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.

May include:
Application/web servers
BEA Weblogic servers
IBM VisualAge and WebSphere
Novell NDS servers
Email servers
File and print servers
FTP servers
Firewall servers
Proxy/cache servers

May include but is not limited to internal departments, external organisations, clubs, individual people and internal employees

May include a person within a department, a department within the organisation or a third party

May include but is not limited to UTP, STP and fibre.

May include but not limited to large and small LANs, national WANs, VPNs, the internet, the use of the PSTN for dial-up modems only, private lines, data and voice.

May include ring, star, bus, hierarchical and hybrid

May include hardware appliances, proxy servers, individual PC solution, also: varying functionality, including network address translation (NAT)/IP Masquerading, routing to specific machines as well as Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI), Denial of Service (DOS) detection and blocking.

May include Motherboards, CMOS battery, central processing unit (CPU), CD and DVD drives, interface cards, drives, fax/modem cards, RAM upgrades, CPU upgrades

May include but is not limited to workstations, personal computers, modems and other connectivity devices, networks, DSL modems, remote sites, servers

May include but is not limited to commercial software applications; organisation-specific software, packaged software, in-house or customised software.

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.
Critical aspects of evidence
Assessment must confirm the ability to install, configure and test components in a complex network.
Assessment must confirm the ability to manage a complex network that consists of multiple components and connectivity options.

Knowledge and skills
Current industry-accepted hardware and software products, with broad knowledge of features and capabilities
Broad knowledge of the client business domain, business function and organisation (e.g. when implementing multiple servers)
Broad knowledge of networking technologies, with substantial depth in some areas
Broad knowledge of OH&S requirements in relation to work safety, environmental factors and ergonomic considerations
Broad knowledge of supporting documentation systems (e.g. when procedures are developed to ensure regular network reporting and administration in accordance with organisational policies and procedures)
Knowledge of the Open Systems Interconnection OSI reference model
Plain English literacy and communication skills in relation to dealing with clients and team members (e.g. when asset/inventory recording documentation is completed in line with organisational requirements
Report writing skills for business requiring depth in some areas, analysis and evaluation of information in a defined range of areas (e.g. when procedures are developed to ensure regular network reporting and administration in accordance with organisational policies and procedures
Questioning and active listening skills in relation to clients and team members (e.g. when impact of the changes being implemented is conveyed to users
Project planning skills
Problem solving skills for a defined range of unpredictable problems

Assessment guidance
The purpose of this unit is to define the standard of performance to be achieved in the workplace. In undertaking training and assessment activities related to this unit, consideration should be given to the implementation of appropriate diversity and accessibility practices in order to accommodate people who may have special needs. Additional guidance on these and related matters is provided in ICA05 Section 1.
Competency in this unit should be assessed using summative assessment to ensure consistency of performance in a range of contexts. This unit can be assessed either in the workplace or in a simulated environment. However, simulated activities must closely reflect the workplace to enable full demonstration of competency.
Assessment will usually include observation of real or simulated work processes and procedures and/or performance in a project context as well as questioning on underpinning knowledge and skills. The questioning of team members, supervisors, subordinates, peers and clients where appropriate may provide valuable input to the assessment process. The interdependence of units for assessment purposes may vary with the particular project or scenario.

In the case of this unit, it could be assessed in a holistic manner with:

ICAS5122B Identify and resolve network problems
ICAS5123B Manage network security

Resources

To demonstrate competency in this unit the person will require access to:

Network design documentation
Equipment specifications
Live network
Hardware and software components for complex networks

Role context
The installation and management of complex networks is a critical business function. As organisations rely more heavily on electronic internal communications, commercial e-business transactions with customers and virtual supplier partnerships, complex networks which enable and support such relationships are critical. The uninterrupted, efficient and secure operation of ICT networks is a primary objective of network specialists working to support business objectives. The breadth, depth and complexity covering planning and initiation of alternative approaches to skills or knowledge applications across a broad range of technical and/or management requirements, evaluation and coordination would be characteristic.
The demonstration of competency may also require self-directed application of knowledge and skills, with substantial depth in some areas where judgement is required in planning and selecting appropriate equipment, services and techniques for self and others.
Applications involve participation in development of strategic initiatives as well as personal responsibility and autonomy in performing complex technical operations or organising others. It may include participation in teams including teams concerned with planning and evaluation functions. Group or team coordination may also be involved.

An individual demonstrating this competency would be able to:

Demonstrate understanding of a broad knowledge base incorporating theoretical concepts, with substantial depth in some areas
Analyse and plan approaches to technical problems or management requirements
Transfer and apply theoretical concepts and/or technical or creative skills to a range of situations
Evaluate information, using it to forecast for planning or research purposes
Take responsibility for own outputs in relation to broad quantity and quality parameters
Take some responsibility for the achievement of group outcomes
Maintain knowledge of industry products and services