The Computer Information Systems Technician (CIST) program provides two years of technician level training where graduates will be qualified to work in one of two specialty areas of the industry - Network Systems or Internet Systems. In the first year of the program students master a common core of computer system training based on appropriate industry standards infrastructure and technology. The first year of the program covers computer hardware, operating systems, networking and Internet technology. In the second year of the program, students choose a training specialty - Network Systems Technician (NST) or Internet Systems Technician (IST). Applicants should possess excellent communication skills along with the capability for analytical and logical thought. Applicants must also have basic keyboarding and computer skills.
First year courses of this program are also offered on a Part-time Studies basis; for more information please e-mail: eeinfo@bcit.ca or call 604-432-8237.
The Program
The Computer Information Systems Technician (CIST) program emphasizes a hands-on, technical approach to training, where experience gained in labs and classrooms can be applied directly to business and industry. Successful graduates will be qualified to work in Industry as Network Systems Technicians or Internet Systems Technicians.
In the first year of the program students will learn the fundamentals of computer technology. Study emphasizes computer networking, system maintenance, hardware/software installation and customization, and computer programming. In the second year of the program students choose to specialize in Networking systems or Internet systems.
The second year of the program specializes in Network Administration and Support as a technician. Emphasis is placed on supporting enterprise networks and training includes Cisco, Microsoft, and Novell systems with special attention to network security and management.
Please note: As this program is also offered in a high school setting applicants who will be attending this setting will be required to undergo a criminal record check. Applicants can contact their local police department to obtain the appropriate forms. Please be aware that the outcome of the criminal record check may influence your acceptability at this site.
BC provincial exams
For programs beginning in August 2007 or later which require Grade 12 Math and Science courses, BCIT will not require the applicant to write the provincial exam. Provincial exam marks will still be required for English 12, Communications 12, and Technical and Professional Communications 12.
Please note: Do not specify an option/specialization at the time of application.
Application processing
Continual intake program with applications processed throughout the year. Applications are wait-listed (first-come, first-served).
costs & supplies
Tuition fees
Please see the Fees, Payments and Refunds section of the website for more information on full-time tuition fees.
Books and supplies
Year 1: Level: 1 & 2: $675; Level 3 & 4: $675;
Year 2: Level 1: $434 ; Level 2: $434; Level 3: $434
(general estimated cost and subject to change)
courses
Class hours
General class hours 0830 - 1530 Monday through Friday
Program matrix
Year 1 Level 1 (10 weeks)
Credits
CIST 1171
PC Hardware
This course introduces the primary internal components constituent to a personal computer; such as system boards, RAM, ROM, BIOS, floppy drives, hard drives, CD drives, DVD drives, and interface cards. This course also introduces the concepts of software control over hardware and fault analysis (troubleshooting). Students will cover hardware installation and support, customizing PC systems and peripheral equipment, fundamental troubleshooting, supporting software, disaster recovery, maintenance plans, and virus protection. Students will analyze and configure hardware and software requirements.
In this course, students learn the basic concepts of computer operating systems by using Microsoft Windows XP as the main example. Key topics include using the command line, processor management, multiprocessor operating systems, memory management, I/O (Input/Output) systems, device drivers, file systems, access security, and troubleshooting. To facilitate hands-on activities, students will use virtual PC to run both Linux and MS Operating Systems.
Introduces object-oriented programming concepts and teaches fundamentals of programming language syntax. Prepares students to begin development of device drivers and network applications, provides basic knowledge of objects and provides hands-on experience. Learn key terms in an object-oriented environment and examine examples of objects, and their associated properties. Course intended for Technicians.
This course covers the basic concepts involved in the electronic transmission of data from one computer system to another utilizing local and wide area networks. The major types of network topologies, protocols, and infrastructures are also discussed. The course also presents various networking models and standards, including the International Standards Organization's OSI (Open System Interconnection) model and IEEE 802 Standard. Topics covered will include; the OSI model and industry standards, network topologies, ip addressing (including subnet masks), networking components and basic network design. Students will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to implement, administer, and troubleshoot basic networking systems and hardware.
This course introduces the concepts of interfacing to computers. Topics include: EIA/TIA 232 ports (serial communication ports), Universal Serial Bus (USB), Biometrics, Ethernet (802.3 and its revisions), Wireless (802.11 and its revisions), Structured Cabling, and data transfer technology used to move data to and from computer storage devices including Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) and Serial ATA (SATA)
Students will familiarize themselves Linux systems, acquiring skills and understanding of command line functions, file systems, users and groups, bash shell, process management, text editors, network applications, searching and organizing data, and graphical applications.
In this course students learn how to implement, administer and troubleshoot the Windows 2000 Server network operating system. Students will also become familiar with user account and group management, local and network security, installing and configuring protocols, DNS, Active Directory Services, resource sharing, network connectivity from various desktop platforms, application management, performance tuning, and troubleshooting techniques. In this hands-on lab based course, students are provided with the knowledge necessary to prepare for the MCSE Windows 2000 exam - Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows 2000 Server. Prerequisites: CIST 1171 and 70% in CIST 1175 and CIST 1180 and CIST 1185
This course is an introduction to router configuration, and builds on knowledge of routed and routing protocols presented in the first course. The course is designed to prepare a student to understand and apply the basics of networking hardware. Topics covered include router concepts and theory, Routing Information Protocol (RIP), Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (IGRP), TCP/IP transport protocols, access control lists (ACLs) and router configuration and management. Students will have hands-on experience with Cisco routers in a networked lab environment. Prerequisites: CIST 1171 and CIST 1175 and CIST 1180 and CIST 1185
This course introduces students to basic electronics and architecture necessary in working with computer platforms, peripherals and networks. Focused primarily on hardware design and organization, students cover the basic organization, design, and programming of a simple digital computer. Students are presented with an incremental look at networked computer systems starting with digital logic and hardware, moving through the layers of software, and leading to an introduction to networking and operating systems. Students will use assembly language programming as a means to describe machine behaviour. Prerequisite: Levels 1 and 2.
Participants will learn hands-on database design, implementation, and administration of single-user and shared multi-user database applications using a contemporary relational database management system. Basic database modelling is introduced along with database query techniques.
This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to install, configure, and administer Microsoft Windows 2000 Active Directory services. The course also focuses on implementing Group Policy and understanding the Group Policy tasks required to centrally manage users and computers. Key topics include, planning, designing and implementing the active directory domain structure, active directory sites, active directory replication, groups, policies and certificates. Prerequisites: 70% in CIST 2175
This course introduces and extends the student's knowledge and practical experience with switches, Local Area Network (LAN) and Virtual LAN (VLAN) design, and router configuration and maintenance. Topics covered will include Routing Information Protocol Version 2 (RIPv2), Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) and Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP), network troubleshooting, Variable Length Subnet Masks (VLSM), Classless Inter Domain Routing (CIDR), route summarization, Spanning Tree (STP), Rapid Spanning Tree (RSTP) and VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP). Students will have hands-on experience with Cisco routers and switches in a networked lab environment. In addition the students may participate in a group project.
This course provides an understanding of the planning, installation, configuration and maintenance of servers. The course covers advanced PC hardware issues, such as RAID, SCSI, multiple CPUs, storage subsystems, networking, data recovery and I/O subsystems. This course leads to Server + certification.
Students will learn to be effective administrators of Linux systems, mastering tasks such as hardware and device configuration, file system management, user administration, network configurations, kernel services, attaching new Linux systems to a corporate network, configuring the new systems for end-users, and troubleshooting.
This course is for students who will be responsible for installing, configuring, managing, and supporting a network infrastructure that uses Microsoft Windows 2000 Server. This course includes topics such as: installing and configuring DNS, DHCP, virtual private networks and remote access, TCP/IP, WINS, IP Routing, Gateway services, RIS security and network protocol security. Prerequisites: 70% in CIST 3175
This course introduces and extends the students' knowledge and practical experience with Wide Area Networks (WANS). Topics covered will include Network Address Translation (NAT), Port Address Translation (PAT), Integrated Services Data Networks (ISDN), Dial-On-Demand Routing (DDR), Point-to-Point Protocols (PPP), Frame Relay, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), router configuration and maintenance and network troubleshooting. The course also includes advanced network projects. Students will gain hands-on experience with Cisco routers in various WAN environments.
Data Communications introduces students to the fundamentals of digital data transmission. The course explores what a digital signal is, how this signal propagates down a transmission line, transmission media, framing, timing, data codes, error detection, and protocols. The students discuss the meaning of bandwidth, bit rate, throughput, overhead, and more. Modem technology is also explored along with transmission codes, error checking, cable modems, and DSL. The student explores the technology used by the telephone carriers to transmit multiple voice conversations on digital circuits. This includes concepts of PCM and multiplexing digital signals. The North American Digital Hierarchy is reviewed and the students analyze a DS-1 signal. D4 and ESF framing, AMI and B8ZS line coding, T-1 components, and DS-3 multiplexing are all topics of interest. SONET is introduced and the SONET frame structure is reviewed. The student is introduced to the concepts of packet switching. Frame-Relay is used as a basis for discussion but other packet switching technologies such as X.25 and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) are explored. Hands-on work involves the use of serial communication breakout boxes, configuration of modems, and configuration of CSU/DSU devices. Prerequisite: Completion of CIST program.
Students will utilize the knowledge they gained in the first year of the CIST program to install and configure a Microsoft Windows Active Directory Network Environment. This hands-on review process will prepare the students for an introduction to enterprise messaging systems. Building upon their Microsoft infrastructure, students will be exposed to the design, installation, configuration, and administration of an enterprise messaging system. The students will not only be exposed to the theory behind messaging systems, but will receive hands-on experience installing, maintain, and troubleshoot a Microsoft Exchange Server environment. Through this process, the students will learn the skills required to integrate Exchange into an enterprise Active Directory environment.
Novell Netware is a very popular NOS deployed worldwide. This course first provides a historical look at Novell and their Netware operating system and then continues with an introduction to Novell's latest service offerings. Students learn how to administer a Netware server and deploy Novell's enterprise directory service called NDS. The students are responsible for configuring, managing, and supporting a network infrastructure that uses the Netware Server operating system. Topics also include Netware management tools, Novell Clients, and file security. Hands-on exercises involve configuring a Netware server, creating an NDS tree, user management, and general administration techniques. Prerequisite: Completion of the CIST program.
Course was moved from level 2 to level 1. IP routing concepts and routing protocols are explored in depth. Students spend considerable time implementing laboratory networks that utilize IP routing on Cisco routers. Topics include OSPF, EIGRP, IS-IS, BGPv4, route summarization, route redistribution, route filtering, VLSM, NAT, multicast routing, IPv6, IPv6 routing. Prerequisite: Level 1.
This course is designed to ensure that students will be able to secure and expand the reach of their enterprise network to teleworkers and remote sites. Converged Wide Area Networks focuses on securing remote access and Virtual Private Network (VPN) client configuration. Topics include Cisco's hierarchical network model as it pertains to the Wide Area Network (WAN), teleworker configuration and access, frame mode Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), site-to-site Internet Protocol Security (IPSEC) VPN, Cisco Easy VPN (EZVPN), strategies used to mitigate network attacks, Cisco device hardening and Internet Operating System (IOS) firewall features. Prerequisites: CNPT 1100 and CNPT 1105
This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to design and implement security in an enterprise network. It offers a broad survey on the subject of security policies and provides the fundamental knowledge needed to understand how to analyze the risks associated with enterprise networks systems. Students will consider how computers and servers on an enterprise network are at risk, how they are typically compromised, and how to respond to a compromise through investigation and cleanup. Students will be exposed to concepts such as operating system hardening, secure network design, security incident response plans, firewall system design, intrusion detection and prevention techniques, as well as other security related issues. During the course, students will install software based firewalls, such as Internet & Security Accelerator (ISA) as a tool to explore these security issues. Implementation training includes the configuration of security features such as access policies, packet filters, server publishing, web proxy caching, public-key infrastructure, cryptography via Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) Virtual Private Network (VPN) solutions, and troubleshooting security problems. Prerequisites: CNPT 1110
A continuation of CNPT 2115, this advanced course provides more detail on Netware and NDS topics. Students deploy the latest version of the Netware OS within a laboratory environment. Advanced administration includes management of users, groups, system resources, and file services. Other topics include installing and configuring the Web Services (Apache), migration techniques from earlier versions of Netware, integration with Microsoft networks, and network support applications available from Novell. Hands-on includes the complete set-up of Netware servers, installation of Novell clients, and management and troubleshooting techniques. Prerequisites: CNPT 1115
Moved from level 3 to level 2. This course is designed to assist the students in continuing their preparation for a career as a network administrator, Level 2 support engineer, Level 2 systems engineer, network technician, or switch deployment engineer. It teaches students about the deployment of state-of-the-art campus local area networks (LANs). The course focuses on the selection and implementation of the appropriate Cisco Internet Operating System (IOS) services to build reliable, scalable multilayer-switched Local Area Networks (LANs). Students will study Campus network design; Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs), the Spanning Tree Protocol and the evolutions and improvements of it, routing design for inter-VLAN communication, design and implementation issues ensuring high availability in a switched campus environment, wireless client access and design of wireless networks within the campus setting. This course is designed as a hands-on, lab-oriented course that stresses the design, implementation, operation, and troubleshooting of campus switched networks. Prerequisite: Level 1.
This course is designed to give the student important knowledge and skills in optimizing and providing effective Quality of Service (QoS) techniques for converged networks. Topics include implementing a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) network, implementing QoS on converged networks, specific IP QoS mechanisms for implementing the DiffServ QoS model, AutoQoS, wireless security and basic wireless management. Prerequisites: CNPT 2200 and CNPT 2206 and CNPT 3202
This course explores the overall operation of an Enterprise Network using Netware as the foundation. Topics include support for electronic messaging, Web-servers, FTP servers, various clients, proxy and security services, and database services. Hands-on activities include installation, configuration, support and troubleshooting these services. Prerequisites: CNPT 2215
Network security is an important consideration and integral part of computer networks. This course explores Network Security concepts with a focus on fire-walling. Topics include: Virus protection, Firewalls, Cryptography, Virtual Private Networking, and IP Security. Hands-on activities include extensive use of a hardware firewall built by Cisco Systems called Private Internet Exchange (PIX). Prerequisites: CNPT 1105 and CNPT 2210
The students design, build, test and troubleshoot a complex computer network. The project requires the students to work in groups to be able to complete the assignment within the four weeks. Specifications include: the use of multiple routers, switches, servers, firewalls, and clients. Students utilize all the skills they have accumulated during the program and develop their teamwork, time management, report writing, presentation, and networking skills. Prerequisites: CNPT 3206 and CNPT 3215 and CNPT 3220 and CNPT 3230
This course introduces the concepts of managing a complex computer network. Students will launch applications that monitor activities on the network, provide secure management of the networking devices, and provide active responses to various network conditions. The specific applications used to achieve secure network management will change over the years according to changes in the latest available and standardized network management packages. Examples of network management applications include: (1) Microsoft System Center Operations Manager - Allows IT staff to monitor and manage the hardware and software in a modern distributed environment. (2) HP OpenView - a suite of software applications which allow large-scale system and network management of an organization's IT assets. It includes hundreds of optional modules from HP as well as thousands of third parties which connect within the well-defined framework and communicate with one another. (3) CiscoWorks - a web-based suite of tools developed in Java by Cisco Systems, Inc. with the purpose of helping users manage a Cisco-based computer network. (4) Open Source ? there are many open source network management packages available such as NetDirector, MRTG, Spiceworks, ServersCheck, and OpenNMS. Prerequisite: Level 2.
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program details
Program length
Full-time, two years beginning in September each year.
Grading
Students must maintain a minimum 60% overall average in each level in order to proceed to the next level. Failure to do so will result in automatic withdrawal from the program.
The first year of the program is available at the Burnaby and Kelowna campuses.
The second year of the program is available at the Burnaby campus only.
graduating & jobs
Job Opportunities
Career opportunities exist in every sector of business that processes, installs, configures, and troubleshoots both PC hardware and software components as part of its entrepreneurial activities and/or day-to-day operations.
A survey conducted of 1,400 CIOs (corporation information officers) has identified computer networks as one of the top three IT (information technology) occupations for the next decade. A serious shortage of trained network professionals has been forecast, creating well-paid employment opportunities for individuals with the right training. Specific job areas include:
Network installation and maintenance
Network administration
Network security
The Internet and e-business (electronic business)
Corporate Local Area Networks and intranets
Graduate employment outcomes
The following link takes you to graduate outcome survey results containing mostly labour market results from the 2005-2007 BCIT Outcomes Surveys of 2004-2006 Graduates. Note: The survey results will be displayed in a separate browser window. To view these results, you need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed in your Web browser.
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