QOS: Exam Certification Guide (642-642) by Wemdell Odom and Michael Cavanaugh, Cisco Press, November 2004, ISBN: 1587201240


CCNP ISCW Official Exam Certification Guide by Brian Morgan and Neil Lovering, Cisco Press, 3 edition, July 2007, ISBN: 158720150

CISCO Networking Academy Program: CCNP2/4 on-line course material, CISCO Systems Inc. hosted by Staffordshire University

CCNP: Complete Study Guide (642-801, 642-811, 642-821, 642-831) by Wade Edwards et a., Sybex, May 2005 ISBN: 0782144217

Prior study of Networking Fundamentals (or similar)

The VLE
An ICT Workplace environment. A Work-Based Learning Agreement will be completed for this module to ensure that the student will have access to the required resources in the workplace.

The Internet and office software
Staffordshire University has subscriptions to electronic book services such as Safari Tech Books, Ebrary and Netlibrary. There are titles in each of the collections that will support students studying this module.
- Networking equipment in University Labs

Additionally, for CISCO Academies only
- On-line learning material provided by CISCO Inc.
- CISCO Networking Academy programme assessment server
- Laboratory exercise sheets provided by course instructor

NOTE:
Instructors teaching this module who use the CISCO material must have completed CCNP and CCNA 4 instructor training course of the CNAP programme

Module Launch (15 hours)
There will be a module launch during which 15 hours of face to face contact will be devoted to undertaking tasks which are designed to provide useful insights into the module content and purpose.

Guided Learning (11 hours)
A module tutor who is part of the teaching team of the module will be allocated to you and you will meet them during the launch. Following the launch, there will be some materials on the VLE which are designed to guide your learning. Additionally, there will be at least one hour per week of contact time for the eleven weeks following the launch. This will be used for learning guided led by your module tutor. It will be a face to face presentation if you are on day/block release. For online learners it will be flipped classroom approach with group (up to 20) seminars.

Reviews:
• Tutorial reviews for online learners (0.5 hour per student)
Online learners will have 2 tutorial sessions with their module tutor during the course of the module. These will be individual or small group sessions during which your module tutor will be able to answer any queries that you have regarding module work. The review weeks are listed in the module handbook and mentors will be invited to join the call and provide feedback.

• Tutorial sessions for day release learners (at least 0.5 hours per student)
There will scheduled tutorial sessions (up to 20 students) during the 11 weeks following the launch which will take the place of the tutorial reviews for day release students

Independent learning (123.5 hours)
The module leader will provide resources through the virtual learning environment which will include videos and presentations as well as links to useful websites. Other academic learning will be achieved through reading around the subject area. Module tutors will suggest useful texts, though many others will be suitable and can be found in our e-library. If you require help understanding any of the concepts, you may contact your module tutor for assistance.

Part of your independent learning will take place in your workplace under the guidance of your mentor. You will complete a work-based learning agreement to ensure that arrangements are in place at your workplace to facilitate this work-based learning. You are encouraged to endeavour to apply your growing academic knowledge to improve your work practice and to reflect on your work-based experiences to improve your learning.

You will be required to complete assignment work during independent learning time. Assignment work for a 15 credit module at level 5 should take around 60 hours to complete

Additional help with learning

You will have access to the departmental librarian. As a student, you are more than welcome to visit the university at any time and to use the resources. During time at the university, you may arrange to meet your module tutor or academic coach for additional help

A COURSEWORK weighted at 100%. (Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4).
This will be a portfolio consisting of a class test based on a scenario, 90 minutes (50%) Learning outcomes 1 & 4, which will look at a real world scenario and the application of practical skills to a more limited lab based scenario (50%) Learning outcomes 2 & 3.

This module considers the implications or remote access to networks and the provisioning of applicable resource to match business applications/traffic. Looking at theoretical methods of estimating network utilisation, to baselining techniques and monitoring methods to ensure adequate bandwidth provision and utilisation.

The module covers remote access solutions including VPN and AAA, tracking logins and connections.

Access-Control: Security solutions, Understanding and configuring AAA
Broadband Access Technologies: xDSL, Cable modems, DOCSIS

Quality of service techniques such as FQ, PQ, CBWFQ, RED, WRED, traffic shaping and policing in order to allocate appropriate WAN resources.

1. Critically analyse and evaluate complex networking scenarios and to be able to develop comprehensive baseline and network documentation conforming to advanced professional practice. Knowledge & Understanding
Learning

2. Critically analyse and configure networked applications and operating systems according to standards of advanced professional practice.
Analysis
Problem solving

3. Evaluate critically how application data may be formatted and compressed into protocol data units, prior to being presented to the lower levels of the OSI model.
Analysis

4. Demonstrate advanced in-depth knowledge at the forefront of professional practice of communications protocols used to integrate applications over networks.
Knowledge & Understanding