Overview
This unit gives you a practical introduction to system and network service management and administration. You are provided with the skills necessary to configure and manage secure server environments and deliver network services. You will cover topics such as managing computer systems and users, managing network services, configuring and managing system and network software, computer security mechanisms and ethics, and developing administrative policies and procedures. You will use a Linux operating system as a practical platform to apply and demonstrate knowledge.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite: COIT12206 OR COIT13147
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2018
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Various staff and students through term feedback
Inability to use on-campus computer labs to do some of the activities is a drawback and wastes time.
Set up and trial the use of VirtualBox and Virtual Machines using the lab PC's, in addition to requiring students to use their own laptops.
- Use administration commands and utilities to manage and secure computer systems
- Configure and deploy common system and network services
- Demonstrate the ability to perform user management and maintenance tasks
- Describe how elements of relevant codes of ethics inform professional practice
- Develop, deploy and evaluate security policies and rules.
Australian Computer Society (ACS) recognises the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). SFIA is in use in over 100 countries and provides a widely used and consistent definition of ICT skills. SFIA is increasingly being used when developing job descriptions and role profiles.
ACS members can use the tool MySFIA to build a skills profile at https://www.acs.org.au/professionalrecognition/mysfia-b2c.html
This unit contributes to the following workplace skills as defined by SFIA. The SFIA code is included:
- Network Support (NTAS)
- Problem Management (PBMG)
- Data Analysis (DTAN)
- System Design (DESN)
- Service Desk and Incident Management (USUP)
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 15% | |||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 25% | |||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 60% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 15% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 25% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 60% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Unix and Linux System Administration Handbook
Edition: Fourth (2011)
Authors: Nemeth, Snyder, Hein and Whaley
Pearson Education
Upper Saddle River Upper Saddle River , NJ , United States of America
Binding: Other
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- VirtualBox
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
k.howah@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to Linux and Virtualisation
Chapter
Chapter 1 Where to Start
Chapter 2 Booting and System Management Daemons
Chapter 9 Cloud Computing
Chapter 24 Virtualization
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Using Linux Applications
Chapter
Chapter 6 Software Installation and Management
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Linux Command Line Basics
Chapter
Chapter 5 The Filesystem
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Processes and Scripting
Chapter
Chapter 4 Process Control
Chapter 7 Scripting and the Shell
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Users and Permissions
Chapter
Chapter 3 Access Control and Rootly Powers
Chapter 8 User Management
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Networking Basics
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Internet Servers
Chapter
Chapter 18 Electronic Mail
Chapter 19 Web Hosting
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Services, Logs and Backups
Chapter
Chapter 10 Logging
Chapter 20 Storage
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Hardening Linux Systems
Chapter
Chapter 27 Security
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
System and Network Monitoring
Chapter
Chapter 28 Monitoring
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Putting it Together: Building a Small Business Network
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Course Review and Project Completion
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
Each week you should be performing hands-on system administration activities, including setting up a Linux system, using Linux command line to perform filesystem and user management, and implementing security policies (e.g. file access control). You are required to report on these activities by answering questions about the tasks performed and demonstrating that you have performed them (e.g. by submitting screenshots, logs and configuration files). The tasks and questions will be provided each week on Moodle, with all answers/evidence to be submitted in an Activity Report.
Week 5 Friday (6 Apr 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 6 Friday (20 Apr 2018)
Questions that are to be answered in the Activity Report will be marked on the correctness and clarity of the answer. Evidence of tasks that are submitted (e.g. files, screenshots) will be marked on the correctness and depth of information shown. Further details will be of marking criteria and expected format of Activity Reports are available in Moodle.
- Use administration commands and utilities to manage and secure computer systems
- Demonstrate the ability to perform user management and maintenance tasks
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Written Assessment
Each week you should be performing hands-on network administration activities, including configuring IP networking on computers, installing and maintaining servers (e.g. web server, file server), and securing the network. You are required to report on these activities by answering questions about the tasks performed and demonstrating that you have performed them (e.g. by submitting screenshots, logs and configuration files). The tasks and questions will be provided each week on Moodle, with all answers/evidence to be submitted in an Activity Report.
Week 9 Friday (11 May 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 11 Friday (25 May 2018)
Questions that are to be answered in the Activity Report will be marked on the correctness and clarity of the answer. Evidence of tasks that are submitted (e.g. files, screenshots) will be marked on the correctness and depth of information shown. Further details will be of marking criteria and expected format of Activity Reports are available in Moodle.
- Configure and deploy common system and network services
- Develop, deploy and evaluate security policies and rules.
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Written Assessment
You will develop a complete system typical of real, small business networks, with multiple computers configured in a network and running common services and applications. To do this you will need to design the IP-based network, select the services to run (e.g. web server, file server), and configure each computer to meet given security and user requirements. The system will be deployed in a virtual environment. You will also need to produce and submit relevant documentation (e.g. installation guides, usage guides) and evidence that your system meets the requirements (e.g. configuration files, logs, screenshots). Further details, including the case study, security requirements and user requirements, are available on Moodle.
Review/Exam Week Friday (8 June 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
This assessment will be returned on Certification of Grades day
The system documentation (including submitted files) will be assessed upon the quality of the content. This includes:
- Relevant material is included, while irrelevant or repetitive material is omitted;
- Sufficient depth is provided so that it can be used and understood by the intended audience;
- Sufficient breadth is provided, demonstrating all requirements of the system are met;
- Presentation and layout of the documentation such that it is clear and easy to follow;
- All requested files are submitted in the correct format.
Further details of the marking criteria are available on Moodle.
- Use administration commands and utilities to manage and secure computer systems
- Configure and deploy common system and network services
- Demonstrate the ability to perform user management and maintenance tasks
- Describe how elements of relevant codes of ethics inform professional practice
- Develop, deploy and evaluate security policies and rules.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
