Course Syllabus

TEL 430, Section 01 – Advanced Routers and Routing

Time &Location	Monday, 5:30pm – 8:15pm Skiff Annex, Room 100 (SKFA 100)
Instructor	Robert Mount rmount@pobox.com 802-859-6718 (work) 802-343-8808 (mobile)
Office Hours	Before class in Skiff 100 or by appointment
Course Website	http://fathippo.net/tel430/
Textbook	None
Prerequisites	TEL 335 – Introduction to Routers

Course Description

[From the course catalog] This course will build upon the knowledge obtained by a student in TEL 335 (Introduction to Routers). Many of the topics contained in TEL 335 will be expanded upon in order to introduce the student to advanced router-related topics such as variable length subnet masks, interior and exterior routing protocols, advanced security topics, virtual LANs, virtual private networks, switching, and voice over IP. Lectures will be accompanied with hands-on laboratory exercises.  (3 Credits)

Course Objectives

Course participants will be exposed to a wide range of topics relating to routers, routing protocols, security, network design, network management, and industry best practices. By the end of the semester, students who attend class and complete the assigned coursework will be able to:

Understand, configure, and troubleshoot:

• All widely-used routing protocols
• Route redistribution
• Route maps and route filtering
• Quality of Service (QoS)
• Virtual LANs (VLANs)
• Stateful Access Control List (ACL) technologies
• Virtual private networks (VPNs)
• High availability technologies
• Additional advanced topics as time allows

Use network functionality requirements to design a solution and produce a working implementation incorporating the above technologies according to industry best practices.

Instructional Strategies

This course is comprised of the following instructional approaches:

Lectures

Lectures will be used to outline the technology subject(s) for the day, in preparation for each lab scenario. Lectures will focus on the overall technology concepts required to complete the lab scenario, as students will use these scenarios to further their understanding of the technology. Informal lectures may occur throughout the class time as deemed necessary by the instructor to clarify a technology, assist in configuration troubleshooting, or answer student questions.

Labs

This is a hands-on lab course. The majority of class time will be spent configuring equipment to reach a particular goal or set of goals outlined in the day’s scenario. While the instructor is always available to provide guidance toward design, configuration, and troubleshooting, students are expected to be active in their approach toward solving lab scenarios.

Readings

Students will be required to read the course textbook in order to successfully complete lab scenarios and do well on homework and exams. Additional readings may be given if deemed appropriate. Occasionally, optional readings will be suggested for students that wish to research a particular topic in greater detail.

Email Discussion

An email-based discussion list will be used to further student understanding of difficult topics, create additional dialog to mimic the type of communication seen in the business world, and provide a method for asking questions that the entire class can benefit from.

Assignments

Students will occasionally be given research-oriented homework assignments that cover material presented in class and in the assigned readings. These assignments will be submitted in written form, and may be presented and/or discussed in class.

Exams

Students will be given both a mid-term and final exam that will essentially be a graded lab scenario incorporating several technologies covered in the course up to that point. Successful completion of the exam in the time given is not necessarily required to achieve a satisfactory grade. Successful application of the principles, approaches, and concepts learned in class will be given precedence, as well as a demonstration of an understanding of the underlying technologies.

Addressing Core Competencies

This course contains elements that address the seven core competencies as outlined by Champlain College:

Critical Thinking/Quantitative Literacy

The lab scenarios, assignments, research, readings, and exams in this course require both critical thinking and quantitative literacy to be successfully completed. The importance of critical thinking will be highlighted when discussing and evaluating technology decisions during the lecture portion of this course and configuring the associated technologies in the lab scenarios. The significance of quantitative literacy will be emphasized when performing course research and completing reading assignments.

Writing

All assignments, quizzes, and exams will contain sections that require coherent, cohesive writing skills. Furthermore, because competent writing is also a fundamental workplace requirement, students are expected to follow proper grammar, punctuation, spelling, and style conventions when completing assignments.

Ethical Reasoning

Many technology issues have multiple ethical dilemmas associated with them. In this course students may discuss and debate the ethical merits of various technologies, practices, and methodologies during participation in class and on the course email list.

Oral Communication

The critical skill of coherent oral communication will be highlighted during class discussions and through students working together to achieve a solution to lab scenarios.

Technology Competency

This course will provide students with a detailed understanding of many different technologies. See the course objectives for more detail on this item.

Global Studies

All of the topics discussed in this course are of global importance and impact. In some cases, the international aspects of a particular topic may be highlighted to further enrich the students’ understanding of that topic in lecture and on the course email list.

Course Policies

This course uses the following policies and procedures:

Grade Calculation

Students’ final grades will be calculated according to the following list:

Lab participation	35%
Assignments	15%
Midterm Exam	25%
Final Exam	25%

Attendance

Because this is a lab course, attendance is critical. If you are unable to attend a class, you are responsible for any material or assignments missed during your absence.

Homework

Homework assignments are due at the beginning of the next class following their assignment, unless otherwise noted. Late homework will not be accepted.

Exams

Students are required to take all quizzes and exams at the scheduled time unless arrangements are made with the instructor prior to the quiz or exam. Make-up exams will be scheduled at a time convenient for the instructor.  Because the class works together on all exams, you will be docked points for being tardy to any exam.

Academic Honesty

Any assignment, quiz, or exam in which the instructor suspects cheating, may be given a zero, according to the Champlain College student handbook. This policy will be strictly adhered to.

Collaboration

Student collaboration is encouraged, and may be occasionally assigned. However, be aware of the academic honesty policy above, and make sure the work you hand in is truly your own.

Special Needs

If you believe that you have a disability requiring accommodations in this class, please contact the Coordinator of Support Services for Students with Disabilities as soon as possible. After you receive your accommodation form, please see me so I can work with you to implement them in a timely fashion. Contact:

Janine Allo, Coordinator of Support Services for Students with Disabilities
jallo@champlain.edu
651-5961
Hauke 007I