UB University of Baltimore
Merrick School of Business


INSS 427 - Business Data Communications
Fall 2014

Tuesdays 5:30 - 8:00 PM - BC 025  and  on the Web every other week.

Professor Al Bento
office BC 468 v-mail 837-5272
e-mail abento@ubalt.edu URL http://home.ubalt.edu/abento

Office hours: Tuesdays 3:30 - 5:00 PM

[assignments][quizzes][final exam][project][outline][SAKAI]

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The objective of this course is to provide students with a solid understanding of fundamentals, as well as the state-of-the-art of telecommunications in business. Telecommunication technology will be reviewed and current practices discussed. Topics include distributed data processing, communication techniques, network design, management and security, LANs and PC networking. This course is focused on the TCP/IP architecture, but the OSI model is presented and discussed. Emphasis is also given to networking using Windows, with an introduction to networking in Linux.

When you complete this course you will have the ability to:

  1. describe the components of telecommunication systems.
  2. compare and contrast various network implementations.
  3. summarize the history and current status of the field of telecommunications.
  4. design, configure and price local area networks.
  5. configure and setup Microsoft TCP/IP in Windows.
  6. manage simple networks using Windows.

Each  class meeting will be divided in two parts:  (a) fundamentals and applications: the basic concepts and techniques of telecommunications;.  and (b) networking using Windows : designing, installing and managing networks and internets using Windows. 

CLASS MATERIALS

Class handouts will be available on the Web at the following address of the course syllabus:

The course syllabus will be linked to the class materials. You can see and print the class materials at the Lab and from your office or home (an Internet provider costs between $10-20 per month), using a Web browser.

Note: To print properly this syllabus set top and bottom margins to 1" in your browser.

ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING

Assignments (5) 25%
Quizzes (4) 20%
Project 25%
Final exam 30%

Assignments

All assignments are to be done individually and are to be submitted as a file in SAKAI or (marked web) are to be posted on the Web and the page URL submitted in SAKAI. Assignments are due as shown in the outline, unless specific due dates are indicated in the assignment's page (link).
  1. Hands-on network information. Test your download speed and how long it takes to reach a Web site.
  2. How much would cost to network 20 PCs using two switches (assume they are in acceptable distance) in terms of NICs, switches, wiring, etc (do not include software)? Do a simplified drawing representing your network. Include your answer (with specific brands of your choice) and the network image in a Web page (web).
  3. Resolving names and what's in a name? Exercises on IP and NetBIOS resolution in Windows.
  4. Obtain IP information from a PC running Windows and Linux.
  5. Assume you received a class C IP address (221.221.221.0) and you are setting up a network with 4 subnets, each with 50 users. Please select a subnet mask, explain why you did it, and show the range of IP addresses in each subnet. Draw an image to show the network  Include your image and answers in a Web page (web).

Quizzes

Four on-line, multiple-choice quizzes covering topics in prior weeks, but non-cumulative.  The exam will open two days before the due date and will be comprised of twenty randomized questions. The grades will be posted immediately in SAKAI, but the comments will only be available the day after the due date.

Final exam

A comprehensive, in-class, multiple-choice, open book exam on December 9, covering class materials from September 2  to December 2.

Project

The project is to be done in group. The objective is to design a local area network for a real or hypothetical organization comprised of at least four subnets, with at least 100 PCs in each, using Windows and TCP/IP. Both hardware and software design are to be done, assuming that the organization already has the PCs in stand-alone mode (you do not need to include their costs). It should include equipment list and prices, IP numbers assignments, domain(s), etc. Prepare a graphical representation of the network usaing MS Visio. List the materials, including brand name, quantity, prices and total cost. Explain all your design decisions. Document your project posting it on the Web and post the URL on December 10, 2012.

University Policy: Use of Turnitin.com

As a part of an institution-wide effort to ensure the originality of student work, the University of Baltimore licenses Turnitin, a commercial text matching service that analyzes students' submissions against its own archive of student papers,articles and web sites to report on student originality and identify possible plagiarism. Incorrect use of other individuals' work will likely result in plagiarism charges, which can lead to a failing grade on an assignment, a failing grade in the course, or even suspension from UB. All UB faculty members reserve the right to use this or other measures to evaluate your work for originality and proper attribution. Not understanding the definition of plagiarism or improper attribution are not excuses for failure to abide by originality requirements in this or any other course.

TEXTBOOK AND REFERENCES

Required:

Raymond R. Panko, Business Data Communications and Networking 9th ed, Pearson 2013. ISBN-10: 0132742934 • ISBN-13: 9780132742931

Web references:

Basic Telecom

Windows and Networking

OUTLINE
Day Conceptual Applied Assignments
09/02 Course overview
BC025 		Course materials, SAKAI, posting assignments. Introduce yourself and select group in SAKAI
09/09 Basic communications model (1,2)
Web		 Microsoft enterprise concepts  1. hands-on network information due:  09/14
09/16  Physical layer (5), [B]
BC025		 Creating a Virtual Machine, Linux Overview, and Windows 8 Overview. Quiz 1: due 09/21
09/23 Ethernet LANs and Other Ethernet technologies  (5)   Web NetBIOS Resolution.   Using MS Visio in Network Design (4a). Preview of using Kompozer at UB. 2. costing a simple network  due: 10/08
09/30 Multiswitch Etherned LANs (5)
BC025		 Creating a Web page (not part of exams)  Finish working on assignment 2 due 10/08
10/07 Local internets (1)  Web

 DHCP: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
IP routing and resolution		 Quiz 2: due 10/12
3. resolving names and what's in a name? due: 10/19
10/14  Meets in MIS LAB: TCP/IP and Windows and Networking in Linux (8)  Creating a Virtual Machine revisited.  4. TCP/IP information due: 11/02
10/21 TCP/IP Internetworking (9)  Web Review of Posting Documents and Images on the Web.  Finish working of assignment 4 due 11/02
10/28 Telephone Service .  (C)
BC025 		Voice Over IP(VOIP) and the "Last Mile" (C)  5. subnet mask calculation due 11/09
11/04 Wireless LANs (6,7)  Web Final project overview  Finish working of assignment 5 due 11/09
Start working on group project
11/11 3/4G Wireless Networks and Mobile Computing (10)   BC025 Project questions and answers Quiz 3: due 11/16.
Group work on the project
11/18 Wide Area Networks (10) and PSDN and VPN
BC025		 Project questions and answers Group work on the project
11/25 Networked applications (11) Web Group work on the project Group work on the project
12/02 Security and Network Security (3)
BC025		 Quiz 4 and Final exam review Quiz 4: due 12/07
Finish working on project: due 12/10
12/09 Final exam  BC025 Final exam  

This page is maintained by Al Bento who can be reached at abento@ubalt.edu. Although we will attempt to keep this information accurate, we can not guarantee the accuracy of the information provided. This page was last updated on October 26, 2014.