Network and System Administration - Syllabus

Course Overview and Structure

Embark on a profound academic exploration as you delve into the Network and System Administration course (NSA) within the distinguished Tribhuvan university's CSIT department. Aligned with the 2074 Syllabus, this course (CSC472) seamlessly merges theoretical frameworks with practical sessions, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the subject. Rigorous assessment based on a 60 + 20 + 20 marks system, coupled with a challenging passing threshold of , propels students to strive for excellence, fostering a deeper grasp of the course content.

This 3 credit-hour journey unfolds as a holistic learning experience, bridging theory and application. Beyond theoretical comprehension, students actively engage in practical sessions, acquiring valuable skills for real-world scenarios. Immerse yourself in this well-structured course, where each element, from the course description to interactive sessions, is meticulously crafted to shape a well-rounded and insightful academic experience.


Course Description: The course covers different concepts of network and system administration including subjects ranging from initial installation of OS to day-to-day administrative tasks such as Network and Server Configurations, management of user accounts and disk space, and even imparting the trouble-shooting skills future system administrators will need to cope with unexpected behavior.

Course Objectives: The main objective of this course is to provide knowledge of different concepts of network and system administration, configuration, and management. 

Units

Key Topics

  • History of Networking
    NE-1.1

    This topic covers the evolution of networking from its early beginnings to the present day, including key milestones and developments.

  • Protocol Standards
    NE-1.2

    This topic explores the importance of protocol standards in networking, including the role of organizations such as the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

  • Reference Models
    NE-1.3

    This topic introduces the OSI and TCP/IP reference models, explaining their layers, functions, and importance in understanding network communication.

  • Windows and Linux Networking Basics
    NE-1.4

    This topic provides an overview of the networking fundamentals in Windows and Linux operating systems, including network configuration, protocols, and services.

  • Switching and Routing Basics
    NE-1.5

    This topic covers the basics of switching and routing in networking, including the functions of switches and routers, and how they forward data packets.

Key Topics

  • Authentication in ASP.NET Core
    SE-01

    Learn how to implement authentication in ASP.NET Core applications using ASP.NET Core Identity and configure identity services.

  • Authorization in ASP.NET Core
    SE-02

    Understand how to implement authorization in ASP.NET Core applications using roles, claims, and policies to secure access to resources.

  • Securing Controllers and Action Methods
    SE-03

    Discover how to secure controllers and action methods in ASP.NET Core applications to prevent unauthorized access.

  • Cross-site Scripting (XSS) Attacks
    SE-04

    Learn how to prevent cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks in ASP.NET Core applications by validating user input and encoding output.

  • SQL Injection Attacks
    SE-05

    Understand how to prevent SQL injection attacks in ASP.NET Core applications by using parameterized queries and input validation.

  • Cross-site Request Forgery (CSRF) Attacks
    SE-06

    Learn how to prevent cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks in ASP.NET Core applications by using anti-forgery tokens and validating requests.

  • Open Redirect Attacks
    SE-07

    Discover how to prevent open redirect attacks in ASP.NET Core applications by validating redirects and using secure protocols.

  • Database Server Administration
    SE-08

    This topic covers the administration of database servers, including MySQL, and database management best practices.

3.1 IPv4 and IPv6 addressing

3.2 Network Interface Configuration

3.3 Diagnosing Network startup issues

3.4 Linux and Windows Firewall configuration

3.5 Network troubleshooting commands


4.1 DHCP Principle

4.2 DHCP Server Configuration

4.3 DHCP Options, Scope, Reservation and Relaying

4.4 DHCP Troubleshooting


5.1 DNS principles and Operations

5.2 Basic Name Server and Client Configuration

5.3 Caching Only name server

5.4 Primary and Slave Name Server

5.5 DNS Zone Transfers

5.6 DNS Dynamic Updates

5.7 DNS Delegation

5.8 DNS Server Security

5.9 Troubleshooting


6.1 HTTP Server Configuration Basics

6.2 Virtual Hosting

6.3 HTTP Caching

6.4 Proxy Caching Server Configuration

6.5 Proxy ACL

6.6 Proxy-Authentication Mechanisms

6.7 Troubleshooting


7.1 General Samba Configuration

7.2 SAMBA SWAT

7.3 NFS and NFS Client Configuration

7.4 CUPS configuration basics

7.5 FTP Principles

7.6 Anonymous FTP Server

7.7 Troubleshooting


8.1 SMTP, POP and IMAP principles

8.2 SMTP Relaying Principles

8.3 Mail Domain Administration

8.4 Basic Mail Server Configuration (Sendmail, postfix, qmail, exim..)

8.5 SPAM control and Filtering

8.6 Troubleshooting


9.1 Configuration

9.2 Webmin/usermin

9.3 Team Viewer

9.4 Telnet

9.5 SSH

9.6 SCP, Rsync


Lab works

The laboratory work includes all the features mentioned in the course.

Samples:

1. Server/Client Installation over VMware Environment

2. Packet Analysis by using TCPDUMP and WIRESHARK 149

3. Network Practice with Packet Tracer

4. System Administration: User/Group management, File System Management ….

5. Network Configuration: Start/Stop network Service, network interface configuration

6. Firewall Configuration

7. DNS and DHCP Configuration and Troubleshooting

8. Web and Proxy Server Configuration and Troubleshooting

9. Basic Mail Server Configuration and Troubleshooting

10. SAMBA, NFS, CUPS and FTP configuration and Troubleshooting

11. SDN controller installation and client network implementation (OpenDaylight)

12. Network topology programming with Mininet and visualization