Course Syllabus

MIS 556 "Distributed Information Technology"

(former title: "System Configuration and Management")

Section V0A, Tues & Thurs 5:30-6:45, Bloch 3

Fall, 1994




Associate Professor: Roger Alan Pick

Office: Bloch 239

Hours: drop-in and by appointment

Voice: (816) 235-2336

FAX: (816) 235-2312

e-Mail: rpick@vax1.umkc.edu

Textbooks: Mary J. Cronin, Doing business on the internet, New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1994.

Peter G. W. Keen & J. Michael Cummins, Networks in action: Business choices and telecommunications decisions, Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1994.

Prerequisite: MIS 502 or equivalent.

Overview: Basics of data communications and telephony with how these are applied to achieve business advantage.

Attendance: You are expected to attend class. Each of you is responsible for all information covered in lectures, all announcements made in class, and all handouts distributed during class.

Cheating: Assignments are expected to be your own work. (However, you may ask each other questions.)

Neither copying nor any form of cooperation during in-class tests are allowed. Those engaging in any of these practices will receive a grade of zero on the test and will be required to apologize to the rest of the class.

Flagrant or repeated violations will result in additional disciplinary action.

Homework: There will be a number of homework assignments. Your lowest assignment grade will be dropped. All the assignments together will count for one-fourth of your grade.

Tests: There will be three open book examinations. Each exam will count for one-fourth of your grade. Exams may be comprehensive; they will focus on most recent material, but there will be some material that was covered prior to an earlier exam.

Makeups: A makeup exam will be given if you miss the exam due to documented causes beyond your control. Both of these conditions must hold.

Late assignments: I will accept 2 assignments late without penalty provided they are turned in by the next time the class meets. That's it! Assignments are also accepted by FAX (235-2312; be sure my name is on a cover sheet).

CYA: I occasionally make mistakes in grading or in entering grades. For your protection, keep a copy of any graded materials returned to you until you have received your semester grade report from the University.

Finally, all aspects of this class will be handled logically, sensibly, and with understanding of your situation. Exceptions can be made in accordance with good judgement.

TENTATIVE TOPIC SCHEDULE


Date Topic Assignment
23 August Course overview, Background Read 2-28
25 August Technical foundations of telecommunications Read 44-60
30 August Telecommunications network fundamentals Read 60-86
1 September How the phone system works
6 September Discussions on minicases 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4 Read 32-43
8 September Telecommunications decision sequence Read 97-149
13 September Terminals Read 152-186
15 September Links Read 196-224
20 September Protocols Read 234-259
22 September Standards processes, ISO OSI, TCP/IP Read 267-286
27 September Discussions on minicases to be announced
29 September Catch-up and review
4 October first exam
6 October Architecture, LANs and WANs, TCP/IP Read 291-298, 308-330
11 October Internet part one Read Cronin chapters 1-3
13 October Internet part two Read Cronin chapters 4-6
18 October Internet part three Read Cronin chapters 7-9
20 October Networks and business strategy Read 360-394
25 October Discussions on minicases to be announced
27 October Communications integration Read 405-435
1 November Network design Read 549-570
3 November Discussions to be announced
8 November Catch-up and review
10 November second exam
15 November Network operations Read 581-606
17 November Economics of data communications
22 November Managing Costs Read 618-632
29 November Discussions to be announced
1 December Organizational issues Read 644-659
6 December Discussions to be announced
8 December Catch-up and review
13 December 5:45-7:45 PM Final Exam