Presentation

The graduate degree in Networking and Systems Administration combines technical knowledge with business and leadership concepts and educates students in the practices, methodologies, and techniques used in the management of a modern and secure IT infrastructure. The focus is on enterprise-level problems and solutions including enterprise security, net-working forensics, auditing, network security, network cryptography, net-work design and implementation, and network administration.

Curriculum and Program Schedule

The graduate program of study consists of 11 courses and a research thesis (48 quarter credit hours). Class schedules will cater to working professionals, and intensive seminar classes will be offered in the evening and on weekends. RIT courses require 40 hours of classroom instruction, and will be delivered online, in combination with intensive, face to face classroom sessions offered on site in the Dominican Republic. The face-to-face sessions on the courses taught by RIT faculty will be on campus at PUCMM, and in general, will be Thursday evening, 6 – 10 pm, Friday evening, 6 – 10 pm and all day Saturday, 8 – 5 pm. This schedule may vary by program, with face-to-face classroom instruction comprising 12 – 24 hours for each class offered.

All RIT courses in the program will be delivered in English.

Sample Courses

By RIT faculty

• Research Methods (4 credits)
• Emerging Network Technology (4 credits)
• Network Design Performance (4 credits)
• Auditing (4 credits)
• Advanced Routing Protocols (4 credits)
• Advanced Forensics (4 credits)
• Malware (4 credits)
• Project Development (1 credit)
• Enterprise Security (4 credits)
• Thesis (3 credits)

By PUCMM faculty

• Organizational Behavior and Management
• Project Management
• Wired and Wireless Network Security

Admission Requirements

Applicants should have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.8 out of 4.0. Solid educational or employment record in networking, security and systems administration also required. Those whose undergraduate preparation or industrial experience does not satisfy the technical prerequisites may be required to complete prerequisite courses in:

• C++ for System Administration
• PERL for System Administration
• Principles of System Administration
• Telecommunications Network Protocols

All applicants to the MS degree program are required to meet the English language requirement for graduate study at RIT. Those students who do not fully meet the requirement may be considered for admission contingent upon their taking English language courses at PUCMM prior to beginning the masters program.

Course Descriptions

Research Methods

This seminar introduces students to the MS in Networking, Security, and System Administration by providing an opportunity to meet the faculty involved in the program and their fellow students. Students will learn about current areas of research in networking, security, and system administration and the areas of research interest of the faculty. To encourage students to begin thinking about their final thesis, students will develop a research proposal that may serve as the basis for their later thesis proposal. Topics include: experimental research, correlation, experiment observation, surveys, and case studies. Also included will be document structure, validation, and the process for submission and review to conferences and journals.

Emerging Network Technologies

The Internet has experienced profound growing pains in the last several years that have called into question the adequacy of some of the underlying technologies upon which it has been based. In response to this there are a substantial number of emerging network technologies that if widely adopted may allow the Internet to continue to grow and develop. This course is designed to provide students with an overview of several of these emerging network technologies. The course will consist of a combination of lectures, independent labs and simulation and modeling exercises.

Network Design and Performance

This course will examine the factors that impact the design and performance of computer networks. Students will use simulation tools to design networks based on identified needs, analyze the performance of these networks, and investigate the impact of design alternatives. Designs for site, campus, and enterprise networks, which combine WAN and LAN technologies will be investigated. Consideration will also be given to the incorporation and impact of business goals and security needs.

Security Audits of Web Servers and Applications

This course will provide students with an introduction to processes and procedures for performing a technical security auditing of web servers and web based applications. Students will not only explore the existing XML/WebServices threats, but also learn to apply appropriate auditing tools to identify new vulnerabilities existing in or stemming from web servers and applications. Students will write and present their audit reports on web servers and applications' vulnerabilities.

Advanced Routing Protocols

Managing complex network environments requires an understanding of the sophisticated routing protocols necessary for controlling information flow. This course will examine the routing protocols in standard use and their application in typical enterprise and large internet service provider (ISP) environments. The advantages and disadvantages of each protocol will be investigated. In addition, emerging networking technologies and the protocols needed to facilitate their implementation will also be discussed.

Wired and Wireless Network Security

Providing security in today's complex networks is a difficult subject and requires network managers to be well versed in the many aspects comprising network security. In order to accommodate the rapid expansion of networks and the alarming rate in which network security is breached, there is a need for more and better educated people who understand the basics of security in a networked world. This course is designed to provide students with the foundation needed to understand the problems of network security, perform a risk analysis to ascertain the threats and cost of an attack, and design and implement security strategies to effectively build a defense to minimize the effects of these attacks.

Malware

Computer malware is a computer program with malicious intent. In this course, students will study the history of computer malware, categorizations of malware such as computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware, etc. Other topics include, but are not limited to, basic structures and functions of malware, malware delivery mechanism, propagation models, anti-malware software, its methods and applications. Students will write an anti-virus program.

Project Management

This course is a study in the principles of project management. It focuses on the leadership role of the project manager, roles and responsibilities of the project management team members, and various tools and techniques for project planning and control. Considerable emphasis is placed on statements of work and work breakdown structures. This material is presented using a combination of lecture/discussion, group exercises, and case studies.

Enterprise Security

This course is designed to provide students with the advanced concepts needed to establish network security strategies to ensure adequate protection for the corporate environment and yet provide accessibility for the corporate community.

MS Thesis/Capstone

This is the capstone experience for the Master of Science in Networking and System Administration. Students must submit an accepted proposal in order to enroll.