This unit applies to information technology (IT) personnel who take responsibility for comparing and evaluating internet service provider (ISP) services.
Not applicable.
1. Select ISP | 1.1 Review comparable characteristics of a range of hosting services 1.2 Review client usage and ensure that email and mailing list services are flexible enough to meet current and future business needs 1.3 Review support service standards to ensure they meet business needs 1.4 Ensure ISP hosting service has sufficient data capacity to cover partial outages 1.5 Determine availability of security technologies 1.6 Determine availability of scripting languages 1.7 Evaluate optional server applications for advanced web business functions 1.8 Confirm client selection criteria and select ISP hosting service that best matches the criteria |
2. Ensure guarantee of permanent online presence | 2.1 Establish that web-hosting service has systems in place to monitor server performance and availability 2.2 Negotiate escalation procedures and performance standards with ISP 2.3 Establish that security and backup procedures are articulated and meet business needs |
3. Ensure that web host meets technical requirements | 3.1 Take action to ensure that operating system supports the preferred business development software, applications, extensions and databases 3.2 Establish that web-host servers support dynamic websites using the preferred business technologies 3.3 Establish that web host provides current and future disk space requirements 3.4 Establish that site-analysis reports are available and flexible enough to meet business needs 3.5 Establish that security systems and payment technologies meet business and customer expectations and requirements |
4. Benchmark performance and test against specified criteria | 4.1 Test performance of the ISP during on and off peak times and record outcomes 4.2 Establish that email and mailing services have backup procedures in place and are protected from damage, erasure or unwanted damage 4.3 Take action to ensure support services perform according to business needs |
Required skills
analytical skills to:
determine appropriate pricing and services plan for the business
evaluate and compare web-hosting services
communications skills to:
establish client requirements
negotiate escalation procedures and performance standards with ISP
numeracy skills to assess pricing plans
planning skills to identify future business needs
technical skills to assess security systems and technical requirements.
Required knowledge
different web hosting service provision options and their scalability
internet security issues
operating systems used by ISPs
performance expectations from customers and end users
server technologies
web hosting services and performance benchmarks.
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the ability to: assess client needs and select ISP that meets the current and future needs of the business evaluate web hosting service: ensure price meets client’s budgetary requirements ensure security systems and technical requirements of the business are met monitor the performance of the ISP during on and off peak times. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure access to: hosting plans, prices and service agreements use of current technology underpinning the ISP and services offered business plan outlining future directions for the business appropriate learning and assessment support when required. Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with special needs. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: direct observation of candidate: evaluating web-hosting services benchmarking and testing ISP verbal or written questioning to assess candidate’s knowledge of: user requirements criteria for selecting an ISP review of reports prepared by candidate showing the results of ISP testing. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, where appropriate. Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and suitable to the communication skill level, language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed. Indigenous people and other people from a non-English speaking background may need additional support. In cases where practical assessment is used it should be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge. |
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Characteristics may include: | data transfer functionality hosting plans, such as: common gateway interface (CGI) access colocation of servers dedicated servers disk storage ebusiness hosting post office protocol (POP) accounts scripts level of service pricing plans web-hosting facilities. |
Security technologies may include: | payment gateways public key infrastructure (PKI) secure socket layer (SSL). |
Scripting languages may include: | Perl PHP and Python VB.NET JavaScript VBScript. |
Server applications may include: | database and data warehousing directory services file sharing line-of-business applications management messaging network and remote access printer sharing terminal services web services. |
Server may include: | Apache HTTP server email servers FTP servers IBM VisualAge and WebSphere iPlanet-Enterprise Lotus Domino Microsoft Internet Information Server NetDynamics Netscape Enterprise server, Netscape-FastTrack, Netscape-Commerce Sun Microsystems iPlanet web server Sun Microsystems Java web server. |
Operating system may include: | Mac Linux Windows. |
Databases may include: | Microsoft SQL (MS SQL) server MySQL Oracle Postgre Structured Query Language (Postgre SQL) SQL. |
Web
This unit contains employability skills.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement but users should confirm requirements with the relevant federal, state or territory authority.