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CIS 3347 provided a great look into the technologies and media that comprise information systems infrastructure and networks and make them possible. I found the funnel-style approach to information useful - starting with broad topics such as the OSI and TCP/IP models as a whole, moving down into specific layers, to learning about specific protocols and technologies on each level and the media required to allow them to operate. Each layer has a specific role in network communications, and understanding the functions and protocols associated with each is imperative to being able to diagnose network problems and understand the overall operation of the network.
This class also gave an in-depth look into the various types of media and hardware involved in a network; in particular, learning the specifics about different types of cabling and their ratings was extremely useful. Information about distance, speed, and other constraints for each type of cable was valuable in understanding what type of cabling works best for different scenarios. Similarly, understanding different 802.11 standards and details about different types of switches and routers was important information for learning how to make the most efficient and appropriate network possible.
Learning the scientific details of electromagnetic waves and the anatomy of a wavelength was extremely interesting and insightful, and was information I did not understand well prior to this course. The class concluding with assignments about security in regards to network infrastructure will be beneficial to future courses, and were an excellent cap to this class.
Professor Messer and Eli the Computer Guy's videos gave a great deal of depth to each topic they discussed, and helped give additional detail and a different perspective to supplement with reading this course's book. Having questions to answer at the end of each video segment was a good method to make sure information was retained, and provided a good reference point for me to re-visit throughout the course of the semester.
I would like to continue learning more about security, specifically network security. I have a specific interest in cybersecurity and have been focusing my electives to learn more about the subject, and the assignments focused around security in this course were very useful in supplementing my knowledge. Professor Crowley's final lecture about security (and his sentry dogs) was one of the most interesting lectures I've had the fortune of listening to, and encouraged me to continue persuing learning more about it.
I would have liked to experiment with different sites, such as some of the Google Site templates that are available on the Internet. However, since I built my own template, it was a good learning experience to experiment with my site's code as it grew with each module. In keeping my own design, I perhaps would have added more description and some more images to each individual assignment, instead of mostly leaving them to module home pages.
I feel very happy with how much I learned this semester, particularly with the specific details information regarding standards, protocols, media, and hardware. Professor Crowley provided a wonderful variety of lessons, references, and resources in order to help learn about each topic, and gave interesting and funny lectures each week which I will dearly miss with his retirement. My knowledge about information systems infrastructure and networks has expanded substantially with the completion of this course and has sparked my interest in specific topics that I previously did not have much understanding about. I'm grateful for the opportunity to have taken this course with Professor Crowley and for all of the information I've learned over the course of this semester.