Elements and Performance Criteria
- Evaluate basic IP network architecture
- 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
- Evaluate synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) transport architectures
- 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
- Evaluate broadband 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
- Evaluate data architectures
- 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
- Evaluate metropolitan ethernet architectures
- 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
- Evaluate voice architectures
- 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
- Evaluate media and content architectures
- Prepare evaluation report