Conference koolit::vms_curriculum

    Sys/Net III spec is in
    
    	ES$REVIEW:[SYSNET_III]SYSNET_III_SPECIFICATION.PS
    
    					Val

    I should mention (and you may have noticed already) that the dates in
    this version of the spec (and the other recently-posted specs) are
    invalid. Emmalee posted the latest milestones for the Sys/Net project
    elsewhere in this conference. Sorry if I caused any confusion.

I've read the SN III spec and wish to pass on my comments. Generally, lots of
good stuff in this one - should definately make the students self-sufficient
when they return to their office.


Ch 2. Installing and Updating system software.

  I think this really should be split into 3 separate chapters:
	o Installing/Upgrading VMS
        o Building/adding VAXcluster nodes
        o Configuring network.

These are really procedures which can and are performed independantly of each
other - although obviously related in a majority of configurations.

I'd question the 4 hour lecture time for the combined topics, it seems too
short, but then 8 hours for labs seems too long. Probably 6/6 split closer.

Don't forget DSSI configurations in the cluster material.


Ch 4: Maintaining disks

  Good information, although I think the lecture and lab times are too short.
Volume shadowing alone probably takes over an hour to teach (I would anyway
;-)) especially with the two flavours.  As for labs, 1 hr seems too short - a
phase II copy operation takes longer than that, let alone all the setting up
and rebooting :-) :-)

  I also question whether disk striping should be included/mentioned - a layered
product, which is often of benefit as a performance enhancer only at the
high-end(?).


Ch 5: Maintaining queues.

  As others have commented in the past, I think the info about the distributed
system services should be removed. Layered products are not mentioned elsewhere
in the course(s), and so there seems no reason to include these. By mentioning
them, there gives scope for rat-holing about their virtues, why/when/how they
can be used etc. Instructors could optionally  inform students about these as
seen fit to do so.

If DSS are removed, then this leaves very little to talk about. The remaining
material could be incorporated into the SN II queue chapter, and thus do away
with it altogether in SN III.  As review, the instructor could include a lab
exercise (as part of setting up a cluster) to create cluster-wide queues.


Ch 6: Performing backups and restores

  I think this chapter should (possibly) include a quick review of backup
operations covered in previous courses.  It's main content should be to discuss
HSC BACKUP/RESTORE and the issues around backup and shadowing. I feel all other
backup information should have been covered in SN I and II.

Ch 7: Maintaining System security.

  I think this module should include the majority of the information from SN
II's security chapter.  See note 72.? for my comments on this.


Ch 9: Performance management

I now concede that a certain element of tuning information should be given
now :-) :-).  Care must be taken not to tread on the toes of the Performance
Management course, using this as a scene-setter is fine,  but if too much
useful info is given attendees would question the value of the later course.
Keeping the content inline with the "Instructional Strategy" seems OK.


That's all folks...  I await the SN IV spec. with interest.  I can't imagine
what there is to talk about, without incorporating a lot of the material from
the Internals Overview/Security Features/Perf Mgt etc specialist courses.
Perhaps I'm not thinking hard enough - it is Sunday morning afterall ;-)

Stephen

    Thanks especially for looking at the teaching times. Those are all
    guesses, and if any of them are off the wall we need to know. Just a
    couple of comments for now:
    
>Ch 2. Installing and Updating system software.

>  I think this really should be split into 3 separate chapters:

I think it's likely that we'll do so.

>Ch 4: Maintaining disks

>  I also question whether disk striping should be included/mentioned - a layered
>product, which is often of benefit as a performance enhancer only at the
>high-end(?).

    Volume shadowing is a layered product too -- why isn't it a problem
    teaching shadowing?
    
>Ch 7: Maintaining System security.

>  I think this module should include the majority of the information from SN
>II's security chapter.  See note 72.? for my comments on this.

    We are moving the network security stuff from II to III. The II chapter
    is posted now, so why don't you look at it and let us know how the
    depth looks.
    
> I await the SN IV spec. with interest.  I can't imagine
>what there is to talk about, without incorporating a lot of the material from
>the Internals Overview/Security Features/Perf Mgt etc specialist courses.

    My own premonition is that one of the specialist courses will indeed get
    sucked up by the others, though I don't know which --
    
    					Val

    Getting out of my technical depth at this level so I'll restrict my
    comments to sanity/typography!
    
    Page 1 has the title referring to SysNet II and again on
    Page 2 para 1.9 in Nongoals
    
    Page 17 para 3.1 looks like the same text for SysNet II and the NOTE
    at the foot of the page refers again to SysNet II
    
    Page 18 line 4 of para 5.3 refers to postscript. This should be
	    PostScript - a trademark of Adobe Systems, Inc.

    	    line 5 refers to the files being posted in [SYSNET_II]
            instead of [SYSNET_III]
    
    Page 19 Table heading refers to SYSNET II
    
    Page 21 table has two headings and the year for master to funder is
            printed as 1990.
    
    Only nitpicking - just concerned that Edu isn't seen in an adverse
    light.
    
    :-) K

>>  I also question whether disk striping should be included/mentioned - a layered
>>product, which is often of benefit as a performance enhancer only at the
>>high-end(?).
>
>    Volume shadowing is a layered product too -- why isn't it a problem
>    teaching shadowing?
    
    Oh, alright then! :-)  Even though it is separate, I'd say that it's
    much more likely to be used than striping is, and thus is valid to be
    included in the course. I'd guess this will probably be of
    immediate(-ish) benefit to the majority of a class whereas striping
    coverage would please a minority (if any). You'd have to cover a bit of
    I/O performance material for the benefits of striping to be seen.
    
    
    Stephen

	After a long time again some remarks to this note. 

	I have looked at the modules, ready for SYSNET III.

	I have posted my remarks to some specific (network-related) items
    	in the course in the next notes. Here I want to post some general
    	concerns.
	
	I have looked at the chapters about networking and terminal servers.

	In my understanding there will be a SYSNET I, II and III, followed by 
	xxxx Specialist Courses, for instance System management Specialist, 
	Cluster Spec., Network Spec., etc. Let's say something like the old
	performance, internals courses.

	Then FIRST question is: 
		What does a system/network manager need to do the basic tasks?
	
	SECOND:	How do we present the subjects, in order to address it all
		in a practical, job-oriented way?
	
	Regarding the FIRST point, I think we have to put into SYSNET II some
	stuff, to do three tasks:
		- monitor the DECnet-connection of the node to the network
		- monitor the reachability of a remote DECnet node
		- keep up-to-date the DECnet remote-node database.
	
	In SYSNET III we have to put in the items, to do the tasks:
		- set up DECnet on the local node, starting from scratch
		- define the most important DECnet characteristics, to 
		  have a user-friendly DECnet environment
		- install a new terminal server
		- monitor terminal server usage
		- define a printqueue on a port on the terminal server
	
	Other items are in my opinion for the network specialist.
	
	Now in my opinion the most critical point: how to tell it to the
	customer? 
	
	Let me selectively speak about the network-items only, I want to leave
	the other chapters to the system- and cluster people. In my opinion is
	the way the subjects are presented in the modules "Setting up a
	Network Node" and "Managing Terminal Servers" are completely wrong. 
	
	These chapters are completely copied from the product-oriented course
	EY-A946E, DECnet Management. Without looking at the contents of these
	modules it is rather discutable to include simply complete chapters
	from a product-oriented course in a task-oriented course. 
	
	For instance in the Terminal Server chapter: is it important for the
	system/network manager to configure terminal software characteristics?
	NO! He/she needs to know how to set up the serversoftware to make a
	reliable terminal connection available. 
	
	When looking at the contents of the networking chapters, we have the 
	technical information (I don't talk about small errors), but we have 
	to re-arrange the subjects in these chapters to address the subjects 
	in a COMPLETE new way. 
    	So, the network chapters need to be rather rewritten.
	In the current way we will LOOSE!!!
	
	I am looking for comments, please react to this entry and to my opion 
	about the specific modules in next notes.
	
	Looking forward,
	
	Joop

The directory ES$REVIEW:[SYSNET_III] now contains a copy of the Instructor
Work Book and the Student Work Book. These are the versions that will be used 
in the course pilot on October 28.
    
If you have any further comments, please get them to us by November 1 so that
we can look at incorporating them in the post-pilot revision pass.
    
A million thanks to those who have posted or sent comments so far.
       
    			Bonnie


Instructor Work Book:

	ES$REVIEW:[SYSNET_III]SYSNETIII_IPROFILE.PS

Student Work Book:

	ES$REVIEW:[SYSNET_III]SYSNETIII_SPROFILE.PS
	

    The final IG (compressed) is now in:
    
    	{SUPER,HARDY}::ES$INSTRUCTOR_GUIDES:EY-G988E-IG-0001.PS_LZ
    
    Lab files are in ES$REVIEW:[SYSNET_III]SYSNETIII_FILES.BCK until
    someone gets around to putting them under ES$MEDIA.
    
    					Val