Introduction to Networks

Students completing this course should be able to:

• Understand, compare, and contrast the two major models used to plan and implement networks: OSI and the TCP/IP network models as evidenced by the completion of theoretical examples and testing.
• Describe and explain network technologies, services, and devices including how a router and a switch operates in a small to medium-sized business network, and how they are used to support communications in data networks and the Internet as evidenced by the completion of theoretical examples and testing.
• Describe and explain the role of protocol layers in data networks as evidenced by the completion of theoretical examples, lab activities and testing.
• Describe and explain the importance of addressing and naming schemes at various layers of data networks in IPv4 and IPv6 environments as evidenced by lab activities, theoretical examples and testing
• Design, calculate, and apply subnet masks and addresses to fulfill given requirements to provide network connectivity for a small to medium-sized business network in IPv4 and IPv6 network as evidenced by lab activities, theoretical examples and testing.
• Conceptually understand and build a simple Ethernet network using routers and switches and how devices access local and remote network resources as evidenced by small group lab activities, theoretical examples and testing.
• Use Cisco command-line interface (CLI) commands to perform basic router and switch configurations including the configuration of initial settings on a network device as evidenced by lab activities, theoretical examples and testing.
• Configure monitoring tools available for small to medium-sized business networks.