TECHNICAL REPORT OF STUDENTS INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCE SCHEME (SIWES) BY IBITOYE AHMAD ADEWALE REG. NO.

: 08283006 COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA SIWES COORDINATING UNIT P.M.B 117, FCT ABUJA

MARCH, 2012.

DEDICATION

I humbly dedicated this report to Almighty Allah (SWT), for seeing me through my industrial work experience, and to my parents for their love, support, and encouragement. Also to My SIWES Coordinator, Supervisor, and my entire colleague at my place of attachment and of course DBI for an experience well shared.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

A work of this nature cannot be done and produced successfully without the help, goodwill, cooperation and moral assistance of others. This is to say that this work is not a product of my personal effort since nobody is an Island and A tree cannot make a forest so to say. First and foremost, I want to acknowledge Almighty Allah (SWT) that makes it possible for me to successfully complete my SIWES placement in this reputable organisation. I also wish to acknowledge the various people who helped in no small measure to make this piece see the light of the day. I relish their critique and inquisitive nature. Foremost, is Mr Nwanze Okwonkwo, a mentor, whose guidance and encouragement I enjoyed immensely. My appreciation also goes to my supervisor for his academic support. Mr Akin, a father figure to be proud of. Hajia Amina, Mrs Nonso Juliet for their unflinching support. May the cordial relationship continue to wax even stronger. My immense thanks equally goes to the Principal Manager IT, Dr Shehu M. Olaniyan and all staff of the (IT) unit of Digital Bridge Institute. I also wish to acknowledge the contributions of my colleagues at DBI which refers to no fewer than Dennis Terang, John Aboh, Ishaq Umar, Amos Victor and a host of others. I thank them all because their friendship and moral support greatly spurred me into action to accomplish this work. My profound appreciation also to my wonderful institution UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA for giving me this great opportunity. Friends and well wishers as well. Finally, my grand appreciation goes to Alhaji Sikiru A. Ibitoye, Hajia Amudat B. Ibitoye, Hajia Tawakalit S. Ibitoye and Hajia Aisha A. Ibitoye. I will ever remain grateful to them.

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TABLE OF CONTENT TITLE PAGE DEDICATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .. .. i ii

TABLE OF CONTENT

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INTRODUCTION (ABOUT SIWES) .. ABOUT ITF PLACE OF ATTACHMENT SUMMARY CONCLUSION RECOMMENDATION REFERENCE .. .. .. .. .. ..

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INTRODUCTION ABOUT SIWES Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) was established by ITF in 1973 to solve the problem of lack of adequate practical skills preparatory for employment in industries by Nigerian graduates of tertiary institutions. The Scheme exposes students to industry based skills necessary for a smooth transition from the classroom to the world of work. It affords students of tertiary institutions the opportunity of being familiarized and exposed to the needed experience in handling machinery and equipment which are usually not available in the educational institutions. Funding - The Federal Government of Nigeria Expose students to work methods and techniques in handling equipment and machinery that may not be available in their institutions. Provide students with an opportunity to apply their knowledge in real work situation thereby bridging the gap between theory and practice Provide an avenue for students in institutions of higher learning to acquire industrial skills and experience in their course of study Prepare students for the industrial work situation they are to meet after graduation Make the transition from school to the world of work easier, and enhance students contacts for later job placement.

ABOUT ITF Established in 1971, the Industrial Training Fund has operated consistently and painstakingly within the context of its enabling laws, i.e. Decree 47 of 1971. The objective for which the Fund was established has been pursued vigorously and efficaciously. In the three decades of its existence, the ITF has not only raised training consciousness in the economy, but has also helped in generating a corps of skilled indigenous manpower which has been manning and managing various sectors of the national economy. As part of its responsibilities, the ITF provides Direct Training, Vocational and Apprentice Training, Research and Consultancy Service, Reimbursement of up to 60% Levy paid by employers of labor registered with it, and administers the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES). It also provides human resource development information and training technology service to industry and commerce to enhance their manpower capacity and in-house training delivery effort. The main thrust of ITF programs and services is to stimulate human performance, improve productivity, and induce value-added production in industry and commerce. Through its SIWES, Vocational and Apprentice Training Programs, the Fund also builds capacity for graduates and youth selfemployment, in the context of Small Scale Industrialization, in the economy.

PLACE OF ATTACHMENT BRIEF HISTORY OF DIGITAL BRIDGE INSTITUTE Digital Bridge Institute was established by the National Communication commission (NCC) and launched by the then President of Nigeria, President Olusegun Obasanjo on May 2004 in the wake of the phenomenal world-wide growth of the Telecommunications (telecoms) and Information Communications Technology (ICT) sectors, which has been especially well noted in Nigeria. The country by then has witnessed significant drops in costs, and increased access to data and other IT enabled services. Led by the successful auction of Digital Mobile Licensing by Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) - the government regulator, and the subsequent roll out of mobile services, increased number of operators, and significant increased private capital investment, the sector as a whole has been challenged by a lack of trained and suitably qualified human resources. Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) is an initiative of the Nigerian telecommunications regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which is under the Ministry of Information and Communications to proactively sustain and drive the growth trends of the Nigerian telecoms marketplace. Shortly after the phenomenally successful deregulation of the Nigerian telecoms sector, NCC observed that there was not enough qualified technical and managerial workforce in the country to support the rapidly growing Nigerian telecoms industry. Accordingly, NCC established DBI with the following mandate: To serve as a focal point for human resource development and workforce capacity building, on matters relating to telecoms and ICT in Nigeria. To offer a comprehensive portfolio of hands-on engineering and technical training programs for professionals and practitioners in the telecoms and IT industry. The program shall encompass every subject matter that affects proper

implementation and management of telecoms, and internet infrastructures. To focus on educating and training personnel in all spheres of telecoms and IT at postgraduate and diploma levels. To educate and train policy makers, regulators, legislators, economists, accountants, judges, lawyers, bankers and other high-profile professionals to understand and contribute to the development of national policies on ICT and Telecoms This includes Telecoms regulation, legislation, interconnectivity, billing, costing, tariffs, charges, license management, spectrum management, business opportunities, venture financing, multilateral trade agreements, global information society initiatives, future trends and analysis, etc. To provide capability to formulate and implement pilot projects demonstrating the application of ICT in the relevant fields of importance in Nigeria and Africa. To develop state-of-the art multimedia training facility on all of its campuses that can support video conferencing, distance learning, E-learning, and in-class training options. DBI provides service to the public (all sectors) with a focus in Telecoms and ICT. It is a registered for-profit organization incorporated under the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990. DBI is a Corporation Limited by Guarantee. It is a private organization that is formed by a government parastatal. DBI has campuses located in Abuja (North Central), Lagos (South West) and Kano (North East). Plans are on the way to build additional 3 centers in Yola (North East), Enugu (South East), and Asaba (South-South). The Abuja campus is the institutes academic and administrative headquarters. DBI current campus addresses are as follows:

DBI experience and strength Location: With campuses in Abuja, Lagos and Kano the 3 largest cities in Nigeria - DBI is well situated to reach the primary demand sector areas in Nigeria. This access to students and partners in the demand sector is a key attribute of the DBI. Experienced and diverse management capacity: With the recasting of the board of directors to include key demand sector representation as well as the backgrounds of the President and Vice Presidents, DBI has a unique and broadbased set of expertise to design, administer and implement ITeS activities. Under this leadership structure are individuals with distinguished research, administrative, and implementation experience. In addition, a forward-looking dynamic approach has been adopted by the new management team. Strong support of NCC: DBI has strong and unwavering support of the NCC. This includes commitments from every level to make the DBI a constellation of excellence. Good alliance nesting: Nigerian and international partner networks. The DBI is well situated at a crossroads of different academic and training constellations with partners in Nigeria, the UK, and the US, and with anticipated partnership in Sweden and Malaysia. DBI, at the center of these constellations, is well situated to have strong international partnerships with committed partners. Strong demand sector needs: The demand sector, which has acute ICT and telecoms human resource demand needs, has a high demand for DBI products/services. This is a critically important element especially in the next few years as it means that DBI products/services can be readily marketed so long as they meet the need of the demand sector. 5

Digital Bridge Institute is also affiliated to 6 prominent Institutions of Higher learning namely: University of Southern California, USA. University Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Nigeria. Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS), Nigeria. London Metropolitan University (LMU), UK. George Mason University (GMU), Virginia, USA. Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, Nigeria. The institute awards Masters Degree, Post graduate Diploma and Higher National Diploma in ICT and telecommunication studies.

VISION STATEMENT To be a world-class centre for Telecommunications and Information Technology Training and Education MISSION STATEMENT To contribute to the creation of a knowledge- based information society in Africa, through human resource capacity building in the Information and Communications Technology

Organization Chart Digital Bridge Institute is an organization with a structured administration. The role of each Employee in the chain of command is well cut out as shown in the organogram below:

ORGANOGRAM FOR DIGITAL BRIDGE INSTITUTE

Information Technology Software (ITSO) Department I was attached to the Information Technology Software (ITSO) department under the supervision of the Head ITSO department. On resumption at ITSO, I was introduced to the staff of the department and was briefed on my responsibilities in the department. IT UNIT GOALS At the IT Unit, we engage in carrying out maintenance work on Internet connection of computers, troubleshooting of faulty systems, Installation of software, installation of toners for printers etc. Basically, we: Provide efficient IT services to users Are proactive to our customers needs Deploy reliable technology as soon as the needs arises. Simplify user interface so that our customers do not require experts knowledge to operate IT systems GENERAL MAINTENANCE IN THE INSTITUTE Maintenance and repairs of computer peripherals and network connections during and after trainings was part of the responsibilities I was saddled with along with other technical support officers.

Personal Computers (PC) Desktops and Laptops. Before getting started with personal computers, it is good practice to look into the structure of a basic computer system. Every computer system is made up of the same basic components. Here, we just want to point out what the important components are. These components are: Processor Motherboard The case

 RAM Graphics Card Hard Drive Optical Drive Power Supply The Processor The Processor (CPU) is the "brain" of your computer, the thing that carries out the tasks you give it. Better CPUs can perform more tasks at once, and perform them faster.

The Motherboard The motherboard connects all the other components to one another, and is the physical base upon which you build everything else. It contains a lot of your machine's core features, like the number of USB ports, the number of expansion cards you can put in (such as video, sound, and Wi-Fi), and also determines how big your computer will be.

The Case The case holds all of your computer's parts together.

The RAM RAM, or Random Access Memory, is your computer's short-term memory. It stores data your computer needs quick access to to help your programs run faster, and help you run more programs at one time.

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The Graphics Card The Graphics card, or GPU, is a processor specifically designed to handle graphics. It's what you hook your monitor up to, and it's what draws your desktop and your windows on the screen.

The Hard Drive The hard drives are what stores all of your data, ranging from your operating system to your documents, music, and movies. If the RAM is your computer's short-term memory, your hard drive is the long-term memory. It stores the things you want to keep around for awhile.

The Optical drive An optical drive, more commonly known as a CD or DVD drive, is what you'll use to read CDs, DVDs, and even Blu-Ray discs.

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The Power Supply The power supply directs electricity to the other components in your machine.

PCs are the primary component of a workstation. This means that the PCs are used very frequently and as such are prone to failure. The usual problems of PCs at the organization were: Malfunctioning Keyboards, Mouse or Monitors. System failure: Mostly a corrupted Hard Disk. System failure: At the Operating System (OS) Startup level Slow performance. Installation and Upgrade of Antivirus and Regular software updates. Malfunctioning Keyboards, Mouse or Monitors. The source of such malfunction at most times is lack of proper maintenance by the user. Malfunction may be due to improper cable 12

connection between the Central Processing Unit (CPU) of the PC and the device or a faulty cable altogether. The solutions for such problem are to connect the cable properly if it is a bad connection situation or replace the cable in case of faulty cables. System failure: Hard Disk Drive The hard disk is a device that acts as the data storage unit of a PC. If a hard drive fails, that is, if it is not recognized by the system any longer, it has to be unscrewed and disconnected from its former position and connected as a slave (secondary hard drive) to another system, to retrieve the important data that was saved on it prior to its failure. The new systems hard drive is now known as the master or primary hard drive. System failure: At the Operating System (OS) Startup level When an error message such as boot mgr is missing, the computer fails to from the OS, which results in a system failure at the Start-up level. Start up error is the error generated when a PC does not Boot-up (Start-up). This error can be attributed to Hard Disk failure or improper shutdown during a previous use. If such error persists after multiple attempts at restarting, the Operating System of the PC should be repaired or restored. If this issue still persists, an operating system recovery should be done which is available in modern computers. In a case where the recovery option is not available, a system format may be necessary before which a system backup should be done.

Slow Performance. Slow performance is when a PC does not respond in expected time causing loss in productivity. It is usually attributed to little hard disk free space, low Random Access Memory (RAM) or running too many commands and programs on the PC. If any of these aforementioned were suspected, steps were taken to address such problems such as creating free space on hard disk by deleting data, upgrading the RAM

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by installing another of higher capacity and reducing the number or commands and programs run on the PC at the same time.

Installation and Upgrade of Antivirus and Regular software updates. Anti-virus is a software program that prevents other malicious programs (virus) access to a PC. Therefore, it is important that every PC has an antivirus installed and is regularly updated. Regular Anti-virus updates helps the computer to be prepared against the latest virus around. Also, Operating System updates when necessary and other PC software updates are important so as to provide users with the latest product and better services.

Networks Internet. Network connectivity in the Institute was a major need and also a major challenge. Initial troubles arose from poor logistics. After restructuring the network, the troubles were less although still present. It was noticed however that user abuse and mismanagement were key factors in problems affecting network connectivity. These infractions include: Pulling LAN cables by their cord instead of removing the cable through the RJ-45 plug. Stepping on LAN cables thereby breaking them internally. Tampering with default user settings. Partial Contact with the connectors. Structured cabling and User awareness were used to deal with these situations and we recorded a drop in network connectivity issues. With faulty RJ-45 connectors, the cable had to be re-terminated (recrimped).

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Overview and maintenance of the network connection in the institute. When dealing with connectivity it is important to know that many electronic components make up a network, which includes personal computers, servers, networking devices, and cables. These components can be grouped into four main categories namely: Hosts Shared peripherals Networking devices Networking media. Hosts: All devices connected to a network that participate directly in network communication are classified as hosts. A computer host can act as a client, a server, or both. The software installed on the computer determines which role the computer plays. Servers are hosts that have software installed that enable them to provide information, like email or web pages, to other hosts on the network. Each service requires separate server software. For example, a host requires web server software in order to provide web services to the network. Clients are computer hosts that have software installed that enable them to request and display the information obtained from the server. An example of client software is a web browser, like Internet Explorer. Shared peripherals: They are not directly connected to the network, but are connected to hosts. The host is then responsible for sharing the peripheral across the network. Hosts have computer software configured to enable people on the network to use the attached peripheral devices. A printer is an example of a shared peripheral. The network devices: They are electronic components that help in enhancing distribution of network signals to different host so that every host can have access to the network at the same time. For example hubs, patch panel and switches 15

Networking media: They are channels by which the network signals are been transmitted from the transmitter i.e. Server to the receiver i.e. the hosts. For example Cat 6 network cable and RJ-45 socket. The main components that make up the network in the Institute include: Cables RJ-45 Connectors Hubs Switches Patch Panels Routers The server Cables This is a network media. In network connections, the Local Area Network (LAN) cables are a principal part of network connectivity in the Institute as they are the medium by which information signals are transferred from one place to another. LAN Cable Crimping. Cable crimping is the act of preparing a cable terminal for connection. It is done by exposing the cable end and attaching a connector. The cable we crimped was Cat5 cable. In crimping cables, one must abide to certain standards so as to avoid conflict and enforce uniformity. The two main Standard of crimping Cat5 Ethernet Cables are: Standard Straight-through Crimping. Crossover crimping. Before creating a Straight-through or crossover cable, it's important to make sure you have all the necessary tools and materials before you begin. You will

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need a length of CAT cable, several RJ-45 connectors, and a crimp tool. The basic steps in crimping a cable are mentioned below: Most crimp tools have two blades: one designed to cut completely through a cable and the other designed to strip the cable jacket/insulation. Using the latter blade, strip the cable jacket/insulation back about an inch, so all the wires inside are exposed. Care should be taken so as not to cut the inside wires when stripping the cables insulation. With the jacket/insulation removed, you'll find eight wires and a string inside the CAT 5 cable. Cut the string off, and untwist the wires back to within one-eighth inch of the jacket. Fan the wires out from left to right in the order they are to be crimped. The crimping order depends on the type of cable you are making. Grasp the wires firmly between your fingers and flatten them to remove their curliness. The wires must lay flat and together, aligned as closely as possible while trying not to get them out of order. While holding them firmly, cut off about a half-inch of the exposed wires, so they are all the same length. Slide the RJ-45 connector onto the wires, making sure the wires stay lined up. The connector has eight slots, one for each wire. Try to make each wire reach the end of its slot. The cable jacket/insulation should reach just beyond the end of the crimp point. If the insulation doesnt reach far enough inside the connector or if the wires dont reach the end of their slots, cut the wires off a bit more. If the cable jacket/insulation reaches too far past the crimp point, simply trim off a little more jacket/insulation. Next, verify all the wires are in the correct order, and insert the connector into the crimping tool then crimp it. This requires a little bit of strength, and you may need to use two hands. 17

DIAGRAM TO SHOW STRAIGHT RULE AND CROSSOVER LAN CONNECTIONS

RJ-45 Connectors RJ45 is a standard type of connector for network cables. RJ45 connectors are most commonly seen with Ethernet cables and networks.

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RJ45 connectors feature eight pins to which the wire strands of a cable interface electrically. Standard RJ-45 pinouts define the arrangement of the individual wires needed when attaching connectors to a cable.

Hubs. Hubs are networking devices. They were used in the institute to create more workstations in the classes when we were out of patch panel ports. They are installed at the Access Layer of an Ethernet/Local Area network. Hubs contain multiple ports that are used to connect hosts to the network. Hubs are simple devices that do not have the necessary electronics to decode the messages sent between hosts on the network. Hubs cannot determine which host should get any particular message. A hub simply accepts electronic signals from one port and regenerates (or repeats) the same message out to all the other ports.

A HUB

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Switches. Switches on the other hand are network devices that are also used at the Access Layer. They were used to provide access to the server network and control over their Local Area Network. Like a hub, a switch connects multiple hosts to the network. Unlike a hub, a switch can forward a message to a specific host. When a host sends a message to another host on the switch, the switch accepts and decodes the frames to read the physical Media Access control (MAC) address portion of the message. When a hub is connected to a switch port, collisions can occur on the hub. The hub forwards to all ports the damaged messages resulting from a collision. The switch receives the garbled message, but, unlike a hub, a switch does not forward the damaged messages caused by collisions.

Switch

A SWITCH IN ONE OF THE CLASSES IN THE INSTITUTE

Patch Panels. Patch Panels are more like adapters. They are usually fitted on a rack or on walls in the institute. All a Patch panel does is provide access or connection to another hub or switch. They are utilized for convenience and to ensure a structured cabling system.

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RJ-11/RJ-45 FACEPLATE/ PATCH PANEL

Routers. In the Institution, there are two routers on every floor i.e. two local area network (broadcast domain) on each floor. A router is a networking device that connects a local network to other local networks. At the Distribution Layer of the network, routers direct traffic and perform other functions critical to efficient network operation. Routers, like switches, are able to decode and read the messages that are sent to them. Unlike switches, which only decode (de-encapsulate) the frame containing the Media Access Control (MAC) address information, routers decode the packet that is encapsulated within the frame. When a router receives a frame, it decodes the frame to get to the packet containing the destination IP address. It matches the address of the destination to all of the networks that are contained in the routing table. If the destination network address is in the table, the router encapsulates the packet in a new frame in order to send it out. It forwards the new frame out of the interface associated with the path, to the destination network. The process of forwarding the packets toward their destination network is called ROUTING.

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Router interfaces do not forward messages that are addressed to the broadcast Media Access Control (MAC) address. As a result, local network broadcasts are not sent across routers to other local networks.

A ROUTER (Front) The Server.

(Rear)

A server is software that manages the network. Servers are hosts that have software installed that enable them to provide information, like email or web pages, to other hosts on the network. There must be client software for every service required. With multiple clients installed, a host can connect to multiple servers at the same time. For example, a user can check email and view a web page while instant messaging and listening to an Internet radio.

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NETWORK DIAGRAM OF DBI

Testing, Configuring and Installing New ICT Tools/Peripherals As a support staff, I test new computers and have them reconfigured for use within the network. Also any new ICT equipment that has been supplied to the Institute must be checked and their status judged. I tested various equipments which included computer systems, printers, projectors etc. The most frequent tests that I carried out were on computer systems and printers. Testing and Configuration of Printers Power ON the printer and put in the printer cartridge(s). Connect the printer to the computer and install driver Print the test page. Testing of Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). Charge the UPS for the amount of time indicated in the operating manual. They are usually left to charge over-night. Test it with maximum allowable load and time its durability. 23

Installing ICT tools/Peripherals. The installation of a peripheral device requires several steps. The order and detail of these steps varies depending on the type of physical connection and whether or not the peripheral is a Plug-and-Play (PnP) device. The steps include: Connect the peripheral to the host using the appropriate cable or wireless connection. Connect the peripheral to a power source. Install the appropriate driver. Some old peripheral devices are not PnP enabled. For these, driver installation occurs after the device has been connected to the computer and powered up. For PnP enabled USB devices, the driver is preinstalled on the system. In this case, when the PnP device is connected and powered on, the operating system recognizes the device and installs the appropriate driver. Installation of outdated or wrong drivers can cause a peripheral device to behave unpredictably. For this reason, it is necessary to install the most current drivers available.

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SUMMARY The Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is a practical oriented scheme that is designed to breach the gap between theory and practical. It helps to impact scientific, technological skills and ideas into students in order to acquire the practical experience of the theoretical knowledge gained in the classroom. This program has also helped to establish a relationship between the educational sector and the industrial sector. The knowledge gained as contained in this report ranges from Networking of systems, configuration of network cables, maintenance of PCs, troubleshooting of system and printers, application installation deployment process etc.

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CONCLUSION The Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) was a very good experience for me as the importance of this scheme cannot be over emphasized. It helped me build my knowledge base and my confidence. The Industrial Training no doubt has afforded me the opportunity to have a firsthand experience of life after school. I particularly was able to learn how to work within targets and to meet deadlines. I was also able to pass on knowledge to elderly people which was fulfilling for me. Some of my notable experiences were: Being able to serve as training support officer for training when they held. Attending Trainings. Being able to sit at the reception once in a while and welcome people into the institute and direct them wherever they want to go Learning about various ways and systems of operations in the institute. Management Experience. Interpersonal relationship with other staffs. It is with great pleasure that I say that the Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme was of immense benefit to me.

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RECOMMENDATION In the light of the challenge I faced during the Industrial Training, I would like to recommend the following: The University should help in securing placements for student as it will reduce difficulty in getting placements. The University should extend the period of SIWES to ensure proper training. Students Should be given more practical work in schools, by developing and equipping the laboratories in our institutions so that the experience does not seem entirely new to them. Visit of the SIWES supervisor to the company where a student is doing his/her Industrial Training should be encouraged as this will help the students to take the program more seriously.

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REFERENCE: The Complete Guide to Build A Computer By Whitson Gordon Java How to Program By Paul Deitel, Harvey Deitel Networking For Dummies By Doug Lowe.

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