signed tear-off stub from the original extension form must be attached to a hard-copy of the assignment submission.

Grading of assessment

Assignments, and the unit, will be marked and allocated a grade according to the following scale:

We will aim to have assignment results made available to you within two weeks after assignment receipt. Uncollected assignments will be retained by the lecturer after the end of semester. Assignments remaining uncollected by the end of the following semester will be discarded.

You will receive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This feedback may be provided through your participation in tutorials and class discussions, as well as through your assignment submissions. It may come in the form of individual advice, marks and comments, or it may be provided as comment or reflection targeted at the group. It may be provided through personal interactions, such as interviews and on-line forums, or through other mechanisms such as on-line self-tests and publication of grade distributions.

You will be asked to provide feedback to the Faculty through a Unit Evaluation survey at the end of the semester. You may also be asked to complete surveys to help teaching staff improve the unit and unit delivery. Your input to such surveys is very important to the faculty and the teaching staff in maintaining relevant and high quality learning experiences for our students.

It is essential that you take action immediately if you realise that you have a problem with your study. The semester is 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.

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 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.

Contacting your lecturer or tutor

Preferred method of contact for lecturers and tutors is by eMail or conference group posting. The conference is accessable through the web, by eMail or newsreader. The lecturer is also available for personal consultation at times and place given in the consultation section below.

The Lecturer's contact details are:
eMail: Christopher.Freeman@infotech.monash.edu.au
Web: http://webboard.netcomp.monash.edu.au/~cpe5013
Phone: 990 44606 (Peninsula campus) 990 3??? (Caulfield campus)
Room: Peninsula: G4.19, Caulfield: H.656 (Monday & Wednesday only)

Tutor's contact details are:
eMail: Osama.Dandash@infotech.monash.edu.au
Web: TBA
Phone: 990 3??? (Caulfield campus)
Room: Caulfield: H.656 (Monday and Wednesday only)

Notices related to the unit during the semester will be placed on the CPE5013_Notices conference in the unit website. Check this regularly. Failure to read the Notices newsgroup is not regarded as grounds for special consideration. Discussion and registration on the unit conference website is included as part of the first tutorial.

Consultation Times

A timetable showing consultation times will be posted on the door of each staff member's office.
Lecturer's consultation times are:

• Monday 11am-12noon at Caulfield campus in Room: H.656
  
• Wednesday 3pm-4pm at Caulfield campus in Room: H.656
  

If direct communication with your unit adviser/lecturer or tutor outside of consultation periods is needed you may contact the lecturer and/or tutors at:

Mr Chris Freeman
Lecturer
Phone +61 3 990 44606
Fax +61 3 99044124

Mr Osama Dandash

All email communication to you from your lecturer will occur through your Monash student email address. Please ensure that you read it regularly, or forward your email to your main address. Also check that your contact information registered with the University is up to date in My.Monash.