Elements and Performance Criteria

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.

Network may include:
data
digital subscriber line (DSL) connections
internet
large and small LANs
private lines
use of the public switched telephone network (PSTN) for dial-up modems only
voice
virtual private networks (VPNs)
WANs
wireless networks.
Network tools may include:
cable testing
carrier connection tests
data and voice integration measurements
equipment testing
frequency analysers
network performance software
policing and shaping tools.
Network topology may include:
bus
hierarchical
hybrid
ring
star.
Protocols may include:
AgentX
CMIP over TCP/IP
common management information protocol (CMIP)
ethernet
internet protocol (IP)
simple network management protocol (SNMP):
SNMPv1
SNMPv2
SNMPv2c
SNMPv2u
SNMPv3
transport control protocol (TCP)
user datagram protocol (UDP).
Users may include:
employees
external organisations
individuals
internal departments.
Documentation may follow:
audit trails
International Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and Australian Standards (AS) standards
naming standards
project management templates
report writing principles
version control.
Appropriate person may include:
chief information officer (CIO)
project manager
subject matter expert
supervisor
system administrator.

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:
produce a management information base
benchmark the network performance
troubleshoot and rectify network problems
provide constant monitoring and tuning of the network
review fault resolution and make recommendations.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure access to:
live system and sites with a representative range of network environments and operating systems
technical records and documentation
management information base of accumulated fault resolution information
network support tools
appropriate learning and assessment support when required
modified equipment for people with special needs.
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 candidate undertaking network benchmarking activities
direct observation of candidate performing network testing to ensure fault rectification
review fault resolution documentation and recommendations
verbal or written questioning to assess candidate’s knowledge of the troubleshooting and monitoring facilities available in the operating environment.
Guidance information for assessment
Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, where appropriate.
Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and suitable to the communication skill level, language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.
Indigenous people and other people from a non-English speaking background may need additional support.
In cases where practical assessment is used it should be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge.