Topic talk:Networking

This section is sadly blank right now :( . Much as I love networking I am only CCNA certified right now; I will add content where I can, and hopefully others will make this section worthwhile. Bell017 04:41, 15 October 2006 (UTC)

First Draft

I've used Topic:Scientific Computing as a template, and authored appropriate text. The course list at this point is wholly suggestive, though I am working on a Networking Introduction. Points that need consideration:

• The image (tin cans and string) is copied from Wikipedia, and I am unsure of the licensing situation, or how to proceed. I wanted an image that gets attention and is immediately accessible - not just another generic mug shot of two anonymous ice cubes (that's RJ45 heads in trade lingo... I think).
• The Intro section was inspired by the intro at Scientific Computing, but it's a good candidate for refinement.
• That said, what exactly are we talking about here? The skills necessary to get a job as a Network Engineer? (And what skills are those?) Knowledge necessary to pass an exam like Network+? The ability to program a Cisco 2610? Discuss!
• That said, what kind of students and culture do we expect here, or should we encourage, here? In my experience, many students are compelled to enter the field because of the impression of cool-sounding toys (T1 routers and gigabit switches), or elevated complexity, or increased pay. But the role of the network in any business is implicitly to serve the business (not the network administrator), and that means courses should stress soft skills like effective communication (including business writing and grammar?), objective troubleshooting, and a strong sense of skill identity - knowing what you know, so that you're not flustered at the interview table or, worse, by unexpected responsibilities on the job!

Dfrauzel 01:50, 24 October 2006 (UTC)

Fresh Meat

It has been a while since anyone posted here, so I dont know if there is any development currently underway. I definitely think we need to refine who the anticipated audience is and what we hope to achieve. I find myself torn between wanting to duplicate many of the elements and topics taught in a traditional university, and wanting coursework that is more practical. As an example, I'm tired of seeing the OSI model in the first chapters of any networking book, when from a practical standpoint it has little value to the average LAN/WAN administrator, yet the OSI model is something that would be discussed in a typical university environment.
If we go with duplicating the more traditional university topics and format, I think we may need to rename some of these topics. Regardless, I believe there is a lot of value in restructuring what other people have begun into a laddered framework of ever-advancing topics, and culling out some of the less professional entries (like the so you've been hired as a network administrator). What do others think?
EricPrice 04:18, 29 December 2006 (UTC)

Can we do both? Could we have them compliment each other, but not detract from each others strengths? --Remi0o 06:14, 29 December 2006 (UTC)

In fact I think we can. I gave it more thought after I originally posted, and if you take a look at some of the proposed topics I posted on the page I hope its clear how I intend to proceed. I propose pulling the "legacy" networking information that might be of interest to some or that is often required for network certification into its own group of lessons, but otherwise avoid them in classes like the introduction where frankly, I think it can be more than a little overwhelming and not practically applicable to much in real life for the casual learner. EricPrice 17:41, 29 December 2006 (UTC)

The Wikiversity founders themselves have stated that the goal of the project is not to precisely duplicate a university experience, but exploit and explore the possibilities of a Wiki. In that sense, I agree that stodgy topics like OSI not be presented first thing in the course - but on the other hand, there are so many starting points for this topic that it's not really fair to single out one specific path for everyone to take. (Anyhow, a Wiki is about collaborative projects, not just a prepared series of topics.) Ah, and in defense of "So you've been hired as a network admin...", the idea there is to point out some common challenges newby network techs and admins run into. Ultimately, the goal of any university is to get a job. Having worked with students getting started in this field, I find the majority of them are perfectly capable of absorbing the knowledge and passing the tests, but they remain intimidated by what's actually expected of them on the job. Moreso, there are lots of topics that none of the certs and very few university courses ever talk about: like corporate politics (IT gets exposed to a lot of it), small business practices (limited budget, no documentation, being on your own with a lot of tough problems), and soft skills in general - this is the perfect venue for sharing real-world experiences, let's please not confine ourselves to rote theory and RFC-style formality! Dfrauzel 20:48, 15 January 2007 (UTC)

Network Administration

Is the networking department the appropriate place for discussion of the various network operating systems? While I cant find it at the moment, I ran across another section of the Computer Science School where Network Administration had been segmented from Networking. My personal feelings are that, while the two are obviously interrelated, NOS Administration topics and lessons dont really belong here. I think I will spend the weekend roughing out lesson ideas for each of the sections I added last night, and perhaps working on the first one in detail. EricPrice 19:02, 29 December 2006 (UTC)

That's really the domain of "system administration"... but let's not be picky. The one usually requires skills in the other and vice versa - and in today's budget-minded market, most hiring companies want someone who knows both. Plus, they're complementary topics, and a blended learning approach is more interesting I think. As long as it's not so much information it's intimidating... well, that's a challenge for anyone studying or teaching in this industry. It does bring up, again, the question of how we're going to structure this school. Have any of other schools really developed over the last few months, could we use some of them as examples? Dfrauzel 20:51, 15 January 2007 (UTC)

Merge and organize

A merge with Topic:Computer networks has been proposed. Please discuss here or there. Thanks! CQ 06:21, 23 August 2009 (UTC)