Course Title: IT Infrastructure and Security

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: IT Infrastructure and Security

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

COSC2737

City Campus

Postgraduate

171H School of Science

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2018,
Sem 2 2018,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 2 2019,
Sem 2 2020,
Sem 1 2021

COSC2737

City Campus

Postgraduate

175H Computing Technologies

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2022,
Sem 1 2023,
Sem 1 2024

Course Coordinator: A/P Fengling Han

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 3402

Course Coordinator Email: fengling.han@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 14.11.27

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Assumed Knowledge

Before starting this course, you should complete the Lab and Unix Induction. These are needed for understanding basic networking and to operate and configure a web server. You should also be familiar with general computer platform components and demonstrate basic knowledge of the function and role of computer networks.

For more background information, see the Lynda website from the RMIT Library Guide at http://rmit.libguides.com/compsci.


Course Description

This course aims to provide a broad introduction to the fundamentals of web and data communication, network and associated security concepts and technology. The emphasis is on the higher level aspects of these topics from the perspective of computer scientists and information technologists; the course covers the underlying mechanisms and their characteristics that need to be considered by communicating application software.


Topics include:

  • basic principles of data communication and operations of communication systems;
  • communication protocols and error handling;
  • basic configurations of web servers;
  • securing a web server, and
  • understanding the principles behind them.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Upon successful completion of this course you should be able to:

  1. Describe all of the IT Infrastructure Architecture components and the issues relating to each of them
  2. Demonstrate knowledge of higher level aspects of data communications and network technology appropriate for the development of software applications in a networked environment and design simple computer scripts that are aware of basic aspects of networking
  3. Install, configure, and maintain a basic Web server
  4. Analyse and determine an appropriate enterprise networking systems and secure web server configuration based on stated user needs
  5. Explain the functioning of security services in computing environments and the security issues in mobile and IoT computing
  6. Describe and review emerging networking and security technologies


This course is an option course for several programs and a core course in MC208 Master of Information Technology contributing to the following Program Learning Outcomes:

PLO1: Knowledge - Apply a broad and coherent set of knowledge and skills for developing user-centric computing solutions for contemporary societal challenges.

PLO2: Problem Solving - Apply systematic problem solving and decision-making methodologies to identify, design and implement computing solutions to real world problems, demonstrating the ability to work independently to self-manage processes and projects.

PLO4: Communication - Communicate effectively with diverse audiences, employing a range of communication methods in interactions to both computing and non-computing personnel.

PLO6: Responsibility and Accountability - Demonstrate integrity, ethical conduct, sustainable and culturally inclusive professional standards, including First Nations knowledges and input in designing and implementing computing solutions.


Overview of Learning Activities

The learning activities included in this course are:

  • Watching pre-recorded lecture videos. This helps you to understand the important content/theory. Key concepts will be explained in pre-recorded lectures in which course material will be presented and the subject matter will be illustrated with demonstrations and examples;
  • Workshop sessions: provide the opportunity to consolidate and deepen your knowledge. These sessions include practical analysis and problem-solving exercises to enable you to analyse, compare, rank and trouble-shoot computer system components and designs; and
  • Private study: working through the content as presented in classes and other learning materials, and gaining practice at solving conceptual and technical problems. It is essential to keep up to date with provided class exercises as well as doing your own broader reading on the topics covered.


Overview of Learning Resources

The course is supported by the Canvas learning management system which provides specific learning resources. Pre-recorded lecture videos will be available to students. In addition, there are many relevant textbooks beyond the ones suggested here, and open-source software is available for download from their respective sites (advised within class), and a large amount of general documentation is available. See the RMIT Library Guide at http://rmit.libguides.com/compsci for more.


Overview of Assessment

The assessment for this course comprises: 

  • Three progressive assessments;
  • One industry focused assignment that involve both practical and theoretical works on the development of network and web applications, and how to secure the network and web applications, and;
  • An end-of-semester summative assignment involving understanding of all aspects of IT infrastructure and security taught in the course.


Note: This course has no hurdle requirements.


Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1: Progressive Assessment

Weighting: 40%

This assessment task supports CLOs 1 - 3

Assessment Task 2: Industry-focused Security Assignment

Weighting: 45%

This assessment task supports CLOs 1 - 6

Assessment Task 3: End-of-Semester summative Exercise

Weighting: 15%

This assessment supports CLOs 1 - 6