TORONTO USERS GROUP for Midrange Systems
By Peter Dawn
he Computer Science and Information Technology Department at Mohawk College currently offers three diploma programs: Software Engineering (3 year), Information Systems (2 year), Networking and Hardware (2 year). We are in the midst of re-designing all of our programs in response to changing industry demands with a particular focus on inter-system connectivity, data base design, access and processing, systems analysis and design, systems management and related programming languages.
Following their first year, students gain on-the-job training through paid work terms which alternate with academic terms - a successful cooperative education model which has been in place in the Department since 1967. In addition, for the Networking and Hardware program, we offer a "fast track" model which permits students to complete the program in four consecutive academic terms.
As implied by its name, the Software Engineering program focuses on programming, systems analysis and design and data base systems in addition to related networking courses, business and language studies and mathematics courses. The Information Systems program has more of a systems management flavor with a lesser emphasis on programming and systems analysis and design while the Networking and Hardware program channels student courses into various operating systems, software and hardware configuration. All programs share a common first year (two terms) followed by terms oriented towards program-specific goals.
The Department operates three AS/400 systems (a B35, an F20 and a Model 200/2031 which is on loan from IBM), connected to the college Ethernet backbone along with an NT Server. The Networking and Hardware program has a special networking lab in which students learn to configure Novell and NT servers in Ethernet, token ring and Arcnet configurations.
Student workstations are connected to the college network (dual boot - DOS/Windows 3.1 or Windows 95) and consist of Pentium 133 processors with 16 Mb of RAM, 1.2 Gb hard drives, 3.5" floppy drives, 6x CD-ROM drives and sound cards. The workstations contain standard Microsoft Office products (Windows 3.1 and 95 versions) in addition to Visual Basic, C and C++ as well as COBOL compilers. Workstations have access to the AS/400 systems through an SNA Gateway on the NT server, with plans to implement CA/400.
The AS/400 systems, running V3R1, (the Model 200 is running V3R2) provide an excellent base of operations for a variety of reasons:
Our plans include the integration of visual interfaces between workstations and the AS/400 using Visual Basic with ODBC and Visual RPG. Students also learn programming in RPG on the AS/400 systems with topic areas dictated by our advisory committee and consultations with groups such as the AS/400 Toronto User Group.
Further information may be obtained by visiting our student designed and maintained CSAIT web site at www.mohawkc.on.ca or by contacting the Department Chair, Peter Dawn, at our Fennell Campus in Hamilton at (905) 575-2146, or dawnp@operatns.mohawkc.on.ca.
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