SIWES Project in Computer Science Essay

1.1 Overview of SIWES SIWES refers to the employment of students nearing under-graduation in firms or organizations, which operate on activities related to the respective student’s major subjects. The course, CSC 3299 as offered in Ajayi Crowther University is a compulsory subject offered by every computer science student in the 2nd semester of the third academic year with the objective of enabling students to come into contact with real life applications regarding the knowledge and skills gained in both theoretical and practical courses of the university. The core courses of Computer Science offered by ACU are both theory and laboratory practical -based and aid in providing a theoretical concept or ‘base’ to the students so that they are equipped with sufficient knowledge for joining the work force after completion of under-graduation. SIWES on the other hand helps the students familiarize themselves with the experience of being employed in their field and effectively learning and applying the knowledge required by carrying out their activities in the offices and fields. 1.2 Objectives of SIWES The general objectives if SIWES are outlined as follows: Helping students break free from the theoretical world of ****books and class courses and leap into the real world of applications of knowledge. Enabling the students to effectively interact in a work environment within a hierarchy of employees. The efficiency in working in groups and under higher authorities is tested during this course. Helping students to express dependability, initiative, resourcefulness and professionalism in the tasks they are assigned. To evaluate the person’s ability to communicate and operate under pressure, if required. To help students enhance their creativity and efficiency in dealing with projects related to their field of study. To enable students to pick up skills from the experience and projects of other employees to apply in their own tasks. To enable the student realize their relative strength in a field with many practical applications and help students come out with final year projects that model real life industry challenges. 2.0 Origin of the Report This report has been prepared as a requirement of the internship program. The report was based upon the ICT department of the organization Nigerian civil aviation authority (NCAA). 2.1 ORGANISATION BRIEFS AND STRUCTURE OF NCAA Brief : Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority is the regulatory body for aviation in Nigeria. It became autonomous with the passing into law of the Civil Aviation Act 2006 by the National Assembly and assent of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Act not only empowers the Authority to regulate Aviation Safety without political interference, but also to carry out Oversight functions of Airports, Airspace, Meteorological Services, etc as well as economic regulations of the industry. Nigeria has just successfully passed through the ICAO Security follow-up Audit of May 2006 and the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit in November 2006. Nigeria is now preparing for the American FAA IASA Category 1 Certification. With over 25 Airports, 30 Airlines, 590 Pilots, 19 Flight Engineers, 258 Air Traffic Controllers(ATC), 677 Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, 1103 Cabin Crew and 4 Aircraft Dispatchers, Nigeria now boasts of improved aviation infrastructural facilities at the Airports, state of the art navigational aids, modern weather forecasting equipment and highly skilled manpower to ensure safety and comfort of the flying public. Airlines have started bringing in brand new aircraft to the industry 737-700 new generation, Regional Jet CRJ 400/900, Dash 8-400Q, Business Jet/Turboprop, Helicopters, B777, Dreamliner B787, Jumbo Jet Boeing 747-400 series as well as brand new Regional Jet Embraer. 3.0 NCAA STRUCTURE Senior Management : Director General: Dr. H.O. Demuren Director of Airworthiness Standards: Engr. P. Ekunwe Director of Licensing: Capt. Adamu M****ia (Acting) Director of Operations and Training: Capt. A. N. Aliyu (Acting) Director of Aerodrome and Airspace Standards: Mr. Lawal Haruna Director of Air Transport Regulation: Ms. I. Sosina Director of Finance and Administration: Mrs. Elemanya Ebilah Director of Consumer Protection: Alh. Abdullahi Adamu Company Secretary/Legal Advisor: Mrs. A.A. Gbem Organizational Chart: 4.0 BRIEFS ON ICT DEPARTMENT 4.1 Our Goal To provide high quality, customer and staff-focused Information and Communication Technology support for efficient and value-added service delivery. 4.2 What We Do Our purpose is to ensure that our structures – such as all communication-based procedures for the NCAA – within and outside – conforms to standard ICT platforms and practices, carefully targeted to meet our goal. 4.3 Objectives †¢ To deploy modern-based ICT facilities that will become catalysts in the innovative processes of effective aviation safety within our air-space †¢ To embark on an on-going process in which to foster better information and communication access for aviation service users †¢ To provide the means by which information and communication knowledge is developed, stored, aggregated, manipulated and diffused within and outside the NCAA and to become the major transformational medium of aviation safety reformation †¢ To technologically support and enable NCAA’s full participation in the global economy 5.0 Responsibilities †¢ Advice on adoption of most efficiently and effective ICT policy †¢ Ascertain proper and smooth operations of computer systems at the headquarters †¢ Draw ICT and ICT-related Budgets †¢ Assess the impact of ICT in economic growth and development †¢ Drawing up specifications to facilitate procurement of appropriate computer hardware and software related features within the organization †¢ Supervise the installation and commissioning of computer network systems †¢ Contact point on all ICT-issues.(i.e. ICT Management) †¢ Represents the organization in all forums on ICT-related issues †¢ Coordinate training of staffs on computer systems in line with E-Government Strategy to build a proper ICT capacity within the organization †¢ Advice the organization on information security in the use of computers and Maintain important information and data backups CHAPTER 2 DESCRIPTION OF WORK DONE During my six months SIWES at NCAA, I worked extensively in the Network and maintenance unit, Where I gained a lot of experience in network environment and system maintenance. 6.1 NETWORK STRUCTURE OF NCAA: 6.2 SUMMARY ON THE NCAA NETWORK NCAA uses a domain to organize the network environment. Domains are groups of PCs on the same network and are a method to isolate communications between the members in the domain and the other data traffic.. Anyone in a domain can communicate with each other and out bound, however PCs not defined in the domain can not communicate with those in the domain. Basically the network starts from when the satellite in space sends radio signals down to the satellite dish receiver (ku-band, ka-band, c-band e.t.c). This satellite dish receiver is connected to the private port of the internet modem then the public port of the modem is connected to the ISA server which acts as the gateway to internet access. The ISA server is connected to a domain controller which controls the domain environment by granting anyone who has a registered account on the domain access to the internet recourse. I.e. anyone who does not have an account or valid log on credentials cannot use the internet. Domain controller can also be used to control the network environment by restricting the rights to chance setting on the workstation so that only administrative rights can alter settings. The ISA server is also connected to an antivirus server which monitors the automatic updates and downloading of update for all workstation in the domain with a specific antivirus used for the network installed on them. The ISA server is also connected to a 24 port switch which is connected to the different switch cabinet in each directorate of office buildings (since it is a 24 port switch it take a maximum of 23 directorates, another switch can be connected to the first switch in case of more buildings). Ever building has a cabinet where LAN (local area network) connections are distributed to different offices. The cabinet comprises of switches and patch panels. The patch panel is a device that is used as a repeater so that signals don’t get loss over a long cable. One of the cables that comes from the main 24 port switch goes to the patch panel then a RJ-45 cable is connected from the patch panel to the switch (mostly a 24-port switch) in the cabinet (in case of two switches  we have two patch panels.). The patch panel then distributes the connection in the office or to other offices in the building as LAN port where workstations can be connected to by the use of RJ-45 cable (workstations can also be connected directly to the switch). As for wireless connection, a wireless router or access point is placed at every passage way in each building. The wireless access point is either connected to one of the switches in the cabinet or the main 24-port switch.