Final Exam (Comprehensive) on 4/7/99
Students are allowed to bring a 8 1/2''x11" size sheet of paper for reference during the exam. The sheet can be written on both sides, and must be written only by hand.

Catalog Descriptions of Course

    This course provides an overview of the telecommunications industry today. It provides background and         applications which a computer information systems or business major would find valuable for local area network administration.

Objectives

  1. Students will understand the history and natural evolution of the telecommunications industry and will be made of the probable future direction in the industry from today’s perspective.
  2. The students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of local area network topologies.
  3. Students will be able to look at an existing or proposed network and generally understand and the feasibility of the goals and software and hardware needs to configure such an installation.
  4. The student will demonstrate knowledge of different security methodologies and error detection methods.
    5.

Outline of Course Content

    1. Introduction (10 %)

      2. Concepts, terminology, current standards, history, bandwidth. TCP/IP, OSI, SNA, distributed computing, switching in networks, point-to-point, multi-drop circuits, network topologies, fundamentals of communication theory

    2. Architectural Framework (10 %)

      3. Electronic messaging (mail, telex, FAX, EDI, graphics, voice messaging), data center layout, interconnections, bridge. Gateway, T-1, multiplexing

    3. Communication Equipment & Communication Media (10 %)

      4. Cluster controller, line adapters, keyboard, clock, foreground process, background process, twisted pair, coaxial cable, fiber optics, terrestrial and satellite microwave

    4. Local Area Networks and their Administration/Management (25 %)

      5. Bus, ring, star topologies and protocols, peer-to-peer, client/server interconnections among networks, organizational structure

    5. Satellite Networks (10 %)

                   Advantages, disadvantages, equipment, VSAT

                6. Public Networks and Carriers (15 %)

                    Hierarchical, wide area networks, inter-organizational systems..

                7. Security, Backup and Error Detection(10 %)

                    System vulnerabilities, confidentiality, integrity, availability

    1. Future Developments(10 %)

                    Digital networks, enterprise-wide information systems, ISDN

Method of Evaluating Students
Term Project

30 %

Homework

30 %

Two highest exams out of (two one-hour & final exams)

40%

Total

100 %
Bonus points(Pop Quizzes given randomly at the beginning period of class )

10 %

Approximate cutoff points:

92 - 100 %

A

90 - < 92 %

A-

88 - < 90 %

B+

82 - < 88 %

B

80 - < 82 %

B-

78 - < 80 %

C+

72 - < 78 %

C

70 - < 72 %

C-

68 - < 70 %

D+

62 - < 68 %

D

60 - < 62 %

D-

< 60 %

F

Policies

Attendance: Students are expected to arrive on time and be in class every class meeting. Other commitments or conflicts with attending classes and the starting time for the course are irrelevant -- you knew when you signed up for the course and its assigned class time. Makeup material from missed lectures is the student’s responsibility. The student is responsible for being aware of all announcements made during his/her absence. Doctor must verify extended medical absence and missed assignments are due the day you come back from absence.

Pop Quizzes: Pop quiz will be given in the beginning period of any randomly selected class to test students’ preparedness on topics to be covered that day. The pop quizzes will be contributed to 10% of the semester grade as bonus points. No pop quizzes will be given to students coming to class late, and no make-up pop quizzes will be given either.

Homework: Students are expected to hand in all of your homework and lab projects at the beginning of the class on the assigned day. There will be one extra homework assignment given. Missing an assignment or one low grade will not influence your semester average. No assignment will be accepted late.

Exams: Two major exams and a final exam will be given, with the highest two exam grades beingused in the calculation of your semester grade. Missing one exam, or making one low grade,will not influence your semester average, as your final average will be determined using theother two grades. If you are pleased with your first two exam grades, you do not have to take the final exam. No make-up exams will be given.

Academic Honesty: Students are expected to complete all exams and specified assignments without aid. Examination or project assignments which, in the determination of the instructor, have been copied will not be graded. I reserve the right to give you a semester grade of "F" if I determine that you have not made a serious effort to complete all assignments and/or use classroom computers for other than lecture related applications in class. I have the sole power to make that judgment.

Textbook

Shelly, Gary, Cashman, Thomas and Serwatka, Judy. Business Data Communications. Introductory Concepts and Techniques. 2nd edition. Cambridge, MA. Course Technology, Inc., 1998

 

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