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TMA 01:Question 1:
Student A
Student A tried to tell that current European data protection directive (DPD) 95.46/EC was drafted
before the development of cloud-based services which was also the part of the article published in
magazine. This is clear from following example:
Student A: The current European data protection directive (DPD) 95.46/EC was drafted before the
development of cloud-based services.
Article: As it currently stands, European data-protection law is derived from the Data Protection
Directive (DPD) 95.46/EC adopted by the European Commission (EC) in 1995, which was drafted
without knowledge of the then-nascent Internet, or of the development of online or cloud-based
services
Student A tried to tell that European applied this concept in slightly different ways which may cause
problems for organizations that operate internationally. That is also clear from the following
example:
Student A: European countries have applied this directive in slightly different ways which may
cause problems for organizations that operate internationally.
Article: The aim of that original directive was to create harmonized data protection laws across
Europe; but, in practice, countries have all applied its terms in slightly different ways, leading to a
patchwork of different legal obligations for businesses operating in countries across
Europe.
Student A told that online privacy policies are tried to be strengthen
Student A: There are current proposals for a reform of these laws in order to strengthen online
privacy rights.
Article: In January 2012 the EC proposed a comprehensive reform of the EU’s
1995 data-protection rules, seeking to “strengthen online privacy rights
and boost Europe’s digital economy”.
Following is an example of this plagiarism too.
Student A: If you look at the cloud as just another form of outsourcing, any regulation that applies to
outsourcing also applies to the cloud.
Article: Despite the absence of specific regulation pertaining to cloud computing, and barring a few
significant differences around data location, the migration of data, applications and services to a
hosted cloud platform is simply another type of outsourcing – itself a business model which is
already well-governed.
Student B
Here, in the first example the student B wants to tell that cloud computing is a form of out sourcing
which is also described in the article:
Student B: Organizations considering an online data storage solution should be aware that
regulation of cloud computing currently relies on existing rules that apply to IT outsourcing and
data protection.
Article: “If you look at the ‘cloud’ as just another form of outsourcing, any regulation that applies to
outsourcing equally applies to the cloud,”
In the second example student B told us that Data storied in cloud computing is not visible or
known to us that where we can store it. While it stated in article too.
Student B: Whilst this should protect their data, how effectively they do this is still uncertain,
especially as it is not always clear where data is stored and therefore what rules apply.
Article: The aim of that original directive was to create harmonized data protection laws across
Europe; but, in practice, countries have all applied its terms in slightly different ways, leading to a
patchwork of different legal obligations for businesses operating in countries across Europe.
In article and assignment of student B it was common that in near future these issues may be
addressed
Student B: There is movement however, towards the development of regulations that may address
some the specific issues surrounding cloud computing.
Article: In January 2012 the EC proposed a comprehensive reform of the EU’s 1995 data-protection
rules, seeking to “strengthen online privacy rights and boost Europe’s digital economy”.
Student C
The plagiarism found in student C and article was that all the laws made before the cloud
computing were without keeping in mind the cloud computing.
Student C: Current data protection law in Europe was not written with cloud-based services in
mind.
Article: As it currently stands, European data-protection law is derived from the Data Protection
Directive (DPD) 95.46/EC adopted by the European Commission (EC) in 1995, which was drafted
without knowledge of the then-nascent Internet, or of the development of online or cloud-based
services, and which therefore can seem arcane when now applied to ICT management issues and
disputes.
In student C assignment it was also common that cloud computing is also a form of outsourcing
which is clear from the following highlighted lines.
Student C: As cloud computing is a form of outsourcing, theoretically the well-established
regulations that govern this also apply
Article: “If you look at the ‘cloud’ as just another form of outsourcing, any regulation that applies to
outsourcing equally applies to the cloud,”
The same words used by student C were that server used for storing data can be in either country.
Student C: This is complicated by the fact that data can be stored on servers in different countries.
Article: Complication with the cloud is that the data center where a server is located could be in
another country, another continent – the US, Ireland, Germany, or elsewhere.”
Question 1
Student A
Marks
available
Marks
awarded
.
3
1
3 marks for clear statements of where plagiarism has or
not occurred. Sorry but there are no clear statements at
the beginning of the answer. Student C would be
considered to have plagiarised but less heavily than
student A. Student A would be considered to have
plagiarised. Student B would be considered not to have
plagiarized.
6
2
You have correctly identified a very high density of lightly
disguised verbatim matches or exact matches, but there
is quite a poor explanation of what you have found. You
did not say ‘verbatim matches’. As explained in section 5
and 7 of the block. You had to give other clear reasons
for plagiarism.
•
•
•
Student B
6
0
There is no original input from the student.
The order parallels the original very closely.
It simply uses what appears in Courtney (as a
précis), without making any attempt to select the
main points needed to address concisely the
requirement for the paragraph required. For
example, the addition of ‘(DPD) 95.46/EC’ is
irrelevant for this purpose.
The OU verdict is that this student would be considered
not to have plagiarized you have not made this
statement. There can be matches of specialised terms or
phrases. The student has totally re-ordered the material
and has used the material to address the question set
rather than simply repeated it or summarised it. The
student has selected material that focuses on the main
points needed to address concisely the requirement for
the paragraph asked for. As required there is original
input included – for example ‘Organisations considering
an online data storage solution…’.
Student C
6
2
TOTAL
21
5
Reasons for plagiarism (three required):
•
There are several lightly disguised verbatim
matches. You have identified this but the
examples are not clear.
•
The order parallels the original quite closely.
•
It has no original input from the student.
•
It is too close to a précis of Courtney (albeit there
has been some attempt to omit some less
relevant points).
Question 2:
There should be a title ‘Routers and Switches’
There should be a subheading
A router is a device that forwards data between two or more data lines from different
networks. When a data packet reaches, the router reads the address to determine its
destination. Then, by using information of routing policy, it transfers the packet to the
network for its destination. Examples of routers are, home and small office routers which has
the function of passing data only, is cable or DSL modem which connects to the Internet.
Enterprise routers connect large business or ISP networks up to the powerful routers that
forward data at high speed. A router is commonly connected to two
networks LANs or WANs or a LAN and its ISP's network. Routers are located where two or
more networks connect, and gate way are the critical devices that keeps data flowing between
networks
and
keeps
the
networks
connected
to
the
Internet.
When data is sent between networks or from one network to other network the data is always
directed to the correct location by the router. The router do this by using headers and
forwarding tables to determine the best path for forwarding the data packets, and they also
use protocols like ICMP to communicate with each other and configure the best path between
any two destinations. The Internet is network of networks connecting millions of smaller
networks.
For most users, they may want to set-up local Area Network or wireless LAN and connect all
computers linked to this LAN or WAN to the Internet without paying to their ISP for each
computer DSL subscription on the network. An ISP will allow you to use a router and connect
multiple computers to a single Internet connection and pay a fee for each additional computer
sharing the connection. This is when home users will want to look at smaller routers, often
called broadband routers that enable two or more computers to share an Internet connection.
Within a business or organization, you may need to connect multiple computers to the
Internet, but also want to connect multiple private networks and these are the types of
functions a router is designed for. Routers actually provide a crucial service to our Internet
needs
A router has advantages for almost every Internet user:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Routers let computers to share a cable, DSL, Internet connection.
Routers generally offload burden from your computers, leaving more performance for
your applications.
Routers allow you make the filtering from accessing sites you do not want them to see.
Some routers allow home users to safely log in to their businesses remotely.
Some routers have firewalls protection against hacking into your computers.
Routers monitor network usage, and can send email alarms when something wrong
happen.
Many NETGEAR wireless routers support strong encryption for your wireless data.
Switches
A system switch is a machine mechanism that unites system apparatuses. The term
ordinarily alludes to a multi-port system span which works at the information interface
(layer 2) of the Osi model. Switches that process information at the system (layer 3) or
more are called layer-3 switches or multilayer switches. Switches exist for different sorts of
systems like Fiber Channel, Asynchronous Transfer Mode, Ethernet and others. Switches
look at every bundle of information and process it appropriately sign to all ports. Switches
map the locations of the hubs dwelling on system fragment and afterward permit just the
permitted movement to pass through the switch. The point when an information bundle is
appropriated by the switch, the switch checks the objective and source addresses and
contrasts them with a table of system addresses In exchanged systems, every section is an
autonomous impact dominion. This additionally takes into consideration parallel;
significance up to one-50% of the workstations joined with a switch can send information
in the meantime. In imparted systems all hubs dwell in a solitary imparted impact realm.
Simple to institute, most switches are self-studying. They figure out the Ethernet addresses
being used on every section, building a table as bundles are passed through the switch. This
"attachment and play" component makes switches an alluring elective to centers. Switches
can associate distinctive systems. Numerous switches today offer rapid connects, such as
Fast Ethernet, which could be utilized to connection the switches together or to give added
transfer speed to paramount servers that get a ton of movement. A system made out of
various switches interfaced together through these quick uplinks is known as a "crumpled
spine" system. Committing ports on switches to distinct hubs is an alternate approach to
speed access for discriminating machines. Servers and force clients can exploit a full
section for one hub, so a few systems associate high movement hubs to a committed switch
port. Full duplex is an alternate system to expand data transmission to devoted
workstations or servers. To utilize full duplex, both system interface cards utilized within
the server or workstation and the switch must help full duplex operation. Full duplex pairs
the potential transmission capacity on that connection.
Word count? 826!
Criterion
Grade
Tutor’s comment
1 Does the document meet the
brief?
F
You have not attempted to compare the two devices as
required. Also there are too many words without a
word count. There are also other requirements that
you have not met as listed below.
•
Does it have two sections only, entitled ‘What
they are and what they do’ and ‘Why both are
needed’ – in that order?
•
Does it include a mixture of descriptions and
comparisons for the topics of ‘what they are
and what they do’?
•
Does it include a suitable mixture of
descriptions and explanations to deal with the
topic of ‘Why both are needed’ (comparisons
are unlikely here, but may perhaps legitimately
occur)?
•
Is it a summary of significant information?
•
Does it have the title ‘Routers and switches’?
•
Is it between 450 and 500 words inclusive, with
no more than two diagrams and/or tables?
•
Does it include only relevant material.
For ‘Why both are needed’
o
It would be impractical for all network devices
to be connected together into one huge
network: routers provide the means for
separating networks into smaller elements.
o
Using a switch, rather than a router, to connect
devices within a LAN means that only the
Layer 2 address needs to be read for
destinations within the LAN.
o
Individual networks may be using different
network media and different protocols. A
router provides a means to translate from one
protocol to another so that as data travels
across the internetwork connections they are
independent of the media and protocols in use
in their originating network.
o
Routers help network security because they
can be configured to permit or prevent data
entering networks by applying certain rules.
2 Is the content factually
M
accurate, including does it show
evidence of understanding?
What you have written does not show that you
understand the technology.
3 Is the structure appropriate
for the audience, purpose and
medium, including do the main
title and section titles (if any)
match the content?
W
There is not a title or the required sub headings.
4 Is the style appropriate for
the audience, purpose and
medium?
M
The style is formal. Use of ‘you’, ‘we’, ‘your’ is not
appropriate.
5 Is the technical level
appropriate for the audience,
purpose and medium?
F
You have not explained the technical terminology.
6 Is the English correct?
M
Please see my comments on the script.
Question 3:
Digitization has given chances for organizations to make advanced surrogates for delicate
and jeopardized antiquities, To keep away from a computerized dull age, we have to
decipher the most ideal approach to keep important information vivified and open by
utilizing a multi-prong approach of relocating information to new arrangements,
conceiving routines for getting old programming to finish up existing stages, utilizing opensource record designs and programming, and making information that is "mediaautonomous. "Dependence on open principles is positively a gigantic part, yet its not the
main part," he said. "In the event that we need data to survive, we truly need to stay away
from arrangements that rely on upon a specific media sort. Business Dvds that utilize
insurance plots make it outlandish for libraries to lawfully exchange the substance to new
media. The point when the old media burns out, the data passes on with it. "Eagerness for
exchanging from restrictive programming, for example Microsoft's Office suite to opensource programming, for example Open Office has just as of late started to accumulate force
outside of data innovation loops. "Programming organizations have seen the profits of
bolting individuals into a stage and have been exceptionally impervious to change;
presently we are truly beginning to see some market commands in the open course. the
Netherlands and Norway as samples of nations that have commanded the utilization of
non-exclusive record arranges for government business. "There has been an astounding
development, especially around governments, to say: 'We're not set to purchase
programming that uses restrictive document designs only. You're set to need to furnish an
open arrange so we can break from the stage.
CMA
Q1
1. A file with the extension bmp is most likely to be an image file.
2. On an optical disc, an extended pit will be interpreted as a series of 0s.
3. There are 8192 bytes in an 8 KB data file.
Q2
F. 40
Q3
E. 4.5 MB
Q4
1. The role of a DNS server is to match a domain name with an IP address.
Q5
1. In the third step of a TCP handshake, the client increments the sequence number by 1 and
returns it to the server.
2. In order to send a message outside its local network, a device must know the gateway
router address of the destination device’s network.
Q6
Q7
D.
1. IEEE 802.11 is an example of a Data Link layer standard.
Q8
Q9
1. As the frequency of a radio wave increases its data carrying capacity increases.
2. A wireless access point is an essential component of a Wi-Fi ad-hoc network.
1. The ‘hidden node’ problem occurs when one or more nodes in a Wi-Fi network are out of
range of the wireless access point.
2. Channel bonding, frame aggregation and block acknowledgement are methods used to
increase network efficiency in 802.11g networks.
Q10
A. Fully Correct
Q11
1. It adequately explains why both types of memory are needed.
2. It clearly states that there are two major types of memory used in personal computers.
Q12
1. It is in a suitable style for the audience and purpose.
2. The first paragraph contains a sentence that is long and difficult to read and so would be
better separated into two sentences.
T215 Communication and information technologies
Block 1 Companion 2013J
Contents
Errata in the Block 1 main text
2
Study guide
2
Study materials
3
Study plan
3
Important information about studying Part 4
5
Learning outcomes
5
Tutor-marked assignment TMA T215 01
Computer-marked assignment CMA T215 41
Copyright © 2013 The Open University
7
17
WEB 03522 4
5.1
Block 1 Companion 2013J
Errata in the Block 1 main text
Page 38
In Activity 2.7, reword part (a) to read:
How small would a raw file of 15 million bytes become if it is compressed
with a compression ratio of 6?
Page 74
Amend the final line on the page to read:
So the compressed file size is 2.5 million bytes. (Alternatively you could
write this as 2 500 000 bytes.)
Study guide
Welcome to Storing and sharing, the first block of T215 Communication and
information technologies. As with the later blocks, it consists of several
fairly short parts that address different aspects of the block theme and also
offer support with skills development.
What follows is a brief overview of Block 1. After an introduction to the
block in Part 1, Part 2 takes up the theme of storing information in digital
formats. Later, Parts 4 and 5 focus on the theme of sharing digital
information, with Part 4 looking at wired networks and Part 5 at wireless
networks. Part 6 brings the two themes together in a brief introduction to
service-oriented architectures.
Interspersed with the five parts just mentioned are two that are intended to
support your own sharing of data, both as a recipient and as a provider.
There is a great deal of information stored on the Web that others are willing
to share with us, but unless we know how to find this material it’s of no use
to us. Part 3 is therefore designed to develop your skills in finding material
on the Web. Conversely, there is often little point in being the possessor of
useful information if we don’t know how to share it with others in a way
that meets their needs, and so Part 7 is intended to help you to develop your
skills in writing for a particular audience and purpose – whether your skills
in this area are already well developed or whether there is still quite a lot of
work to be done. Your work in the rest of the module, including the end-ofmodule assessment (EMA), will require you to find material on the Web and
write clearly, so these parts of Block 1 help to prepare you for the
forthcoming blocks of the module.
Part 3 and much of Part 4 of the block are online, and you will need to use
your computer at times when you study some of the other parts. Before you
start your study of the block you may therefore like to read the material
suggested in the T215 Module Guide about working with a computer (see
Sections 3 and 4). Please take particular note of the health-related material in
Section 4.
The rest of this study guide gives more specific information about the study
materials provided in this block, how you can fit your study of them into the
2
Study guide
five weeks allocated for study of the block, and what the outcomes of your
study are intended to be.
Study materials
The Block 1 study materials include some resources that are exclusively for
the block and some that are shared with other blocks in the module.
The resources that are exclusively for the block are as follows.
.
Storing and sharing, which is the principal resource and is divided into
seven parts. Five of these parts are printed and bound together in a single
book, one (Part 3) is presented online and can be accessed from the T215
website, and one (Part 4) is separately bound (see next item in this list).
.
Part 4, Wired networks, which is a spiral-bound study guide to some
online material that you will access via the T215 website.
.
This Companion, which you are strongly advised to print and keep to
hand as you study the block, not only for this study guide, but also
because it contains the assignments for the block – TMA 01 and
CMA 41.
.
Two documents that you will need to use with Part 7 Writing
technological documents and that are available to download from the
Block 1 study items page of the T215 website. These are in the files
T215_B1_P7_Doc_A.pdf and T215_B1_P7_Doc_B.rtf.
There are four resources that are shared with other blocks in the module.
.
The T215 Module Guide, which you should read before you start to
study Block 1, and then refer back to as necessary throughout the rest of
your study of the module.
.
The T215 Numeracy Book, which you may need as you study Part 2.
There are explicit cross-references to this book at appropriate points in
Part 2 to direct you to it if you need it.
.
The T215 module forums and your tutor group forum, which you can
access via the T215 website.
.
Your personal wiki, which you can access via the T215 website.
As indicated in the foregoing, you will need to go to the T215 website in
order to access some of the materials for the block. On the website you will
also find links to other useful resources and any messages from the T215
team. You can access the T215 website from your StudentHome page at
http://www.open.ac.uk/students
Study plan
This block is designed to occupy five weeks of your study time, which
means that you should expect to spend around 80 hours in total studying it.
In planning your study time, you should take the following into account:
.
The seven parts into which the block is divided are not of equal length.
.
Parts 3 and 4 are to be studied online whereas the other five parts are
printed material, with only occasional use of a computer.
3
Block 1 Companion 2013J
.
You are advised to look at Part 7 before you attempt the writing question
in the TMA.
.
The discussion question in the TMA requires you to contribute to a
discussion in your tutor group forum. Ideally, you should make this
contribution after you have studied Parts 2 and 3. You should not leave
making your contribution to the last minute in case you have problems
with accessing the server.
Table 1 is intended to help you to plan your study of the block. The study
allocation for the first week is lower than normal, to take into account the
likelihood that you will be spending some of your time in this first week of
the module reading the Module Guide, familiarising yourself with the way
the module is organised, checking out the module study planner, and so on.
Please note that the study hours in Table 1 are given as guidelines only. You
may need more time for some parts, and less for others.
Table 1
Suggested Related
Approx.
materials
study time block
study week
(hours)
Related
assignment
material
Item or
Part
Medium
Module
Guide
1
Introduction to
the block
2
Data storage
Text
1
1
—
Text
2
1
—
Text plus some
offline
computer-based
activities
Online
10
1
—
TMA discussion
question,
CMA question(s)
8
2
—
TMA discussion
question
16
2 and
part of 3
Cisco material
online
12
3 and
part of 4
—
TMA writing
question,
CMA question(s)
CMA question(s)
6
4
—
CMA question(s)
12
4 and
part of 5
Two documents
in files to be
downloaded
from the T215
website
TMA plagiarism
question,
TMA writing
question,
CMA question(s)
3
4
5
6
7
Finding
information
online
Wired networks Text-based
guide to online
material
Text plus some
Wi-Fi and
online and
wireless local
area networks offline
computer-based
activities
ServiceText
oriented
architectures
Writing
Text, including
technological
one activity
documents
where you may
prefer to use
your computer
TMA discussion
question
—
The study plan in Table 1 assumes that you will do some work on the
assignments as you go along, and will use the remaining time in the fifth
week to review the block materials and finalise your work on the
assignments. If this is not your preferred study method you will need to
make appropriate adjustments when you study the various parts of the block.
4
Study guide
Important information about studying Part 4
Part 4 consists of some online material supported by a study guide – the
printed spiral-bound booklet Block 1 Part 4 Wired networks. The online
material comes from the Cisco Academy curriculum and has not been
written by the Open University, so you will find a different style and
approach. You should expect to spend approximately 16 hours of study on
this part, so check the study plan of Table 1 above, and make sure you allow
sufficient time for your work.
You need study the Cisco material only to the depth required to answer
questions similar to the relevant TMA and CMA questions. Note that you
are not required to work through all the Cisco material provided. The
spiral-bound study guide Block 1 Part 4 Wired networks provides some
context for the Cisco material and identifies the sections you should study.
If you have difficulty with working with the presentation layout of the Cisco
material, you may like to try using the accessible theme which is described
in the document Alternative online view of the Cisco material available from
the T215 website in the Block 1 study items area. The accessible theme
renders the pages as text only, with clickable links to figures. Using this
method you will also be able to print out the text but not all of the figures.
Learning outcomes
Block 1 is designed to enable you to make progress on the following T215
module-wide learning outcomes. (You will find a complete list of the module
learning outcomes in the T215 Module Guide.)
Knowledge and understanding
Be able to demonstrate that you:
KU1
understand key principles and concepts of digital communication and
information systems and their component devices, including such
topics as LANs, WLANs, mobile communication networks, encoding,
modulation, multiplexing, routing, switching, protocols, and standards
KU2
understand key principles and concepts relating to digital data
including the storage, manipulation and transmission of digital data,
and the associated privacy and security issues
KU3
are aware of major trends in communication and information
technologies.
Cognitive skills
Be able to demonstrate that you can:
C1
produce descriptions and explanations of the communication and
information systems that feature in the module and of their underlying
technologies and component devices
C2
apply your understanding of the communication and information systems
that feature in the module, their underlying technologies and component
devices in specified contexts, updating yourself about the systems,
technologies and devices as necessary
C4
describe and discuss some of the technological, social, legal, ethical and
personal issues that relate to communication and information systems,
technologies and devices.
5
Block 1 Companion 2013J
Key skills
Be able to demonstrate that you can:
KS1
communicate complex information, arguments and ideas effectively
and without plagiarism on a range of topics relating to communication
and information systems through a variety of different media, using
styles, language and images appropriate to purpose, audience and
medium
KS2
perform simple calculations relating to communication and information
systems, use and manipulate simple algebraic equations and interpret
and produce graphical and tabular data
KS3
use information technology to find information from various sources
and evaluate that information
KS4
develop a range of skills as an independent learner to support you in
learning through the module materials and through other resources
that you seek out for yourself.
Practical and professional skills
Be able to demonstrate that you can:
P1
critique draft materials in order to improve them
P2
use standard office and communication software effectively to support
your work, both as an individual and in collaboration with others in a
distance setting.
6
Tutor-marked assignment TMA T215 01
Tutor-marked assignment TMA T215 01
The weighting of this assignment is 15% of the continuous assessment.
You must ensure that your TMA is received by your tutor, or that you have
received a submission receipt, no later than 12 noon (UK local time) on the
cut-off date: 7 November 2013.
This module uses the online TMA/EMA service for submission of TMAs.
To submit your TMA, please go to your StudentHome page and follow the
link(s) provided. If you are unable to use the online TMA/EMA service then
you may, with your tutor’s permission, submit your assignment by post.
However, you are strongly encouraged to use the online TMA/EMA service
and you must obtain your tutor’s permission before submitting through the
postal system.
For this module, you should submit your TMAs in doc, docx or rtf file
formats. However, for TMAs that contain equations or diagrams, the
converter that some tutors will need to use to be able to read docx files can
cause detail, such as symbols, to be lost. Please, therefore, only submit docx
files with prior agreement with your tutor. You should also be aware that
rtf files may be much larger than equivalent doc files and diagrams
may not translate well, so use rtf only as a last resort.
You will be notified once your TMA has been marked. You can then
download it to view your tutor’s comments.
It is strongly advised that you do a dummy run with TMA 00 at the start of
the module, to make sure that there are no problems when you have to
submit a real TMA.
If you foresee any difficulty with submitting your assignment on time then
you should contact your tutor well in advance of the cut-off date.
For further information about policy, procedure and general submission of
assignments please refer to the Assessment Handbook which can also be
accessed via your StudentHome page and from the T215 website.
Plagiarism: a reminder
Part 7 of this block discusses plagiarism and shows you how to avoid it by
giving appropriate references when you use other people’s words. This short
section is intended to remind you what plagiarism is and to reiterate that it is
unacceptable in your TMAs.
Plagiarism is a form of cheating. It is the act of taking someone else’s work
and passing it off as your own (the term is derived from Latin words
meaning ‘plunder’ and ‘kidnap’). Quoting extracts – even those as short as
phrases or single sentences – from another author (including authors of T215
module materials) without saying that you are doing so is plagiarism. So is
lightly rephrasing another author’s words.
Plagiarism is not acceptable in any written material, including TMAs,
because you are in effect taking someone else’s work and passing it off as
your own.
7
Block 1 Companion 2013J
For the most part, therefore, you should take care to express things in your
own way (this is sometimes referred to as ‘using your own words’) in your
TMAs. This will avoid plagiarism and show that you have understood the
material you are writing about. On occasions you may want to use someone
else’s words, in which case you must indicate that you have done so by both
placing their words in quotation marks in the text and giving a full
reference. Do not use quotations too heavily, however, because a TMA
consisting of quotations from other authors, even if fully referenced, does
not show that you have understood the ideas you are writing about.
For more information about what constitutes plagiarism or cheating you
should refer to the online Assessment Handbook, which you can access
either from StudentHome or from the Assessment support page of the T215
module website.
Learning outcomes
This assignment enables you to demonstrate your progress with the following
module outcomes: KU1, KU2, C1, C2, C4, KS1, KS3, KS4, P2.
8
Tutor-marked assignment TMA T215 01
Question 1: the plagiarism question
This question carries 21% of the assignment marks.
Before tackling this question you should study all of Section 5 of Block 1,
Part 7. You will find Section 5.2 and Activity 7.9 particularly useful in
understanding the requirements of this question.
A recent assignment on a module similar to T215 asked students to write
about some of the issues surrounding cloud computing. In particular, they
were asked to write a paragraph that summarised the current state of play
with respect to legislation relating to cloud computing and how it might
affect organisations thinking of using online data storage.
Three of the students – Student A, Student B and Student C – found the
following paragraphs in an article on this topic that appeared in Engineering
& Technology (E&T), a magazine published by the IET – the Institution of
Engineering and Technology.
[…]
As it currently stands, European data-protection law is derived from the
Data Protection Directive (DPD) 95.46/EC adopted by the European
Commission (EC) in 1995, which was drafted without knowledge of the
then-nascent Internet, or of the development of online or cloud-based
services, and which therefore can seem arcane when now applied to
ICT management issues and disputes.
[…]
The aim of that original directive was to create harmonised dataprotection laws across Europe; but, in practice, countries have all
applied its terms in slightly different ways, leading to a patchwork of
different legal obligations for businesses operating in countries across
Europe. This is a key point, because these days most commercial
entities operate internationally, owing to the Internet. […]
In January 2012 the EC proposed a comprehensive reform of the EU’s
1995 data-protection rules, seeking to “strengthen online privacy rights
and boost Europe’s digital economy”. “A single law will do away with
the current fragmentation and costly administrative burdens […]”
claimed EU justice commissioner Viviane Reding. […]
Despite the absence of specific regulation pertaining to cloud
computing, and barring a few significant differences around data
location, the migration of data, applications and services to a hosted
cloud platform is simply another type of outsourcing – itself a business
model which is already well-governed.
As is often stated, there is nothing particularly new about the cloudcomputing proposition or operating model; so, theoretically, existing
laws and regulatory compliances as they apply to the standard practice
of enterprise computing should just as well apply to cloud. The extent
to which terminology and jargon have a bearing on the legalities have
yet to be fully tested.
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Block 1 Companion 2013J
“If you look at the ‘cloud’ as just another form of outsourcing, any
regulation that applies to outsourcing equally applies to the cloud,” says
David Bradshaw, analyst at market research firm IDC. “It is not a
brand-new type of service delivery, but a well-developed area. The
complication with the cloud is that the data centre where a server is
located could be in another country, another continent – the US,
Ireland, Germany, or elsewhere.”
Courtney (2013) p. 60
When the assignments were handed in, the introductory paragraphs below
appeared in these three students’ answers. For each student in turn:
.
Clearly state to what extent, if at all, the student would be considered to
have plagiarised the paragraphs from the E&T article.
.
Justify your statement by clearly giving three good reasons. Where
appropriate, support your reasons with specific examples from the
student’s answer, but note that examples on their own are not sufficient.
For the purposes of this question, a reason based on the fact that a student
has not cited the E&T article will not be awarded any marks.
You should aim to write 350–450 words in total, but there are no penalties
for writing more. You might penalise yourself if you write less, because you
might not have made a full enough justification in one or more cases. You
might also penalise yourself if you write more, because you might not have
expressed yourself in a clear and succinct way that your tutor can easily
follow.
Student A
The current European data protection directive (DPD) 95.46/EC was drafted
before the development of cloud-based services. European countries have
applied this directive in slightly different ways which may cause problems
for organisations that operate internationally. There are current proposals for
a reform of these laws in order to strengthen online privacy rights. If you
look at the cloud as just another form of outsourcing, any regulation that
applies to outsourcing also applies to the cloud. How these laws will actually
stand up is yet to be fully tested.
Student B
Organisations considering an online data storage solution should be aware
that regulation of cloud computing currently relies on existing rules that
apply to IT outsourcing and data protection. Whilst this should protect their
data, how effectively they do this is still uncertain, especially as it is not
always clear where data is stored and therefore what rules apply. There is
movement however, towards the development of regulations that may
address some the specific issues surrounding cloud computing.
10
Tutor-marked assignment TMA T215 01
Student C
Current data protection law in Europe was not written with cloud-based
services in mind. As cloud computing is a form of outsourcing, theoretically
the well-established regulations that govern this also apply but this is
complicated by the fact that data can be stored on servers in different
countries. Recently, proposals for updating the current laws seek to address
these issues and improve online privacy rights.
11
Block 1 Companion 2013J
Question 2: the writing question
This question carries 65% of the assignment marks.
Before tackling this question you should study Part 7 of Block 1.
Imagine that you have been asked to write an entry entitled ‘Routers and
switches’ for a new book to be called A Handbook of ICT Topics. This
handbook will have entries for important topics in ICT (information and
communication technologies), and each entry will give a summary of
significant information about the topic. In effect, it will be a short
encyclopaedia entry. The handbook is intended as a succinct reference work
for the general public. It must therefore cover the most important aspects of
the topic, but at an introductory, rather than an advanced, level.
The specification for every entry in the handbook is as follows:
.
the number of words must be between 450 and 500 inclusive
.
the maximum permitted number of diagrams and/or tables is two
.
the entry should use an appropriate mixture of descriptions and
explanations.
For your specific entry, you have been given two additional requirements.
.
There must be two sections only, with the following titles: ‘What they
are and what they do’ and ‘Why both are needed’, and the sections must
be presented in this order. (It is not necessary for the sections to be of
equal length: the balance between them should depend on the quantity of
relevant points that need to be covered.)
.
As well as descriptions and explanations, your entry should include
comparisons where appropriate.
Write your entry, to the specification given above and bearing in mind the
audience and purpose.
You are strongly advised to critically evaluate and improve your document
before you submit it, as described in Part 7 of Block 1.
See also ‘Notes relating to Question 2’ near the end of this TMA.
12
Tutor-marked assignment TMA T215 01
Question 3: the discussion question
This question carries 14% of the assignment marks.
The following news item appeared on 15 May 2013 in the online magazine
Wired.
We Need to Act to Prevent a Digital ‘Dark Age’
The year is 2093. The world is scrambling to contain an outbreak of
H23N1, a highly contagious strain of influenza first seen in the early
2020’s with a more than 90% mortality rate. In only a few days tens of
thousands are infected and many more are believed to be carriers of the
illness. The only hope of preventing a global plague costing tens of
millions of lives lies with a small team of medical experts and data
archivists attempting to reproduce the original vaccine, which,
presumably, had eradicated the virus in 2024. There are no viable
samples remaining. Although the complete digital records of the
original (and now-defunct) pharmaceutical manufacturer have been
identified, the process details have so far been unreadable because they
cannot run the company’s ancient, proprietary software. The data
archivists are reverse engineering museum exhibits in an attempt to
emulate the antiquated computer hardware used in the 2020s to run the
software. The world’s prayers are with the team as the death toll
rapidly grows.
Obviously this nightmare scenario is complete fiction, but it would be
no joke to many data archival experts. Recently I spoke to Mike Nolan
of Intel Labs in Europe about what they are doing to ensure that things
like this never happen. As we evolve into a data society, we have to
think seriously about what it means to preserve data for future
generations. Good storage alone won’t work. Every file is read by some
application, and those applications evolve rapidly as do the systems
they depend on to run. I’ve seen the effects in my own life… cassette
tapes with nothing to play them, old Microsoft Works files from high
school I can’t open. I can’t even read a CD-ROM on my laptop
anymore.
Even more complicated than archiving a file is preserving a process,
whose data may extend across a variety of applications and systems.
Imagine that in a few decades a bridge suddenly fails. Are all bridges
designed by the same company at that time unsafe? You’ll need to dig
up digital blueprints and other documents to find out. In the case of
Intel, we have recently dug back into our own archives to unearth
Pentium designs to build many-core processors. One day we may need
to revisit other business processes due to a new corporate acquisition or
divestiture. Good process preservation mitigates future risks and
maximizes the opportunity to learn from history.
This is the goal of TIMBUS (Timeless Business Processes and
Services), a collaborative project co-funded by the European Union.
Mike leads our contribution and is helping to prototype the concepts
developed by the consortium. TIMBUS builds what is called an
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Block 1 Companion 2013J
“ontology” that captures all of the interdependencies among process
components. The required software versions are centrally archived, and
the hardware environments saved as emulators. One of the most
challenging aspects of this work is legal in nature. Software means
license agreements. One could find that even if a process is successfully
preserved our descendants may not have the legal right to open it.
Why the EU was so interested in funding the work? I asked Mike. In a
word: History. Europeans, with such a rich history, appreciate that
history no longer can be captured by textbooks. It plays out
increasingly on the Internet – take for example the Arab Spring. Could
social media posts that sparked revolution be lost if those services don’t
survive the test of time? Remember Friendster? We need a new way to
capture it, or we may one day find ourselves looking back into a digital
Dark Age.
Koehl (2013)
Use the information searching skills you have developed in Part 3 of
Block 1 to carry out some research into current issues and approaches in the
preservation of data and processes. What have been the most recent
advances? Can and should we preserve everything? Use the results of your
research to contribute one or more messages to a discussion on this topic in
your tutor group forum.
Your contribution should be such that it moves the discussion forward in
some way. Justify the comments you make by quoting from or citing your
information source and including a full reference to it using the Harvard
system introduced in Section 5.3 of Block 1, Part 7.
Before making your contribution, you should read Section 8.3 of the T215
Module Guide: ‘How to help your tutor group forum to work’. Among other
things, this section suggests ways in which contributions can move a
discussion forward.
As evidence of your contribution, include in your TMA document:
(a) a copy of one message you posted to the forum that you consider to
have satisfied the requirements stated above, namely ‘Your contribution
should be such that it moves the discussion forward in some way. Justify
the comments you make by quoting from or citing your information
source and including a full reference to it using the Harvard system
introduced in Section 5.3 of Block 1, Part 7’ (7 marks)
(b) either a copy of an earlier message that your message in part (a) was
responding to, or a copy of a message that responded to your message in
part (a) (1 mark)
(c) a clear statement of which strategy from p. 11 ‘Move the discussions
forward’ in the T215 Module Guide you used in your message in
part (a), and an indication of how successful your message actually was
in moving the discussion forward. (6 marks)
In part (a) your mark will depend on (i) the quality of your contribution;
(ii) the judiciousness of your use of the quotation/citation; (iii) the
correctness of your referencing of the quotation/citation. In part (c) you
14
Tutor-marked assignment TMA T215 01
should aim to write about 100 words, but there are no penalties for writing
more than this. You might penalise yourself if you write less, because you
might not have written a full enough answer.
Notes relating to Question 2
In this question you need to ‘role play’ – that is, you need to write a
handbook entry that not only meets the brief but also suits the specified
audience and purpose.
To help you get started, the document T215 TMA01 Q2 handbook entry
examples,available in the Block 1 study items page of the T215 website,
provides some examples of what a handbook entry might look like. These
examples are taken from students’ unedited answers to a similar question in
a previous year. Each has areas that could be improved, but nevertheless
attained an overall score for Question 2 of around 60. Note that, for this
previous assignment, the requirement for section headings was somewhat
different and comparisons were not needed.
You are strongly advised to follow the fourteen steps in Section 6 of
Block 1, Part 7 to help you to prepare your answer to this question.
Criteria for marking
Your handbook entry will be assessed against the criteria listed below. They
are the ones you met in Section 6.3 of Part 7.
For the criterion relating to factual accuracy, your tutor will also take into
consideration the extent to which your handbook entry demonstrates
understanding of the topic.
1 Does the document meet the brief – exactly? (You will need to unpack
this criterion into a checklist. You are not required to submit this
checklist with your TMA, but if you do your tutor will be able to provide
feedback, if necessary, on how well you did the unpacking.)
2 Is the content factually accurate?
3 Is the structure appropriate for the audience, purpose and medium?
4 Is the style appropriate for the audience, purpose and medium?
5 Is the technical level appropriate for the audience, purpose and medium?
6 Is the English correct?
Two-thirds of the available marks are for the first two criteria, and one-third
for the remaining four.
To help you to see how you are performing against each of the six criteria,
your tutor will use a grading system. This system will be used for all writing
questions in TMAs and in the end-of-module assessment (EMA). You will
also use it yourself during the module. The grades that will be used for each
of the six criteria are:
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Block 1 Companion 2013J
excellent (E)
good (G)
moderate (M)
weak (W)
borderline fail (B)
fail (F).
The first four of these grades correspond to the pass grades 1, 2, 3, 4
respectively on the University Scale (as described in the University’s
Assessment Handbook).
Your grades will be converted into a total mark for the question by means of
a spreadsheet that the T215 team will supply to the tutors.
Counting the number of words used
The total number of words you have used in Question 2 should include:
.
all headings – including sub-headings, table headings and figure captions
.
any items you put in lists – except a reference list
.
any footnotes
.
any quotations you make from other sources.
You may exclude:
.
a reference list
.
text within figures
.
text within tables.
Please note, however, that if you have put text into a table simply to reduce
the word count, rather than because a table is the most appropriate means of
presenting the information, your tutor will adjust your word total upwards by
an appropriate amount.
References for TMA 01
Courtney, M. (2013) ‘Regulating the cloud crowd’, Engineering &
Technology, vol. 8, no. 4, May, pp. 60–63.
Koehl, S. (2013) ‘We Need to Act to Prevent a Digital ‘Dark Age’’, 15 May
[online]. Available from http://www.wired.com/insights/2013/05/weneed-to-act-to-prevent-a-digital-dark-age/ (accessed 3 June 2013).
16
Computer-marked assignment CMA T215 41
Computer-marked assignment
CMA T215 41
The weighting of this assignment is 5% of the continuous assessment.
In this CMA, each correct option, rather than each question, carries the
same score.
You must ensure that you submit your assignment no later than 12 noon
(UK local time) on the cut-off date: 7 November 2013.
This module uses the electronic CMA (eCMA) system for submission of
CMAs. To submit your CMA, please go to your StudentHome page and
follow the link(s) provided.
For further information about policy, procedure and general submission of
assignments please refer to the Assessment Handbook which can also be
accessed via your StudentHome page and from the T215 website.
Learning outcomes
This assignment enables you to demonstrate your progress with the following
module outcomes: KU1, KU2, KS2, P1.
In this CMA, Questions 1 to 10 are summative, meaning that your score will
count towards your overall continuous assessment grade. Questions 11
and 12 are formative, meaning that your score will not count towards your
overall continuous assessment grade. The feedback provided on these two
final questions will, however, help you with your writing skills development
and so you are strongly encouraged to answer them.
Q1
Select the true statements from the following list. (There are no more than
three true statements and if you choose too many you will be penalised.)
A
B
C
D
E
F
When using 4-bit words, half as many codes can be represented as
when using 8-bit words.
A file with the extension bmp is most likely to be an image file.
There are 8192 bytes in an 8 KB data file.
A plain text editor adds metadata that gives information about the text
formatting.
When a computer powers down, the content in its RAM is retained.
On an optical disc, an extended pit will be interpreted as a series of 0s.
Choose up to three options for Q1.
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Block 1 Companion 2013J
Q2
A 10 MB file is to be transmitted over a 2 megabits per second connection.
How long should the complete transmission take, to the nearest 0.1 s?
A
B
C
D
0.1
0.2
5.0
5.2
s
s
s
s
E
F
G
32.0 s
40.0 s
41.9 s
Choose one option for Q2.
Q3
If an 18 MB file is compressed using a compression ratio of 4, what would
be the size of the resulting compressed file?
A
B
C
0.2 MB
0.5 MB
2.2 MB
D
E
F
2.5 MB
4.5 MB
5.0 MB
Choose one option for Q3.
Q4
Select the true statements from the following list. (There are no more than
two true statements and if you choose too many you will be penalised.)
A
B
C
D
E
F
In the destination device, decapsulation and reassembly of packets
occur before the data reaches the Application layer.
In the four-layer TCP/IP model, HTTP and TCP are both in the same
layer, whereas in the seven-layer OSI model they are in different layers.
IP is the protocol responsible for segmenting messages.
The role of a DNS server is to match a domain name with an IP
address.
POP is used in sending emails and SMTP is used in receiving emails.
DHCP is used to assign a permanent address to a server.
Choose up to two options for Q4.
18
Computer-marked assignment CMA T215 41
Q5
Select the true statements from the following list. (There are no more than
two true statements and if you choose too many you will be penalised.)
A
B
C
D
E
F
UDP is considered to be a reliable protocol.
The port numbers contained in the header of a Transport layer segment
or datagram are all randomly generated.
In the third step of a TCP handshake, the client increments the
sequence number by 1 and returns it to the server.
During periods of network congestion, the acknowledgement window
size may be increased to reduce network overheads.
In an IPv4 address, both the network portion and the host portion are
needed to uniquely identify an individual host.
In order to send a message outside its local network, a device must
know the gateway router address of the destination device’s network.
Choose up to two options for Q5.
Q6
From the sets of terms given below, select the option that correctly describes
the IPv4 address 192.168.10.6/16.
Number of bytes
in host portion
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
1
2
4
1
2
4
1
2
Network portion
of address
Host portion
of address
192.168.10
192.168
192.168.10.6
192.168.10
6/16
16
168.10.6
192
6/16
10.6
16
6
192.168.10
192.168.10.6
192
168.10.6
Choose one option for Q6.
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Block 1 Companion 2013J
Q7
Select the true statements from the following list. (There are no more than
two true statements and if you choose too many you will be penalised.)
A
B
C
D
E
F
The trailer in a layer 2 PDU includes two address fields.
The processes at layer 3 and below are always implemented in
hardware.
IEEE 802.11 is an example of a Data Link layer standard.
Contention-based media access control methods work well in both lightly
loaded and heavily loaded networks.
An example of a point-to-point network is three computers joined to each
other by a router.
A Data Link layer frame cannot be sent outside a local network without
being decapsulated.
Choose up to two options for Q7.
Q8
Select the true statements from the following list. For statements that require
frequency or bandwidth calculations, base your answer on values provided in
the module materials not internet sources as these may not always be
reliable. (There are no more than two true statements and if you choose too
many you will be penalised.)
A
B
C
D
E
F
As the frequency of a radio wave increases its data carrying capacity
increases.
The 5 GHz ISM band has a bandwidth that is more than eight times the
bandwidth of the 2.4 GHz ISM band.
The IEEE 802.11g standard was designed to provide the data rate of
802.11b while using the frequency band of 802.11a.
A wireless access point is an essential component of a Wi-Fi ad-hoc
network.
An IEEE 802.11g 2.447 GHz transmission channel in the 2.4 GHz range
will include a frequency of 2.459 GHz.
In the UK, the maximum number of 802.11g non-overlapping Wi-Fi
channels is 2.
Choose up to two options for Q8.
20
Computer-marked assignment CMA T215 41
Q9
Select the true statements from the following list. (There are no more than
two true statements and if you choose too many you will be penalised.)
A
B
C
D
E
F
A wireless node with a single transmit/receive antenna is able to use the
CSMA/CD protocol.
The ‘hidden node’ problem occurs when one or more nodes in a Wi-Fi
network are out of range of the wireless access point.
If four users are connected to a wireless network that offers a maximum
data rate of 11 Mbit/s and a throughput of 50%, the typical practical data
rate available to each user in ideal conditions will be less than 1.5 Mbit/
s.
MIMO stands for Manipulating Interference to Maximise Output.
One of the roles of the ACK frame used in the CSMA/CD media access
control protocol is to help in determining data transmission rates.
Channel bonding, frame aggregation and block acknowledgement are
methods used to increase network efficiency in 802.11g networks.
Choose up to two options for Q9.
Q10
The following is a possible XML description of a reference. From the
options A to E choose the most appropriate statement about the accuracy of
the use of XML in the description.
Smith, J.
2009
The benefits of SOA
The Journal of Road Haulage
vol. 25, no. 2, February
pp. 29-32
A
B
C
D
E
F
Fully correct
Incorrect because
Incorrect because
Incorrect because
Incorrect because
Incorrect because
one start tag missing
one closing tag missing
a / missing in a closing tag
a / included in an opening tag
the tags in one pair don’t match
Choose one option for Q10.
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Block 1 Companion 2013J
Q11 and Q12
Reminder: Questions 11 and 12 are formative, meaning that your score will
not count towards your overall continuous assessment grade. The feedback
provided on these two final questions will, however, help you with your
writing skills development and so you are strongly encouraged to answer
them.
These questions refer to Document C, which is an alternative response to the
brief given in the box called ‘A brief and a document’ in Section 4.1 of
Block 1, Part 7.
Document C (186 words)
Personal computers have a main memory which holds temporary
programs and data – those programs and data that are currently being
used to perform a task. Main memory is not a permanent memory and
any instructions or data stored there will be lost when the computer is
switched off therefore it is described as being volatile memory. It is
important that any program or data of importance should be stored on
some form of secondary memory.
Secondary memory is retentive memory. Its purpose is to store
programs, and also data that might have been created by the program
enabling the user to read back this data.
There are two types of secondary memory – permanent and removable.
Permanent secondary memory as it suggests cannot be removed from
the computer and comes in the form of a hard disk. Removable
secondary memory comes in the form of DVDs, floppy disks, CD-ROMs
and memory cards.
Although programs and data may be stored on some form of secondary
memory it must be copied to the computers main memory in order for
the processor to execute the program and use the data.
22
Computer-marked assignment CMA T215 41
Q11
This question relates to whether Document C meets the brief. Select the
three most valid statements about Document C from the list below.
A
B
C
D
E
F
It clearly states that there are two major types of memory used in
personal computers.
It adequately states what main memory is used for.
It adequately states what secondary memory is used for.
It adequately explains why both types of memory are needed.
It adequately explains why there are various types of secondary memory
used in connection with personal computers.
It is within the stated word count.
Choose three options for Q11.
Q12
This question relates to the structure, style, technical level and English of
Document C. Select the three most valid statements from the list below.
A
B
C
D
E
F
There is a good introductory sentence.
The concerns are separated.
It is in a suitable style for the audience and purpose.
It explains any technological terms that may not be understood by the
audience.
The first paragraph contains a sentence that is long and difficult to read
and so would be better separated into two sentences.
There is a missing apostrophe in the final paragraph.
Choose three options for Q12.
You have now completed this assignment. You should submit your
answers online no later than 12 noon (UK local time) on
7 November 2013.
23