Scottsdale Community College Announces Completion of Student Multipurpose Computer and Networking Lab

~ New Multipurpose Center Awaits Fall CIS Students! ~

Scottsdale, AZ (June 25, 2007) ? The CIS Department at Scottsdale Community College is proud to announce the completion of a new multipurpose computer and networking lab.  This new lab adds yet another dimension to the department?s technology course offerings. The fully functional lab just opened its doors--in time for fall 2007 semester.

The lab was built to address new and emerging Information Technology (IT) skill standards in business and industry.  SCC has integrated the lab into its IT curriculum and programs to meet the changing IT workforce demands.   Lab applications are being developed to cover various subjects important to IT professionals in IT and non-IT industries, and include the critical and high-demand skills needed to bridge the gap between technical and business knowledge areas.
  
The new multi-purpose lab will allow CIS students full operational and functional flexibility of real-world computer, networking, and security systems without impacting the campus-wide network.  This was a significant achievement for SCC?s CIS program because the traditional pre-canned or simulated labs are replaced with real-world, real-time, hands-on applications.

The lab has been slated to serve in the following capacities:

• Open computer use ? for upper level CIS majors to use the computers for assignments or projects
• Instructional computing lab ? for instructor-led assignments, projects and demonstrations
• Collaborative work ? used by students in a group project setting
• Research work ? computer are used for Network and Security new product development and/or government funded CIS research, training and courseware development

The lab will support curriculum in:

• Computer Diagnostics and Repair
• Network Administration, Design and Implementation
• Data Communications ? wired and wireless
• Computer and Network Security

Five courses are conducted in the lab: Networking Essentials (CIS190), Advanced Web Development (CIS233), Oracle SQL (CIS119), PC Operating Systems (A+ (OS)) and Microsoft Server 2003 (MST252).

The room layout accommodates both lecture and lab, and is fully equipped for either usage with new desktop PCs, laser printers, and projection/presentation systems.   New lab benches and fully stocked cabinets for the A+ Core and OS courses offer students an isolated work area and complete ensemble of components required for designing and building state-of-the-art PC systems.

For the A+ certification courses, students build their own systems from component level to final working system.  As they progress through the hardware portion of the course they are introduced to all interrelated components and sub-systems and then allowed to build a system step-by-step until they have a complete, state-of-the-art functional multi-media personal computer.

Students enrolled in the A+ Operating System course use removable hard drives to experience the installation and configuration of current and previous generation Microsoft Windows operating systems.  Lecture and text are fully complemented by actual hands-on implementation.

In SCC?s new lab, protocol analyzers or network sniffers will be used to show network security students how to monitor, analyze and track computer and network vulnerabilities.  And because the lab is isolated from all other campus networks, students can test network security weaknesses and configure defense strategies without affecting the rest of the campus network.

Students at SCC interested in pursuing certifications in CompTIA, Cisco, and Microsoft can now reinforce their studies with a full complement of hands-on labs.   As a testimony to this, the lab was designed and built by students and faculty during the summer months on schedule and within budget.  The future of this lab will be for all hardware, networking, database, and web development courses.

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About Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale Community College offers some 1,500 academic and non-credit classes each semester. Located on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, the campus is known for its serene atmosphere and beautiful plant and wildlife. With nearly 12,000 students, Scottsdale Community College is proud to offer high-quality, affordable programs in small class settings. From Motion Picture/Television Production and Culinary Arts to Nursing and American Indian Studies, students have a wide variety of programs from which to earn credits for university transfer, launch their careers, train for new ones, or pursue a special interest. The SCC Business Institute offers customized programs to meet the needs of local business. Scottsdale Community College is one of the ten Maricopa Community Colleges.

To learn more about the CIS department and program offerings at Scottsdale Community College, call us at (480) 423-6000 or visit our website at www.scottsdalecc.edu.

Media contact:
Denise Kronsteiner
(480) 423-6567
denise.kronsteiner@sccmail.maricopa.edu

SCC CIS Department contact:
Ron Monroig
(480) 423-6696
ron.monroig@sccmail.maricopa.edu

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