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The IT Department’s Network Technology Centre (NTC) was relocated to its new facilities at the Tsing Yi campus in 2002. The Centre has established links with renowned industry partners to support its curriculum teaching and to promote networking & mobile technology within the industry. Through the work of the Centre, students gain the knowledge and skills to obtain industry-recognised trade certificates. All seven layers of the OSI networking model are addressed. The Fluke Networks’ CCTT programme addresses layers one and two of the OSI model and the Cisco’s Academy programmes (CCNA and CCNP) address layers two, three and four. Since 2003, the Centre has been affiliated with Training Partners to provide Cisco recognised training beyond CCNA and CCNP to local professionals. Since 2004, the Centre has linked with Network Associates to incorporate the Sniffer University program to cover the upper OSI layers. In 2006, the Centre installed an experimental Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) network and has been working closely with HKNet for the evolution and usage of IPv6 in Hong Kong. The Academies and Centres in Network Technology include: 1. Cisco System Networking Academies, IT (Tsing Yi) IVE (Tsing Yi) became Cisco Networking Academies in 1999. Initially, the Cisco Networking Academy Program (CNAP) was at the CCNA level and was offered to selected full-time students as an extra-curricular activity, but it is now fully integrated into the Telecommunications & Networking (T&N) courses. To further enhance students’ networking skills, the IT (Tsing Yi) department upgraded their CNAP to CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) level in late 2001. CCNP is the professional level of the Cisco Career Certification program and requires candidates to learn how to install, configure and maintain large multi-protocol networks. Other Cisco academic courses that have been integrated into their T&N courses include Cisco IT Essentials I & II in 2005 and Cisco Fundamental Wireless LAN in 2006. To support the teaching and training of networking technology, the NTC has acquired a wide range of networking equipment. 2. Cisco Certified Training Centre (in affiliation with Training Partners), IT (Tsing Yi) In addition to CCNA and CCNP, there are other widely sought Cisco Certifications related to networking, such as IP Telephony and Network Security. The Centre has expanded its horizon to offer training courses in these exciting new areas through its affiliation with a key industry provider - Training Partners. As network signalling speed increases, there has been a correspondingly rapid development in cabling and connector technology to accommodate the escalated transmission speed. Tyco Electronics (one of the major suppliers in network cabling and connectors products) has donated the necessary equipment to enable the IT Department to set up a Cabling and Connectors training facility in the Network Technology Centre. Tyco also provides the Centre with up-to-date training materials. | |
