This is an archived syllabus from 2017-2018
COMP28411 Computer Networks syllabus 2017-2018
COMP28411 Computer Networks
Level 2
Credits: 10
Enrolled students: 101
Course leader: Andy Carpenter
Additional staff: view all staff
Requisites
- Pre-Requisite (Compulsory): COMP18112
- Pre-Requisite (Compulsory): COMP15111
Additional requirements
- Students who are not from the School of Computer Science must have permission from both Computer Science and their home School to enrol.
Pre-requisites
To enrol students are required to have taken COMP18112 plus one of COMP15111 or MATH10111
Assessment methods
- 70% Written exam
- 30% Practical skills assessment
Semester | Event | Location | Day | Time | Group |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sem 1 | Lecture | 1.1 | Mon | 09:00 - 10:00 | - |
Sem 1 A | Lecture | 1.1 | Tue | 15:00 - 16:00 | - |
Sem 1 B | Lab | LF31 | Thu | 09:00 - 11:00 | G |
Sem 1 B | Lab | LF31 | Fri | 11:00 - 13:00 | F |
Sem 1 B | Workshop | G23 | Mon | 13:00 - 14:00 | J |
Sem 1 B | Workshop | G23 | Tue | 15:00 - 16:00 | K |
- Mobile Computing and Networks
Overview
In today's connected world, phones, PDAs, computers, .. all share information. In reality, it's the applications running on these devices, e.g. picture messaging and e-Commerce, that share the information. This course unit examines the principles involved in making this sharing possible, efficient and secure. In particular, it looks at how networking can mask many of the imperfections of interconnection technologies from applications; allow applications to share communication mediums; and potentially give Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees to applications. At the end of the unit you'll appreciate how different applications can place different demands on the interconnection infrastructure and conversely how technology can limit the types of application that can be run.
Aims
This course unit aims to build on the ideas gained in the first year course unit Fundamentals of Distributed Systems. It aims to provide students with an understanding of the techniques that networking protocols use to achieve error detection and recovery, multiplexing and security protection. To also seeks to show students how the limitations of communication media can limit what applications can achieve. Equipment with the skills needed to go out and setup networks in small and medium sized organisations.
Syllabus
Introduction
network elements, network structures, protocols, service models, encapsulation, sharing, performance measures
Applications
networking elements of an application (multiple protocols, clients, servers, meaning of data, data encoding), styles of protocols, relationship of control and data, distributing information, caching
Security
attacks, authentication, confidentiality, integrity, non-repudiation, encryption/decryption, keys, key distribution, digital certificates, implementing secure systems (IPSEC, TLS), firewalls
Multimedia networks
IP multimedia, VoIP, streaming and buffering, jitter, multimedia error recovery, RTP, content distribution networks, peer-to-peer, bit torrent, multimedia QoS
Inter-process communication
service models, reliability (acknowledgements, retransmission, variable timeouts), flow control, congestion control, RPC, discovery (port mappers)
Host-to-host communication
forwarding, mapping to physical networks (address, fragmentation), address managment (sub-netting, cidr)
Node-to-node communication
error detection (parity, crc), framing, bit encoding, wireless transmissions
Convergence
relationship mobile phones and data communications
Teaching methods
Lectures
17 in total, 3 per fortnight
Examples classes
5 in total, 1 per fortnight (Moodle-based)
Laboratories
10 hours in total, 5 2-hour sessions
Feedback methods
Coursework is submitted on-line with numeric and written feedback provided for each individual element of thisStudy hours
- Assessment written exam (2 hours)
- Lectures (18 hours)
- Practical classes & workshops (15 hours)
Employability skills
- Analytical skills
- Problem solving
Learning outcomes
Programme outcome | Unit learning outcomes | Assessment |
---|---|---|
A3 | Understand how a collection of communication protocols co-operate and communicate to achieve the overall communication function. |
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A3 | Understand the characteristics and applications of various networking technologies. |
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A3 | Have a working knowledge of at least one protocol at each of the main levels of the OSI seven layer reference model. |
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B1 | Carry out network designs using appropriate hardware and software components to provide specified services for a given site. |
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B1 D6 | Be able to calculate message delays and throughput for a given application. |
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C5 C6 D4 D5 | Be able to specify the implementation of a simple protocol. |
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A3 | Understand packet forwarding and the role of routing protocols. |
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A3 | Understand error detection and recovery mechanisms. |
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A3 | Understand how features such as flow control and quality of service are achieved. |
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B1 C5 C6 D4 D5 | For given scenarios, demonstrate an understanding of 6, 7 and 8. |
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A3 | Appreciate how internetworking demands changes in the operation of basic techniques. |
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C5 C6 D4 D5 | Be able to design and implement a program that allows client-server file transfer. |
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Reading list
Title | Author | ISBN | Publisher | Year | Core |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Computer networking: a top-down approach (7th edition) | Kurose, James and Keith Ross | 9781292153599 | Pearson | 2016 | ✔ |
Computer networks: a systems approach (5th edition) | Peterson, Larry L. and Bruce S. Davie | 9780123850591 | Morgan Kaufmann | 2011 | ✖ |
Software quality assurance | Laporte, Claude Y. and Alain April | 9781118501825 | Wiley | 2018 | ✖ |
Additional notes
Course unit materials
Links to course unit teaching materials can be found on the School of Computer Science website for current students.