Business is complex and require effective management to succeed. Managing complexity requires many skills. There are more competitors, more places of sell products, and more places to locate workers. As a consequence, effective decision making is more crucial than ever before. On the other hand managers have more access to larger and more detailed data that are potential sources of information. However, to achieve this potential requires that managers know how to deal with the Information Technology. Modern business world could not function without Data Systems and Computer Networks. This course is designed to build up knowledge of Data Systems and Computer Networks and to develop skills in this area. By the time students reach the end of the course they should know about Data Systems and Computer Networks and be able to use the skills and knowledge they have acquired to solve their owned problems.
This is a four semester hour course. This course is allotted 15 weeks of time. You must complete all of the requirements for the course successfully by the end of the 15 week period. The first day of week one will begin the day that you register for the course, or the day which you notify me that your text book(s) have arrived and you are ready to begin your studies. Please be cognizant of the time frame. It is rare that extensions of time are permitted, unless you have good justification. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be awarded four semester hours of credit.
There is one (1) required textbook for this course.
Book 1: Data Communications and Computer Networks: A Business User’s Approach (Sixth Edition), White Curt. M, Boston, MA; Course Technology, (2011), ISBN-13: 978-0-538-45261-1 , ISBN-10:0-538-45261-
This text may be found at your local bookstore. Your local bookstore most often will order them as a special order for you. Or, you may purchase this book online from:
The following weights will be used to compute the final grade
40% - Individual Assignments
40% - Exams
20% - Action Research
Action research is concerned with the everyday practical problems experienced by the students rather than the ‘ theoretical problems’ by pure researches within discipline of knowledge. The Action research is undertaken on a voluntary basis. It will be broken down into two phases
Phase One: Technical Document-“Requirement Analysis”, using the SDLC (System development life cycle)-a series of steps to develop a data system;
Phase Two: Network Modeling and the actual design/layout of a company’s proposed network configuration.
There will be weekly written assignments that will be assigned based on your readings.
There is only one written exam for this course. The final exam covers the materials in the book, Data Communications and Computer Networks: A Business User’s Approach (Sixth Edition), White Curt. M.
The final examination must be taken by the end of the 10th week in the course.
The grading scale for this course is as follows:
90-100% = A
80-89% = B
70-79% = C
Below 70% = Fail
You are encouraged to communicate with me. I am available to assist you in meeting your goals for this course. I believe email is the most effective media.
Dr. Hewage began his post graduate education in Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Technical Education at BMCC, City University of New York. He has consulted and worked for several South Asian Countries in various instructive capacities. His research experience includes a Computational Linguistics, Geo Informatics, Computational Modeling and Artificial Intelligence.
Dr. Hewage has published many more articles in ICT related subjects, and have published articles with several international conferences and refereed journals. He taught ICT courses in College of Technology, Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
Dr Hewage has earned Doctorate in Information Technology, Masters for Computational Linguistics, in addition to his B.Sc in Computer Science and B.A in Mass Communication. Also Reading for Ph.D in Geo-informatics. He is a CSTA member.
This course is aimed to provide a broad introduction to data systems with a focus on network design and management issues. The course will cover the following areas:
1). Introduction to Computer Networks and Data Communications
2). Data and Signals
3). Conducted and Wireless media
4). Making connections with data, computer and peripheral devices
5). Error detection
6). Various local area network architectures, hardware and software including LAN operating systems
7). Internet protocols and the world wide web
8). Voice and data delivery networks
9). Network security issues
10). Network management and design
This course introduces the technical concepts underlying current and future information systems, with an emphasis on Data Systems and Computer Network related technologies to Master of Business Management students. The course begins with the Introduction to Computer Networks and Data Communications principals, Data Signals, and Networking Media. Then, special emphasis is given to advance topics that underlie the Software Support Systems, Internet, Voice and Data delivery, Networking Security including Network Design and Management. The course will provide the students sufficient knowledge of Data Systems and Computer Networks comparison of existing alternative solutions and the means of strategizing business development solutions on re-engineered business processes.
Upon completion of this course student will be able to:
1). Understand the concepts of data systems.
2). Understand various computer networks.
3). Understand communications protocols and the advantages of each.
4). Understand the architecture, functioning, protocols of the internet.
5). Understand the working of communication devices.
6). Enumerate the various transmission media commonly used in carrier systems, i.e. coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, microwave radio, as well as the carrier systems overall operating characteristics.
7). Recognize the basics of data communications, including data, signals, conversions between data and signals, encoding techniques, multiplexing, and modems.
8). Delineate the integration of voice technologies with data technologies.
9). Identify the basics of T-carrier systems, frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode, DSL , cable modems, and ISDN and be able to compare and contrast their characteristics.
10). Describe the basic operating procedures of the Internet and how it relates to data and voice communications.
11). Enumerate the differences between the wireless telephone systems AMPS, D-AMPS, TDMA, CDMA, and GSM.
12). Document the characteristics of local area networks, including bus, star and ring topologies.
13). Evaluate the impact of new network hardware and protocols in a variety of settings.
14). Develop new (or modify existing) network designs to optimize performance for particular applications or environments.
15). Managing and Maintaining data communication network
If you have any questions regarding this program, you may contact the instructor at admassistant@breyerstate.com.
