Course specification for CSC3407

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CSC3407 Network Fundamentals and Routing

Semester 1, 2020 On-campus Springfield
Short Description: Network Fundamentals & Routing
Units : 1
Faculty or Section : Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences
School or Department : School of Sciences
Student contribution band : Band 2
ASCED code : 020113 - Networks and Communications
Grading basis : Graded

Staffing

Examiner:

Other requisites

Students who have enrolled in or completed CSC8507 Networking Technologies cannot enrol in this course.
Students will require access to e-mail and have internet access to UConnect for this course.

Rationale

Explosive growth in computer networks in the last several decades has changed the uses of computers dramatically. The largest computer network, the Internet, is now connecting millions of computers in the world, providing services like email, file transfer, hypermedia information retrieval across all kinds of different platforms. This course is the introductory course in computer networking. It concentrates on basic concepts and protocols of computer networks. This course serves as a foundation for all further courses in the computer networking program and covers the first part of the contents of Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) : Introduction to Networks; and Routing and Switching Essentials modules offered by the Cisco Networking Academy Program.

Synopsis

This course addresses the layered structure of computer communication networks. It focuses on networking basics, routers and routing basics and the most widely used TCP/IP protocol suite. After this course, the students will have not only general knowledge about computer networks but also the understanding and practical skills of cabling and managing routers, design and implement IPv4 and IPv6 addressing schemes, TCP/IP Internetworking as well as the professional ethics for Computer Networking and Information Technology.

Objectives

On successful completion of this course students should be able to:

  1. Describe and explain network basics including the nature and roles of protocols and services at the application, network data link and physical layer using different reference models;
  2. Provide a detailed explanation of Ethernet fundamentals, TCP/IP protocol suites, subnetting, routing and routing protocols;
  3. Manage and configure routers;
  4. Justify the performance of networks and network devices;
  5. Understand and compare ACS Code of Professional Conduct with current moral theories and ethics for professionals.

Topics

Description Weighting(%)
1. Network terminologies, protocols and standards (Objective 1) 10.00
2. Roles and functionalities of network layers in OSI and TCP layered models (Objective 1 and 4) 20.00
3. IP Addressing (Objective 2) 10.00
4. Ethernet Objective 2) 10.00
5. Routers and Router Programming (Objective 2 and 3) 10.00
6. Routing and Routing Protocols (Objective 2, 3 and 4) 35.00
7. Professional Ethics for Computing and Networking (Objective 5) 5.00

Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2020&sem=01&subject1=CSC3407)

Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)

Introduction to Networks v6 Companion Guide, 2016, Cisco Press, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
ISBN-10: 1-58713-360-1; ISBN-13: 978-1-58713-360-2
eBook also available: ISBN-10: 0-13-465563-X; ISBN-13: 978-0-13-465563-5.
Routing and Switching Essentials v6 Companion Guide, 2016, Cisco Press, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
ISBN-10: 1-58713-428-4; ISBN-13: 978-1-58713-428-9
eBook also available: ISBN-10: 0-13-466965-7; ISBN-13: 978-0-13-466965-6.

Reference materials

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.
Dye, MA & Reid, AD 2014, Introduction to networks companion guide, Cisco Press, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
(ISBN-10: 1-58713-316-4; ISBN-13: 978-1-58713-316-9.)
Empson, S & Schmidt, C 2014, Routing and switching essentials companion guide, Cisco Press, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
(ISBN-13: 978-1-58713-318-3; ISBN-10: 1-58713-318-0.)

Student workload expectations

Activity Hours
Assessments 40.00
Examinations 2.00
Laboratory or Practical Classes 39.00
Online Lectures 26.00
Private Study 65.00

Assessment details

Description Marks out of Wtg (%) Due Date Objectives Assessed Notes
Network Design&IT Ethics Part1 100 25 27 Mar 2020 1,2,4,5
Network Design&IT Ethics Part2 100 25 15 May 2020 2,3,4,5
Online Exam 100 50 End S1 1,2,3,4 (see note 1)

Notes
  1. This will be an open examination. Students will be provided further instruction regarding the exam by their course examiner via StudyDesk. The examination date will be available via UConnect when the official examination timetable has been released.

Important assessment information

  1. Attendance requirements:
    It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.

  2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S1 2020 are: To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks for that item.

    Requirements after S1 2020:
    To complete each of the assessment items satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% of the marks available for each assessment item.

  3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
    Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4)

  4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S1 2020 are: To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.

    Requirements after S1 2020:
    To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must obtain at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course (i.e. the Primary Hurdle), and have satisfied the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised), i.e. the end of semester examination by achieving at least 40% of the weighted marks available for that assessment item.

    Supplementary assessment may be offered where a student has undertaken all of the required summative assessment items and has passed the Primary Hurdle but failed to satisfy the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised), or has satisfied the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised) but failed to achieve a passing Final Grade by 5% or less of the total weighted Marks.

    To be awarded a passing grade for a supplementary assessment item (if applicable), a student must achieve at least 50% of the available marks for the supplementary assessment item as per the Assessment Procedure (point 4.4.2).

  5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
    The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.

  6. Examination information:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S1 2020 are: An Open Examination is one in which candidates may have access to any printed or written material and a calculator during the examination

    Requirements after S1 2020:
    Candidates are only allowed to access specific materials during a Restricted Examination. The only materials that candidates may use in the restricted examination for this course are:
    i. writing materials (non-electronic and free from material which could give the student an unfair advantage in the examination);
    ii. calculators which cannot hold textual information (students must indicate on their examination paper the make and model of any calculator(s) they use during the examination);

  7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S1 2020 are: The details regarding deferred/supplementary examinations will be communicated at a later date

    Requirements after S1 2020:
    Any Deferred or Supplementary examinations for this course will be held during the next examination period.

  8. University Student Policies:
    Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene University policies and practices. These policies can be found at .

Assessment notes

  1. Students must familiarise themselves with the USQ Assessment Procedures (

  2. The due date for an electronically submitted assessment is the date by which a student must electronically submit the assignment irrespective of holidays. The assignment files must be submitted by 11.55pm on the due date using USQ time (as displayed on the clock on the course home page; that is, Australian Eastern Standard Time).

  3. This course will NOT accept hardcopy submission of assignments unless expressly requested by the course examiner This course will NOT accept submission of assignments by facsimile unless expressly requested by the course examiner.

  4. This course will NOT accept submission of assignments by facsimile unless expressly requested by the course examiner.

  5. The referencing system to be used in this course is supported by the School. Information on this referencing system and advice on how to use it can be found in the course materials.

Other requirements

  1. The CISCO certificate training is only available in the ONC mode. Students who seek the certificate should enrol in ONC mode and be able to attend compulsory weekly laboratory sessions at Toowoomba Campus.

Date printed 19 June 2020