Ops 301: Networking and Systems Administration

Course Information

• Course Level: Ops 301

Course Prerequisites

• Ops 101
• Ops 102
• Ops 201

Students with previous relevant or equivalent experience can test out of this requirement in their application.

Course Description

Gain hands-on server and networking skills in this exciting course that follows the journey of the fictional GlobeX Corporation as it grows from a startup to a multinational enterprise with fully-functional network and information systems. As their new administrator, get ready to deploy systems and design new networks in this fast-paced learning environment that mirrors critical on-the-job scenarios designed to prepare you for real-world Ops challenges.

The course integrates practical network and systems administration operations such as network design and troubleshooting, VPN tunneling, firewall configuration, network security, server deployment and configuration, user identity management, scripting & automation, and system health monitoring with professional exercises in change management and project planning in a simulated on-the-job narrative.

Certification

This course will substantially prepare students for achieving the learning objectives of CompTIA Network+ certification. This course covers significant aspects of four of the five domains required for Network+.

CompTIA Network+

• 1.0 Networking Concepts
• 2.0 Infrastructure
• 3.0 Network Operations
• 5.0 Network Troubleshooting and Tools

Students register for the CompTIA Network+ during course prework, and are asked to take the exam during the final module. The student’s resulting score from taking CompTIA Network+ is then factored into the final grade for this course. Passing this course is largely contingent upon passing CompTIA Network+.

Required Materials

Course Textbook

This study guide gives students access to online practice exams and other study materials: CompTIA Network+ Study Guide: Exam N10-008 5th Edition.

Personal Computer/Laptop

By the start of the first class, you will need a working computer, meeting the school-specified requirements.

Ops Lab Kit

The Ops course Lab Kit will include a second computer and additional tools for lab.

Internet Connection

Each student is responsible for their access to the internet for purposes of this course and for research. Internet access is a required component of this course and will not be accepted as an excuse for missed work. If you know that you will be traveling, then make sure you plan accordingly.

Applications

• Zoom Video Conferencing Software
• The latest version of Google Chrome
• Visual Studio Code

Program Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, you will be prepared for a career as a Network Operations Specialist or Systems Administrator.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon satisfactory completion of this course, a student should be able to:

Describe and Define

Systems Administration

• Agile project management
• Linux and Windows network services, like AD, DHCP, DNS, email, LDAP, web servers
• LAN connectivity to cloud resources on AWSs
• Identity management
• IT infrastructure and systems design
• Microsoft Windows Server 2019
• Patch management
• Software administration
• Virtual machine administration

Networking

• Router and firewall administration with pfSense
• Network traffic analysis tools
• Network access controls
• Network design
• Network infrastructure troubleshooting
• Network service administration (TCP/IP, DHCP, DNS)
• Virtual private network(VPN) client and tunnel

Scripting & Automation

• Bash
• OS task automation
• Powershell
• Python

Execute

• Apply lightweight Agile project management methodologies
• Administer critical IT and network systems
• Practice identity management in Active Directory (AD)/LDAP protocol
• Design and deploy a client-server network including a domain controller (DC)
• Create and push group policy to endpoints
• Analyze how cloud systems can integrate into on-premise systems
• Automate OS tasks using scripting languages Bash, Powershell, and Python
• Design and deploy network infrastructure using the open source pfSense virtual appliance
• Extend the capabilities of pfSense using packages
• Troubleshoot challenging network connectivity problems
• Oversee patch management of Windows endpoints

Course Schedule

This course is composed of four modules, each module with its own theme.

Module 1 - Networking Tools, Concepts, and Fundamentals

Class #	Topic	Lab	Download
01	Network Traffic Analysis with Wireshark	Filtering with Wireshark	pfSense ISO, Kali Linux ISO
02	Configuring and Monitoring Ports and Protocols	Basic scanning operations with Nmap
03	Network Segmentation	Create multiple subnets
04	Routing	Deploy pfSense VM to NAT
05	VPN Tunnel	Join two LANs using VPN

Module 2 - Network Infrastructure Design and Implementation

Class #	Topic	Lab	Download
06	Network Address Translation	Sharing and Accessibility
07	Web Server Deployment	Setup & Configure web services with Nginx	Ubuntu Server ISO
08	RADIUS Authentication	Setup RADIUS, OpenVPN on pfSense
09	Traffic Mirroring	Mimic and Sniff Port Traffic
10	AWS VPC	Cloud Infrastructure

Module 3 - Server Administration, Active Directory, and User Management

Class #	Topic	Lab	Download
11	Windows Server	Deploy Windows Server 2019	Windows Server 2019 ISO Download, Windows 10 ISO Download
12	Domain Controller	Add DNS, AD, DC to Windows Server
13	Active Directory	Configure ADAC on Windows 10
14	Group Policy	Create and push a group policy
15	Review	Ops 301 Final Exam

Module 4 - Projects