| Semester 1, 2020 On-campus Springfield | |
| Short Description: | Networks & Distributed Systems |
| 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 are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to UConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at .
Rationale
The current climate of rapid technological change which characterises modern society and the desire for increased efficiency and effective decision making in today's business has brought into focus the need for effective information exchange. This has resulted in enterprise information systems and inter-organisational systems being brought into sharp focus by information systems professionals. Data networks, interoperability and distributed systems philosophies are key components in the delivery of such systems. Therefore it is vital that network communications form an integral part of all contemporary information systems design and not an afterthought at the implementation stage.
Synopsis
The course seeks to broaden knowledge of telecommunications and networking fundamentals, as well as to provide a depth of understanding of networking concepts and the importance of network communication in a business environment. This course places a lot of emphasis on being able to present information in a manner that facilitates the process of decision making in the field of business and telecommunication. The course expands upon knowledge of distributed system models and concepts by examining existing and emerging network communication technologies. As part of the course participants are expected to combine networking fundamentals and distributed systems covered in the course to provide tailored business solutions and analysis of emerging networking topics (such as cloud computing, virtualisations, wireless technologies, optical fiber networks).
Objectives
On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding of telecommunications fundamentals technologies and implementations including local area network, metropolitan and wide area network architectures, technologies and implementations
- analyse applicable prior concepts and approaches learned in the course and integrate these ideas with the concepts and approaches developed in this course
- demonstrate academic and professional literacy by collating theoretical and practical course material into solutions through directed activity, practical in-class activities, assignment, and the examination
- demonstrate creativity, initiative, and enterprise by translating problems into solutions that are efficient, economic and provide business benefits in telecommunications.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Review of applicable concepts and techniques | 15.00 |
| 2. | Network mechanisms | 20.00 |
| 3. | Network architectures | 20.00 |
| 4. | Network design methodologies | 10.00 |
| 5. | Business applications and distributed systems issues | 25.00 |
| 6. | Network management fundamentals | 10.00 |
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=CIS3003)
Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)
(ISBN : 978-1-119-136883-0 or alternatively eBook version from .)
Reference materials
Student workload expectations
| Activity | Hours |
|---|---|
| Online Lectures | 26.00 |
| Private 精东传媒app | 142.00 |
Assessment details
| Description | Marks out of | Wtg (%) | Due Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asst 1 - Online Quiz | 100 | 5 | 19 Mar 2020 | |
| Asst 2 - Essay & Small Report | 100 | 15 | 21 Apr 2020 | |
| Asst 3 - Report & Presentation | 100 | 30 | 22 May 2020 | |
| Online Exam | 100 | 50 | End S1 | (see note 1) |
Notes
- This will be an open examination. Students will be provided further instruction regarding the exam by their course examiner via 精东传媒appDesk. The examination date will be available via UConnect when the official examination timetable has been released.
Important assessment information
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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. -
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 satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks. (Depending upon the requirements in Statement 4 below, students may not have to satisfactorily complete each assessment item to receive a passing grade in this course.) -
Penalties for late submission of required work:
Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4) -
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). -
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course. -
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. These must be non-electronic and free from material which could give the student an unfair advantage in the examination.
ii. Students whose first language is not English, may, take an appropriate unmarked non-electronic translation dictionary (but not technical dictionary) into the examination. Dictionaries with any handwritten notes will not be permitted. Translation dictionaries will be subject to perusal and may be removed from the candidate's possession until appropriate disciplinary action is completed if found to contain material that could give the candidate an unfair advantage. -
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. -
精东传媒app Student Policies:
Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene 精东传媒app policies and practices. These policies can be found at .
Assessment notes
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Referencing in assignments:
Harvard (AGPS) is the referencing system required in this course. Students should use Harvard (AGPS) style in their assignments to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The Harvard (AGPS) style to be used is defined by the USQ Library's referencing guide at .