KARATINA UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE & INFORMATICS

Course Code: BIT 317/COM 460E
Course Title: NETWORK DESIGN & CONFIGURATION
Lecturer: Vancy Kebut
Contact: vkebut@karu.ac.ke

Course Purpose
This course aims to provide an understanding of the principles of networking, network design
and network architecture and infrastructures.

Course Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course the learner should be able to:
i. Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of networking principles;
ii. Be able to understand and articulate network architectures and principles based on
network analysis and design requirements relating to the organizational and
stakeholder objectives and network standards;
iii. Demonstrate an understanding of configuring networking devices and deploy key
techniques to meet the network and stakeholder requirements;
iv. Demonstrate the ability to trouble-shoot and support networks, design load-balanced,
redundant and fault-tolerant mechanisms to meet the network and organizational
requirements;
v. Develop and apply standards, legislation, professionalism and strategies for verifying
that the measures taken during a design and implementation of a network
architecture;
vi. Effectively communicate information, arguments, and analysis, in a variety of forms,
to technical and non-technical audiences.

Course Content
Networking principles: Network topologies, physical and logical; Cabling types and
standards; The OSI model and the layered architecture; IP addressing and subnetting;
Network (wired and wireless) protocols, ports and services; Application protocols,
services and ports; Network end-points; Network devices, network cards, routers,
switches and wireless access points; Routing and switching; Routing protocols;
Network Address Translation (NAT) and Port Address Translation (PAT); An
introduction to network security.
Network architecture and design: Principles of network architecture; The hierarchical
networking model and tiered architecture; Distributed computing fundamentals;
Network segmentation and network tiers; Analyse and understand network
requirements to fulfill organisational objectives; Design networks to meet the stated
requirements and objectives; Network design for different organisations; Networking
standards, 802 series, in particular 802.3 and 802.11; Network polices, processes and
procedures.
Network configuration: Network operating systems; Configuration of routers and
switches; Remote access.
Network trouble-shooting, support and maintenance: Supporting a network
environment; Maintaining and trouble-shooting network devices, routers and
switches; Network traffic and protocol analysis; Network performance.
Network redundancy and reliability: Network load balancing; Quality of Service
(QoS); Fault-tolerance and high availability; Network disaster recovery, incident
management and service delivery.

Week Lecture Topic Subtopics Activities

1 Introduction &
Networking principles
2 Networking principles
3 Networking
principles
4 Network architecture
and design:
Network architecture
5 ASSESSMENT
6 Network architecture
and design:
Network design
7 
 Course outline  Lectures
 Network topologies, physical and  Video
logical;
 Cabling types and standards;
 The OSI model and the layered
architecture;
 IP addressing and subnetting;  Lectures
 Network (wired and wireless)  Demonstrations
protocols, ports and services;  Class discussions
Application protocols, services and
ports;
 Network end-points;
 Network devices, network cards,
routers, switches and wireless access
points;
 Routing and switching;  Lectures
 Routing protocols;  Class discussions
 Network Address Translation  Demonstrations
(NAT) and Port Address
Translation (PAT);
 An introduction to network
security
 Principles of network architecture;  Lectures
 The hierarchical networking model  Class discussions
and tiered architecture;  Demonstrations
 Distributed computing fundamentals;
 Network segmentation and network
tiers;
 Analyse and understand network
requirements to fulfill organisational
objectives;
 CAT ONE  Sit in
 Design networks to meet the stated  Lectures
requirements and objectives;  Demonstrations
 Network design for different
organisations;
Networking standards, 802 series, in  Lectures
particular 802.3 and 802.11;
 Network polices, processes and
procedures.
8 Network configuration  Network operating systems;  Lectures/
 Configuration of routers and switches; Simulation
 Remote access.  videos
9 Network trouble-  Supporting a network environment;  Lectures
shooting, support and  Maintaining and trouble-shooting  Demonstrations
maintenance network devices, routers and switches;  videos
 Network traffic and protocol analysis;
 Network performance.
10 ASSESSMENT  CAT TWO  Sit in
11 Network redundancy  Network load balancing;  Lectures
and reliability  Quality of Service (QoS);  Class discussions
 Fault-tolerance and high availability;
12  Network disaster recovery, incident  Lectures
management and service delivery.  Class discussions

13 Assignment  Presentations
submission
14 EXAMINATIONS
15 EXAMINATIONS

Mode of Delivery:
Lectures, class discussions, class presentations & tutorials.

Instructional Materials
Instructor designed handouts, Power point slides and summary notes.

Course Assessment:
 Continuous Assessment Test 30%
 Final examination 70%

Course textbook and journal

Steven T. Karris. Networks: Design and Management. Orchard Publications, 2009.
ISBN: 1934404152, 9781934404157.
James D. McCabe. Network Analysis, Architecture, and Design. The Morgan Kaufmann Series
in Networking. Morgan Kaufmann, 2010. ISBN: 008054875X, 9780080548753.

Recommended textbooks and journal for further reading

Al-Bahadili, Hussein. Simulation in Computer Network Design and Modeling: Use and
Analysis: Use and Analysis. Premier reference source. IGI Global, 2012. 1466601922,
9781466601925.

Approved by Head of Department: Date Received: Signature:

Class Representative: Date Received: Signature