Assignment

1. Determine how data is encoded and transmitted among computer systems:

• Explain communication protocols.
• Assess signals and the media used to transmit digital signals.
• Compare and contrast methods of encoding and transmitting data using analog or digital signals.
• Recommend methods for efficiently using communication channels.
• Critique methods for detecting and correcting data transmission errors.

2. Explore computer topologies and layered protocols:

• Compare and contrast bus, ring and star network topologies.
• Review packet routing across local and wide area networks.
• Evaluate the CSMA/CD media access control protocol.
• Compare and contrast network hardware devices, including network interface units, routers, and switches.
• Critique the OSI network model, the TCP/IP protocol suite, and the IEEE network standards

3. Learn the various principles of proper application design and language selection:

• Justify the application development process and the role of methodologies, models, and tools.
• Compare and contrast programming language generations.
• Defend the function and operation of program translation software, including assemblers, compilers, and interpreters.
• Exemplify link editing, and contrast static and dynamic linking.
• Review integrated application development software, including programmer's workbenches and CASE tools.

4. Explore computer memory and operating system architecture:

• Summarize functions and layers of an operating system.
• List the resources allocated by the operating system and describe the complexities of the allocation process.
• Evaluate how an operating system manages processes and threads.
• Compare and contrast alternative CPU scheduling methods.
• Explain how the operating system manages memory

5. Investigate the various ways in which data is represented in a modern computer system:

• Review the components and functions of a file management system.
• Evaluate the logical and physical organization of files and directories.
• Analyze how secondary storage locations are allocated to files and describe the data structures used to record those allocations.
• Summarize file manipulation operations, including open, close, read, delete and undelete operations.
• List access controls that can be applied to files and directories.
• Describe security, backup, recovery and fault tolerance methods and procedures.
• Compare and contrast storage area networks and network-attached storage

6. Understand the protocol stack and how they cooperate with each other:

• Examine client-server and multi-tier application architecture and discuss their advantages compared to centralized applications.
• Evaluate how operating systems and network protocol stacks cooperate so users and programs can access remote resources.
• Appraise low-level protocols for inter-process communication across networks, including sockets, named pipes, RPC, and DCE.
• List and describe standard Internet protocols used to access distributed resources.
• Explore component-based application development and describe the protocols and standards that support component-based applications.
• Justify the role and function of directory services and the LDAP standard

7. Explore the various responsibilities of system administration:

• Analyze system administration responsibilities and tasks.
• Review the process of acquiring computer hardware and system software.
• Describe tools and processes for evaluating application resource requirements and computer system performance.
• Define a system security model and describe how it can be implemented.
• Examine issues related to installing and protecting computer hardware.