Pearson BTEC Level 5 HNC/D Diploma in Computing and Systems

Pearson BTEC Level 5
HNC/D Diploma in Computing and Systems
Development
Internet Server Management
Assessment
UHI
Date for Submission:13th November 2014
(The submission portal will close at 13:59GMT)
Set by: Dr. Adrian J Pullin
Assignment Brief
As part of the formal assessment for the HNC/D programme you are required to submit an
assignment for each module. Please refer to your Student Handbook for full details of the
programme assessment scheme and general information on preparing and submitting
assignments.
After completing the module you should be able to:
1 Understand internet technologies
2 Understand internet server architectures
3 Implement internet server and services
4 Manage internet server and services.
Completing the assignment tasks will demonstrate your ability to do these things. Specifically, each
part of each task corresponds to the relevant assessment criterion given at the end of this
specification. E.g. task 1 part 1 corresponds with Assessment Criterion 1.1.
Scenario
The University of the Highlands and Islands is one of the newest Universities in the UK, being
awarded University title in February 2011. It has been operating since 1992 as a federation of
colleges across the highlands and islands of Scotland, providing higher education courses in more
remote areas. Unlike most universities, UHI is geographically spread out with centres in Stornoway
(Isle of Lewis), Lerwick (Shetland), Kirkwall (Orkney) and other islands as well as Inverness, Perth
and other mainland centres.
Note: UHI is a real establishment. You can find out more about it at www.uhi.ac.uk and in particular
you can find out about its distributed nature and the geography of the area it covers. However, the
remainder of the material in this assignment is fictitious, being designed to provide a suitable scenario
for the tasks. Where reality differs from the material presented here, you must use the material
presented in the assignment specification. Do NOT contact UHI about this assignment. They will not
know what you are talking about!
A new college is joining UHI – Eilean Muile, the Isle of Mull College based in Tobermory. Since they
have been operating independently until now, there are some IT systems at Eilean Muile that are not
based on the same technologies as those used by UHI. This assignment is about the differences
between these technologies and how UHI might integrate the new college systems with its own.
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Assignment Task
Task 1 – Guideline length 800 words
1.1
Since Eilean Muile is a small college they only have limited computer facilities and they have to
date allocated IP addresses manually and statically to each device. UHI on the other hand
have an extensive range of facilities and allocate addresses across all its sites using DHCP.
Explain why UHI use DHCP whereas Eilean Muile can manage with static addresses.
1.2
Up to now Eilean Muile has been using an e-mail service contracted from Google called Gmail
which has a web access interface. This has provided a suitable service for the college but now
they need to integrate with the UHI system, which is based on Microsoft Exchange and uses a
locally installed client.
Explain the different ways of accessing e-mail (web front end compared with local client) in
detail. You should focus on the protocols used by each approach.
1.3
UHI uses Microsoft Active Directory to manage its network resources and users.
Explain why Eilean Muile should have a Domain Controller on site rather than relying on the
Primary Domain Controller at UHI Inverness. You should focus on the management issues of
the server and the local resources and users rather than the network traffic issues.
Formative Feedback:
You are advised to draft your answer to task 1 within the first month of the module and send it to the
tutor via e-mail (with your full name, student id and the module name) for comments and feedback.
This will help you make sure that you are on the right track.
Task 2 – Guideline length 800 words
2.1
Eilean Muile have been running their web server using Internet Information Services (IIS) from
Microsoft. Despite being a predominantly Microsoft site UHI uses Apache running on a Linux
server.
Explain the key technical and operational differences between these two solutions.
2.2
In order to align with UHI, Eilean Muile are going to move their web server to Apache on Linux.
Explain in detail the hardware and software consequences of this move. Assume that the old
server hardware will not be re-used. You do NOT need to consider any issues relating to the
actual web site contents itself. (You should read task 3.1 before doing task 2.2 to avoid
overlap.)
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Task 3 – Guideline length 1000 words
3.1
As stated in 2.2 above, Eilean Muile are moving their web server to Apache on Linux.
Recommend, with clear justifications, a suitable hardware platform and Linux distribution for
them to use. This should include generic specifications for the hardware, a specific server
device to buy and a specific distribution of Linux to use.
3.2
The network manager at Eilean Muile is not happy about moving to Apache on Linux as she
has spent a significant amount of time and effort getting IIS working properly.
Explain to the network manager why she needs to move to the new platform. You should
focus on the advantages that the new platform will give over IIS.
3.3
There are many free Linux distributions available via the Internet which can be installed onto
partitions of a hard disk, or a separate internal or external hard disk, or on to a USB memory
stick. There are also many web sites documenting the procedure of setting up both Linux and
Apache. One example is OpenSuse available at www.opensuse.org.
Download and set up a suitable Linux installation and Apache server. Document this
installation by taking screen shots. Provide an annotated set of screen shots showing the
installation of the Linux operating system and Apache, up to the point where Apache is up and
running.
It is strongly recommended that you do this task using a “live” version of Linux, either to CD or
USB as this will not affect your normal operating system at all. It is also recommended that the
server is run on an isolated machine that has been physically disconnected from any local
network and the Internet to avoid interfering with other live services.
3.4
For the installation you have just done, provide a critical review of the setting up of the server,
describing the procedure you followed and with a clear focus on the issues that you
encountered and how you resolved them. Also compare the Linux installation with that for
Windows.
Task 4 – Guideline length 900 words
4.1
Using the server you set up in task 3, install a simple web site. This does not need to be a
complex web site at this stage. A single web page showing your full name and student id will
be sufficient.
Take screen shots to show the web site being uploaded onto your server and being accessed
via a browser. These shots should be annotated to explain what they show. The browser can
be running on the same machine as the server. There is no need to connect the machine to a
network or the Internet.
4.2
On your Linux installation, set up a general user with your student id as the user name. This
user should be given a suitable set of access rights to allow them to upload web pages and
generally manage the web server.
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Take screen shots to show how you set up this user and to show the login sequence for both
failed and successful login. These shots should be annotated to explain what they show.
4.3
Provide an annotated printout of the appropriate log files for your web server. You should
provide sufficient log files to show that the server is working and sufficient annotation to show
that you understand what the log file tells you about the server.
4.4
Explain whether the EXACT setup you have just implemented is appropriate for Eilean Muile.
Discuss the EXACT implementation you have done including the hardware you have actually
used and the distribution you have actually used. Remember that this is meant to be a web
server for the organisation in the scenario. You should clearly state whether your setup on
your hardware is suitable and then justify your answer in light of the likely requirements of this
organisation.
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Student Guidelines
1. You should write each task of this assignment as detailed above, in the order given above and clearly
labelled with the task and subtask numbers used above (Task 1.1, Task 1.2 etc.). The assignment
should be in coherent and appropriate English, complete with citations in the text and a list of
references in Harvard notation.
2. 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 for more information. Please also refer to the
„Guide to Unfair Practice in Assessment‟ on the module page on ilearn.
3. 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. All your answers must be directly related to and focused on the scenario. Generic
responses will score very poorly.
4. You should use diagrams and tables of figures where appropriate ensuring to reference their source
using the Harvard Referencing method.
5. It is advised that you write your assignment within approximately 3500 words in order for your research
and summarising skills to be developed, and for effective time management. You are required to
ensure that the assignment addresses ALL of the assessment tasks .There is no penalty for being over
the suggested word count, however, in the interests of good academic practice, assignments
submitted with excessive word counts (e.g. over 4000 words) may be returned to students and
asked to be reduced before marking.
The word count excludes the title page, 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.
6. Your assignment should be submitted as a single document. For more information please see the
“Guide to Submitting an Assignment” document available on the module page on iLearn.
7. As well as submitting a draft of task 1 within the first month of the module for feedback, you are also
advised to submit a full draft of the complete assignment to the tutor via e-mail (with your full name,
student id and the module name) for comments and feedback prior to submission. This should be done
at least a week before the deadline so that you have time to make any suggested changes.
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Recommended Additional Resources
In order to complete this assignment you will have to access a wide range of resources that are
available on the Internet. Searching for and locating these sources as well as filtering the relevant
material from the results of searches is part of the skill set that is assessed in this assignment.
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Assessment Criteria for Pass
To achieve a pass you must meet all of the assessment criteria as stated
below. Failure to cover all of the assessment criteria will result in a referral
grade and you will be required to re-submit your assignment.
Learning
Outcomes/
For tutor use
Assessment
Criteria
Further guidance on completion of your assignment can be found in the
guidance notes which are posted on the group learning space by your
module tutor. For additional support please post questions onto the group
learning space, or e-mail [email protected]
LO1 Understand internet technologies
1.1 critically evaluate different internet technologies and communication
protocols
1.2 critically compare different internet services and internetworking
servers
1.3 discuss network management concerns and make recommendations
to sustain network security, reliability and performance
LO2 Understand internet server architectures
Task 1.1
2.1 critically analyse different internet server technologies and their
performance
2.2 explain the hardware and software components of an internet server
Task 2.1
Task 1.2
Task 1,3
Task 2.2
LO3 Be able to implement internet server and services
3.1 produce a system specification to meet a given requirement
Task 3.1
3.2 evaluate the suitability of internet server components
Task 3.2
3.3 build and configure an internet server including services to meet a
given requirement
3.4 critically review and test an internet server
Task 3.3
Task 3.4
LO4 Be able to manage internet server and services
4.1 install and manage websites and services to meet a given requirement
Task 4.1
4.2 implement secure network access to meet a given requirement
Task 4.2
4.3 monitor and troubleshoot an internet server and services
Task 4.3
4.4 critically evaluate the performance of an internet server.
Task 4.4
Assessment Criteria for Merit
To achieve a Merit all of the Pass criteria need to be met, then the tutor
will assess whether you have met the Merit Criteria. Each of the Merit
criteria must have been met at least once within the assignment.
The following statements are examples of how a merit may be achieved, if
you do meet the Merit Criteria by showing you have reached this level in
other ways then credit will be awarded for this. You will need to meet M1,
M2, M3 at least once.
Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions.
 Effective judgements have been made when selecting appropriate
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Criteria Met
M1
(you may wish to
use this in your
preparation for
your assignment
submission)
solutions.
Select design and apply appropriate methods/techniques
 A range of credible sources of information have been used to
identify appropriate products and solutions
 Selected solutions make appropriate use of available technologies
M2
Present and Communicate Findings
 Material is presented in a logical and accurate manner matching
the stated requirements for each task.
 Appropriate levels of material are presented, taking into account
the target audience.
 Some use of referencing is made.
M3
Assessment Criteria for Distinction
To achieve a Distinction you have met all of the Pass and the Merit
criteria. Each of the Distinction criteria must be met at least once within
the assignment.
The following statements are examples of how a Distinction may be
achieved, if you do meet the Distinction Criteria by showing you have
reached this level in other ways then credit will be awarded for this. You
will need to meet D1,D2,D3 at least once.
Use critical reflection to evaluate your own work & justify valid conclusions
 Proposals offer clearly justified matches to the requirements, with
alternatives being discussed.
 The work demonstrates a clear understanding of the overall
requirements of the client as well as the individual system
requirements.
D1
Take responsibility for managing and organising activities.
 Independent research, outside that provided in course materials,
has been utilised to prepare the work
 Appropriate assumptions are made and justified where detailed
scenario information is not available
D2
Demonstrate convergent, lateral & creative thinking.
 Solutions presented show an innovative approach to network
design based on the latest available equipment.
 A clear understanding of the current trends in Internet Server
Management is demonstrated by the specification of systems that
will handle future requirements appropriately.
D3
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