The two Quizzes constitute 10% of the total mark and serve as a feedback mechanism to monitor your progress in the unit.

Assignment must be submitted on time. Late submission of the assignment will be accepted, but penalized at the rate of 10% per working day late.

Assignment work must be written clearly, with good grammar, correct word usage, correct punctuation,and lack of spelling errors. Poor or bad expression will be penalized, Wherever required, all written work must be properly referenced and conform to standard stylistic conventions.

General notes on assignment

 For all submitable assignment work you are encouraged to:

• set your personal deadline earlier than the actual one;
• keep backup of all important files;
• make sure that no one else picks up your printouts. 

Each week you should attend the class which is three to four hours. For details of days, times and rooms consult the timetables webpage.

The first four weeks will be mainly foundational material covered in lectures and readings and discussion. The second part of the course will have two hours of lecture and two hours of practical depending on the content for the week.

Please note it is to your benefit to attend most of the classes, prepared to participate in discussions, ask and answer questions, and provide perspectives from your own background and workplaces.

Resources to assist your learning

Digital recordings of lectures are available as Echo360 through iLearn login. These are provided for review material and in case of missing lectures. Recordings should not be relied upon and copyrighted material may be omitted.

iLearn is used for out-of-class communication as well as forums where active discussion of issues is encouraged. iLearn can be found at can be found at http://learn.mq.edu.au. You are encouraged to review iLearn weekly and to do background reading before each class.

Textbook

The textbook for ITEC850 is:

Dan C. Marinescu Cloud Computing, 1st Edition Theory and Practice ISBN: 9780124046276 eBook ISBN:  9780124046412

These books are also useful:

Paul Göransson, Chuck Black, Software Defined Networks: A Comprehensive Approach. Morgan Kaufmann, ISBN: 9780124166844

Rajkumar Buyya, Christian Vecchiola, and Thamarai Selvi, Mastering Cloud Computing, Morgan Kaufmann, ISBN: 978-0-12-411454-8, Burlington, Massachusetts, USA, May 2013.

References.

Tannenbaum, A. S and Wetherall, J., Computer Networks, Fifth Edition. Pearson (Prentice Hall)

Stallings, W., Data and Computer Communications, Ninth Edition. Pearson (Prentice Hall)

Comer, D.E., Internetworking with TCP/IP, Sixth Edition. Pearson

Comer, D.E., Network Systems Design using Network Processors. Pearson (Prentice Hall)

ITEC850 2015 is substantially different from previous years. Previously ITEC850 looked extensively at Network Management architectures and protocols. ITEC850 now examines the design and implementation of computer networks at a detailed level as described in the new learning outcomes.

At the end of the semester, you will receive a grade that reflects your achievement in the unit

• Fail (F): does not provide evidence of attainment of all learning outcomes. There is missing or partial or superficial or faulty understanding and application of the fundamental concepts in the field of study; and incomplete, confusing or lacking communication of ideas in ways that give little attention to the conventions of the discipline.
• Pass (P): providessufficient evidence of the achievement of learning out comes. There is demonstration of understanding and application of fundamental concepts of the field of study; and communication of information and ideas adequately in terms of the conventions of the discipline. The learning attainment is considered satisfactory or adequate or competent or capable in relation to the specified outcomes.
• Credit (Cr): provides evidence of learning that goes beyond replication of content knowledge or skills relevant to the learning outcomes. There is demonstration of substantial understanding of fundamental conceptsin the field of study and the ability to apply these conceptsin a variety of contexts; plus communication of ideas fluently and clearly in terms of the conventions of the discipline.
• Distinction (D): provides evidence of integration and evaluation of critical ideas, principles and theories, distinctive insight and ability in applying relevant skills and conceptsin relation to learning outcomes. There is demonstration of frequent originality in defining and analysing issues or problems and providing solutions; and the use of means of communication appropriate to the discipline and the audience.
• HighDistinction (HD): provides consistent evidence of deep and critical understanding in relation to the learning outcomes. There is substantial originality and insight in identifying, generating and communicating competing arguments, perspectives or problem solving approaches; critical evaluation of problems, their solutions and their implications; creativity in application.

In this unit, your final grade depends on your performance in each part of the assessment. For each task, you receive a mark that combines your standard of performance regarding each learning outcome assessed by this task. Then the different component marks are added up to determine your total mark out of 100. Your grade then depends on this total mark and your overall standards of performance.

Concretely, in order to pass the unit, you must

• obtain a total mark of 50% or higher and a mark of 40% or higher in the final examination;
• make a reasonable attempt at the exercises in the  assessment tasks;
• demonstrate that you can perform at a Functional level or higher for each criterion assessed in the two assignments;
• reach a Functional level or higher for each criterion assessed in the final examination.

Students obtaining a higher grade than a pass in this unit will (in addition to the above)         

• • have a total mark of 85% or higher and perform at distinction level or higher in the final examination to obtain High Distinction;
  • have a total mark of 75% or higher and perform at credit level or higher in the final examination to obtain Distinction;
  • have a total mark of 65% or higher  and perform at pass level but with 50% or higher in the final examination to obtain Credit.

 You are encouraged to:

• set your personal deadline earlier than the actual one;
• keep backups of all important assessed tasks;.
• make sure no one else picks up your printouts.

All work submitted should be readable and well presented.

You should never commit plagiarism in any of your submitted work, including tutorial and practical answers.