Overview

This unit of study aims to introduce you to the field of data networking and to provide you with the necessary skills to design and successfully deploy a small network.

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Summer
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
06-January-2025
16-February-2025
Last self-enrolment date
06-January-2025
Census date
17-January-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
31-January-2025
Results released date
04-March-2025
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-March-2025
01-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
16-March-2025
Census date
31-March-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
24-April-2025
Results released date
08-July-2025
Teaching Period 1
Location
Online
Start and end dates
10-March-2025
08-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
23-March-2025
Census date
04-April-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
02-May-2025
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
03-November-2025
08-February-2026
Last self-enrolment date
16-November-2025
Census date
28-November-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
02-January-2026
Results released date

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Use the OSI Model to discuss network design and infrastructure (K3, S3)
  • Design an addressing scheme to subnet a network to given specifications (K2, K3, S3)
  • Describe the processes of LAN switching and how VLANs are used in a switched network (K3)
  • Use best practice to design secure corporate networks and deploy security to practical networking environments (K3, S1, S3)
  • Describe how the Spanning Tree Protocol eliminates loops in multi-switched LANs (K3)
  • Construct a simple network of PCs, switches and a router, and troubleshoot problems in those networks (K3, S1, S2, S3)
  • Generate documentation for laboratory work and assignments (A2)

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning		 2.00  12 weeks  24
On-campus
Lecture		 2.00  12 weeks  24
On-campus
Class		 1.00  12 weeks  12
On-campus
Lab		 2.00  12 weeks  24
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning		 3.00  12 weeks  36
Online
Learning Activities		 2.5 12 weeks 30
TOTAL     150

Swinburne Online and Vietnam Online

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning		12.50 12 weeks 150
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning		12.50 12 weeks 150
TOTAL300

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Assessment Individual/Group  20 - 30%  1,2,3,4,5,6,7 
Examination Individual  40 - 50%  1,2,3,4,5 
Practical Skills Examination Individual  10 - 20%  2,3,4,6 

Hurdle

As the minimum requirements of assessment to pass a unit and meet all ULOs to a minimum standard, an undergraduate student must have achieved:

(i) An aggregate mark of 50% or more, and(ii) Obtain at least 40% in the final exam, and(iii) Pass the Skills Exam. The criteria for passing the Skills Exam is available in the Unit Outline.Students who do not successfully achieve hurdle requirements (ii) and (iii) will receive a maximum of 45% as the total mark for the unit.

Content

  • Networking Fundamentals
  • OSI Network Layers
  • Ethernet fundamentals, technologies and switching
  • TCP/IP and addressing
  • Subnets and subnetting (VLSM and CIDR)
  • Switching concepts
  • Virtual LANs
  • Inter-VLAN Static routing
  • Network and Secure Network Design
  • Etherchannel Bundling
  • Spanning Tree Protocol
  • Wireless LANs
  • Basic switch troubleshooting

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.