DESC 384: Business Data Communications
Winter 2009

Hall Building room 537
5:45 pm to 8:15 pm Monday

Instructor

Chitu Okoli

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Phone

(514) 848-2424 x2985

Office

GM 209-13 (2^nd floor of the Guy-Metro JMSB Building)

Office hours

Textbook (required)

Business Data communications and Networking. 2007 (9th) edition. By Jerry Fitzgerald and Alan Dennis. Published by Wiley. ISBN 978-0-471-77116-6.

• The course website is http://chitu.okoli.org/desc384
• You will be expected to check your e-mail at least once every day, since this is the primary means of communication for this class. I will only e-mail the address I find in MyConcordia, so be sure to keep this address current. You are responsible to act on all communications sent to this e-mail address.

• Hall Building Room 509. You may obtain a computer account code through MyConcordia.
• CASA lab for JMSB students in Room 903-16 of the GM building.

Prerequisites

COMM 301; DESC 391

Course overview

The objective of this course is to provide a basic understanding of the technical and management aspects of business data communications and networking. The course has two major components. In the first major component, after introducing data communications, the main course material begins by covering the technical fundamentals of how networks work (e.g., TCP/IP). Next we will examine some commonly available network technologies and their capabilities (e.g., Ethernet, ATM).  Finally, we will consider a number of important network management and security issues. The second major component of the course is a group project that investigates a real network. The group project is the practical component of the course.

Learning outcomes

1. Thoroughly understand the seven layers of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model.
2. Understand the major network technologies, and be able to make managerial decisions of what is appropriate for a business.
3. Understand the key issues involved in managing a network for an organization.
4. Be able to analyze in detail the existing network of a real organizations, and recommend improvements to it.

Teaching method

• Lectures: The lectures will primarily be based on the textbook. From time to time, I might provide you with supplementary materials that bring to your attemption contemporary issues in enterprise networking and data communications.
• Reading assignments: You are required to read the entire textbook. There might also be some supplementary readings required, which I will provide you. Each week, I will notify you in class what specific chapter to read, as well as the assignments for the week. From time to time, I might also assign additional readings for in-class discussion. You will be required to complete the assigned readings before the beginning of class. The reading assignments are selected to give you adequate understanding of the course material.
• Assignments: There will be two assignments designed to give you more practical experience related to the material covered in the lectures. These will be done individually to assure your personal learning of the concepts.
• Quizzes: There will be two announced quizzes held in-class during the semester that will test your understanding of the current material, and to encourage you to review the course material in between exams.
• Exams: The midterm and final exams will take place on the university premises. The final exam will not be cumulative. Before the exams, I will give clear details about their contents. The date and time for the final exam will be determined by the examination office.

Participation

This class will feature a lot of in-class discussion. You should come to class prepared by having read the assigned materials beforehand so that you can actively participate in stimulating, thoughtful discussion. I also encourage you to bring into the discussion anything you might have read, learned or experienced outside the materials for this class. I value a few thoughtful insights far more than frequent unreflective comments. Contribution to the class’s learning also means that you listen to what other students say, and you build on their comments so that our group discussion can have direction.

Assessments

Grading policy

Department of Decision Sciences and Management Information Systems grades are based on the official grading system described in the University Calendar as follows:

• “A” is for outstanding performance, far above the average result
• “B” is for very good performance, above the average result
• “C” is for satisfactory performance, the average result
• “D” is a marginal pass, below the average result
• “F” is a failing grade, indicating inadequate and unacceptable results

There is no official “mark-to-grade equivalence scale”, e.g., that 50 is a “pass”, or that 50-52 is a “D-”. Faculty members individually or collectively decide what constitutes an “A”, “B”, “C”, etc.

Assignments

From time to time, I will announce a homework assignment, usually from the mini-cases at the end of each chapter. The assignment is due at the beginning of class on the specified due date. For mini-cases, do not write more than two single-spaced pages.

There will be three to five such assignments. Your lowest assignment mark will be dropped, and only the best four will count for your assignment grade.

Late submissions: Assignments must be submitted at the beginning of class on the due date to be considered on time. Late submissions incur the following penalties: –10% if submitted more than 15 minutes after the start of the class; –20% if submitted after class on the same day due; and –10% for each day late after that. I accept e-mail submissions if I receive them before class starts; otherwise, they will be marked as late.

Quizzes

There will be two announced quizzes held in-class during the semester that will test your understanding of the current material.

Examinations

There will be one midterm and one final examination. The final exam will not be cumulative. The specific dates, times, and locations will be announced in class.

Important Note: In accordance with the DSMIS Department policy, your average on both exams together must be at least 50% to pass the course.

Term project

The purpose of the project is to provide the opportunity for you to thoroughly analyze and report on the detailed specifications of a current network configuration used by a real organization. The project is to be done in groups of three or four people. Each individual must submit a Confidential Peer Evaluation. Your individual grade for the group project will depend partially on your group grade, and also on how your peers evaluate you. So, be a team player! The project is described in detail in a separate document. There is no class presentation required for the project—only a written report.

Make-up policy

Midterm and final exam: Only students who miss an exam for university-approved and verifiable reasons will be allowed to take a make-up exam. Even then, except in the most extreme circumstances, no student may miss a scheduled exam without receiving permission before the administration of the exam. Make-up exams might be significantly different in format from the regular tests, and will be administered at a time of my own convenience.

Quizzes: There will be no make-ups for missed quizzes.

Attendance policy

Attendance is required for this class. You are expected to arrive and depart this class promptly at the scheduled time.

Academic honesty

The Code of Conduct (Academic) at Concordia University states that the "integrity of University academic life and of the degrees, diplomas and certificates the University confers is dependent upon the honesty and soundness of the instructor-student learning relationship and, in particular, that of the evaluation process. Therefore, for their part, all students are expected to be honest in all of their academic endeavours and relationships with the University." (Article 1)

All students enrolled at Concordia are expected to familiarize themselves with the contents of this Code. You are required to read Concordia University's website on Academic Integrity, which provides useful information about proper academic conduct.

In addition, for all my classes, I require you to sign and submit an Academic Honour Pledge. I will not return any graded work to you in this class until I have received your signed Honour Pledge.

All course work must be done individually. You are encouraged to refer to outside resources, but you are not permitted to copy-and-paste, and all sources used must be properly cited.

Any violation of the Academic Code of Conduct will constitute academic dishonesty and will be handled through the appropriate university channels. If you have any question about what might be a violation of the Code, ask me directly and I will gladly clarify you. Thus, claiming to misunderstand is not an acceptable excuse.

Miscellaneous

• It is the responsibility of the student who misses a class period to remain informed of the material covered in that period and to catch up and stay up-to-date.
• Any changes to the tentative schedule will be announced in class. It is the responsibility of the student to remain informed of such changes.