Unit of Competency Mapping – Information for Teachers/Assessors – Information for Learners

ICTNPL5071A Mapping and Delivery Guide
Develop planning strategies for core network design

Version 1.0
Issue Date: May 2024


Qualification -
Unit of Competency ICTNPL5071A - Develop planning strategies for core network design
Description This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to develop specifications for core networks to be used by network designers. It involves gathering information on anticipated demand and business requirements for the core network to determine design criteria to meet current and future needs.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.
Employability Skills This unit contains employability skills.
Learning Outcomes and Application Technical officers or engineers from private and public organisations apply the skills and knowledge in this unit. They combine technical skills with broader organisational skills to plan the various core network technologies within a telecommunications network.As a member of a network planning team, their job titles would include network planner, project manager and core network planner. This unit may apply to various core network technologies such as data, ethernet, Next Generation Networks (NGN), fixed and wireless broadband, core and edge networks, media and content required for the deployment of core network infrastructure.
Duration and Setting X weeks, nominally xx hours, delivered in a classroom/online/blended learning setting.
Prerequisites/co-requisites
Competency Field Network planning
Development and validation strategy and guide for assessors and learners Student Learning Resources Handouts
Activities 		Slides
PPT 		Assessment 1 Assessment 2 Assessment 3 Assessment 4
Elements of Competency Performance Criteria              
Element: Evaluate the core network requirements and infrastructure capability
  • Estimate likely growth in core network use by analysing forecasting market intelligence data on customer demand
  • Analyse current traffic and growth trends in edge and backbone networks to forecast the traffic growth and capacity demand for the core network
  • Compare available capacity, capability and parameters of current core infrastructure deployment against the researched demand data to identify infrastructure shortfalls
  • Quantify the network requirements for any upgrades or network augmentation
  • Determine relevant standards and regulatory requirements to be considered in core network planning
  • Formulate justification to proceed by analysing the business requirements and benefits to the business
       
Element: Prepare a strategic plan and scoping document
  • Determine appropriate technologies and network elements for core nnetwork deployment, including new or alternative solutions to meet business requirements
  • Select commercially viable technology compatible with the existing network to deploy with existing and future network
  • Prepare a planning document and supporting documentation with recommendations that complies with deployment standards and regulatory requirements
  • Provide estimated costs and schedule for a planning solution
       
Element: Produce the project brief
  • Evaluate and summarise project scope into the required briefing format with supporting documentation that complies with core network deployment rules
  • Plan project delivery to suit business requirements and practical limitations
  • Produce the core networks specifications with approvals and present to the design section to produce detailed design specifications
       


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:

use data to interpret growth patterns and develop options for core network design which satisfy customer and enterprise financial goals

develop a clearly documented network plan within specification and including merging technological developments and product implementation.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

computer assisted design (CAD)

computer networks

data for network planning

network equipment deployment plans

planning models

standards and regulations.

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 undertaking core network evaluation and planning

review of reports completed by the candidate for planning the development and growth of the ore network

oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of the various aspects of planning for a core telecommunications network.

Guidance information for assessment

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

ICTNPL4112A Evaluate core network architectures

ICTNPL4113A Plan the deployment of Core Network

ICTNPL5096A Develop planning strategies for Access Network design

ICTNPL5154A Develop planning strategies for building environment design.

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, assignment, 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.

Required skills

analytical skills to evaluate the equipment and product offerings allowable across the competing core network technologies

communication skills to liaise with internal and external personnel on technical and non- technical matters

learning skills to keep up to date with equipment to meet future service obligations

literacy skills to interpret technical and non-technical documentation and the writing of summary reports in required formats

numeracy skills to interpret data results and evaluate different types of technical data

planning and organisational skills to plan, prioritise and monitor own work and coordinate the planning process in liaison with others

problem solving and contingency management skills to adapt planning procedures to requirements of particular sites and modify activities depending on differing operational contingencies, risk situations and environments

research skills to interrogate databases and investigate different network requirements

technical skills to select and compare benefits and limitations of core network technologies

Required knowledge

capability and limitations of the various core network technologies for present and future needs

detailed knowledge of:

elements and architecture of core networks

limits of a core network

typical core network technologies

elements and architectures of the various core technologies

key technologies that make up the core network

overview knowledge of:

distribution structure of networks including backbone, core and edge

levels of reliability performance standards applicable to the specific equipment deployment needs

network design including routing and redundancy

standards and regulations

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.

Core network may include:

billing

broadband

data

Ethernet

media and content

network management

NGN

switching

transport (synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) optical networking)

voice.

Market intelligence data may refer to:

customer request

development area plans

development triggers

market research:

external triggers may include:

government initiatives

local councils

local government planning

property developers

market surveys

planning approvals

planning commission

service delivery

telecommunication databases:

capacity assessment

network performance

traffic dimensioning

zoning.

Capacity may refer to:

available ports

ability to augment

technical limitations of port provision.

Capability may refer to:

ability to deliver desired products

meeting design specifications

meeting technical limitations.

Parameters may include:

asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL) network:

bandwidth utilisation of broadband remote access server (BRAS)-digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) trunks

bandwidth utilisation of BRAS- layer 2 network protocol network server (LNS) trunks

BRAS memory and central processing unit (CPU) load

number of available BRAS ports

number of internet protocol (IP) addresses in use

number of point-to-point protocol (PPP) sessions in use

hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) cable broadband network:

cable modem termination system (CMTS) memory and CPU load

IP address availability

number of services connected to a segment

upstream/downstream bandwidth utilisation

IP or multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) data network:

available and utilised bandwidth and ports

network latency

packet loss rates

router or switch card slots available

router or switch CPU load

router or switch memory

media and content hosting and distribution network:

available and utilised bandwidth

available and utilised ports

router CPU load

router memory

router slots available

metropolitan Ethernet network:

available and utilised bandwidth

available and utilised ports

available and utilised virtual local area networks (VLAN)

packet loss rates

switch card slots available

switch CPU load

switch memory

SDH network:

bandwidth provisioned

number of add-drop multiplexers (ADM) connected to a ring

number of card slots and ports available

number of circuits provisioned

voice network:

available and utilised bandwidth

available and utilised ports

echo cancellation considerations

network jitter

network latency

number and duration of calls

packet loss rate

quality of service (QoS)

signalling capacity

traffic.

Core infrastructure may refer to:

building facilities and services

equipment:

billing

cable

customer

data networking

network management

network operations centre

optical

switching

test and monitoring

transmission

wireless

power requirements.

Network requirements may refer to:

appropriate equipment

compatibility

interoperability

scalable network

suitable technology

upgradeable network.

Standards and regulatory requirements may include:

company specific policy and standards

design standards

deployment rules

regulatory body requirements:

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)

Telecommunications Act.

Business requirements may refer to:

complying with standards and regulations

deployment of infrastructure in a commercially viable way

meeting customer demands on the network.

Technologies may include:

carrier Ethernet

dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) systems

IP core

IP private branch exchange (IP PBX)

IPTV

IPv6 networks

MPLS networks

optical routing

optical switching

optical transmission systems

virtual networks.

Network elements may include:

access points

adapters

antennas

CPU

data network:

backbone

edge

MPLS

routers

switches

Ethernet network:

applications

gateways

LAN switch

routers

servers

switches

transmission equipment

VLAN

HFC cable:

ADM

broadband amplifier

cable modems

DSLAMs

fibre network

multiplexer

IP network:

gateways

routers

servers

switches

media and content network

media managers

routers

servers

SDH transport:

add/drop multiplexer (ADM)

SDH switch

STM-1

VoIP and wireless voice network:

gateways

routers

servers

switches

voice managers.

Supporting documentation may include:

briefing documents

business justifications

demand data

government initiatives

market surveys.

Estimated costs may refer to:

comparable past project costs

costing models

unit rates.

Project scope may include:

costing

details of requirements to build

justification

materials

resource allocation

timing.

Core network deployment rules may refer:

compatibility with other Core Networks

interoperability with other Core Networks

maintain network integrity

minimal impact on network disruption

scalable technology

upgradeable technology.

Practical limitations may include:

accessibility of project site

material delivery and installation times

resource availability

resource skill set.

Approvals may include:

compliance

contract delivery

financial delegation

governance

quality assurance.

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
Estimate likely growth in core network use by analysing forecasting market intelligence data on customer demand 
Analyse current traffic and growth trends in edge and backbone networks to forecast the traffic growth and capacity demand for the core network 
Compare available capacity, capability and parameters of current core infrastructure deployment against the researched demand data to identify infrastructure shortfalls 
Quantify the network requirements for any upgrades or network augmentation 
Determine relevant standards and regulatory requirements to be considered in core network planning 
Formulate justification to proceed by analysing the business requirements and benefits to the business 
Determine appropriate technologies and network elements for core nnetwork deployment, including new or alternative solutions to meet business requirements 
Select commercially viable technology compatible with the existing network to deploy with existing and future network 
Prepare a planning document and supporting documentation with recommendations that complies with deployment standards and regulatory requirements 
Provide estimated costs and schedule for a planning solution 
Evaluate and summarise project scope into the required briefing format with supporting documentation that complies with core network deployment rules 
Plan project delivery to suit business requirements and practical limitations 
Produce the core networks specifications with approvals and present to the design section to produce detailed design specifications 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

ICTNPL5071A - Develop planning strategies for core network design
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Assessment Record Sheet

ICTNPL5071A - Develop planning strategies for core network design

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