Graduate Diploma

Level 7

(Information Technology Strand)

STD711 Networking and Operating Systems

NQF Level 7, 10 credits

Assignment 1

(Worth 40% of final Mark)

100 Marks

Final Result: Assessor Signature

Student Name
Student ID
Student Signature

Assessor
Instructions and guidelines for the assignment:
1. The completed assignment must be handed to the lecturer at the beginning of the class on
the due date.

2. Submit a print and bonded copy of your report along with the electronic copy of all work.
The lecturer will inform you how to submit the soft copy.

3. Warning: All media must be virus free! – Media containing virus or media that cannot be
run directly will result in a FAIL grade.

4. You must read and understand aspire2’s policy on ‘Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism’.
Assignments completed using unfair means or plagiarised will receive a FAIL grade.

5. The report must have a title page with your name, class and id number clearly printed.

6. Start working on the assignment as soon as it has been handed out in the class. Working on
the assignment right from day one will ensure that it is completed on time.

7. Assignments will be judged on the basis of completeness, correctness and clearness.

8. This assignment is an individual and research-based activity.

Learning Outcome Targeted:

LO2: Demonstrate in depth knowledge of the relationship between hardware, software, data
and information.

LO3: Evaluate multi-user computer operating systems and virtualization.

LO4: Critically examine the organisation of a computer.

Questions Learning Outcomes

Task 1 LO2, LO4
Task2 LO3
Task 3 LO3
Task 1

1. With the help of a diagram, explain the organisation of the computer system and describe all
system components in detail.
2. Analyse the functional relationship between hardware, software, data and information of a
computer system by giving appropriate examples.

Task 2
Case Study:
Selex Enterprise company has 500 users. All users are doing the data and file sharing via network.
The company is willing to use multi user operating system in order to improve the data transfer and
consistency.
Recommend appropriate multi user operating system for the Selex Enterprise. You need to compare
the selected multi user operating system with two other multi user systems available in the market
based on kernel type, memory management, processor management and data storage
management.

Task 3
Case study:
The IT Staff at Drone inter school is thinking to double the size of the school’s 400- square- foot data
centre. Drone inter school’s growing needs for more services, more servers, and more applications
is fast outpacing its capacity. But the $2 million price tag for the expansion was hanging heavy over
the IT department. Without the funds to foot the bill but still pressed to expand. Ian Gordon, the
system administrator of the school, decided to take a different route. Ian moved to consolidate the
school's servers by implementing virtual software. This technology lets one physical server operates
as a multiple virtual servers, with each of the virtual servers able to run one or more distinct
applications and even different operating systems.
By keeping in mind, the $2 million budget of Drone inter school. Investigate and select an
appropriate platform for virtualisation. Justify and evaluate your selection in the context of
suitability of memory, CPU throughput, formative disk I/O and energy consumption.

Task Marking Criteria
1. Diagram of computer organisation 
(5m)  2.5 marks for partially correct
Explanation of the system
components (5m)
Analyse the functional relationship 
between hardware, software, data
and information of a computer
system (20m)
Total
2. Multi user operating system (4m) 
Comparison based on (26m)
1. Kernel type
2. Memory management
3. Processor management
4. Data storage management
Total
3. Investigate and select appropriate 
hypervisor for virtualisation. (8m)
Assignment Marking Schedule
Designed Marks Obtained Comment(s)
Marks
5 marks for correct diagram
diagram
 0 marks for wrong or no diagram
 5 marks for the correct explanation
of the system components
 2.5 marks for partially correct
answer
 0 marks for wrong or no answer
5 marks for each correct functional
relationship (4 x 5m= 20m)
 3 marks for partially correct answer
(4 x 3m = 12m)
 0 marks for wrong or missing
answer (0m)
30m
4 marks for correct explanation and
justification of the operating
system.
 2 marks for partially correct answer
 0 marks for wrong or no answer
 6 marks for correct comparison of
each component (4 x 6m = 24m)
 3 marks for partially correct answer
(4 x 3m = 12m)
 0 marks for the wrong or missing
answer
 Completeness and clarity of answer
– 2m
 Incomplete answer provided – 1m
30
8 marks for appropriate hypervisor
selection along with the reason of
choice
 5 marks for appropriate selection
and partial justification.
 3 marks for appropriate hypervisor
selection with no justification.
 0 marks wrong or answer
Justify and evaluate your selection 
in the context of suitability of
1. Memory (8m)
2. CPU throughput (8m)
3. Formative disk I/O (8m)
4. Energy consumption (8m) 
Total (32m)
Total
Max Marks
8 marks for each evaluation and
justification (8m x 4= 32m)
 5 marks for partially correct answer
evaluation and justification. (5m x
4= 20m)
3 marks for evaluation with no
justification (5m x 4 = 12m)
 0 marks for wrong or no answer
(0m)
40
100