Master's in Network Engineering Online

This course introduces the overall foundations required for the understanding of, and further study in, information systems security. It reviews the history of security and computer systems security in particular to develop a set of models to guide the approach to realizing computer systems security. An overview of current security technologies is presented. A research project and formal paper are required.

As enterprise systems become even more complex with the introduction of new technologies rapidly increasing, having a well thought out architecture tying to the four domains of enterprise architecture is even more crucial to the survival of an enterprise. The four domains encompass the business operating model, information architecture, application software, and the overall technology infrastructure. The Enterprise Systems Architecture course explores current approaches to an enterprise level design of systems architectures within these four domains. Emphasis is placed on high-level design issues and opportunities for long-term systems planning.

This course introduces the fundamental Enterprise Data Management concepts of enterprise content management (ECM) and data governance. ECM techniques for building, managing, and maintaining an organization’s information infrastructure is studied. Data governance topics include development of policies and procedures to ensure the availability, usability, integrity, and security of data resources and the implementation and management of those policies.

Networks are vitally important to today's organizations. Networking technologies continuously change and network professionals must integrate those changes without disrupting existing network traffic. Students will examine current networking architectures and explore networking applications, and protocols to assess their impact on a business organization. The course covers the basic concepts of data communications and design. This includes discussions on network operating systems as well as transmission media, communications hardware, network topologies, switching methods and network analysis. Students will research emerging technologies such as wireless networking, multi-media networking, virtual private networks, cloud computing and IPSec security.

Students will master analytical and integrative tools to perform in-depth analyses of industries, firms, and competitors. Course material includes methods to predict competitive behavior and develop and implement strategic plans to achieve and sustain a competitive profile in the emerging global marketplace.

This course emphasizes the development and integration of project management in organizations. It provides an overview and introduction to the discipline of project management, coupled with an examination of the techniques that project managers use to complete their projects on schedule, within budgeted cost, and according to specified scope and quality. With materials presented by the Project Management Institute (PMI®) in its Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), students explore the theoretical and operational framework of project management relating to the project life-cycle of project initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing.

Students are provided with a brief overview of the basic elements of networking concepts, topologies, protocols and threats necessary to understand network security issues and make security relevant decisions. An in-depth analysis of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model and layered network security mechanisms needed to provide Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability, Authorization, Authentication and Non-repudiation within a network environment is included. This course includes a thorough treatment of cryptography and cryptographic services. An implementation plan and formal paper are required.

This course presents the principles and practices of network administration. Students will evaluate and recommend specific IT infrastructure processes and current best practices in areas such as network configuration, user management, backup management, high-reliability configuration, and system security. Network issues such as UNIX interoperability, addressing, and routing are examined.

This course develops the skills needed to design and plan the implementation and maintenance of a diverse network environment that meets the needs of an organization’s enterprise architecture. Students will evaluate various framework models currently used by businesses and government agencies and apply those models to the development of a network architecture that considers an organization’s needs related to their business processes and their technical requirements for data, information, communication, software applications and security.

Effective strategy and policy development are the keys to unlocking the value of technology for a business. Students will learn to evaluate various strategies and apply them to the business needs of an organization through the development and effective communication of IT policies. The principles of IT governance, goal alignment, risk management, policy development, process establishment and continuous improvement are applied to construct an effective information technology service that improves performance and competitiveness within the organization.

The Virtual Systems course examines current technologies that provide virtualization in the areas of network management, server management, data management and cloud computing. Students will analyze the current network infrastructure, set goals, define implementation plans and calculate Return on Investment (ROI) for server and desktop consolidation, data replication, backup and archiving, voice over IP (VOIP) and cloud computing. Students will also analyze the efficient use of virtualization technologies to provide a greener footprint for power usage, space requirements and manpower.

The Information Technology Capstone demonstrates mastery and vital knowledge from the prior course of study completed by the student. The content, concepts, and knowledge from the applicable programs are critically applied by completing an in-depth project utilizing project management techniques and focusing on a major technical problem or major issue that impacts the student’s own organization or in a desired area of study. The course requires the student to perform a comprehensive analysis and study in a selected area of interest. The student will prepare a formal technical report of the detailed research and application of prior course