Network Operations and Systems Administration

This unit develops hands-on skills for operating and maintaining network systems, covering device and account administration, resource sharing, security practices, and routine maintenance tasks. Students will configure core services (DHCP, NAT, wireless), perform patching and backups, manage virtualization and cloud options, and practice incident readiness to support reliable network operations.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze and document network infrastructure components and services (switches, routers, DHCP, NAT, wireless access points, and network room types) to support planning and troubleshooting
• Apply security and maintenance procedures by performing software updates/patching, enforcing physical security and account controls, configuring anti-spam measures, and executing group policy updates
• Demonstrate configuration and management of shared resources and administrative tasks, including network drives, file and print sharing, user account resets/disabling, and basic virtualization host setup
• Evaluate and implement backup and cloud strategies (local backups, tape, public/private/hybrid clouds, and virtualization platforms) and conduct recovery readiness activities such as fire drills and restore testing