Information Systems - TCC OER Subject Guide: OER starting points
What's in this guide?
This guide compiles starting points for OER and freely available resources for Information Systems courses and topics. This OER subject guide was created for TCC faculty and staff and reflects TCC courses and curriculum The purpose of this guide is to help faculty and staff more easily find and review OER in their areas so that they can make decisions about quality, accuracy, relevancy, and potential use.
OER starting points for Information Systems, by course area and material type
Microcomputer fundamentals
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- Computer Organization (OER textbook)Sukjin Lee, University System of Georgia, 2022. Organized into 13 chapters, including chapters on computing hardware, CPU organization, instruction set architecture, memory, and more. Online, PDF, and editable Word formats. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Computer Support (OER course)Wikiversity course, last updated 2022. “This course is comprised of 2 parts, 9 sections, and 58 lessons covering computer support. Each lesson includes a combination of Wikipedia readings, YouTube videos, and hands-on learning activities. The course also assists learners in preparing for CompTIA A+ Certification.” Online and downloadable book formats. CC BY SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
- CS301: Computer Architecture (OER course)Saylor Academy. “Modern computer technology requires an understanding of both hardware and software, as the interaction between the two offers a framework for mastering the fundamentals of computing. The purpose of this course is to cultivate an understanding of modern computing technology through an in-depth study of the interface between hardware and software.” Organized into 9 units. Tip: Click the Resources link in the navigation menu to see what resources this course uses. Online format. Course overall has CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license, but specific materials may have different licenses. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
- Information Systems for Business and Beyond (OER textbook)David Bourgeois, updated 2022. "This book is written as an introductory text, meant for those with little or no experience with computers or information systems. In this book, you will be introduced to the concept of information systems, their use in business, and the larger impact they are having on our world." Organized into 13 chapters. Online and PDF formats. CC BY NC (Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- IT FundamentalsWikiversity course, last updated 2024. "[I]ntroduces computer hardware, computer software, databases, networking, security, and software development. This course comprises 15 lessons covering IT fundamentals. Each lesson includes a combination of Wikipedia readings, YouTube videos, and hands-on learning activities. The course also assists learners in preparing for CompTIA IT Fundamentals certification." Organized into 15 modules. Online format, plus downloadable learning and reading guides. CC BY-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Library e-books:
Unlimited user access, unless otherwise noted. Use permalinks in Canvas courses. Not eligible for Print on Demand. You may need to log in with your portal and/or Canvas credentials to access the e-books.
CompTIA A+ practice tests : Exam 220-901 and Exam 220-902Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2017"The 1,200 practice questions are organized into nine full-length tests." PDF format.
Operating systems
Canvas course shells:
- CIS 205 T&I Canvas Commons courses for A+ certification (OER Canvas courses)To view: First, log into your TCC Canvas faculty account, then click on the Canvas Commons link/icon in the global navigation menu, and then finally click this link to view this Canvas course content. Mary Zinkafoose, Edmonds Community College, has shared multiple A+ certification courses and modules, among other IT topics, in Canvas, including: CIS 205 Part 2: T&I A+ 801, CIS 205 Part 3: T&I A+ 802, CIS 205 Part 3: T&I A+ 802 Unlocked Modules, CIS 205 Part 4: T&I N10-006, CIS 205 Part 5: T&I Career/Entrepreneurship. Courses shared/updated in 2015/2016. Each course looks to have pretty extensive resources, including readings, quizzes, discussion forums, and more. All courses licensed under a CC BY SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) license.
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- CS401: Operating Systems (OER course)Saylor Academy. “This course will introduce you to modern operating systems. We will focus on UNIX-based operating systems, though we will also learn about alternative operating systems, including Windows. The course will begin with an overview of the structure of modern operating systems. Over the course of the subsequent units, we will discuss the history of modern computers, analyze in detail each of the major components of an operating system (from processes to threads), and explore more advanced topics in the field, including memory management and file input/output. The class will conclude with a discussion of various system-related security issues.” Organized into 9 units. Tip: Click the Resources link in the navigation menu to see what resources this course uses. Online format. Course overall has CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license, but specific materials may have different licenses. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
- Below C Level: An Introduction to Computer Systems (OER textbook)Norm Matloff, University of California, Davis. "This book is NOT about assembly language programming. True, there is assembly language sprinkled throughout the book, so you will in fact learn assembly language—but only as a means to a different end, the latter being understanding of computer systems. Specifically, you will learn about high level hardware, the large differences between one machine and the next, and low-level software, meaning operating systems and to some degree compilers." Organized into 11 chapters. PDF format. CC-BY-ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NoDerivatives) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Information Systems (OER textbook)Ly-Huong T. Pham, Tejal Desai-Naik, Laurie Hammond, & Wael Abdeljabbar, ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative, Jan. 2021. Organized into 3 main sections: What is an Information System?, Informatin Systems for Strategic Advantage, and Information Systems Beyond the Organization. Online, PDF, and course cartridge formats. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Advanced Computer Organization Architecture (OER textbook)Harrison Njoroge, African Virtual University, May 2021. "This text introduces students to Advanced Computer Organization and Architecture. Where architecture is a term used to describe the attributes of a system as seen by the programmer. Its concerned with designs and operations of a computer. Computer organization is the way the system is structured so that all those cataloged tools can be used, and that in an efficient fashion. This text has its emphasis on system design and performance." Organized into 6 sections, including ancillary materials. Online, PDF, and course cartridge formats. CC BY SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Operating Systems and Middleware: Supporting Controlled Interaction (OER textbook)Max Hailperin, Gustavus Adolphus College, revised edition published in 2019. "In this book, you will learn about all three kinds of interaction. In all three cases, interesting software techniques are needed in order to bring the computations into contact, yet keep them suffciently at arm's length that they don't compromise each other's reliability. The exciting challenge, then, is supporting controlled interaction. This includes support for computations that share a single computer and interact with one another, as your email and word processing programs do. It also includes support for data storage and network communication. This book describes how all these kinds of support are provided both by operating systems and by additional software layered on top of operating systems, which is known as middleware." Organized into 11 chapters. PDF and LaTeX formats. Also links to ancillary materials. CC BY-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) format. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Linux - The Penguin Marches On (OER textbook)Patrick McClanahan, San Joaquin Delta College, 2020. Organized into 15 modules, including Managing Linux Storage and Linux Installation. Ancillary materials not yet added. Online and PDF formats. CC BY NC (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Library e-books:
Unlimited user access, unless otherwise noted. Use permalinks in Canvas courses. Not eligible for Print on Demand. You may need to log in with your portal and/or Canvas credentials to access the e-books.
- CompTIA A+ practice tests : Exam 220-901 and Exam 220-902Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2017"The 1,200 practice questions are organized into nine full-length tests." PDF format.
CompTIA Linux+ and LPIC practice tests : Exams LX0-103/LPIC-1 101-400, LX0-104/LPIC-1 102-400, LPIC-2 201, and LPIC-2 202Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2017"[C]overage of all exam objectives for both the CompTIA Linux+ exams LX0-103 and LX0-104, and the LPIC exams 101-400, 102-400, and 201and 202, through 1,200+ expertly crafted practice questions." PDF format.
CompTIA Linux+ certification guide : A comprehensive guide to achieving LX0-103 and LX0-104 certifications with mock examsCall Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2018"This guide is also for system administrators and rookie Linux professionals interested in enhancing their Linux and Shell scripting skills." PDF and EPUB formats.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
- CompTIA 220-1001 and 220-1002 A+ Training Course (Open access materials)Professor Messer, 2020. Both courses have a total of 126 videos. Organized into modules. Videos have actual captions, not just auto-generated ones. Videos do include ads. Not openly licensed but are freely available to embed/link to. Site emphasizes that the videos are free, but the supplemental PDF course notes and downloadable video and audio versions are available for an extra fee.
- Mr. Ford’s Guide to the A+ Certification Exam: How to Be a Computer Technician (video series)Scott Ford, last updated 2020. Video series "focuses on the foundational information you need in order to pass you exam AND become a highly qualified computer technician." Videos do have ads. Not openly licensed but okay to link to/embed in Canvas.
- A+ Core Exam - Practice Exam30 practice questions for A+ core exam, includes answers. Ad-heavy site. Open access.
Help desk operations
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- ITSC 2339 Personal Computer Help Desk (OER course)Austin Community College, 2014, via SkillsCommons OER repository site. This course "will cover computer terminology, hardware, software, operating systems, and information systems relating to the business environment. The focus of this course is on the support of business applications, including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentation graphics, and business-oriented utilization of the Internet." Couse cartridge format. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) format. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
- CIT230 - Help Desk Techniques (OER ancillary materials)Bunker Hill Community College, 2014, via SkillsCommons OER repository site. "This course provides students with an overview of the design, implementation, and management of a computer help desk or customer support center. Course topics include customer service skills, troubleshooting tools and methods, problem-solving strategies for common support problems, the incident management process, and user needs analysis and assessment. The course also covers industry certifications, professional associations, and standards of ethical conduct for help desk personnel." Zip files and Word files of course documents, lessons, and homework. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Print on Demand if materials are complied into a print-ready format.
- CIT 232 Help Desk OperationsWest Kentucky Community and Technical College, 2015. "This course introduces a variety of tools and techniques to provide user support in help desk operations, explores help desk concepts, customer service skills, troubleshooting problems, writing for end users, help desk operations and software, needs analysis, facilities management, and other topics related to end user support. This course will require a lot of thinking and writing. You will put your trouble-shooting and communication skills to work!" HTML and Storyline files. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are complied into a print-ready format.
Library e-books:
Unlimited user access, unless otherwise noted. Use permalinks in Canvas courses. Not eligible for Print on Demand. You may need to log in with your portal and/or Canvas credentials to access the e-books.
Creating a customer-focused Help Desk
Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2016" It is intended to be a practical reference guide, but the suggestions, checklists and templates all need to be interpreted and amended in the light of the culture, technology, service maturity and constraints of each individual organization." PDF format.
How to manage the IT help deskCall Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2002Limited access; 3 digital copies available at a time. "How to be successful at probably the most stressful job in IT This book offers tools for measuring productivity and features ten key steps for successful support, while User Support successes and failures are revealed in true life case studies." PDF format.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
- Online Course Video CIS 114 - Help Desk & Soft SkillsNorthern Essex Community College, 2016. "An introduction to the tools, technology and techniques used in help desk / customer support systems. Topics include fundamental help desk processes and support tools. Customer interaction utilizing soft skills will be emphasized." MP4 file. CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) and CC BY SA (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike) licenses. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are complied into a print-ready format.
Programming
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- Programming Languages: Application and Interpretation (OER textbook)Shriram Krishnamurthi, Brown University, 2nd. ed. published in 2017. Principles of programming language design. Organized into 17 chapters. Faculty reviews on this site. Online and PDF formats. CC BY-NC-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Patterns for Beginning Programmers (OER textbook)David Bernstein, James Madison University, 2022. "Programming patterns are solutions to problems that require the creation of a small fragment of code that will be part of a larger program. Hence, this book is about teaching you how to write such fragments of code. However, it is not about teaching you the syntax of the statements in the fragments, it assumes that you already know the syntax. Instead, it is about finding solutions to problems that arise when first learning to program." Organized into 6 main sections. Ebook, online, and PDF formats. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- The Missing Link: An Introduction to Web Development and Programming (OER textbook)Michael Mendez, SUNY Fredonia, 2014. "Navigating a project from concept to completion often requires more than mastery of one or two complementing languages, meaning today’s developers need both breadth, and depth, of knowledge to be effective. This text provides the developer with an understanding of the various elements of web development by focusing on the concepts and fundamentals through the examples within, providing a foundation that allows easier transition to other languages and a better understanding of how to approach their work." Organized into 5 sections. Online, PDF, and EPUB formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Programming Fundamentals - A Modular Structured Approach using C++ (OER textbook)Kenneth Leroy Busbee, Houston Community College, 2013. "Programming fundamentals are often divided into three college courses: Modular/Structured, Object Oriented and Data Structures. This textbook/collection covers the first of those three courses." Organized into 24 chapters. Faculty reviews on this site. Online and PDF formats. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Intermediate Programming (OER textbook)Hyesung Park, et al, University System of Georgia, 2021. Organized into 8 chapters, with embedded exercises. Online and PDF formats. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
- Guided Inquiry Activities for Programming Language ConceptsBrandon D Myers, University of Iowa, 2020. "[A] collection of activities intended to support the use of POGIL in intermediate-level undergraduate computer science courses on functional programming and the implementation of programming languages." Open access.
Database implementation - SQL
Canvas course shells:
- Introductory SQL (OER Canvas course)To view: First, log into your TCC Canvas faculty account, then click on the Canvas Commons link/icon in the global navigation menu, and then finally click this link to view this Canvas course content. Shawn Creviston, Chippewa Valley Technical College, updated 2023. “This course is designed to be a student's first database course for the Wisconsin Data Analyst Apprenticeship. It provides an introduction to fundamental database terminology and concepts, with an emphasis on relational technology. The introductory SQL course prepares apprentices to leverage a relational database management system to retrieve data. They will create and execute queries using SQL statements. They will read an Entity-Relationship Diagram to direct the creation of the correct query.” Organized into 9 modules, with assignments and quizzes. CC BY SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) license.
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- Introduction to Database Systems (Open access textbook)Sarah North and Xiaohua Xu, University System of Georgia, 2021. Organized into 8 modules, including an introduction SQL and implementing SQL queries. Online, PDF, and Word formats, plus PowerPoints. Open access.
- Database Design, 2nd EditionAdrienne Watt and Nelson Eng, Douglas College, 2014. “Covers database systems and database design concepts. New to this edition are SQL info, additional examples, key terms and review exercises at the end of each chapter.” Organized into 16 chapters + 3 appendices. Online, PDF, EPUB, and editable OpenDocument formats. CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- CS 403: Introduction to Modern Database Systems (OER course)Saylor Academy. “This course will provide students with a general overview of databases, introducing you to database history, modern database systems, the different models used to design a database, and Structured Query Language (SQL), which is the standard language used to access and manipulate databases.” Organized into 10 units. Under the “Resources” link on the left navigation menu, you can see a shortcut to the resources it uses in each unit; this course remixes a lot of the “Database Design” OER text linked on this page, along with additional videos and readings. Online format. Couse overall has a CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
- Guide to PHP and MySQL (OER textbook)Jim Gerland, SUNY Buffalo, 2021. "This guide presents the PHP language and MySQL syntax to an advanced web design audience, with examples specific to the localhost web server environment." Organized into 18 chapters. Online format. CC BY-NC-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
- IT 5433: Database Design and Applications (OER collection)Compilation of OER for IT courses by Kennesaw State University instructors, 2016. The Syllabus section maps out the course modules and embeds links to materials used for each module. The final report is openly licensed with a CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license, but the linked resources may have different open licenses or open access status.
- Intro to Databases video seriesSeries of 11 videos by Garth Schulte, CBT Nuggets, published 2019. Each video ranges from 2 to 8 minutes long, each with auto-generated captions. Introductory topics, such as “What is the SQL Language?” and “How to Get into Database Administration” and “Databases in the Real World,” etc. Not openly licensed but easy to embed/link to in Canvas.
- SQL Database tutorialsW3Schools. Online exercises and examples for various SQL database topics, including tables, and other SQL tutorials. Site retains copyright, but its terms of use includes provisions for fair use in copying small quantities and/or linking. May be useful for additional practice.
IT project management
Library e-books:
Unlimited user access, unless otherwise noted. Use permalinks in Canvas courses. Not eligible for Print on Demand. You may need to log in with your portal and/or Canvas credentials to access the e-books.
Practical change management for IT ProjectsCall Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2014"Transform your IT project and make change stick with this step-by-step guide. In today's fast-paced world of change, companies expect you to do more, with less." PDF format.
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- Technical Project Management in Living and Geometric Order (OER textbook)Jeffrey Russell, Wayne Pferdehirt, John Nelson, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 3rd edition published in 2018. "This book is organized around the fifteen lessons of a Technical Project Management course, with an emphasis on the connections between the various stages and practices of technical project management." Organized into 15 chapters. Online, PDF, and EPUB formats. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Project Management from Simple to Complex (OER textbook)Univ. of Minnesota Libraries, 2016. "In a world that is becoming more virtual, more global, and more complex, the project manager's ability to function in this environment becomes critical to the success of the project. Project Management from Simple to Complex explores project management within this complex, virtual, and global environment." Organized into 12 chapters, each with exercises. Multiple formats available, including digital and print PDF, EPUB, and editable OpenDocument formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- ITSE 1450 System Analysis and Design- Project Management (OER ancillary materials)Austin Community College, 2014, via SkillsCommons OER repository site. "Comprehensive introduction to the planning, design, and construction of computer information systems using the systems development life cycle and other appropriate design tools." Course cartridge format. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are complied into a print-ready format.
- Project Design and Management (OER ancillary materials)Volunteer State Community College, 2015, via SkillsCommons OER repository site. "This course provides an overview of the tools and techniques needed to plan, execute and evaluate projects successfully." Zip file download. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are complied into a print-ready format.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
- IT Project Management learning objectsWisc-Online, interactive learning objects and videos. Includes: IT Project Management: Methodologies, An Overview of IT Project Management, and more. CC BY NC (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial) license.
Library e-books:
Unlimited user access, unless otherwise noted. Use permalinks in Canvas courses. Not eligible for Print on Demand. You may need to log in with your portal and/or Canvas credentials to access the e-books.
Learning social media analytics with RCall Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2017"Learn about data access, retrieval, cleaning, and curation methods for data originating from various social media platforms." PDF and EPUB formats.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
- Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (OER textbook)Univ. of Minnesota Libraries, 2015. Written for undergraduate students. "The teaching approach in this text encourages students to think deeper and more practically about the space where business and technology meet." Includes chapters on Social Media and Facebook. Online, PDF, and editable OpenDocument formats. CC BY-NC-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Business Information Systems: Design an App for That (OER textbook)Raymond Frost, Ohio University, et al., 2011. Focuses on "creative solutions to business problems." Organized into 18 chapters. Faculty reviews on this site. Online and PDF formats. CC BY-NC-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Client/server technology - LANs
Library e-books:
Unlimited user access. Use permalinks in Canvas courses. Not eligible for Print on Demand. You may need to log in with your portal and/or Canvas credentials to access the e-books.
CompTIA Network+ Study Guide: Exam N10-007 by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2018"To complement the CompTIA Network+ Study Guide: Exam N10-007, 4e." PDF format.
CompTIA Network+ Review Guide: Exam N10-007 by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2018"Your ideal study companion for preparing for the CompTIA Network+ exam (N10-007)." PDF format.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
- CompTIA N10-007 Network+ Video Training CourseProfessor Messer, 2018. Designed as a video training course for the CompTIA Network+ N10-007 exam. YouTube videos, 101 videos total, each between 3-15 minutes long. Videos organized into modules: Section 0 - Exam Introduction; Section 1- Networking Concepts; Section 2 - Infrastructure; Section 3 - Network Operations; Section 4 - Network Security; Section 5 - Network Troubleshooting and Tools; bonus Network+ Study Group Replays module. Videos have actual captions, not just auto-generated ones. Videos do include ads. Not openly licensed but are freely available to embed/link to. Site emphasizes that the videos are free, but the supplemental PDF course notes and downloadable video and audio versions are available for an extra fee.
- Network+ N10-007 video webinars2 video webinars by Keith Barker for CBT Nuggets site, 2018. 1st video webinar is “Network+ N10-007: The Inside Scoop (8:40 mins), and the 2nd video is “Network+ N10-007: Q&A” (20:42 mins). Not openly licensed but are freely available to embed/link to.
Administration of networks
Textbooks, courses, and readers for Windows Server 2016:
- Introducing Windows Server 2016 (Open access e-book)John McCabe and Windows Server team, 2016. “Windows Server has powered a generation of organizations, from small businesses to large enterprises. No matter what your area of expertise, this book will introduce you to the latest developments in Windows Server 2016. Each chapter has been written by either field experts or members of the product group, giving you the latest information on every improvement or new feature that is included in this version of Windows Server.” Organized into 5 chapters, 181 pages. Downloadable versions in standard PDF and mobile PDF. Open access. Not eligible for Print on Demand.
Textbooks, courses, and readers for networking in general:
- An Introduction to Computer Networks (OER textbook)Peter Dordal, 2nd ed. published in July 2020. “A free and open general-purpose computer-networking textbook, complete with diagrams and exercises. It covers the LAN, internetworking and transport layers, focusing primarily on TCP/IP. Particular attention is paid to congestion; other special topics include queuing, real-time traffic, network management, security and the ns simulator. The book is suitable as the primary text for an undergraduate or introductory graduate course in computer networking, as a supplemental text for a wide variety of network-related courses, and as a reference work.“ Multiple downloadable versions, including online HTML, zipped files, mobile version, PDF, and EPUB. CC BY NC ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - NoDerivatives) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Computer Networks: A Systems Approach (OER textbook)Larry Peterson and Bruce Davie, version 6.2, 2019. "Our goals continue to be: to document the design decisions that have shaped the Internet; explain emerging trends that will impact its future; and to provide a sense of perspective as to what is important versus what is hype or irrelevant detail. We are now producing, with an expanding set of co-authors, a series of books that bring the systems approach lens to a range of emerging technologies such as 5G and SDN." Organized into 9 chapters. Site also includes Software-Defined Networks: A Systems Approach and 5G Mobile Networks: A Systems Approach e-books. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Data Communication and Networking in IT (OER textbook)Meng Han and Xin Tian, University System of Georgia, 2021. Organized into 10 modules, with study guides and lab instructions. Covers LANS, routing, and more. Online and HTML formats. CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Library e-books:
Unlimited user access. Use permalinks in Canvas courses. Not eligible for Print on Demand. You may need to log in with your portal and/or Canvas credentials to access the e-books.
MCSA Windows Server 2016 study guide: Exam 70-740 by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2017“The bestselling MCSA 70-470 study guide, updated for the latest exam MCSA Windows Server 2016 Study Guide is your ultimate resource for Exam 70-740. Covering 100% of all exam objectives, this study guide goes far beyond concept review with real-world scenarios containing expert insights, chapter review questions, hands-on practice exercises while the Sybex interactive learning environment provides additional last minute review through practice exams, electronic flashcards, and searchable glossary. This new edition has been fully updated to align with the Windows Server 2016 exam, featuring authoritative coverage of installation, configuration, server roles, Hyper-V, core network services, Active Directory, Group Policy, security, remote access, disaster recovery, and more.” PDF format.
MCSA Windows Server 2016 study guide: Exam 70-741 by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2017“The bestselling MCSA 70-470 study guide, updated for the latest exam MCSA Windows Server 2016 Study Guide is your ultimate resource for Exam 70-740. Covering 100% of all exam objectives, this study guide goes far beyond concept review with real-world scenarios containing expert insights, chapter review questions, hands-on practice exercises while the Sybex interactive learning environment provides additional last minute review through practice exams, electronic flashcards, and searchable glossary. This new edition has been fully updated to align with the Windows Server 2016 exam, featuring authoritative coverage of installation, configuration, server roles, Hyper-V, core network services, Active Directory, Group Policy, security, remote access, disaster recovery, and more.” PDF format.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
- Intro to Networking video seriesKeith Barker, CBT Nuggets, 2019. Series of 14 videos, each 2 to 9 minutes long. Introductory or career-related topics -- “How to Get into Networking” and “How Networks Work,” etc. Auto-generated captions. Not openly licensed but able to link to/embed within Canvas.
- Windows Server 2012 and 2016 videosCBT Nuggets. Different short videos on different aspects of Windows Server 2012 and 2016, most created 2-3 years ago. Not openly licensed but easy to embed/link to in Canvas.
- “Exam 70-740 prep - Installation storage and compute with Windows Server 2016” videoMicrosoft Ignite, 2018. 1 hr, 16 mins.
- “Cert Exam Prep: Exam 70-741: Networking with Windows Server 16” videoMicrosoft Ignite, 2017. 1 hr, 10 mins.
Windows networks
Library e-books:
Unlimited user access, except where otherwise noted. Use permalinks in Canvas courses. Not eligible for Print on Demand. You may need to log in with your portal and/or Canvas credentials to access the e-books.
Windows Server 2016 cookbook by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2016"By the end of this book, you will know how to take your Windows Server 2016-powered server and turn it into any common infrastructure role that might be required in your company." PDF and EPUB formats.
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- KNWE 0642 Installing and Configuring Windows Servers 1 (OER course)Salt Lake Community College, 2016. "In this course, students will learn to install, configure, and troubleshoot the Windows Server operating system and server services such as disks and volumes, RAID, storage, PowerShell, remote server management, Server Core, Active Directory Users and Computers, Domain Controllers, DNS name resolution, as well as system and network virtualization. These skills are used in business environments to manage day-to-day network and systems operations. This course followed by KNWE 0742 can be used as preparation to take the Microsoft 70-410 industry exam which validates candidate’s knowledge and skills required to implement and configure Windows Server 2012 core services and can lead to valuable resume-building titles such as Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) and Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA)." PDF file of course map, with links to chapter downloads and related activities. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- KNWE 0742 Installing and Configuring Windows Server 2 (OER course)Salt Lake Community College, 2016. "In this course, students will learn to install, configure, and troubleshoot Windows Server services such as file and share access, print and document services, Group Policy, IPv4 and IPv6 networking as well as DHCP configuration. These skills are used in business environments to manage day-to-day network and systems operations." PDF of course, learning activities, and links to lab file downloads. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- KNWE 0640 Server Administration 1 (OER course)Salt Lake Community College, 2016. "In this course, students will develop skills to configure Active Directory, Service Authentication, maintain FSMO roles, configure Group Policy settings, configure Active Directory backup and recovery, improve network share performance and reliability, secure data, and configure Audit Policies. These skills are used in business environments to manage day-to-day network and systems operations." PDF file links to document files and resources. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- KNWE 0746 Advanced Server Services 2 (OER course)Salt Lake Community College, 2016. "Learn advanced tasks necessary to deploy, manage, and maintain a Windows Server infrastructure. Topics include Network Load Balancing, failover clustering, virtual machine migration, certificate services, AD FS and AD RMS. MCP and MCSA titles (Course 2 of 2 for exam 70-412)." PDF file with linked files and resources. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Internetworking
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- CIS 2426 - Connecting Networks (OER course)Sinclair Community College, 2013. "This course focuses on the Wide Area Network (WAN) technologies and network services required by converged applications in a complex network; it covers the components, methods and technologies required for network and Internet communications (NAT, Layer 2 protocols, Broadband) In this course, students will learn different WAN technologies and their benefits; the operations and benefits of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs); and, various network architectures. Students will be able to configure and troubleshoot serial connections, broadband connections and IPSec operations. They will also learn to monitor and troubleshoot network operations using syslog, SNMP and NetFlow. The syllabus is included in the course and contains the course objectives, student learning outcomes, list of assignments and names of the course textbooks." Course cartridge format. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
- CET 2486 Networking Technology (OER course)Broward College, 2016. "This course is designed to provide students with an introduction to binary, octal and hexadecimal numbering systems, conversion between those systems, and positional notation. This course also introduces the student to subnetting networks utilizing IPv4 and IPv6. The course serves as a general introduction for students who need a foundation in current networking technology for specifically, subnetting for local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and the Internet. The skills and knowledge developed by students in this course will help prepare them for the subnetting portion of the CompTIA Network+ certification exam." Course cartridge file. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) and CC BY SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) licenses. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
- CIT 212 Connecting Networks (OER ancillary materials)Jefferson Community and Technical College, 2017. "This course is the last in a sequence of four based around the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) material. This course will introduce you to wide area network technology, including PPP and Frame Relay, network address translation (NAT), VPNs, IPsec, and tools to monitor a network." Word, HTML, and SoftChalk files. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are complied into a print-ready format.
Network security fundamentals
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- Computer Systems Security: Planning for Success (OER textbook)Ryan Tolboom, New Jersey Institute of Technology, [2022]. "The text, labs, and review questions in this book are designed as an introduction to the applied topic of computer security. With these resources students will learn ways of preventing, identifying, understanding, and recovering from attacks against computer systems. This text also presents the evolution of computer security, the main threats, attacks and mechanisms, applied computer operation and security protocols, main data transmission and storage protection methods, cryptography, network systems availability, recovery, and business continuation procedures." Organized into 10 chapters. Online website format includes alignment of chapters with related labs and review questions. E-book and PDF formats also available. Faculty peer reviews of this text available on this site. CC BY-NC-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Scripting: Python
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- Think Python: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist - 2e (OER textbook)Allen B. Downey, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, published by Green Tea Press, 2012. “[A] concise introduction to software design using the Python programming language. Intended for people with no programming experience, this book starts with the most basic concepts and gradually adds new material. Some of the ideas students find most challenging, like recursion and object-oriented programming, are divided into a sequence of smaller steps and introduced over the course of several chapters.” Organized into 19 chapters plus 2 appendices. Several faculty peer reviews of this textbook on this site. Online, PDF, and LaTeX formats. CC BY NC ( Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- A Byte of Python (OER textbook)Swaroop C H, 2013. “[A] free book on programming using the Python language. It serves as a tutorial or guide to the Python language for a beginner audience. If all you know about computers is how to save text files, then this is the book for you.” Organized into 12 chapters. Several faculty peer reviews of this textbook on this site. Online, PDF, and Ebook formats. CC BY SA (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Python for Everybody: Exploring Data Using Python 3 (OER textbook)Charles Severance, University of Michigan, 2016. “[The ultimate goal ... is a shift from a Computer Science to an Informatics focus is to only include topics into a first technology class that can be useful even if one chooses not to become a professional programmer.” Adapted and expanded from Downey’s “Think Python” text, also linked on this page. Organized into 16 chapters plus 2 appendices. PDF and Ebook formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Think Complexity: Exploring Complexity Science with Python - 2e (OER textbook)Allen B. Downey, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, published by Green Tea Press, 2012. “Complexity Science is an interdisciplinary field—at the intersection of mathematics, computer science, and natural science—that focuses on discrete models of physical and social systems. In particular, it focuses on complex systems, which are systems with many interacting components. This book picks up where Think Python leaves off. I assume that you have read that book or have equivalent knowledge of Python. As always, I try to emphasize fundamental ideas that apply to programming in many languages, but along the way you will learn useful features that are specific to Python.” Organized into 14 chapters. Several faculty peer reviews of this textbook on this site. Online, PDF, and LaTeX formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial Share Alike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- ITSE 1359 Introduction to Scripting Languages: Python (OER textbook)Richard Baldwin, Austin Community College, 2016. “This course is an introduction to scripting languages and Python. The purpose of the course is to prepare students for building scripts that control a sequence of program steps such as those used in developing testing and deploying software. A modern scripting language, Python, is used as an example of a scripting language.” Organized into 7 chapters. Online format. CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
- Introduction to Scientific Programming with Python (OER textbook)Joakim Sundnes, published by Springer Nature, 2020. “This open access book offers an initial introduction to programming for scientific and computational applications using the Python programming language. The presentation style is compact and example-based, making it suitable for students and researchers with little or no prior experience in programming. The book uses relevant examples from mathematics and the natural sciences to present programming as a practical toolbox that can quickly enable readers to write their own programs for data processing and mathematical modeling. These tools include file reading, plotting, simple text analysis, and using NumPy for numerical computations, which are fundamental building blocks of all programs in data science and computational science. At the same time, readers are introduced to the fundamental concepts of programming, including variables, functions, loops, classes, and object-oriented programming. Accordingly, the book provides a sound basis for further computer science and programming studies.” Organized into 9 main chapters. PDF download and online viewer. CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- CS105: Introduction to Python (OER course)Saylor Academy. “This course is an introduction to fundamental programming concepts by way of the Python 3 programming language. Python 3 is a high-level interpreted language that has many benefits, including easy-to-read and easy-to-write syntax and powerful libraries that provide additional functionality. Even though Python 3 is a great programming language for beginners, it is also used extensively for practical applications in engineering and data science. This course is intended for people with no or very little prior programming experience. It covers a range of topics, such as data types, control flow, functions, file operations, and object-oriented programming. When you finish this course, you will be able to create Python programs for a variety of applications.” Organized into 10 units. Includes quizzes for each unit and a study guide; to access the quizzes, you would need to create a free educator account. Online format. TIP: Click on the "Resources" menu link for a shortcut to the files and link to resources used in the course. CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
- Non-Programmer’s Tutorial for Python 3 (OER textbook)WikiBooks, last updated 2022. "A tutorial designed to be an introduction to the Python programming language. This guide is for someone with no programming experience.” Online format plus printable and PDF download versions available. CC BY SA (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Library e-books:
Unlimited user access. Use permalinks in Canvas courses. Not eligible for Print on Demand. You may need to log in with your portal and/or Canvas credentials to access the e-books.
Modern Python cookbook by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2016"The book is broken down into 13 chapters that build from simple language concepts to more complex applications of the language.The recipes take a problem-solution approach to resolving issues commonly faced by Python programmers across the globe." PDF and EPUB formats.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
- Python Introduction and Installation - The Programming HistorianWilliam J. Turkel and Adam Crymble, The Programming Historian site, last updated 2020. Series of 15 tutorials. All the site’s tutorials are peer-reviewed. Online format, with extensive graphics and code (would need to copy-and-paste into Canvas or other format). CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- ITSE 1359 Intro to Scripting Language-Python (OER ancillary materials)Course materials shared by Richard Baldwin, Austin Community College, 2015. Accompanying quizzes and assignment files for the ITSE 1359 Intro to Scripting Language-Python OER textbook linked above. Zip file download. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are complied into a print-ready format.
- Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Python (OER ancillary materials)MIT OpenCourseware, 2016. “[I]ntended for students with little or no programming experience. It aims to provide students with an understanding of the role computation can play in solving problems and to help students, regardless of their major, feel justifiably confident of their ability to write small programs that allow them to accomplish useful goals. The class uses the Python 3.5 programming language.” Although this course uses a copyrighted textbook published by MIT, the videos, lecture slides + accompanying code, and assignments are all openly licensed -- some of these ancillary materials might be useful for labs. Click the links in the left-hand menu to preview the “Lecture Videos,” “Lecture Slides and Code,” “In-Class Questions..” and “Assignments.” Videos, PDFs and Zip files. CC BY-NC-SA (Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Python-related course materials for Bronx Community College (OER ancillary materials)Natalia Novak, Bronx Community College, 2019. Collection includes Python dictionary, Python working with files, Python functions, Python list, Python strong, Python if statements, Python input output, and Python loops. Multiple file downloads on each record, including slides, activities, and examples. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike) license.
Scripting: Powershell/ISE
Library e-books:
Unlimited user access. Use permalinks in Canvas courses. Not eligible for Print on Demand. You may need to log in with your portal and/or Canvas credentials to access the e-books.
Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 PowerShell cookbook by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 20174th ed. "This book is for messaging professionals who want to build real-world scripts with Windows PowerShell and the Exchange Management Shell." PDF and EPUB formats.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
- Introduction to the Windows Command Line with PowerShell - The Programming HistorianTed Dawson, The Programming Historian site, last updated 2020. "This tutorial will introduce you to the basics of Windows PowerShell, the standard command-line interface for Windows computers." All the site’s tutorials are peer-reviewed. Online format, with extensive graphics and code (would need to copy-and-paste into Canvas or other format). CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Windows PowerShell (OER reading)Wikibooks, 2017. Short supplemental reading. Online format. CC BY SA (Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike) license.
Scripting: BASH
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- Bourne Shell Scripting (OER textbook)Wikibooks, 2015. “This book will cover the practical aspects of using and interacting with the Bourne Shell, the root of all shells in use in the Unix world. That includes interacting with the shell on a day-to-day basis for the purposes of operating the computer in normal tasks, as well as grouping together commands in files (scripts) which can be run over and over again. Since it's not practical to talk about the Bourne Shell in complete isolation, this will also mean some short jaunts into the wondrous world of Unix; not far, just enough to understand what is going on and be able to make full use of the shell's very wide capabilities. There are also some things this book won't do for you. This book is not an in-depth tutorial on any kind of programming theory -- you won't learn the finer points of program construction and derivation or the mathematical backings of program development here.” Organized into 8 main chapters, plus 4 appendices. Online format, with graphics and code. Also available as a printable version and PDF downloads. CC BY SA (Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Library e-books:
Unlimited user access. Use permalinks in Canvas courses. Not eligible for Print on Demand. You may need to log in with your portal and/or Canvas credentials to access the e-books.
Bash Cookbook by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2018"The Bash Cookbook is for you if you are a power user or system administrator involved in writing Bash scripts in order to automate tasks." PDF format.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
- Introduction to the Bash Command Line - The Programming HistorianTed Dawson, The Programming Historian site, last updated 2022. "This lesson will teach you how to enter commands using a command-line interface, rather than through a graphical interface. Command-line interfaces have advantages for computer users who need more precision in their work, such as digital historians. They allow for more detail when running some programs, as you can add modifiers to specify exactly how you want your program to run. Furthermore, they can be easily automated through scripts, which are essentially recipes of text-based commands." All the site’s tutorials are peer-reviewed. Online format, with extensive graphics and code (would need to copy-and-paste into Canvas or other format). CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Emerging communication technology & IT ethics
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- Digital Dilemmas: Exploring Social Media Ethics in Organizations (OER e-book)Øyvind Kvalnes, published by Springer, 2020. “The first major study to explore the ethical use of social media across industries and is a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners alike. [...] Social media is at the core of digital transformations in organizations. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms widen the scope for rapid and effective communication with stakeholders. They also create a range of new and challenging ethical dilemmas. This open access book categorizes the dilemmas organizations across a range of industries can face when they implement social media to communicate with stakeholders. This book provides a systematic framework for analyzing these ethical dilemmas in social media using the Navigation Wheel. This tool leads the decision-maker through a series of considerations such as legal questions, corporate identity, morality, reputation, and ethics. Finally, the author considers implications for leaders and presents potential solutions to these dilemmas.” May be useful as a foundational text. Organized into 4 main sections: Digital Dilemmas in Organizations ; Dilemmas in Social Media: A Categorization ; Ethical Navigation on Social Media ; Leadership and Ethics in Social Media. PDF format. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Security and Privacy From a Legal, Ethical, and Technical Perspective (OER e-book)InTechOpen, 2020. “Understanding and realizing the security and privacy challenges for information systems is a very critical and demanding task for both software engineers and developers to design and implement reliable and trustworthy information systems. This book provides novel contributions and research efforts related to security and privacy by shedding light on the legal, ethical, and technical aspects of security and privacy. This book consists of 12 chapters divided in three groups. The first contains works that discuss the ethical and legal aspects of security and privacy, the second contains works that focus more on the technical aspects of security and privacy, and the third contains works that show the applicability of various solutions in the aforementioned fields.” Organized into 12 chapters/articles. Online and PDF formats. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Library e-books:
Unlimited user access. Use permalinks in Canvas courses. Not eligible for Print on Demand. You may need to log in with your portal and/or Canvas credentials to access the e-books.
Corporate social responsibility in the Digital AgeCall Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2015“This book examines key conceptual insights about corporate social responsibility and digital and social media, and explores best practices for online CSR.” PDF and EPUB formats.
Information Technology ethics: Concepts and practices in the digital worldCall Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2015“This book focuses on how human interactions with technology and information systems could have important ethical implications for both businesses and society at large.” Organized into 2 main parts: Part I: Concepts and Part II: Practices. PDF and EPUB formats.
Foundations of information ethicsCall Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2019“[T]his volume … thoroughly covers principles and concepts in information ethics, as well as the history of ethics in the information professions; examines human rights, information access, privacy, discourse, intellectual property, censorship, data and cybersecurity ethics, intercultural information ethics, and global digital citizenship and responsibility; synthesizes the philosophical underpinnings of these key subjects with abundant primary source material to provide historical context along with timely and relevant case studies.” Focuses on on information professions, including data and cybersecurity ethics professionals. PDF format.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
- Knowledge Management, Trust and Communication in the Era of Social Media (OER e-book)Joanna Paliszkiewicz, ed., MDPI - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2020. This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue Knowledge Management, Trust and Communication in the Era of Social Media that was published in Information journal. Focuses on the myriad uses of social media in business; may be useful useful for case studies or readings for analyzing usage of social media in business. PDF format. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution ) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Information & data security
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- Critical Infrastructure Systems (OER textbook)NCyTE Center, Whatcom Community College, [2023]. "Students will address basic security concepts as they apply to critical infrastructure systems." Organized into 12 modules, with team activities and assessments. Online (Pressbooks) format. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are prepared in a print-ready format.
- CS406: Information Security (OER course)Saylor Academy. "This course covers information security principles, an area of study that engages in protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. Information security continues to grow with advancements in technology – as technology advances, so do threats, attacks, and our efforts to mitigate them. In this course, we discuss the modes of threats and attacks on information systems. We also discuss an important area of threat mitigation that saw rapid development in the twentieth century: cryptography." Organized into 9 units. Tip: Click on the Resources link in navigation to see the resource files the course uses. Online format. Course overall has CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license, but specific resources may have different licenses and permissions. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
- Information Security (OER textbook)Umar Khokhar and Binh Tran, University System of Georgia, 2021. Created for a 300-level course. Organized into 8 chapters. PDF format. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Library e-books:
Unlimited user access, unless otherwise noted. Use permalinks in Canvas courses. Not eligible for Print on Demand. You may need to log in with your portal and/or Canvas credentials to access the e-books.
CompTIA CySA+ study guideCall Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2017" The CySA+ certification validates a candidate's skills to configure and use threat detection tools, perform data analysis, identify vulnerabilities with a goal of securing and protecting organizations systems." PDF format.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
- Ethical Hacking and Networking Security LabsHossain Shahriar, University System of Georgia, 2020. Zip folder of labs. CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license.
Digital forensics
Canvas course shells:
- CIS 207 Ethical Hacker Certificate (OER Canvas course)To view: First, log into your TCC Canvas faculty account, then click on the Canvas Commons link/icon in the global navigation menu, and then finally click this link to view this Canvas course content. Mary Zickafoose, Edmonds Community College, 2016. “This 19 credit hour certificate course teaches students industry competencies for jobs related to digital forensics, packet analysis and ethical hacking. The related competencies are covered through video tutorials, hands-on lab assignments, readings and walk-throughs. Students will demonstrate competencies by taking assessments in the form of hands-on exercises, multiple choice, and other competency based tests.” Digital Forensics (Course Module 1) includes sections on Introduction, Ethics, Technical Knowledge Fundamentals, Recovering and Carving Files, Hashing and Hashing Algorithms, and Hard Desk and Storage Media Imaging. Quizzes include scenario questions and assignments that may be useful. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- Digital Forensic Science (OER e-book)Edited by B. Suresh Kumar Shetty and Pavanchand Shetty H., published by InTechOpen, 2020. “This book makes up a major part of the broad specialty of Digital Forensic Science, comprising mainly of tools and technologies of cyber forensic experts for their future practice. This book has been designed to merge a range of new ideas and unique works of authors from topics like fundamental principles of forensic cyber analysis, and protocols and rules needed for the best digital forensics. We hope that it will be useful to practitioners of forensic medicine, experts, cyber experts, law makers, investigating authorities, and undergraduate and postgraduate medical school graduates of medicine.” Organized into 3 sections, with 9 chapters, including sections on Digital Forensics - Computer and Network; Digital Forensics - Legal Aspects; Digital Evidence. Each chapter is written by a different researchers and peer-reviewed. PDF format. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Digital Forensics (OER mini-course)OpenLearn mini-course/module. "[A]n introduction to computer forensics and investigation, and provides a taster in understanding how to conduct investigations to correctly gather, analyse and present digital evidence to both business and legal audiences. It also outlines the tools to locate and analyse digital evidence on a variety of devices, how to keep up to date with changing technologies, and laws and regulations in digital forensics.” Designed for 8 hours of study. Includes integrated activities that might be useful for logs or quizzes. Online plus downloads for Word (editable), PDF, EPUB, and Kindle. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Library e-books:
Unlimited user access. Use permalinks in Canvas courses. Not eligible for Print on Demand. You may need to log in with your portal and/or Canvas credentials to access the e-books.
Practical digital forensics by
Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2016"This book will take you through a series of chapters that look at the nature and circumstances of digital forensic examinations and explain the processes of evidence recovery and preservation from a range of digital devices, including mobile phones and other media. This book has a range of case studies and simulations that will allow you to apply theory to real-life situations. By the end of this book you will have gained a sound insight into digital forensics and its key components.” PDF and EPUB formats.
The basics of digital forensics by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2012“[P]rovides a foundation for people new to the field of digital forensics. This book teaches you how to conduct examinations by explaining what digital forensics is, the methodologies used, key technical concepts and the tools needed to perform examinations. Details on digital forensics for computers, networks, cell phones, GPS, the cloud, and Internet are discussed. Readers will also learn how to collect evidence, document the scene, and recover deleted data." PDF and EPUB formats.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
- Beginners Guide to Computer Forensics: What is Computer Forensics?Forensic Control, 2020. “This guide talks about computer forensics from a neutral perspective. It’s not linked to particular legislation or intended to promote a particular company or product, and it’s not biased towards either law enforcement or commercial computer forensics. Rather, it aims to give the non-technical reader a high-level view of computer forensics. We use the term ‘computer’, but the concepts apply to any device capable of storing digital information. Where we mention particular methods, they are intended only as examples, not recommendations or advice.” Online format. Not openly licensed, but the guide includes this terms of use statement: “If you copy any content from this page, please credit and link back to https://forensiccontrol.com.” Not eligible for Print on Demand.
Cloud computing & virtualization
Library e-books:
Unlimited user access. Use permalinks in Canvas courses. Not eligible for Print on Demand. You may need to log in with your portal and/or Canvas credentials to access the e-books.
Cloud Computing: An Introduction by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2017"This overview of cloud computing in a "self-teaching" format, contains state-of-the art chapters with tips and insights about cloud computing, its architecture, applications, information on security and privacy, and numerous case studies. It includes questions for discussion and "Cloud Computing Lab Experiments" to help in mastering its complex services and technologies." PDF format.
Cloud Computing by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2016"Most of the information available on cloud computing is either highly technical, with details that are irrelevant to non-technologists, or pure marketing hype, in which the cloud is simply a selling point. This book, however, explains the cloud from the user's viewpoint—the business user's in particular." PDF and EPUB formats.
Cloud Computing and VirtualizationCall Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2018"The purpose of this book is first to study cloud computing concepts, security concern in clouds and data centers, live migration and its importance for cloud computing, the role of firewalls in domains with particular focus on virtual machine (VM) migration and its security concerns. The book then tackles design, implementation of the frameworks and prepares test-beds for testing and evaluating VM migration procedures as well as firewall rule migration. The book demonstrates how cloud computing can produce an effective way of network management, especially from a security perspective." PDF format.
CCSP (ISC)2 Certified Cloud Security Professional official study guideCall Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2017"The only official study guide for the new CCSP exam CCSP (ISC)2 Certified Cloud Security Professional Official Study Guide is your ultimate resource for the CCSP exam." PDF format.
Deploying and managing a cloud infrastructure : Real-World skills for the CompTIA Cloud+ Certification and beyond: Exam CV0-001Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2015"Learn in-demand cloud computing skills from industry experts Deploying and Managing a Cloud Infrastructure is an excellent resource for IT professionals seeking to tap into the demand for cloud administrators. This book helps prepare candidates for the CompTIA Cloud+ Certification (CV0-001) cloud computing certification exam." PDF format.
Virtualization essentials by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2016"Second Edition provides new and aspiring IT professionals with immersive training in working with virtualization environments. Clear, straightforward discussion simplifies complex concepts, and the hands-on tutorial approach helps you quickly get up to speed on the fundamentals." PDF format.
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- Virtualization (OER Canvas course)North Central Texas College, 2017. “Virtualization is the basis of enterprise architectures and cloud computing. In this class you will gain practical first hand experience working with virtual machines and solving complex computer problems.” Download the Canvas course cartridge file and import into a Canvas course shell. Included in the course are powerpoint slides, quizzes, and assignments. Organized into 16 modules. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are complied into a print-ready format.
- Cloud Computing for Science and Engineering (OER textbook + course materials)Ian Foster and Dennis B. Gannon, MIT Press, 2017. “The book introduces the working scientist, engineer or student to cloud computing. It surveys the technology that underpins the cloud, new approaches to technical problems enabled by the cloud, and the concepts required to integrate cloud services into scientific work. It covers managing data in the cloud, and how to program these services; computing in the cloud, from deploying single virtual machines or containers to supporting basic interactive science experiments to gathering clusters of machines to do data analytics; using the cloud as a platform for automating analysis procedures, machine learning, and analyzing streaming data; building your own cloud with open source software; and cloud security.” HTML versions of Chapters, Notebooks (mostly Jupyter), and Extras (demos and lectures) available online. CC BY NC ND (Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-NoDerivatives) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Cloud Computing: Technology and Practices (OER e-book)Edited by Dinesh G. Harkut and Kashmira Kasat, InTechOpen, 2019. “In the era of the Internet of Things and Big Data, Cloud Computing has recently emerged as one of the latest buzzwords in the computing industry. It is the latest evolution of computing, where IT resources are offered as services. Cloud computing provides on-demand, scalable, device-independent, and reliable services to its users. The exponential growth of digital data bundled with the needs of analysis, processing and storage, and cloud computing has paved the way for a cheap, secure, and omnipresent computing framework allowing for the delivery of enormous computing and storage capacity to a diverse community of end-recipients. Clouds are distributed technology platforms that leverage sophisticated technology innovations to provide highly scalable and resilient environments that can be remotely utilized by organizations in a multitude of powerful ways. The term cloud is often used as a metaphor for the Internet and can be defined as a new type of utility computing that basically uses servers that have been made available to third parties via the Internet.” This OER collection has 5 separate chapters, the first two of which look to be more introductory in nature, while the other chapters focus on more specific aspects of cloud computing. Online and PDF formats. CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
- ITNW1730 Cloud Essentials (OER ancillary materials)Collin County Community College District, 2013. “This course provides a study of the main cloud computing principles, concepts, and architecture from a technical and an enterprise perspective in terms of moving to and governing the three types of cloud environments (private, public and hybrid).” Zip files for course documents, storyline, SCORM files, lessons, and assessments. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are complied into a print-ready format.
- CSCI 49378: Intro to Distributed Systems and Cloud Computing (OER ancillary materials)Bonan Liu, NYC Tech-in-Residence Corps, 2020. Collection of ancillary materials that includes 10 weeks of lecture slides, plus a final project assignment and a syllabus. Each week’s slides integrate questions and practice examples. PDF format. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike) license.
Data science & big data analytics
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- The Crystal Ball Instruction Manual - Volume One: Introduction to Data Science (OER textbook)Stephen Davies, University of Mary Washington, version 1.1 published in 2020. "A perfect introduction to the exploding field of Data Science for the curious, first-time student. The author brings his trademark conversational tone to the important pillars of the discipline: exploratory data analysis, choices for structuring data, causality, machine learning principles, and introductory Python programming using open-source Jupyter Notebooks." From faculty reviewer: "The book provides a great introduction to the world of data science, using Python as the main driver." Organized into 29 chapters. CC BY-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution-ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
- Hands-On Big Data Analytics Using Apache Spark (OER textbook)Dan Chia-Tien Lo and Yong Shi, University System of Georgia, May 2021. Organized into 15 chapters, each with overviews, theory, examples, exercises, and quizzes. Online and Word formats. CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
- Big Data System Administration Ancillary Materials (OER collection)Meng Han, Guangzhi Zheng, and Ying Xie, University System of Georgia, July 2021. Learning objects organized into 15 modules. Various formats, including online and PowerPoint slides. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
- Practical Data Analysis Ancillary Materials (OER collection)Ying Xie, University System of Georgia, 2020. Study guides and lecture notes. Online format. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license.
- Introduction to Data Analytics and Technology Curated Resources (OER collection)Meng Han, Guangzhi Zheng, and Ying Xie, University System of Georgia, 2021. Collection of 12 openly licensed or open access resources. Online format. Collection overall is licensed with a CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license, but each material may have a different license or permissions.
Routing and switching
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- CIS 2416 - Routing and Switching Essentials (OER course)Sinclair Community College, 2013. "In this this course, you will learn how to configure a router and a switch for basic functionality; describe enhanced switching technologies such as VLANs, VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP), Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP), Per VLAN Spanning Tree Protocol (PVSTP), and 802.1q; configure and troubleshoot basic operations of a small switched network; configure and verify static routing and default routing; configure and troubleshoot basic operations of routers in a small routed network; configure and troubleshoot VLANs and inter-VLAN routin; configure, monitor, and troubleshoot ACLs for IPv4 and IPv6; and configure, monitor, and troubleshoot ACLs for IPv4 and IPv6. The syllabus is included in the course and contains the course objectives, student learning outcomes, list of assignments and names of the course textbooks." Course cartridge download. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
Library e-books:
Unlimited user access, unless otherwise noted. Use permalinks in Canvas courses. Not eligible for Print on Demand. You may need to log in with your portal and/or Canvas credentials to access the e-books.
CCNA routing and switching complete review guide : Exam 100-105, Exam 200-105, Exam 200-125Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2016PDF format.
CCNA routing and switching practice tests : Exam 100-105, Exam 200-105, and Exam 200-125Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2017PDF format.
Incident response & intrusion analysis
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
- Mastering Enterprise Networks (OER textbook)Mathew J. Heath Van Horn, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 2024. "A comprehensive guide to building, defending, and attacking enterprise networks [...] The book includes 50 chapters of labs that allow readers to practice the concepts they have learned." Online (Pressbooks), PDF, and EPUB formats. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Culturally responsive and inclusive pedagogy
The Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Pedagogy OER Subject Guide, linked below, provides a starting point for OER professional development and curricular materials relating to issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion; trauma-informed practices; and culturally responsive, inclusive, and anti-racist pedagogy and practices. This guide includes concepts and keywords; TCC OEDI resources; introductory and more in-depth professional development resources (toolkits, guides, etc.); curriculum resources (activities, assignments, etc.); OER and EDI rubrics; instructional design; accessibility; as well as EDI-focused OER in different disciplines across the curriculum.
Your OER librarian
Jennifer Snoek-Brown
she/her
Contact:
Email: jsnoek-brown@tacomacc.edu (the fastest way to contact me)
Office: Bldg 7, Library (please wear a face mask)
Phone: 253.460.3936 (forwards to my email)
Book an appointment Click the "book now" button above to book a personal appointment with me via Zoom.
Website
Office: Bldg 7, Library (please wear a face mask)
Phone: 253.460.3936 (forwards to my email)
Book an appointment Click the "book now" button above to book a personal appointment with me via Zoom.
Your liaison librarian
Attributions
Except where otherwise noted, the content in this guide was compiled by Jennifer Snoek-Brown, Tacoma Community College Library, and is licensed under a CC BY SA 4.0 license.
Except where otherwise noted, the content in these guides by Tacoma Community College Library is licensed under CC BY SA 4.0.
This openly licensed content allows others to cite, share, or modify this content, with credit to TCC Library. When reusing or adapting this content, include this statement in the new document: This content was originally created by Tacoma Community College Library and shared with a CC BY SA 4.0 license.
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