Application
Technical staff and their subcontractors from private and public organisations apply the skills and knowledge in this unit. They combine technical design skills with organisational skills to plan and deploy core network technologies for a service provider such as a major carrier or a rail service provider. Technical officers or engineers may be responsible for projects and for operational and engineering work in deployment or conversion to IP based technologies of the telecommunications network in general. |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Scope the project | 1.1. Prepare for work according to site specific safety requirements and enterprise occupational health and safety (OHS) processes and procedures 1.2. Determine the type of core network by accessing and using network information sources 1.3. Produce a brief showing how core network architecture components relate to the larger network and their impact on the work 1.4. Evaluate the equipment type and technologies to be considered to determine availability and compatibility with existing network equipment 1.5. Obtain resources and equipment needed for the work according to enterprise procedures and check for correct operation and safety 1.6. Assess the capacity limitation of platforms in the context of the work to ensure maximum network performance 1.7. Determine product capability and calculate allowable capacity of the core network to allow for network growth |
2. Produce deployment plan for a core network | 2.1. Assess demand for the core network using key geographic, demographic, forecast and bandwidth data 2.2. Identify key parameters of the core network to be measured for capacity management 2.3. Produce a preliminary deployment plan for the core network using architectural principles and assessed demand to maintain integrity of the core network 2.4. Assess the additional planning requirements for voice over internet protocol (VoIP) and wireless voice networks from voice networks, and for hosting and content distribution networks from media and content network 2.5. Create a financial business case for the deployment of the core network based on assessed demand to justify a return on investment (RoI) and operational costs 2.6. Discuss unexpected situations with appropriate personnel, with consideration to job specifications, safety and enterprise procedures to establish a solution |
3. Complete work and report its impact on network performance | 3.1. Produce final deployment plan including recommendations agreed with the customer 3.2. Provide a report on network monitoringtechniques used to manage the network to ensure the network is performing at optimum level |
Required Skills
Required skills |
communication skills to analyse, evaluate and present information 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 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, identify, analyse and evaluate features of core network architecture |
Required knowledge |
MPLS and IP architectures across a core network environment protocols such routing information protocol (RIP), enhanced interior gateway routing protocol (EIGRP), open shortest path first (OSPF), border gateway protocol (BGP) operations virtual local area networks (VLAN) and virtual private network (VPN) tunnels and how it is implemented in an ethernet and multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) environment overview knowledge of: client business domain, business function and organisation current industry-accepted hardware and software products networking technologies incorporating substantial depth in some areas transmission technologies and protocols theoretical concepts of three or more current industry network development and design methodologies |
Evidence Required
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: gather data from information sources and evaluate how the data relates to the core network source major equipment and technologies used in a core network and detail their compatibilities plan the deployment of a core network including management and monitoring techniques produce a deployment plan for a core network with recommendations for the customer. |
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 planning the deployment of a core network review of reports completed by the candidate for different core networks review of final deployment plan prepared by the candidate outlining recommendations for the customer 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: ICTNPL4112A Evaluate core network architectures. 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. |
Range Statement
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 delivering multiple services: broadband access data transfer IPTV mobile data mobile telephony multimedia video VoIP switching transport - synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) voice. |
Core network architecture components may include: | Ethernet network: gateways LAN switch layer 3 switches routers servers transmission equipment VLANS HFC cable edge network: ADM broadband amplifier cable modems DSLAMS fibre network multiplexer IP networks: gateways routers servers switches media and content network: central processing unit (CPU) media managers multiplexers routers servers MPLS network: access backbone edge routers L2 and L3 switches MPLS protocols routing protocols SDH transport: add-drop multiplexers (ADM) SDH switch STM-1 VoIP and wireless voice network: access points adapters antennas gateways routers servers switches voice managers. |
Equipment type may include: | IP based IP networking multiplexers network management optical protocol analysers switching transmission transport virtual wireless. |
Technologies may include: | adaptive digital IP technologies NGN optical self healing wireless. |
Resources may include: | diagnostic tools equipment hardware equipment installation manuals installation platforms labour materials PC tools safety equipment software test equipment tools. |
Enterprise procedures may include: | asset registration compliance preferred suppliers preferred vendors procurement agreements purchase requisition service level agreements. |
Parameters of the core network may include: | for an ADSL network: bandwidth utilisation of broadband remote access server (BRAS)-digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) trunks bandwidth utilisation of BRAS- layer2 network protocol network server (LNS) trunks BRAS memory and CPU load number of available BRAS ports number of IP addresses in use number of point-to-point protocol (PPP) sessions in use for a HFC cable broadband network: cable modem termination system (CMTS) memory and CPU load IP address availability number of services connected to a segment upstream and downstream bandwidth utilisation for an IP or 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 for a media and content hosting and distribution network: available and utilised bandwidth available and utilised ports router CPU load router memory router slots available for a metropolitan Ethernet network: available and utilised bandwidth available and utilised ports available and utilised VLANs packet loss rates switch card slots available switch CPU load switch memory for an SDH network: bandwidth provisioned number of ADMS connected to a ring number of card slots and ports available number of circuits provisioned for a voice network: echo cancellation considerations quality of service (QoS) and measure of service (MOS) network jitter network latency packet loss rate signalling capacity traffic: available and utilised bandwidth available and utilised ports number and duration of calls. |
Network monitoringtechniques may include: | alarms customer complaints databases fault reports network management network operations reports network performance reports traffic monitoring. |
Sectors
Unit sector | Telecommunications |
Competency Field
Network planning |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Refer to Unit Descriptor