Syllabus
College of Information Systems & Technology
NTC/362 Version 1
Fundamentals of Networking
Copyright © 2013 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description This course provides a foundation in the basic telecommunications and networking technologies fundamental to the industry and to the broad field of telecommunications. Analog, digital, and radio frequency technologies are covered. Also covered in this course is an introduction to the OSI protocol model, network-switching systems, basics of wireless communications, and network security. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: · University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document.
· Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum. University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities, read the policies governing your current class modality. Course Materials Goleniewski, L. (2007). Telecommunications essentials. (2nd ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson. Panko, R. R., & Panko, J. L. (2011). Business data networks and telecommunication (8th ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall All electronic materials are available on the student website. Software TestOut LabSim® Network+ Week One: Evolution of the Telecommunications Industry Details
Due
Points
Objectives
1.1 Describe the evolution of the telecommunications industry and its major technologies.
1.2 Identify past and present voice communications technologies.
1.3 Describe telecommunications network structures.
Reading
Read the “Political and Regulatory Forces in Telecommunications” section in Ch. 1, “Telecommunications Technology Fundamentals,” of Telecommunications Essentials.
Reading
Read Ch. 3, “Establishing Communications Channels,” of Telecommunications Essentials.
Reading
Read the “The PSTN Infrastructure” section in Ch. 4, “The PSTN,” of Telecommunications Essentials.
Reading
Read Ch. 6, “Local Area Networking,” of Telecommunications Essentials.
Reading
Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.
Participation
Participate in class discussion. 2
Nongraded Activities and Preparation
INDP Final Project
For this assignment, choose one of the following options: · Option 1: Riordan Manufacturing
· Option 2: Kudler Fine Foods
· Option 3: Patton-Fuller Community Hospital Review the assignment instructions in the University of Phoenix Material: Integrative Network Design Project. Select a Virtual Organization for the Integrative Network Design Project (INDP) Final Project assignment, due in Week Five.
Learning Team Instructions
Learning Team Charter
Resource: Learning Team Toolkit
Complete the Learning Team Charter. Submit the charter to the learning team folder.
Monday
Individual
Tele-
communications Evolution Timeline
Research the evolution of the telecommunications industry based on this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. Create a timeline illustrating the major milestones of the telecommunications industry, including networking and voice, using Microsoft® Word, PowerPoint®, or Excel®. Include five to ten major events, including legal decisions, with a brief description of each one’s importance.
Monday
5
Discussion Questions Write a 100 word response to the following: · What are the advantages and disadvantages of the various modulation techniques of analog signals? Write a 100 word response to the following: · Discuss the history and progression of the voice telecommunications industry. What are the current voice network standards? If sources other than the text are used to respond to the questions then a citation is required.
Monday
3
Week Two: Analog Signals, A/D-D/A in Telecommunications, and the Digital Hierarchy Details
Due
Points
Objectives
2.1 Explain the basics of analog signals and analog modulation types: amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, phase modulation, and Quadrature Amplitude Modulation.
2.2 Analyze the technologies for analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversions in telecommunications.
2.3 Explain the T(X) and the synchronous optical network digital hierarchy.
Reading
Read Ch. 2, “Traditional Transmission Media,” of Telecommunications Essentials.
Reading
Read Ch. 11, “Optical Networking,” of Telecommunications Essentials.
Reading
Review Ch. 1, “Telecommunications Technology Fundamentals,” of Telecommunications Essentials.
Reading
Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.
Participation
Participate in class discussion. 2
Individual
INDP, Part 1 Review the assignment instructions in the University of Phoenix Material: Integrative Network Design Project. Write a 2- to 4-page paper that includes the following based on your chosen Virtual Organization: · Explain the network’s fundamental characteristics and components.
· Evaluate the current network topology.
· Describe the standards applicable to this project.
· Self-assess your work against the Peer Evaluation Rating Scale, using the Part 1 Tab (The scale does not get turned in for review). Monday
10
Learning Team
Analog and Digital Comparison Paper
Write a 5- to 10-page paper that provides a detailed technical analysis comparing the advantages and disadvantages of analog and digital technology. With this understanding, do the following: · Analyze the technologies for analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversions in telecommunications. · In analog technology, compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, phase modulation, and Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM). · Describe the specific modulation techniques that are used in a 56K modem, Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line, and Wi-Fi. · Explain the T(X) and the synchronous optical network (SONET) digital hierarchy. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Each team member should turn in a learning team evaluation form to their individual forum after the learning team assignment has been submitted to the Assignments tab. Monday
10
Discussion Questions Write a 100 word response to the following: · What is the nature of digital signals, binary, and other multilevel signal types? What are the advantages of digital signals over analog signals? Cover noise suppression in your explanation. Write a 100 word response to the following: · Provide a specific example of digitizing analog signals in the telephone system. Explain band limiting and quantization noise. Explain the µ law and the A law conversion in the coder-decoder. If sources other than the text are used to respond to the questions then a citation is required.
Monday
3
Week Three: OSI Model, Switching Systems, Network Channel Processors, and Media Details
Due
Points
Objectives
3.1 Explain the Open Systems Interconnection protocol model.
3.2 Identify the advantages and disadvantages of circuit switching and its major protocols.
3.3 Identify the advantages and disadvantages of packet switching and its major protocols.
Reading
Read Ch. 5, “Data Communications Basics,” of Telecommunications Essentials.
Reading
Read Ch. 7, “Wide Area Networking,” of Telecommunications Essentials.
Reading
Read Ch. 8, “The Internet and IP Infrastructures,” of Telecommunications Essentials.
Reading
Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.
Participation
Participate in class discussion. 2
Nongraded Activities and Preparation
LabSim® Activities
Complete the following sections of Network+ in TestOut LabSim®: · 3.2.3 Select a Networking Device
· 3.3.1 Internetworking Devices
· 3.3.3 Select a Router
· 7.1.3 WAN Services
Individual
INDP, Part 2
Review the assignment instructions in the University of Phoenix Material: Integrative Network Design Project. Write a 3- to 5-page paper that includes the following based on your chosen Virtual Organization: · Explain the importance of communication protocols.
· Identify the protocols in your design and provide rationale for your decision.
· Define the overall network architecture.
· Explain the usefulness of a traffic analysis.
· Explain the terms latency, response time, and jitter, and describe their effect on overall network performance and on the performance of your chosen organization’s network.
· Explain the effect of data rates on each part of the network.
· Describe strategies to ensure the availability of network access in switched and routed networks.
· Self-assess your work against the Peer Evaluation Rating Scale, using the Part 2 Tab (The scale does not get turned in for review). Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.
Monday
10
Learning Team
Protocol Paper
Write a 5- to 10-page paper in which you do the following:
· Describe the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) protocol model. · Identify the advantages and disadvantages of circuit switching and packet switching—X.25, Frame Relay, Asynchronous Transfer Mode2, and Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)—regarding performance, speed and throughput potential, and end-to-end transmission reliability and predictability. · Identify major protocols for circuit switching and packet switching. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines Each team member should turn in a learning team evaluation form to their individual forum after the learning team assignment has been submitted to the Assignments tab. Monday
10
Discussion Questions Access this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings and select a peer-reviewed article on basic network topologies. Write a 100 word response to the following questions: · What are the advantages and disadvantages of network processors, such as hubs, switches, routers, and gateways?
· What are the three main types of network media?
· What is their performance in terms of reliability, speed capabilities, and nominal distance for reliable spans? Write a 100 word response to the following questions: · What is a packet? What is packet switching?
· How would you explain the concept of packet switching?
· What are the advantages and disadvantages of packet switching over circuit switching? If sources other than the text are used to respond to the questions then a citation is required.
Monday
3
Week Four: Wireless Communications Details
Due
Points
Objectives
4.1 Explain radio frequency transmission characteristics.
4.2 Analyze the common frequency bands and the necessity for different protocols in wireless communications.
4.3 Compare the challenges of using satellites in end-to-end communications links.
Reading
Read Ch. 13, “Wireless Communications Basics,” of Telecommunications Essentials.
Reading
Read Ch. 14, “Wireless WANs,” of Telecommunications Essentials.
Reading
Read Ch. 15, “WMANs, WLANs, and WPANs,” of Telecommunications Essentials.
Reading
Review Ch. 2, “Traditional Transmission Media,” of Telecommunications Essentials.
Reading
Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.
Participation
Participate in class discussion. 2
Nongraded Activities and Preparation
LabSim® Activities
Complete the following sections of Network+ in TestOut LabSim®: · 6.1.1 Radio Frequency Wireless
· 6.1.2 Wireless Architecture
· 6.4.1 Wireless Networking
· 6.4.5 Configure a Wireless Profile
Individual
INDP, Part 3
Review the assignment instructions in the University of Phoenix Material: Integrative Network Design Project. Write a 3- to 5-page paper that includes the following based on your chosen Virtual Organization: · Identify hardware and software needed to secure your choice of networks against all electronic threats.
· Distinguish between local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and wireless technologies.
· Explain the concepts and building blocks of today’s data communication networks, such as switches, routers, and cabling.
· Self-assess your work against the Peer Evaluation Rating Scale, using the Part 3 Tab (The scale does not get turned in for review). Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.
Monday
10
Learning Team
Hardware and Software Paper
Write a 5- to 10-page paper comparing the advantages of Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing, as used in wireless mobile communications. Define the technical details of each access method, then compare their strengths and weaknesses in system use. Address the following: · Explain radio frequency (RF) transmission characteristics.
· Identify common frequency bands used in current RF communications.
· Analyze the necessity for different protocols in wireless communications.
· Compare the challenges of using satellites in end-to-end communications links. Each team member should turn in a learning team evaluation form to their individual forum after the learning team assignment has been submitted to the Assignments tab. Monday
10
Discussion Questions Access this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings and select a peer-reviewed article on wireless communications. Write a 100 word response to the following: · After reviewing the concepts, pictorially model the TCP/IP protocol against the 7-layer OSI model. In your depiction, include the common protocol sections that fit in the various levels. Write a 100 word response to the following questions: · What are the predominant network operating systems in use today? What are the differences between LAN and WAN operating systems? If sources other than the text are used to respond to the questions then a citation is required.
Monday
3
Week Five: Network Security Details
Due
Points
Objectives
5.1 Identify the predominant electronic and physical threats to communications networks.
5.2 Explain the importance of explicit enterprise security policies and procedures.
5.3 Describe potential threat detection and protection techniques.
Reading
Read Ch. 3, “Network Security,” of Business Data Networks and Telecommunication.
Reading
Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.
Individual
INDP Final Project
Review the assignment instructions in the University of Phoenix Material: Integrative Network Design Project. Review the following Learning Team assignments: · Analog and Digital Comparison Paper
· Protocol Paper
· Hardware and Software Paper Consider how the information presented in each assignment applies to your chosen Virtual Organization. Write a cumulative 10- to 12-page paper incorporating your prior work. Solve the design problems of your Virtual Organization. Illustrate all network design using Microsoft® Visio® or Toolwire®. Address the following in your paper: · Include a final network design.
· Include a timeline for the project.
· Explain the design approach and rationale.
· Analyze the detailed design.
· Prove that the design meets the data rate requirements.
· Analyze the existing security situation in the organization.
· Identify the predominant electronic and physical threats to communications networks.
· Explain the importance of explicit enterprise security policies and procedures.
· Describe potential threat detection and protection techniques.
· Explain the importance of explicit enterprise security policies and procedures.
· Describe how firewalls mitigate some network attack scenarios.
· Describe common security concerns inherent to wired, wireless, and mobile networking.
· Design a security hardware and software environment that will protect the organization. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.
Monday
15 