ccjoan@UCDAVIS.UCDAVIS.EDU (Joan Gargano) (04/06/88)
To: Data Communications Managers, Network Adminstrators I am a gradute student in the California, State University, Sacramento, Management Information Science program. I am working on my thesis, "Skills Requirements for Network Administration in Management Information Systems". My thesis will require the results of two surveys. I need your assistance to complete the first of these surveys. In the first survey, the requirements of a management informations systems network manager will be defined in terms of business, technical, management and information systems skills. This survey is being conducted of network administrators for large organizations with local area networks as well as connections to wide area networks, to determine the degree of importance of each of the skills to performance as a network administrator. Second, the curriculum of management information systems degree programs in the country will be reviewed in a summary of educational coursework provided to support the network management specialization. Finally, an evaluation will be performed of the skills determined important by current network administrators for network management and the ability of current management information science/systems programs to provide them. Please complete the following survey and return it to me, by email or U.S. mail, with any comments you would like to add. I would like to complete the survey by April 29, 1988. I will be happy to send you a copy of my results when my thesis is complete. Your assistance in this project is appreciated. Sincerely, Joan Gargano Computing Services University of California Davis, CA 95616 (916)752-2591 ucbvax!ucdavis!jcgargano jcgargano@ucdavis.edu jcgargano@ucdavis.bitnet Knowledge and Skills Requirements for Network Administrators Please provide the following information about your organization, title, background and duties. Organization type (underline one): Educational Government Commercial Military Approximate number of networked hosts: ___________________ Wide area network connections (underline all that apply): Internet BITNET UUCP SPAN CSNET VNET DEC Easynet Supported Network Protocols (underline all that apply): TCP/IP RSCS UUCP DECNET Your working title _____________________________________________________ Undergraduate degree ____________________________________________________ Graduate degrees ________________________________________________________ Electronic mail address (optional): _____________________________________ Number of years working with computer networks __________________________ Received formal education in data communications/ Y N computer networks If yes, how many courses? _____________ Have taken seminars in data communications/ Y N computer networks If yes, how many seminars? ____________ Percentage of knowledge and skills from on 25 50 75 100 the job training and experience. Do you have a formal organizational networking plan? Y N Is an understanding of organizational information Y N sources and processing helpful to you as a network administrator? Do you set managerial policies as boundaries and Y N guidelines for local computer networks. Do you have a formal network design and documenta- Y N tion methodology. Please indicate the importance of a working knowledge of the following areas to perform your job as network administrator. Low High 1. Data transmission, ie., frequency, spectrum, 1 2 3 4 5 bandwidth, transmission attenuation. 2. Transmission media, twisted pair, coaxial cable 1 2 3 4 5 fiber optic cable, microwave. 3. Types of signals and modulation. 1 2 3 4 5 4. Communication networking techniques, ie., 1 2 3 4 5 circuit switching, packet switching. 5. Local area networks, transmission media, 1 2 3 4 5 topologies and protocols. 6. Wide area networks, transmission media, 1 2 3 4 5 topologies and protocols. 7. The Open Systems Interconnection Model using 1 2 3 4 5 a layered model of communications functions. 8. The Department of Defense heirarchical model 1 2 3 4 5 internetworking and the TCP/IP protocols. 9. IBM's Systems Network Architecture 1 2 3 4 5 10. Digital Equipment Corporations's Decnet 1 2 3 4 5 11. Integrated Services Digital Network standards 1 2 3 4 5 12. The Internet Request for Comments documents. 1 2 3 4 5 13. General knowledge of wide area networks such 1 2 3 4 5 as the Internet, BITNET, UUCP, SPAN, etc. 14. Voice communications 1 2 3 4 5 15. Distributed databases 1 2 3 4 5 16. Network design methodologies and techniques 1 2 3 4 5 17. Electronic mail systems 1 2 3 4 5 18. Network monitoring 1 2 3 4 5 19. Systems analysis and programming 1 2 3 4 5 20. Theoretical basis for routing strategies 1 2 3 4 5 In your opinion: How many semester courses of data communications/computer networking coursework is necessary to prepare management information science/systems students for network adminstration positions? _________________________ -- Joan Gargano * Univ. of Calif., Davis, Computing Services * (916) 752-2591 Internet jcgargano@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu BITNET jcgargano@ucdavis UUCP {ucbvax, lll-crg, sdcsvax}!ucdavis!jcgargano