Instructor

INF 680 Network Architecture and Data Communications 1
SUMMER TERM
Kevin Shaffer
HMH 154, 600 Park Street
Hays, KS 67601 USA
Office Phone: 785-628-4484 (I'm not in my office much in summer)
Voice Mail: 785-261-1123 (texts and voice messages).
E-mail:  kshaffer@fhsu.edu

Office Hours:  During the summer term I do a lot of traveling (or staying home in pandemics). So, regular office hours will not be possible. Use the voice mail number above and leave a message. Google voice will send an e-mail and voice transcription directly to me.
 

Classroom

Course management is handled through http://blackboard.fhsu.edu and this web site. You might want to bookmark the Schedule page for direct access. Also, these pages are google searchable as they are not embedded into blackboard.fhsu.edu.

Required Text

Data and Computer Communications, 10th edition, by William Stallings. (Please do not get the 9th edition as figure/page numbers will not match up).

(Optional) Newton's Telecom Dictionary by Harry Newton. Any recent edition (within the last few years) will be sufficient.
 

References

RFC's (Request for Comments) located on the IETF's web site, http://www.ietf.org/.
 

Objective

This course will explore data communication theories and applications.  Students should finish this course with a thorough understanding of a wide variety of communications methods used to internetwork information systems. The foundations of digital transmissions will be studied in the early part of the course. Then, WAN and LAN protocols are studied.  Finally, internetworking and transmission control protocols are studied.
 

Activities

Students will participate in a variety of activities that will lead them to a much deeper understanding of data communications in the world today.  On-line lessons will highlight information from the text and introduce additional material of importance.  Homework assignments will challenge students to strive for a deeper understanding of data communications concepts and theories. Screencast recordings will supplement the on-line lessons and assist with solving homework. Examinations will "raise the bar" of expectation for students, providing yet another challenge.  Finally, students will prepare an individual or group project.
 

Undergraduate Student Grading

An undergraduate student's final grade will be based on his or her achievement on each of the following tasks, listed below with the relative importance to the final grade.

15% Project (click for info)
25% Homework (click for info)
30% Midterm Exam
30% Final Exam

Final grades earned by each student will be based on the following scale:

A 93.0% - 100%
B 82.0 - 92.9%
C 71.0 - 81.9%
D 60.0 - 70.9%
U <59.9%
 

Graduate Student Grading

A graduate student's final grade will be based on their achievement on each of the following tasks, listed below with the relative importance to the final grade.

15% Term Paper (click for info)
25% Homework (click for info)
30% Midterm Exam
30% Final Exam

Final grades earned by each student will be based on the following scale:

A 93.0% - 100%
B 82.0 ~ 92.9%
C 71.0 ~ 81.9%
D 60.0 ~ 70.9%
U <59.9%
 

Late Work

Late submissions are discouraged.  Submissions after the deadline will be scored according to the following table:

Submission	Reduction
up to 3 days late over 3 days late	no deduction score capped at 75%

Valid emergencies (such as pandemics) will be given consideration on a case by case basis in advance of deadlines. Please be aware that poor judgement on your part does not create an emergency. Also note that late assignments are scored but detailed feedback is not provided. Therefore, it is very important to meet deadlines.
 

Expectations

Students are expected to produce high quality work and take an active role in advancing their knowledge base. Students are also expected to keep an eye on the schedule which moves very fast in the summer term.
 

Policy

Course Policies
 • Instructor reserves the right to make course changes if necessary, and if so, will endeavor to minimize the impact on the course delivery and assignments. Changes can be necessary for a number of reasons (ex. lab equipment failures, time, inclement weather, illness, financial emergency, pandemics, etc.).

 • Contact the instructor at your very first opportunity if you do not think you can meet any deadline in the course. Advance notice is your most important tool in learning of options from the instructor regarding make up work, extending deadlines, etc.  The instructor may, at his or her sole discretion, extend or maintain deadlines based on the instructors interpretation of any particular request.

 • In the summer, no work may be submitted after the close of the final exam period without having received prior approval from the instructor. The instructor reserves the right to review each and every request at his or her discretion. The instructor may recommend an incomplete, may refuse requests, may recommend an alternate action or may accept a student's request for the submission of late work.

 • Some assignments will be graded with a rubric as a guide.  Please see the course management web site for assignments and rubrics (if any) that might apply to those assignments.

 • Students may work together on homework assignments and projects.. However, each student is expected to submit their own work (don't cut and paste responses into an assignment). Write your own words (a learning process itself) and benefit from this effort. BE AWARE that the instructor can google answers just as easily as students can. Please write in your own words, push yourself to write in a manner that makes sense to you, showing you know what you are writing.

University Policies and Services
University policies are printed in the student handbook and are relevant to this class. Familiarize yourself with the myriad rules and regulations related to student conduct, dropping and adding courses, drug and alcohol issues, financial obligations and so forth. A selection of links to services and policy follow:

 • Academic Honesty: http://www.fhsu.edu/academic/provost/handbook/ch_2_academic_honest y/

 • Accessibility: https://www.fhsu.edu/health-and-wellness/accessibility/

 • Career Services:  http://www.fhsu.edu/career/

 • Counseling: https://www.fhsu.edu/health-and-wellness/counseling/

 • Writing Center: https://www.fhsu.edu/writingcenter/