Tier 2 · Elite Diploma
Enterprise Network Engineering
Network engineers. Not cable pullers. Not certification collectors.
- Code
- NET 200
- Tier
- Elite Diploma
- Duration
- 22 months · 88 weeks
- Cohort 01
- 02 November 2026
- Delivery
- On-Campus · Waterloo
- Credential
- Elite Diploma in Enterprise Network Engineering
A 22-month elite diploma that begins where certification-first networking programmes spend their first months. NET 200 assumes the Tier 1 networking floor and teaches the engineering craft on top of it — campus switching, enterprise routing, infrastructure services, wireless, WAN, security hardening, assurance, and automation — until a graduate can walk into an enterprise network, understand what they are seeing, improve it safely, prove the fix, document the work, and defend the design.
What you'll become
- Network Engineer
- Network Operations Centre Engineer
- Infrastructure Support Engineer
- Enterprise Network Technician
- Wireless Network Technician
- Network Automation Assistant
- Network Security Support Engineer
- ISP / Enterprise Support Engineer
- Branch Infrastructure Engineer
- Junior Network Consultant
§ 01 · The difference
What sets this programme apart.
Foundation Is Assumed, Not Repeated
FND 55 already teaches the networking substrate — layered models, IP, subnetting, routing concepts, DNS, DHCP, TLS, Wireshark, and small-network design. NET 200 starts above that line. A student who cannot clear the floor is routed back to the foundation gate before entering the diploma.
Configuration Is Evidence
A diagram is not proof. A spoken explanation is not proof. A vendor slide is not proof. The network must run. Every module produces working configurations, validation evidence, diagrams, change notes, and a defensible Git history.
Troubleshooting Is a Discipline
Students do not guess. They isolate failure by layer, compare expected state against observed state, use commands and captures as evidence, and document root cause. Troubleshooting is not a week at the end — it is the method used throughout.
Vendor Skill Without Vendor Lock-In
Cisco is the primary training environment because it remains the dominant enterprise-networking language in the market. But the diploma teaches transferable judgement — addressing, routing, segmentation, high availability, observability, security, documentation, and change control.
Automation Belongs in Network Engineering
Modern network engineers cannot remain purely manual CLI operators. NET 200 uses Python, structured data, APIs, Git, and configuration-management concepts to automate repeatable work and reduce operational risk.
West African Network Reality Matters
Students work with realistic constraints — branch connectivity, ISP instability, latency to international destinations, limited budgets, mixed equipment, mobile-money dependencies, school networks, microfinance branches, and uptime expectations under imperfect infrastructure.
§ 02 · Who this is for
Built for engineers ready to operate at depth.
◆ The Aspiring Network Engineer
You want to build and operate the networks that keep organisations alive — switches, routers, wireless, branch connectivity, monitoring, security controls, and incident response when the network fails.
◆ The IT Technician Moving Up
You already support users and devices. You want to move from 'restart the router' to understanding the topology, the route table, the VLAN design, the logs, and the policy.
◆ The Infrastructure-Minded Technologist
You are interested in cloud, security, telecoms, or systems — but you know the network is the substrate, and you want professional network fluency before specialising further.
◆ The Future Infrastructure Lead
You want to design reliable infrastructure for banks, schools, hospitals, NGOs, government departments, and growing technology companies in the region.
§ 03 · The Tier 1 floor
What you need before you start.
This is an advanced programme that begins above the foundation floor. Clear it by passing the WIATech technical assessment — or by completing the matching Tier 1 Foundations courses. The assessment is a placement instrument, never a rejection.
Required foundations
The required substrate — layers, IP, subnetting, routing concepts, DNS, DHCP, TLS, Wireshark, diagnostics, and small-network design. NET 200 does not re-teach these from zero; it builds enterprise engineering on top of them.
Network engineers live in terminals — SSH, logs, packet tools, config files, scripts, and Linux-based appliances. NET 200 assumes command-line fluency.
Configurations, diagrams, automation scripts, validation checklists, and capstone artefacts must carry clean history. NET 200 operates a Git-backed configuration repository from Week 01.
Network automation, API work, JSON parsing, inventory checks, and validation scripts build on Python fluency. NET 200 automates network tasks; it does not teach Python.
Recommended · not required
Strongly recommended for students who lack systems literacy. Not a hard gate, but it makes the early device-operations and services work considerably easier.
Universal parallel co-requisite
Taken in parallel throughout the diploma by every WIATech student. Network engineers write change notes, outage reports, handover documents, design justifications, and executive summaries.
NET 200 is a Tier 2 Elite Diploma that begins above the foundation floor. Every student arriving in Semester 01 must have cleared the required Tier 1 foundations — FND 55, FND 45, FND 25, and FND 60 — by passing the technical assessment or completing the specific Tier 1 courses their results indicate. The portal is placement, not rejection. NET 200 does not require FND 40, FND 35, DAT 45, MTH 85, or WEB 35.
Direct entry
Applicants who can demonstrate the required foundations sit the NET 200 technical assessment and interview directly. A pass certifies that the foundation floor is already crossed and routes the candidate straight into Semester 01.
Routed entry
Applicants who do not pass all required sub-scores are not rejected; they are routed to the exact Tier 1 courses they need. A candidate strong in networking but weak in Python may be routed to FND 60 only; one weak in subnetting and diagnostics is routed to FND 55.
§ 04 · The architecture
4 semesters. One graduating engineer.
Year 01 · Campus · Semester 01
Campus Switching & Device Operations
The semester students become operational with real network devices — Cisco device operation, secure management, enterprise addressing implementation, VLANs, trunks, STP, EtherChannel, inter-VLAN routing, and the discipline of validating every change. Exit standard: Junior Network Technician.
Network Engineering Practice & Device Operations
Cisco IOS / IOS XE navigation, secure management, SSH, local users, banners, interface descriptions, the configuration lifecycle, backups, lab standards, naming conventions, and change notes.
Cisco IOS · SSH · Git · Config Backup · Change Records
Enterprise Addressing & Documentation
Applied IPv4/IPv6 addressing, VLSM, infrastructure links, management networks, branch ranges, growth planning, diagram labelling, and address-plan governance.
IPv4 · IPv6 · VLSM · diagrams.net · Address Registers
VLANs, Trunks & Access-Layer Design
VLAN design, access and trunk ports, 802.1Q, native VLAN handling, allowed VLAN lists, voice VLANs, and segmentation validation.
VLANs · 802.1Q · Access Layer · Packet Tracer / CML
STP, RSTP & EtherChannel
Loop prevention, root-bridge design, RSTP behaviour, port roles, BPDU Guard concepts, EtherChannel, redundancy, and failure testing.
STP · RSTP · EtherChannel · Failure Testing
Inter-VLAN Routing & Layer-3 Campus Design
Router-on-a-stick, switched virtual interfaces, default gateways, routing between VLANs, policy boundaries, and packet-path defence.
SVIs · Router-on-a-Stick · Layer-3 Switching · Packet-Path Tracing
Campus Troubleshooting Practicum
Injected faults across VLANs, trunks, STP, EtherChannel, addressing, gateways, and inter-VLAN routing. Students diagnose, fix, prove, and document.
show/debug · Wireshark · Fault Isolation · Incident Notes
Capstone
The Resilient Campus Network
Students design, build, validate, document, and defend a resilient campus LAN for a realistic organisation — departments, VLANs, redundant switching, inter-VLAN routing, management access, an addressing plan, and validation evidence.
Deliverables: Working campus topology · Configuration repository · Professional diagram · Addressing register · TESTING.md validation evidence · Oral campus-design defence
Year 01 · Enterprise · Semester 02
Enterprise Routing, Services & Security
The semester students move from campus switching into enterprise routing, services, edge behaviour, security controls, and associate-level enterprise integration. Exit standard: Junior Network Engineer.
Static Routing, Edge Connectivity & Path Control
Route-table logic, longest match, static routes, default routes, floating static routes, edge assumptions, path verification, and route-failure troubleshooting.
Route Tables · Static/Default Routes · Edge Routing · traceroute
Dynamic Routing with OSPF
Single-area and introductory multi-area OSPF, router IDs, adjacency states, passive interfaces, DR/BDR, summarisation concepts, and OSPF troubleshooting.
OSPF · Adjacency · LSDB · Convergence
Enterprise Network Services
DHCP, DNS integration, NAT/PAT, NTP, Syslog, SNMP, first-hop redundancy concepts, and service validation.
DHCP · NAT/PAT · NTP · Syslog · SNMP · FHRP
Infrastructure Security Engineering
ACLs, management-plane hardening, SSH policy, port security, DHCP snooping, Dynamic ARP Inspection, unused-port shutdown, AAA concepts, and segmentation enforcement.
ACLs · Port Security · DHCP Snooping · DAI · AAA
Enterprise Integration & Technical Readiness
Integrated switching, routing, services, wireless concepts, infrastructure security, troubleshooting, and professional exam discipline. External certification is treated as an optional milestone, not the internal programme identity.
Integrated Labs · Simulation Drills · Blueprint Mapping · Timed Diagnostics
Capstone
The Enterprise Branch Network
Students connect a headquarters and two branches with routing, services, segmentation, edge controls, infrastructure security, and documented operations.
Deliverables: HQ + branch implementation · Routing and services validation · ACL / security evidence · Outage scenario and recovery notes · Technical handover document · Oral enterprise-edge defence
Year 02 · Operations · Semester 03
WAN, Wireless, Assurance & Automation
The semester students become network operations engineers — branch and WAN patterns, enterprise wireless, assurance, monitoring, incident response, and automation. Exit standard: Network Operations Engineer.
WAN, VPN & Branch Architecture
WAN design patterns, ISP handoffs, site-to-site VPN concepts, GRE/IPsec literacy, SD-WAN concepts, branch resilience, and connectivity constraints in West African contexts.
WAN · VPN Concepts · GRE/IPsec · SD-WAN · Branch Design
Enterprise Wireless Engineering
WLAN architecture, AP modes, WLC concepts, SSIDs, VLAN mapping, roaming concepts, wireless security, RF literacy, and site-survey reasoning.
WLAN · WLC · AP Modes · WPA2/WPA3 · RF Basics
Network Assurance & Observability
Logging, monitoring, NetFlow concepts, SNMP, Syslog, baselines, dashboards, alerting, capacity evidence, and incident notes.
SNMP · Syslog · NetFlow · Dashboards · Baselines
Network Automation I
Python for network tasks, configuration parsing, JSON/YAML, inventory files, template generation, validation scripts, and safe automation practices.
Python · JSON · YAML · Jinja · Git
Network Automation II
REST APIs, controller-based networking, NETCONF/RESTCONF literacy, Ansible concepts, idempotence, automated checks, and change-risk controls.
REST · APIs · Ansible · Controller-Based Networking · Validation Automation
Capstone
The Network Operations Centre
Students operate a simulated enterprise network over multiple weeks. Faculty inject outages and performance anomalies; students monitor, triage, troubleshoot, communicate status, fix faults, and produce incident records.
Deliverables: Monitoring and logging setup · Incident tickets and root-cause reports · Validated automation artefact · Post-incident review · NOC operations dashboard · Oral operations defence
Year 02 · Architecture · Semester 04
Architecture, Advanced Enterprise & Industry Launch
The semester students move from operating networks to designing them — deeper routing, redundancy, policy, infrastructure security, migration planning, documentation, consulting, and professional readiness. Exit standard: Enterprise Network Engineer.
Advanced Enterprise Routing
EIGRP literacy, advanced OSPF, BGP fundamentals, route summarisation, redistribution concepts, policy routing concepts, convergence tradeoffs, and routing design defence.
OSPF · EIGRP · BGP · Redistribution · Routing Policy
Network Architecture & High Availability
Hierarchical campus design, redundancy, high availability, failure domains, scalability, segmentation strategy, the network lifecycle, migration planning, and change windows.
Campus Architecture · High Availability · Failure Domains · Migration Planning
Enterprise Network Security & Governance
Secure network architecture, Zero Trust concepts, infrastructure hardening, access-control governance, audit evidence, vendor risk, and compliance-aware documentation, with a security handoff to SEC 200 depth where appropriate.
Zero Trust · Hardening · Audit Evidence · Governance · Risk Notes
Professional Practice, Consulting & Industry Launch
Client discovery, requirements workshops, design presentations, technical writing, costing assumptions, bill-of-materials literacy, support handover, interview preparation, and portfolio packaging.
Consulting Briefs · Design Presentation · Handover · Portfolio · Interview Defence
Capstone
The Defended Enterprise Network Engagement
A full enterprise network engagement for a realistic West African organisation — a multi-branch microfinance institution, a private school network, a regional health provider, a logistics company, or a growing technology company. Discovery, requirements, design, implementation, monitoring, security, automation, validation, documentation, and oral defence before a panel.
Deliverables: Requirements interpretation and assumptions · Enterprise architecture diagram · Addressing and routing plan · Switching, wireless, WAN, services, and security configurations · Monitoring and operations plan · Automation artefact · TESTING.md with validation evidence · Git-backed configuration repository · Risk register and growth plan · Technical handover document · Panel oral defence
§ 05 · The toolkit
The stack you'll master.
§ 06 · Grading
How the work is measured.
§ 07 · Credentials & career
What you walk out with.
A Tier 2 Elite Diploma in Enterprise Network Engineering, issued by the Waterloo Institute of Advanced Technology — an academy of Tabempa Engineering Limited. It is accompanied by a verified portfolio of working configurations, validation evidence, and defended capstones, and the institute's written commitment that the bearer meets the operational standard WIATech sets.
The portfolio
- Twenty module deliverables with configurations, diagrams, and validation evidence
- Four semester capstones, culminating in the defended enterprise network engagement
- A Git-backed configuration repository spanning the diploma
- A fault-resolution portfolio with before/after evidence
- A network automation artefact
- CCNA readiness by the programme midpoint
- CCNP Enterprise readiness as an optional external target by graduation
Career acceleration
- Client discovery, requirements-workshop, and design-presentation practice
- A client-ready network proposal and professional portfolio
- Mock technical interviews and a board-style design defence
- External certification alignment — CCNA, optionally CCNP Enterprise (WIATech promises competence, not exam passes)
- Portfolio engineering and GitHub polishing
- Guidance toward junior-to-mid network and infrastructure roles across the region
§ 08 · Admissions
Who we admit. How we admit them.
Admission is selective with capped cohorts, and does not depend on credentials — no specific WASSCE results, university degree, or networking certifications are required. What is required is demonstrated capability, cleared either by passing the WIATech technical assessment or by completing the gated Tier 1 foundation courses. Prior IT, networking, or systems experience, a self-directed portfolio, or completed Tier 1 certificates all help, but none are required. Admission is on demonstrated capability, not credentials alone.
Application
Online application form, academic records, and a short statement of intent.
Technical Assessment
A WIATech-administered assessment covering the required Tier 1 floor — networking (FND 55), Linux (FND 45), Git (FND 25), and Python (FND 60) — plus diagnostic reasoning and written communication. Results route the candidate to direct entry or a specific Tier 1 path.
Technical Interview
A structured interview with faculty, evaluating discipline, intent, and engineering fit — not existing credentials.
Offer & Enrolment
Successful applicants receive a formal offer indicating their entry route (Direct or Routed), an enrolment package, and an onboarding schedule.
Starting from the foundations, via the Network Engineering Foundations Pathway: NLe 78,000 total (NLe 13,000 foundations + NLe 65,000 diploma). Tier 2 Elite Diploma tuition is set in advance and paid in monthly instalments after a seat deposit. Full tuition & payment →