Assessor Resource

ICTNPL4112A
Evaluate core network architectures

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: May 2024


Technical officers or engineers from private and public organisations apply the skills and knowledge in this unit. They combine technical design skills with organisational skills to evaluate core architectures in a telecommunications network used by service providers such as major carriers or asset owners.

Technical officers or engineers may be responsible for small projects or parts of larger projects, and for the operational and engineering of the telecommunications network in general.

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to assess the roles and evaluate the benefits of competing core network architectures. Core networks use convergent internet protocol (IP) based technologies with conventional technologies.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement but users should confirm requirements with the relevant federal, state or territory authority.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.



Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the ability to:

determine the first three layers of the OSI model

determine the role of switches and routers in the core network and the different types of routing protocols

evaluate SDH switching and transmission and its ability to create resiliency in the network through various redundant configurations

evaluate the benefits, purpose and structure of ADSL networks and other broadband products

determine and compare data networks with specific reference to IP and MPLS

evaluate the most important routing protocols of internal and external MPLS and the resilience that is built into them

evaluate the limitations of an Ethernet network and how VLAN can be incorporated in them

compare various voice protocols

determine the purpose of various hosting in data centres and media and distribution platforms.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

network design documentation and other site related documentation

equipment specifications

live network or training facilities

organisational guidelines

networked computers

networked telecommunications components.

Method of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

direct observation of the candidate performing an evaluation of core network architectures

review of evaluation report completed by the candidate outlining compatibility and interoperability of competing core network architectures

oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of planning various core networks.

Guidance information for assessment

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

ICTNPL4113A Plan the deployment of core network.

Aboriginal people and other people from a non-English speaking background may have second language issues.

Access must be provided to appropriate learning and assessment support when required.

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and appropriate to the oral communication skill level, and language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.

In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge. Questioning techniques should not require language, literacy and numeracy skills beyond those required in this unit of competency.

Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with special needs.

Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)

Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

This section Determines the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills

communication skills to analyse, evaluate and present information

financial modelling skills to specify, analyse and evaluate a range of different solutions

group facilitation and presentation skills to transfer and collect information and gain consensus on concepts

problem solving skills to:

address a defined range of unpredictable problems, for example, when predicting line traffic and the impact on input and output devices and processors from current and future demand requirements

address a predictable range of network problems

project planning skills to:

scope, time and cost work when reviewing client user requirements and network requirements

set benchmarks and identified scope

research skills to specify, analyse and evaluate broad features of current security issues and best practice in security devices, products and procedures

technical skills to:

evaluate and compare a range of complex technical data

research and identify, analyse and evaluate features of a particular core network architecture

Required knowledge

broad knowledge of:

client business domain, business function and organisation

networking technologies

theoretical concepts of three or more current industry network development and design methodologies

transmission technologies and protocols

MPLS and IP architectures across a core network environment

overview knowledge of current industry-accepted hardware and software products

protocols, such as routing information protocol (RIP), enhanced interior gateway routing protocol (EIGRP), open shortest path first (OSPF), border gateway protocol (BGP) operations

VLANs and VPN tunnels and how its is implemented in an ethernet/MPLS environment

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

IP network may include:

gateways

routers

servers

switches.

SDH transport networks may include:

add-drop multiplexers (ADM)

synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) switch

synchronous transport module - level1 (STM-1).

HFC cable edge network may include:

ADM

broadband amplifier

cable modems

DSLAMS

fibre network

multiplexer.

Data network may include:

access

backbone

edge

MPLS protocols

routers

routing protocols

switches.

Routing protocols may include:

BGP

EIGRP

interior gateway routing protocol (IGRP)

intermediate system-to-intermediate system (IS-IS)

OSPF

RIP.

Ethernet network may include:

applications

gateways

LAN switch

routers

servers

switches

transmission equipment

VLAN.

VoIP network and a wireless voice network may include:

access points

adapters

antennas

gateways

routers

servers

switches

voice managers.

Media and content architectures may include:

central processing unit (CPU)

media managers

multiplexers

routers

servers.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Produce a layout of the topology of an IP network showing the network elements and the application of the 7-layer open system interconnect (OSI) model 
Determine the purpose of routers and switches and the use of routing protocols 
Determine the different types of generic resiliency and redundancy that can be applied in network architectures and when they should be applied 
Evaluate the benefits of IP networks compared to circuit-based networks and the impact on modern telecommunications networks 
Produce a layout of the topology of SDH transport networks showing the structure and the role of rings in the networks 
Determine the purpose of SDH switching and its function within the transport architecture 
Assess key capacity and distance limitations in SDH networks 
Assess resiliency and redundancy techniques that can be used within SDH transport networks 
Evaluate the compatibility of SDH transport architectures with other transport architectures 
Produce a layout of the topology structure of the asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL) edge network and the hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) cable edge network in providing broadband access to the customer 
Determine the purpose of point-to-point protocol (PPP) and the function of the digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM), broadband remote access server (BRAS) and layer2 network protocol network server (LNS) in the ADSL network 
Assess the arrangement of carrier channels connecting the HFC cable customer 
Determine the function of the CMTS and the purpose of DOCSIS, and the key capabilities of its different versions in the HFC network 
Assess resiliency considerations for ADSL and HFC Cable network architectures 
Evaluate the benefits of providing cable broadband access to wireless broadband from a network security aspect 
Produce a layout of the topology of key structures of a data network showing the IP network and multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) structures 
Determine the purpose of internal and external routing protocols in an IP network outlining the reasons for the creation of a virtual private network (VPN) 
Determine the purpose of label distribution protocol (LDP) in an MPLS network 
Assess resiliency and redundancy techniques that can be used within data networks 
Evaluate the compatibility of IP and MPLS networking 
Produce a layout of the topology structure of a metropolitan ethernet network showing the optimum siting of the ethernet switch 
Determine the types and limitations of the varieties of ethernet transmission 
Assess the scaling limitations of ethernet networks 
Assess resiliency and redundancy techniques that can be used within metropolitan ethernet networks 
Evaluate the need for the creation of virtual local area networks (VLAN) in metropolitan Ethernet architecture for improved performance 
Produce a layout of the topology of a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network and a wireless voice network showing the network elements 
Determine the function of local exchange and transit exchange switches in the public switched telephone network (PSTN) 
Determine the function of an secure broadband connection (SBC) and the purpose of session initiation protocol (SIP) in wireless networking 
Assess resiliency and redundancy techniques that can be applied in the design of voice networks 
Evaluate the benefits of VoIP networks compared to circuit based networks and the impact on modern telecommunications networks 
Determine the structure, elements and purpose of hosting networks in data centres and a content distribution network 
Evaluate the impact of high speed broadband for the wide deployment of media and content architectures 
Assess compatibility and interoperability of competing core network architectures 
Prepare an evaluation report outlining core network solutions using emerging technologies 

Forms

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ICTNPL4112A - Evaluate core network architectures
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