Introduction to Networking and Storage from Coursera

Jumpstart your career in Information Technology (IT) with this beginner friendly, self-paced course! By taking this course you will enhance your base knowledge of essential skills in networking, storage, and system administration.

You'll first learn about networking fundamentals which include: network types, network cables, topologies, and models. Understand how data travels across a network, and discover how protocols and standards enable all network activity. Then, you’ll learn how to set up and configure devices and cables for both wired and wireless networks.

Next, you’ll learn to diagnose and troubleshoot network connectivity issues and discover how to use command line utilities and network tools in Windows settings.

After that, you’ll identify different types of storage drives and discover the difference between short-term and long-term memory. You’ll learn the features of local, offsite, and cloud storage and when to use each. And you’ll investigate file, block, and object storage and work out which cloud provider solutions work best for different networking scenarios.

Videos, practice activities, and virtual hands-on labs will help you develop and apply the skills you need to diagnose and repair basic networking and storage issues so you can keep users connected and their data accessible.

At the end of this course, you will complete a final quiz and assignment where you will demonstrate your understanding of the course content.

What's inside

Syllabus

Networking Fundamentals 

Computer networking plays a vital role in facilitating the communication required in almost every aspect of daily life. Activities like talking with friends and family, collaborating with coworkers, paying bills, and even completing transactions at a store often depend on some form of computer networking. Computer networking is defined as the connection of people through the use of devices and cables, and sometimes wireless signals. This week, you will learn about the basic types and shapes of networks and how they are used. You will also learn about wired connections, wireless connections, and network cables. And finally, you will learn about the advantages and disadvantages of each network type.

Networking Fundamentals Part II

Understanding the foundations of how all networks behave is achieved by investigating the rules. That includes finding out how each rule works and observing how each rule is applied to the network and how the network is affected by that rule. This week, you will learn about networking devices and the basic instructions they follow to connect us in the ways we expect. You will understand how data is packaged electronically, which rules are used to send the data, how those rules are made, and how computers determine where to send those data packages.

Configuring and Troubleshooting Networks

One of the key components of communicating is understanding how to communicate. That includes knowing what enables communication, and what blocks it. This is just as true for computer networking as it is for person-to-person interactions. If you don’t understand the ways to get data from one point to another, the data will never arrive where you want it to. This week you will learn the basic steps for setting up small office or home office networks—including wired, wireless, and mobile configurations. You’ll explore Network Settings in Windows and then learn what causes network connectivity problems and how to resolve those problems. Finally, you will learn how command line utilities can be used to find network information and diagnose network issues.

Storage Types and Network Sharing 

As we’ve discussed, connection plays a vital role in communication. Another key component in communication is memory; information is not useful if it can’t be recalled. Network storage is where the memory is located in computer networking. This week you will learn about different types of network storage and basic storage troubleshooting. You’ll learn about short-term and long-term memory, and the different ways that memory can be arranged to increase capacity and efficiency. You’ll also learn about local, offsite, and cloud memory and how all these different kinds of memory enable faster and more efficient interaction between people, devices, and software.

Final Quiz and Assignment

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Taught by IBM Skills Network Team, who are recognized for their work in the technology field

Explores the foundations of computer networking, which is standard in the industry

Builds foundational knowledge in networking, storage, and system administration for beginners

Offers self-paced learning, allowing for flexibility and time management

Provides hands-on labs and interactive materials for practical application of concepts

Students are expected to have prior experience in computer networking

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Introduction to Networking and Storage with these activities:

Review Network Fundamentals

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Refresh knowledge on basic networking concepts to strengthen the foundation for understanding advanced topics.

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Review the OSI model.
Review the different types of network topologies.
Review the different types of network protocols.

Network Troubleshooting Peer Group

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Engage in regular discussions with peers on networking issues, fostering collaboration and shared learning.

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Find a peer group or create a study group.
Meet regularly to discuss network troubleshooting scenarios.
Share knowledge and experiences.
Invite guest speakers to share their expertise.

TCP/IP Network Administration

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Review the fundamentals of TCP/IP network administration to deepen understanding of network protocols and standards.

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Read Chapter 1: Introduction to TCP/IP.
Read Chapter 2: TCP/IP Addressing.
Read Chapter 3: TCP/IP Routing.

Six other activities

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Setting up Virtual Networks

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Practice setting up virtual networks in real-time to strengthen understanding of network connectivity.

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Review the documentation on setting up a virtual network.
Create a virtual machine.
Configure the network settings for the virtual machine.
Test the network connectivity.

Design a Network Topology

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Create a network topology diagram for a small business, showcasing understanding of network design principles.

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Identify the business requirements for the network.
Research different network topologies.
Design the network topology.
Document the network topology.

Attend Network Security Workshop

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Participate in a workshop that focuses on network security, enhancing knowledge of practical security measures.

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Register for the workshop.
Attend the workshop.
Participate in the hands-on exercises.
Follow up with the workshop instructors after the event.

Troubleshooting Network Issue Analysis

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Create a detailed analysis of a real-world network issue, showcasing the ability to diagnose and resolve network problems.

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Identify the symptoms of the network issue.
Gather data about the network.
Analyze the data to identify the root cause of the issue.
Develop a plan to resolve the issue.
Implement the plan and verify that the issue has been resolved.

Configure Cloud Storage for an Application

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Set up cloud storage for a real-world application, applying knowledge of data storage and management in the cloud.

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Create a cloud storage account.
Create a bucket in the cloud storage account.
Upload files to the bucket.
Configure the bucket to serve files over the internet.

Contribute to Network-Related Open Source Projects

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Contribute to open source networking projects, applying knowledge in a real-world setting and collaborating with a community of developers.

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Find an open source networking project to contribute to.
Review the project's documentation.
Identify an area where you can make a contribution.
Make a pull request to the project.

Career center

Learners who complete Introduction to Networking and Storage will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Network Engineer

Network Engineers are responsible for the design, implementation, and maintenance of computer networks. They ensure that networks are reliable, secure, and efficient. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a Network Engineer, including an understanding of networking fundamentals, network configuration, and network troubleshooting.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Engineer

Systems Administrator

Systems Administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operation of computer systems. They install, configure, and maintain software and hardware. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a Systems Administrator, including an understanding of networking fundamentals, system configuration, and system troubleshooting.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Administrator

Cloud Engineer

Cloud Engineers are responsible for the design, implementation, and maintenance of cloud computing systems. They ensure that cloud systems are reliable, secure, and efficient. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a Cloud Engineer, including an understanding of networking fundamentals, cloud computing concepts, and cloud troubleshooting.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Engineer

Data Engineer

Data Engineers are responsible for the design, implementation, and maintenance of data systems. They ensure that data systems are reliable, secure, and efficient. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a Data Engineer, including an understanding of networking fundamentals, data storage, and data processing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Engineer

DevOps Engineer

DevOps Engineers are responsible for the design, implementation, and maintenance of software systems. They work closely with developers and operations teams to ensure that software systems are reliable, secure, and efficient. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a DevOps Engineer, including an understanding of networking fundamentals, software development, and system administration.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Engineer

Information Security Analyst

Information Security Analysts are responsible for the security of computer systems and networks. They identify and mitigate security risks. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become an Information Security Analyst, including an understanding of networking fundamentals, network security, and security auditing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Analyst

Network Administrator

Network Administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operation of computer networks. They install, configure, and maintain network devices. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a Network Administrator, including an understanding of networking fundamentals, network configuration, and network troubleshooting.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Administrator

Software Engineer

Software Engineers are responsible for the design, development, and maintenance of software systems. This course may be useful for Software Engineers who want to learn more about networking fundamentals and how to integrate networking into their software systems.

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Computer Scientist

Computer Scientists research and develop new computing technologies. This course may be useful for Computer Scientists who want to learn more about networking fundamentals and how to apply networking concepts to their research.

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Data Analyst

Data Analysts collect, analyze, and interpret data to help businesses make decisions. This course may be useful for Data Analysts who want to learn more about networking fundamentals and how to use networking data in their analysis.

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Database Administrator

Database Administrators are responsible for the design, implementation, and maintenance of database systems. This course may be useful for Database Administrators who want to learn more about networking fundamentals and how to optimize database performance over networks.

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IT Manager

IT Managers are responsible for the planning, implementation, and management of information technology systems. This course may be useful for IT Managers who want to learn more about networking fundamentals and how to make informed decisions about network infrastructure.

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Project Manager

Project Managers plan, execute, and close projects. This course may be useful for Project Managers who are working on projects that involve networking infrastructure.

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Business Analyst

Business Analysts help businesses identify and solve problems. This course may be useful for Business Analysts who want to learn more about networking fundamentals and how to use networking data to support their analysis.

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Technical Writer

Technical Writers create documentation for technical products and services. This course may be useful for Technical Writers who want to learn more about networking fundamentals and how to write clear and concise documentation about networking topics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer