Computer and Network Systems Administration Course Descriptions

CNSA 107 (3 Credits)
PC Hardware and Support Fundamentals
This course is focused on the internal components and operation of digital devices with emphasis on desktop PC systems used for business. Processors, memory, hard drives, SSDs, communication buses, and other components are covered. Electricity fundamentals and the binary numbering system are also a part of this course. Students build a computer from scratch in the lab.

CNSA 111 (3 Credits)
Introduction to Networking
Provides an overview of modern networking arrangements and goes into detail about the digitization of analog signals, the OSI model, the Ethernet protocol, and Ethernet switching. IP addresses and IP sub-netting are also covered in depth.
Prerequisite: CNSA 107

CNSA 117 (3 Credits)
Analysis of TCP/IP and Local Area Networking
The TCP/IP protocol suite is explored in detail. Topics include ARP, ICMP, DNS, DHCP, IPv4, IPv6, and TCP operation details such as sequencing, acknowledgments, and sliding window flow control. After lecture is complete, students spend lab time capturing frames with a software protocol analyzer and verifying the behaviors they learned about in lecture. Wireless networking (WiFi) is also a part of this course.
Prerequisite: CNSA 111

CNSA 123 (3 Credits)
LAN Cabling and WAN Technologies
Telecommunications Technologies for Wide Area Networking
Cabling standards and best cabling practices in the industry are covered. Students practice hands-on cable termination of copper and fiber cables in the lab. This course also provides an overview of telecommunications technologies and the use of telecommunications in wide area networks (WANs). Students have the opportunity to earn Tyco Electronics certified premises cabling installation certification.
Prerequisite: CNSA 117

CNSA 156 (3 Credits)
Operating Systems I
Microsoft’s server operating systems are a dominant network operating system in the information technology industry. In this course, along with CNSA 161, students get detailed lecture about and hands-on experience with Microsoft’s server operating system. Practical hands-on experience is included in the labs and begins with attended and unattended installation methods. Included in installation methods are imaging and cloning techniques for mass rollouts of server and client operating systems. The lecture and labs continue with configuration of file and print servers, securing files with share and NTFS permissions, disk management (including RAID), disaster recovery, and backup methods.
Prerequisite: CNSA 123

CNSA 161 (3 Credits)
Systems Administration I
This course continues where CNSA 156 leaves off. In this course, students learn about Microsoft’s Active Directory structure and management. User account maintenance, user profiles, logon scripts and group policy are covered. Students also learn in the classroom what goes on behind the scenes with dynamic host control protocol (DHCP or automatic addressing) and domain name server (DNS or computer name resolution). Ultimately, students take this classroom theory and apply it in the lab as they create their own active directory domains and configure DHCP and DNS services within their domain. Prerequisite: CNSA 156

CNSA 166 (3 Credits)
Internetworking Devices and Concepts
This is a Cisco-centric course on IP routing and switching. Traditional routers and L3 switches are discussed in the classroom and used in the lab. Routing protocols such as RIPv2, EIGRP, and OSPF are covered. In addition to routing, voice-over IP (VoIP) is a significant technology that businesses implement in order to reduce cost and leverage investments in the data network. For that reason, this course provides an overview of VoIP and assigns a lab project to configure a software private branch exchange (PBX) telephone switch that is capable of routing phone calls within the lab environment.
Prerequisite: CNSA 161

CNSA 172 (3 Credits)
Web Technologies and Network Security Fundamentals
Students learn how to configure a web server that can host multiple websites. The course then moves into the creation of web pages from scratch using HTML, CSS, and a text editor. Since security has become an increasingly important issue in our times, some of the security measures that are commonly used on the Internet are included in this course. These security measures include an overview of threats and defense strategies, the public key infrastructure (PKI), digital certificates, hash codes, and digital signatures.
Prerequisite: CNSA 166

CNSA 212 (3 Credits)
Programming I
An introduction to the fundamentals of computer programming. Students learn a structured, object-oriented approach to problem solving and automating routine processes using modern programming languages. The programming concepts used emphasize logical thinking and current programming standards and conventions. Students learn to plan, design, compile, debug, and document applications in a visual programming environment using a programming language that is compatible with the Microsoft .NET Framework. In addition, the course introduces the integration of programming applications with databases as well as next generation programming environments.
Prerequisites: CNSA 156 and CNSA 161

CNSA 216 (3 Credits)
Web Programming
A course that builds upon the information learned in CNSA 172, CNSA 212, CNSA 222, it introduces advanced web programming and development techniques and tools. The primary focus of the course is on the design of dynamic, interactive websites, using current web programming languages and tools, including the technology of the Microsoft .NET Framework. Students integrate the use of relational databases to provide data storage and retrieval for their interactive websites. Students also configure and manage web servers to support interactive web pages. Prerequisites: CNSA 172, CNSA 212, and CNSA 222

CNSA 222 (3 Credits)
Database Management Systems
An in-depth, hands-on survey course in which students develop the skills and the expertise required to design, implement, and manage databases using a relational database management system (RDBMS). Students learn concepts of the relational database model, the principles of database design and normalization, and database administration. In addition, the basic commands and functions of structured query language (SQL) are used for data manipulation and extraction, as well as for database administration. Finally, topics are introduced that relate enterprise databases to client/server systems, application programming, web database development, and e-commerce.
Prerequisite: CNSA sophomore standing – Minimum grade of “C” required

CNSA 227 (3 Credits)
Management Information Systems
A course that introduces students to the policies and procedures required to administer an enterprise computer network and to support an effective information technology department and users in the enterprise. Students learn how to prepare and maintain documentation for information technology systems, software, processes, and projects. The skills learned in this course are integrated into the other CNSA courses throughout the sophomore year. An important component of the course is research, readings, and discussion related to ethical practices in the field of information technology.
Prerequisite: CNSA sophomore standing

CNSA 256 (3 Credits)
Operating Systems II
The second operating systems course in the CNSA curriculum that introduces students to the design, functionality, and administration of the predominant non-Windows operating system in the current computer industry. At this particular time, the course presents an in-depth examination of Linux, focusing on the proper installation and administration of the operating system. Students explore the wealth of support sites available to administrators of Linux systems, as well as the availability of productivity software applications and system administration tools for Linux systems.
Prerequisite: CNSA 156

CNSA 266 (3 Credits)
Systems Administration II
Students will also learn to implement dynamic web sites using PHP HyperText Preprocessor (PHP) and MySQL. Topics include configuring PHP and MySQL, reading HTML forms, variables and strings, selections, loops, arrays, cookies and sessions, functions, regular expressions, connecting to a MySQL database, writing basic Structured Query Language (SQL) commands, developing applications with PHP/MySQL, and configuring Apache server to work in conjunction with Internet Information Services (IIS) for website security.
Prerequisite: CNSA 161, CNSA 256

CNSA 271 (3 Credits)
Network Design
This is the first of two capstone courses in the CNSA curriculum that requires students to rely heavily upon the knowledge and skills acquired from their entire previous course experiences. Project teams manage all accounts (i.e., user, group, computer, security) in their respective domains. In designing their enterprise domains, the teams conduct appropriate research, analyze and evaluate enterprise requirements and specifications, and document the network design. Knowledge of the fundamentals of networking technology, experience supporting a network, or successful completion of a networking essentials course is required.
Prerequisite: CNSA 266

CNSA 276 (3 Credits)
Practical Applications
The second of two capstone courses in the CNSA curriculum that requires students to rely heavily upon the knowledge and skills acquired from their entire previous CNSA course experiences. This course also includes in-depth research and examination of selected network applications and the implementation of those applications in the enterprise. Students learn how to plan, configure, and administer the specified application(s), implement the application(s), document the installation(s), and train the appropriate users to use and administer the application(s).
Prerequisites: CNSA 266 and CNSA 271