CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

1.1

INTRODUCTION
In the world of modernization, technology becomes part of our daily
life which makes faster and convenient. With the advancement of
technology, smartphones have become reliable that they can work easier
and faster. Smartphones are able to access the Internet and check emails,
manage calendars, listen to music, play games, watch videos, take
photos, write text messages and make phone calls.
Android is an open-source, mobile operating system which is
primarily used on smartphones and tablets. Android is based on the Linux
Kernel and written in Java programming language. Android is a powerful
operating system that supports a large number of applications in
smartphones and mainly based on ARM (an ARM processor is one of a
family of CPUs based on the RISC (reduced instruction set computer)
architecture developed by Advanced RISC Machines [1]) architecture
platform on its hardware. Android phones can run many applications; the
user has ability to check the notifications, the user can easily access a
variety of settings quickly through its widgets, and a better user interface.
Android also has a better performance on its stability and its security; it
supports multiple languages, and the ability to customize their
1

smartphones. Users can download some applications through the digital

distribution platform developed by Google called Google Play. This
operating system is used due to its low-cost and customizable features. [2]
Computer use was still new, but today life would be unthinkable
without the benefits computer networking provides. The computer network
has become a fundamental tool of today's corporate environment. One
must have the skills and knowledge to perform tasks in the area of
computer networking. There is always a room for learning and
improvement. Innovative techniques must be used to convey information
to the users, such as students and other networking enthusiasts. [3]
In the world of computers, networking is the practice of interfacing
two or more computing devices with each other for the purpose of sharing
data. Computer networks are built with a combination of hardware and
software.[4]
Cisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational technology
company

headquartered

in

San

Jose,

California,

that

designs,

manufactures, and sells networking equipment. The stock was added to

the Dow Jones Industrial Average on June 8, 2009, and is also included in
the S&P 500 Index, the Russell 1000 Index, NASDAQ-100 Index and the
Russell 1000 Growth Stock Index.[5]
Cisco is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. 85
percent of Internet traffic travel across Cisco's systems, and it supports,
2

manages and operates business systems for various and major third
parties.[6]
Cisco Systems also sponsors a line of IT Professional certifications
for Cisco products. There are five levels of certification: Entry (Cisco
Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT)), Associate (Cisco
Certified Network Associate (CCNA) / Cisco Certified Design Associate
(CCDA)), Professional (Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) /
Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP)), Expert (Cisco Certified
Internetwork Expert (CCIE) / Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE)), and
recently Architect, as well as eight different paths, Routing & Switching,
Design, Network Security, Service Provider, Service Provider Operations,
Storage Networking, Voice Datacenter and Wireless. [7]
Computer networking books and modules are dull, despite of
interesting facts, ideas, guides, and knowledge, resulting to lack of
attraction. Therefore, there is a practical worth for developing a new media
for learning and guiding users anytime and anywhere. The availability of
powerful mobile computing devices combined with growing bandwidth in
mobile networks enables a variety of new use case scenarios for mobile
study guide application.
The proponent aims to develop an offline Android mobile
application that will serve as a guide in learning computer networking. This
mobile study guide application will guide the users on different computer
networking terms and their definitions. This application will provide
3

computer networking devices configuration guidelines to guide users in

performing their actual hardware tasks. It also provides questions and
reviewers that covers most of the consisted topics in becoming a Certified
Cisco Networking Associate.
This mobile study guide application focuses on CCNA. CCNA
certification is an associate-level Cisco Career certification. This study will
guide users with the specific information that they are looking for at the
palm of their hand. Instead of reading the whole module, the application
will serve the users the information they need in a simplified manner.

1.2

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

1.2.1 GENERAL PROBLEM
The general problem of the study is foreseen as on how to develop
a Cisco Pocket Study Guide for Android devices that will serve as a guide
for students with Cisco Networking Academy subjects and other computer
networking enthusiasts, particularly CCNA.
1.2.2 SPECIFIC PROBLEMS
1.2.2.1

How to design and develop an interesting mobile study guide

application that will run smoothly and efficiently on Android
devices?

1.2.2.2

How to develop a mobile study guide application that can be

accessed by users anytime and anywhere without the use of
Internet?

1.2.2.3

How to develop a mobile study guide application that is

educational?

1.2.2.4

How to develop an application that will guide students and

other

computer

networking

enthusiasts

in

computer

networking, primarily in CCNA?

1.2.2.5

How to develop a mobile study guide that has a user-friendly

Graphical User Interface?

1.2.2.6

How to develop a study guide application that will test users

networking knowledge?

1.2.2.7

How to develop an application that can be linked or directed

to open another installed application?

1.3

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1.3.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVE
The proponent primarily intends to develop a Cisco Pocket Study
Guide for Android devices that will serves as a guide for students with
Cisco Networking Academy subjects and other computer networking
enthusiasts, particularly CCNA.
5

1.3.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

1.3.2.1

To design and develop an interesting mobile study guide

application that will run smoothly and efficiently on Android
devices.
Mobile applications are just nothing if they cannot
function the way they are expected to. The proposed
application will run smoothly and efficiently to target devices
and others that will meet its system specifications.

1.3.2.2

To develop a mobile study guide application that can be

accessed by users anytime and anywhere without the use of
Internet.
The proposed application is offline. Users can access
the information loaded by the application through its internal
local database, without requiring internet connection.

1.3.2.3

To develop a mobile study guide application that is

educational.
Digital learning continues to innovates nowadays, that
is why, the proposed application adapted the concept of
educating and guiding users through the use of Android
devices.

1.3.2.4

To develop an application that will guide students and other

computer networking enthusiasts in computer networking,
primarily in CCNA.
Since CCNA covers broad concepts in Cisco
networking, the proposed application will serve as a guide to
6

interested

students,

and

other

computer

networking

enthusiasts.
1.3.2.5

To develop a mobile study guide that has a user-friendly

Graphical User Interface.
In developing a mobile application, one of the crucial
aspects in development is having a Graphical User Interface
that can easily understand by users by means of
distinguishing each elements controls and functions without
having any confusion in the design. Since the proposed
application will serve as a study guide, it has a user-friendly
GUI.

1.3.2.6

To develop a study guide application that will test users

networking knowledge?
Aside from just a study guide, the proposed
application will test users knowledge about various concepts
of Cisco networking through series of shuffled questions.

1.3.2.7

To develop an application that can be linked or directed to

open another installed application.
Linking or directing an application is another efficient
way for expanding the functionality of an Android application,
given that the target application to be open is installed on the
same device. The proposed application will be having this

feature in order for users to use the functionality of another

application relating to his/her needs.

1.4

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

1.4.1 BENEFICIARIES
The proposed application would be beneficial to students with
Cisco Networking Academy subjects and other network enthusiasts. This
application will serve as a guide to users as they take the challenges of
computer networking. It will cater reliable information to users under topics
covered by CCNA. The application contains of simple-formatted concepts
and principles that are easily understood by users to further enhance their
knowledge and improve their technical skills in networking. Since it is an
offline android application, it will be easy for users to access it after
installation, anytime and anywhere. It will make learning more interesting
as technology innovation will be applied in the development process.
1.4.2 PROPONENT
This project is a challenge to the proponent as he would develop an
application that will guide users in terms of computer networking. The
significance of this study to the proponent is that, the proponent will learn
how to develop an effective mobile application that will guide its
beneficiaries and will run on Android-platform devices. As he develops the
application, the proponent will be enhancing his knowledge on networking
8

as he is also responsible for the data gathering of the proposed system.

The proponent will also be engaged to different programming language
that best suits the requirements of the system and express his creativity in
planning a user-friendly interface of the application.

1.4.3 MANAGEMENT
The proposed application would be beneficial in an organizational
level such as the schools because it promotes learning and knowledge
about computer networking that will be focused on Cisco. It well help
trainers and educators to make learning easier. It will also promote
modern application developing industry in terms of learning and education.

1.4.4 FUTURE RESEARCHERS

Technology is continuously innovating. There are various strategies
and techniques that modern technology has to offer. The proposed study
would benefit future researchers as they will be inspired to make related
studies in computer networking. By means of developing this application,
any researchers are free to make enhancements and development of
application related to this, as way of learning also continues to innovate.
9

1.5

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

1.5.1 SCOPE
The general intent of the study is to develop a mobile study guide
application which covers Cisco Networking Academy subjects, particularly
CCNA. It includes a dictionary, where users can easily search for the
definition of a certain networking term; acronyms, where users can easily
search for the definition of a certain networking acronym; devices
configuration guides, where users can look for devices configuration code
functions and their option to try the given code snippets using a button
directing to open the Cisco Packet Tracer Mobile (if installed); test
questions, where users can randomly test their knowledge on networking
concepts; and a reviewer, where users can review the common question
and answer networking concepts; all pertaining to the topics covered by
CCNA. It also supports PDF (Portable Document Format) to properly
group the format of contents. The application has its own two types of
local databases (internal to code module and another internal to package
(.sqlite file)) from where gathered data will be coming from. AutoScale GUI
that made the application to be fitted proportionally to various devices
screen resolutions. It covers android devices such as android phones and
tablets as its dedicated platform. It will be dedicated for Android OS
version 4.2 (Jellybean) and up. The target beneficiaries will be the

10

students with Cisco Networking Academy subjects and other networking

enthusiasts, preferably, have a background knowledge about Cisco.

1.5.2 DELIMITATION
The proposed application would be limited only under the topics
covered by CCNA. The study is also limited and not concerned with Apple
iOS and other console games. The terms and concepts included in the
application are limited due to given time frame of development until the
developer will update its database and the user will update the installed
application (concept of releasing application updates). PDF view takes a
few seconds to load depending on the size of content and processing
capabilities of the device, as well as with other views linked to the
database (depends on the size of the database). Quiz style is slightly
different in the tradition style used by CCNA. Instead of using radio
buttons and text boxes, it uses system buttons and the type of quiz is only
INPUT
PROCESS
OUTPUT
limited
to multiple choice (with
four (4) given choices). People
who cannot
read are not included with the target users/beneficiaries. This study will be

Books

1.6

Traditional
Uninterested or
review
bored
conducted with limited amount of financial resources and
time framework.
Notes
students/reade
Memorization
r
Presentations
Manual
Modules
searching from
different
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
OF THE STUDY
modules

1.6.1 EXISTING SYSTEM

11

Figure 1.0
(Theoretical Framework of the Existing System, which uses school materials as the

INPUT

PROCESS

OUTPUT

effective method to guide and educate people)

Networking
Search
1.6.2 / PROPOSED SYSTEM
term
keyword for
acronyms /
fast access.
definitions
Read
Configuration
configuration
codes
guidelines
easily within
Review
just a click.
questions
Answer the
review
questions
digitally.

12

Effective
Learning
Resources
Interesting way
of learning
Portable Study
Guide Android
Application.

Figure 2.0
(Theoretical Framework of the Proposed System, which uses mobile study guide
application as the effective method to guide and educate people)

13