Current Trends in Networking
ARUBSCL6003
Assignment
Date for Submission: 23rd April 2015 (13.59 BST)
Tutor: Dr. Adrian J Pullin
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As part of the formal assessment for the programme you are required to submit a Current Trends in Networking assignment. Please refer to your Student Handbook for full details of the programme assessment scheme and general information on preparing and submitting assignments.
Learning outcomes
Answers to the tasks will demonstrate the ability to:
1. Critically evaluate threats to network provision and compare solutions
2. Compare and contrast existing and emergent networking technologies
3. Apply appropriate network technologies in complex settings, providing alternative solutions, clear selections and justifications.
4. Critically evaluate relevant and credible sources for up to date information on network and data communications technologies.

Scenario 1 – Village on the edge of a big city.
Bitton is a small village on the edge of the major city of Bristol in south west England. It has a population of about 9,000 people and these days is mainly a commuter village for people who work in Bristol, although there is still some farming around the village. Unfortunately one of the major employers in the village, a paper mill, closed in 2006 (see https://www.southglos.gov.uk/Documents/Golden%20Valley%20Mill.pdf for further information). This means that new employment opportunities are needed and one obvious solution is to increase the amount of Internet based business in the village.

My brother lives on Mill Lane in Bitton (next to the now closed paper mill). The Post Code is BS30 6HJ and you can locate this using www.streetmap.co.uk or Google Maps (maps.google.com) by just entering this post code in the search box. He wants to set up an Internet based business trading in sports memorabilia (signed football shirts, match day programmers etc.) He also wants high speed Internet access so that his family can make use of modern streaming services such as catch up TV and YouTube.

Scenario 2 – Remote Rural Area
Dervaig is a very small village on the Isle of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland. The village has a population of about 80 people. The local economy is divided between small scale farming and fishing. There is also a well-developed tourist industry which takes advantage of Mull’s quiet and peaceful environment and local wildlife including rare White Tailed Sea Eagles, dolphins, whales and basking sharks.
The new owners of Quinnish House (post code PA75 6QL – again use www.streetmap.co.uk or maps.google.com to find this) need an Internet connection to enable them to set up and run their planned hotel business.
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Scenario 3 – Your location and situation
Consider your own location, where you access the Internet, for example to do your studies for RDI. The location details are obviously where you are. The connection technologies are whatever is available in your location to access the Internet. Therefore this scenario will be different for every student. You must use your own location and situation.
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Requirements
You are to consider TWO (2) scenarios. One MUST be Scenario 3 – Your location The other MUST be ONE of the other scenarios (Scenario 1- Village on the edge of a big city or Scenario 2 – remote rural). You must pick the scenario (1 or 2) that is MOST DIFFERENT from your own. So if you live in a big city, you must use your location plus Scenario 2- Remote Rural. If you live in a remote location you must pick Scenario 1- Village on the edge of a big city.
You are to discuss the available options for getting a reliable high speed Internet connection to each of the locations (yours plus one of the others given above).
You are to produce a formal report clearly divided into two sections, one for each location (yours plus one of the others detailed above). Within the report you should discuss all the technologies available to provide reliable and high speed Internet connections to each of the locations. Consider the problems that these locations present and how the technologies resolve those problems. You need to make a clear recommendation for each location saying which of the available technologies you would use and clearly justify these recommendations.
For your own location, also provide a brief summary of the location, similar to those given in scenario 1 and 2 above.

SUBMIT:
A formal academic report in two sections:
Section 1 – My Location
This should outline your location and situation and report on how to get Internet access where you are. Your report should also include actual performance figures for the Internet connection that you use. There are a number of web sites available that provide speed (actually data rate of course) testing, so search for Internet speed testing to find one.

Section 2 – Scenario Location
This should report on how to get Internet access at ONE of the scenarios given above.
Do them in this order and with these headings.
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Student Guidelines

You should write this assignment as detailed above, in coherent and appropriate English, complete with references in Harvard notation.
You may assume that the target reader has a relatively high level of general data communications and networking knowledge but must explain (supported by references) the technologies that you are discussing in detail
You MUST underpin your analysis and evaluation of the key issues with appropriate and wide ranging academic research and ensure this is referenced using the Harvard system. The My Study Skills Area contains the following useful resources; Study Skills Guide (containing a Harvard Referencing section) and a Harvard Referencing Interactive Tutorial. You must use the Harvard Referencing method in your assignment.
No further guidance will be given on the exact structure, focus or content of the report. This is a final year degree assessment and by this stage you are expected to be able to put together a report like this on your own. Indeed this is part of the assessment.

Word count: 3000 words (maximum)

The word count excludes the title page, executive summary, reference list and appendices. Where assessment questions have been reprinted from the assessment brief these will also be excluded from the word count. ALL other printed words ARE included in the word count. Printed words include those contained within charts and tables. See ‘Word Count Policy’ on the homepage of this module for more information.
Assignments submitted late will not be accepted and will be marked as a 0% fail.
You must ensure that the submitted assignment is all your own work and that all sources used are correctly attributed. Penalties apply to assignments which show evidence of academic unfair practice. (See the Student Handbook which is in the Induction Area).

A thorough Internet search will enable you to find out what technologies and Internet Service Providers are available in the locations given in scenarios 1 & 2 and what alternatives are available to you in your location. You are expected to find this out as part of the assessment.

The module tutor will answer specific questions via e-mail or the discussions forum for the module. You are advised to submit a draft of your report for feedback and comments at least a week before submission to allow you time to make any suggested changes. Please ensure that all such communications include the module name, your name and id and when you are planning to submit the work.

Assessment Criteria Level 6 is characterised by an expectation of students’ increasing autonomy in relation to their study and developing skill sets. Students are expected to demonstrate problem solving skills, both theoretical and practical. This is supported by an understanding of appropriate theory; creativity of expression and thought based in individual judgement; and the ability to seek out, invoke, analyse and evaluate competing theories or methods of working in a critically constructive and open manner. Output is articulate, coherent and skilled in the appropriate medium, with some students producing original or innovative work in their specialism. Mark Bands Outcome Generic Learning Outcomes (GLOs) (Academic Regulations, Section 2) Knowledge & Understanding Intellectual (thinking), Practical, Affective and Transferable Skills Characteristics of Student Achievement by Marking Band 90-100%

Achieves module outcome(s) related to GLO at this level
Exceptional information base exploring and analysing the discipline, its theory and ethical issues with extraordinary originality and autonomy. Work may be considered for publication within Anglia Ruskin University
Exceptional management of learning resources, with a higher degree of autonomy/exploration that clearly exceeds the assessment brief. Exceptional structure/accurate expression. Demonstrates intellectual originality and imagination. Exceptional team/practical/professional skills. Work may be considered for publication within Anglia Ruskin University 80-89%
Outstanding information base exploring and analysing the discipline, its theory and ethical issues with clear originality and autonomy
Outstanding management of learning resources, with a degree of autonomy/exploration that clearly exceeds the assessment brief. An exemplar of structured/accurate expression. Demonstrates intellectual originality and imagination. Outstanding team/practical/professional skills 70-79%
Excellent knowledge base that supports analysis, evaluation and problem-solving in theory/practice/ethics of discipline with considerable originality
Excellent management of learning resources, with degree of autonomy/research that may exceed the assessment brief. Structured and creative expression. Very good academic/ intellectual skills and practical/team/professional/problem-solving skills 60-69%
Good knowledge base that supports analysis, evaluation and problem-solving in theory/ practice/ethics of discipline with some originality
Good management of learning resources, with consistent self-directed research. Structured and accurate expression. Good academic/intellectual skills and team/practical/ professional/problem solving skills 50-59%
Satisfactory knowledge base that supports some analysis, evaluation and problem-solving in theory/practice/ethics of discipline
Satisfactory management of learning resources. Some autonomy in research but inconsistent. Structured and mainly accurate expression. Acceptable level of academic/ intellectual skills going beyond description at times. Satisfactory team/practical/professional/problem-solving skills 40-49%
A marginal pass in module outcome(s) related to GLO at this level
Basic knowledge base with some omissions at the level of theoretical/ethical issues. Restricted ability to discuss theory and/or or solve problems in discipline
Basic use of learning resources with little autonomy. Some difficulties with academic/intellectual skills. Some difficulty with structure/accuracy in expression, but evidence of developing team/practical/professional/problem-solving skills 30-39%
A marginal fail in module outcome(s) related to GLO at this level. Possible compensation. Sat-isfies qualifying mark
Limited knowledge base. Limited understanding of discipline/ethical issues. Difficulty with theory and problem solving in discipline
Limited use of learning resources. Unable to work autonomously. Little input to teams. Weak academic/ intellectual skills. Still mainly descriptive. General difficulty with structure/accuracy in expression. Practical/professional/ problem-solving skills that are not yet secure 20-29%
Fails to achieve module outcome(s) related to this GLO. Qualifying mark not satisfied. No compensation available
Little evidence of knowledge base. Little evidence of understanding of discipline/ethical issues. Significant difficulty with theory and problem solving in discipline
Little evidence of use of learning resources. Unable to work autonomously. Little input to teams. Very weak academic/ intellectual skills. Work significantly descriptive. Significant difficulty with structure/accuracy in expression. Little evidence of practical/professional/problem-solving skills 10-19%
Inadequate knowledge base. Inadequate understanding of discipline/ethical issues. Major difficulty with theory and problem solving in discipline
Inadequate use of learning resources. Unable to work autonomously. Inadequate input to teams. Extremely weak academic/intellectual skills. Work significantly descriptive. Major difficulty with structure/accuracy in expression. Inadequate practical/professional/ problem-solving skills 1-9%
No evidence of knowledge base; no evidence of understanding of discipline/ethical issues. Total inability with theory and problem solving in discipline
No evidence of use of learning resources. Completely unable to work autonomously. No evidence of input to teams. No evidence of academic/intellectual skills. Work wholly descriptive. Incoherent structure/accuracy and expression. No evidence of practical/professional/ problem-solving skills
0%
Awarded for: (i) non-submission; (ii) dangerous practice and; (iii) in situations where the student fails to address the assignment brief (eg: answers the wrong question) and/or related learning outcomes

 

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