Data communications and computer networking systems are growing rapidly in both size and function. It is impossible to think of a successful business day without the Internet. Modern communication technologies such as WiFi, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), and Internet of Things (IoT) help us to stay connected with our family, friends, and work regardless of present location. 

Networked Information Systems (NISs) are becoming an essential part of everyday experiences, in our kitchen appliances, cars, and public transport and for Internet banking and shopping. Because they can make or break a day, understanding how networks work, and how they should be set up and managed to for reliability, scalability, mobility, and security is of the utmost importance to us.

In this course, you will learn fundamental concepts of data communication and networking in addition to gaining a working knowledge of network scalability, mobility, security, and managing capabilities. You will have the foundational basis to understand, evaluate, and compare new technologies and their applications. You will also develop a working knowledge of measuring risks and security threats and considering network monitoring and management procedures. Finally, you will build an ethics awareness and the communication skills needed to apply these networking concepts to a range of real-life analytical scenarios.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Discuss how network applications and their components work in real-life socio-economic, ethical, and legal contexts and evaluate their risks.
2. Analyse the role of network standards, protocols, and layered models.
3. Apply network design principles, topologies, architectures, and their components.
4. Apply logical and physical networks at levels from the local area to the Internet.
5. Create a virtual machine and apply tools for packet analysis and file encryption in a lab environment.

Research-Led Teaching

The teaching and learning activities below are founded on state-of-the-art research outcomes and currently ongoing research projects. For example, networked information systems in healthcare are considered through the strategic Our Health In Our Hands (OHIOH) initiative of The ANU, created in partnership with ACT Health.

Examination Material or equipment

Learning Outcomes related to the Assessment Details below:

Upon successful completion of the unit, students will have the knowledge, abilities, and skills to

L1. Discuss how network applications and their components work in real-life socio-economic, ethical, and legal contexts and evaluate their risks.

L2. Analyse the role of network standards, protocols, and layered models.

L3. Apply network design principles, topologies, architectures, and their components.

L4. Apply logical and physical networks at levels from the local area to the Internet.

L5. Create a virtual machine and apply tools for packet analysis and file encryption in a lab environment.

L1-L5 above refer to the learning objectives of this unit. See, e.g., https://www.bloomstaxonomy.net/ for further information about the Bloom’s taxonomy to define and differentiate levels of thinking — or depth of learning — related to discuss, analyse, evaluate, apply, design, develop, create, and other action words above.

Required Resources

Textbook

• Fitzgerald J, Dennis A, Durcikova A (2019). Business Data Communications and Networking, 13th Australia & New Zealand Edition. Hoboken, NJ, USA: Wiley. You can purchase it as an online or hard copy, for example, from Wiley. The ANU Library may have copies as well.

Recommended Student Actions to take ASAP

• Get the aforementioned textbook.
• Enable online studies (e.g., a laptop, Internet connection, Watlle, and Zoom).
• Get remote access to the ANU, Virtual Private Network services, and CECC computing labs . You may also find these software access, installation, and virtual machine instructions by CECC helpful. Please note that for students without remote access to ANU CECC computing labs, learning outcomes related to experiencing at least two devices communicating to each other may be suboptimal.
• Follow ANU Wattle closely and participate in discussions and polls.
• Study the learning contents, week by week, once offered. Keep up with these learning contents and activities; see the recommended weekly schedule above.

Recommended Resources

Whether you are on campus or studying remotely, there are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for lectures and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment.

ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

ANU Library

• https://anulib.anu.edu.au/ 

ANU Academic Skills

• https://www.anu.edu.au/students/contacts/academic-skills

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms: 

• Written marks and feedback for the online quizzes and computing lab exam on Wattle.
• Written marks and feedback on the assignment with an option to discuss verbally. 
• Written marks and feedback for the mid-term exam with an option to discuss verbally.
• Written marks and feedback for the final exam with an option to discuss verbally.
• Casual verbal feedback and comments during lectures, tutorials, and labs, supported by Wattle posts.

Marks and feedback for assessment items, with the exception of the final exam, are retuned to students within 2 weeks from the respective submission dates, using Wattle grade books and/or Wattle quizzes. If you have questions related to your mark, you must contact Hanna Suominen within 14 days from the mark release. In accordance with the ANU examination policies, final exam marks are released only after the final marks for the entire unit have been released by the ANU.

Note that consistent scaling for each of the units may occur with the final marks. Students must get a minimum final overall mark of at least 50/100 (50%) to pass the subject. Final marks are moderated by the examiners' meeting at the School of Computing. Supplementary assessment will be awarded to those students with an overall unit mark of between 45 and 49.

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Data Communications (Textbook Chapter (Ch.) 1), Lecture (2 hours), Computer Lab 1 (2 hours)	Wattle Quiz 1 (open book)
2	Academic Writing, Lecture (2 hours), Tutorial (1 hour)	Wattle Quiz 2 (open book)
3	Application Layer (Ch. 2), Lecture (2 hours), Computer Lab 2 (2 hours), Tutorial (1 hour)	Wattle Quiz 3 (open book)
4	Network and Transport Layers (Ch. 4), Lecture (2 hours), Tutorial (1 hour)	Wattle Quiz 4 (open book)
5	Local Area Networks (LANs, Ch. 7), Lecture (2 hours), Computer Lab 3 (2 hours), Tutorial (1 hour)	Wattle Quiz 5 (open book)
6	Backbone Networks (Ch. 8), Lecture (2 hours), Tutorial (1 hour)	Wattle Quiz 6 (open book), Assignment Specification released on Wattle
7	Network Design and Management (Ch. 6 & 12), Lecture (2 hours), Computer Lab 4 (2 hours), Tutorial (1 hour)	Wattle Quiz 7 (open book), Assignment Group chosen on Wattle, Mid-Term Exam (2 hours, open book)
8	Virtual LANs and Wide Area Networks (Ch. 9), Lecture (2 hours), Tutorial (1 hour)	Wattle Quiz 8 (open book)
9	Ethics and Security in Networked Cyber-physical Systems and the Internet (Ch. 10 & 11), Lecture (2 hours), Computer Lab 5 (2 hours), Tutorial (1 hour)	Wattle Quiz 9 (open book), Computing Lab Exam (2 hours, open book), Mid-Term Exam Mark released on Wattle
10	Ethics and Security in Networked Cyber-physical Systems and the Internet, Lecture (2 hours), Tutorial (1 hour)	Wattle Quiz 10 (open book)
11	Ethics and Security in Networked Cyber-physical Systems and the Internet, Lecture (2 hours), Tutorial (1 hour)	Wattle Quiz 11 (open book), Assignment (open book) Submission due on Wattle, Computing Lab Exam Mark released on Wattle
12	Ethics and Security in Networked Cyber-physical Systems and the Internet, Lecture (2 hours), Tutorial (1 hour)	Wattle Quiz 12 (open book)
13	Examination Period	Assignment Mark Released on Wattle, Final Exam (3 hours, open book)

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Learning Outcomes
Online Quizzes	5 %	Online Quizzes, L1-L5
Computing Lab Exam	5 %	Computing Lab Exam, L5
Mid-term Exam	20 %	Mid-Term Exam, L1-L5
Group Assignment	20 %	Group Assignment, L1-L4
Final Exam	50 %	Final Exam, L1-L5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Guideline and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Examination(s)

See above.

Assessment Task 1

Online Quizzes

Online Quizzes (from 0 to 5 marks, individual assessment item, open book, on Wattle): Twelve quizzes (up to 20 min each) relevant to each week’s learning objectives. Given quizzes can be done anytime over the week via Wattle, no late submission of quizzes will be excepted. Each quiz will consist of 10 questions and be marked as a percentage of correct answers. This will result in quiz marks q1, q2, q3, … , q12. The overall quiz mark Q will be derived by macro-averaging these twelve marks as follows: Q = (q1 + … + q12) / 12. Q will then be weighted to form the maximum of 5 marks. Good understanding of all learning objectives will be typically marked as 3.5/5 (70%).

Assessment Task 2

Computing Lab Exam

Computing Lab Exam (from 0 to 5 marks, individual assessment item, open book, on Wattle): As part of the Week 9 online live computing labs, a lab exam will take place. Good understanding of all learning objectives will be typically marked as 3.5/5 (70%). No late submission outside the offered Week 9 online live computing labs will be accepted.

Assessment Task 3

Mid-term Exam

Mid-term Exam (from 0 to 20 marks, individual assessment item, open book, on Wattle): Will be will an online exam, scheduled by the ANU Examinations Office, and address all learning objectives. Submission will take place on Wattle, using, for example, its Turnitin and Quiz functionalities. Good understanding of all learning objectives will be typically marked as 14/20 (70%) in the mid-term exam.

Assessment Task 4

Group Assignment

• This group assignment (from 0 to 20 marks, group assessment item, open book, on Wattle) will be specified on Wattle on Week 6. The groups of 5 students must be formed by Week 7 on Wattle.
• A report and video that document the assignment, and perhaps code, are due by the end of Week 11.
• The maximum word length for the report is 4000 words plus the list of references. 
• Appropriate referencing will be required. Please follow the Harvard style. 
• The assignment will address learning objectives L1-L4.
• The assignment will be marked out of 20 and based both on delivery and content. A correct and comprehensive assignment with concise and clear documentation will be typically marked as 14/20 (70%). 
• Assignments will be submitted using the unit Wattle site (using its Turnitin) by the end of Week 11.
• Each submitting student will be required to press a submit button to electronically sign a declaration of their submission on behalf of the entire student group.

Assessment Task 5

Final Exam

Final Exam (from 0 to 50 marks, individual assessment item, open book, on Wattle): Will be will an online exam, scheduled by the ANU Examinations Office, and address all learning objectives. Submission will take place on Wattle, using, for example, its Turnitin and Quiz functionalities. Good understanding of all learning objectives will be typically marked as 20/50 (70%) in the mid-term exam.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission is NOT permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Access and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students