Course Description
This course is an undergraduate-level treatment of the concepts and principles of data communications and computer networking. Topics covered include network architecture and layering, packet and circuit switching, addressing, intra- and inter-networking, routing protocols, network management, network applications, and recent advances in computer networks. This course will involve a combination of homework assignments, paper readings, and programming projects.
Textbook and Other Readings
The required textbook for this class is Computer Networks: A System Approach (5th Edition) by Larry L. Peterson and Bruce S. Davie. The 4th edition is fine, though the chapter/section numbers will be different.
Additional reading material will be drawn from selected research publications (links will be listed in syllabus).
Grading
Semester grades will be calculated as follows:
Homework assignments: 15%
Midterm Exam1: 20%
Midterm Exam2: 20%
Projects: 40%
Class participation 5%
Assignments are due before class on the posted dated. Reading summaries are due at 11:59pm Sunday (i.e. the night before class). There is a 25% penalty for up to 12 hours after the deadline.
Integrity Policies
The course follows the
Departmental Honor Policy. If you are unsure whether or not a certain practice is permissible, PLEASE ask the instructor beforehand. If a cheating case is caught, the instructor is obliged to report the case to the Graduate School of Arts and Science.
Syllabus (tentative)
Date |
Topics |
Readings |
Notes |
Week 1. |
Administravia and Introduction |
Sec 1.1 - 1.3, Design Philosophy |
|
Week 2. |
Overview, Physical and Link Layer |
Sec 2.1 - 2.4, 3.1 |
M.L.K. Day |
Week 3. |
Link Layer, Switching and Bridging |
Sec 2.6 |
|
Week 4. |
Network Layer, Intradoamin Routing |
Sec 3.2 - 3.3 |
Project 1 Release network simulator (ns3) |
Week 5. |
Inter-domain Routing, Routing Convergence |
Sec 4.1, Gao-Rexford |
|
Week 6. |
Transport Layer, UDP and TCP |
Sec 5.1 - 5.2, 6.1 - 6.2 |
|
Week 7. |
TCP |
Sec 6.1 - 6.2 |
Presidents' Day |
Week 8. |
Congestion Control |
Sec 6.3 - 6.4 |
|
Week 9. |
No Classes |
|
Spring Break |
Week 10. |
Buffer/Review |
|
Midterm Exam |
Week 11. |
Quality of Service, Security |
Sec 6.5, 8.4 - 8.5 |
|
Week 12. |
Overlay networks, DHT |
Sec 9.4.1, Chord |
Project 2 Release |
Week 13. |
Peer-to-Peer networks |
Sec 9.4.2, BitTorrent |
|
Week 14. |
Mobile and Wireless Networks |
|
|
Week 15. |
Cloud |
|
Easter |
Week 16. |
Datacenter and Cloud |
Above
the Cloud |
|
Week 17. |
Buffer/Review |
|
|