INSTRUCTOR: John E. Howland

TEXT: Computer Networks, Third Edition by Andrew Tanenbaum

EXAMS: Mid-term Exam, Friday, October 13, 2000

Final Exam or Project Due Date, Thursday December 14, 2000, 8:30 a.m.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this course include

a) learning data communications and networking design, principles and architecture

b) learning protocols of inter-networked systems

c) laboratory experience using real network protocols such as

TCP/IP or AppleTalk

d) learning about the impact of inter-networking on various segments of society

such as education, research, science, commerce, etc.

PROGRAMMING LABORATORY PROBLEMS

Several programming problems will be assigned during the course. These problems may involve individual or group efforts, depending on the assignment. Programming will be done using an available C programming environment. All problems will be submitted for grading in machine readable form for one of these systems. Each problem submission must include a printed listing of the programs as well as some documentation for the programs submitted. All problems will be machine tested before they are hand graded. Each assigned programming problem will have a due date. Laboratory problems turned in one class period past the due date may not receive full credit. Laboratory problems which are more than one class period past the due date may not be accepted for partial credit.

CLASS PRESENTATIONS

Some class material will be presented by students in seminar fashion. The class will be divided into 5 or 6 groups of 5 or 6 students each. Each group will present a topic selected by the group and/or the instructor. Each group presentation will last one class period.

GRADING

Class Presentations 20%

Programming Laboratory Problems 50%

Mid-term Exam 15%

Final Exam 15%

Students have the opportunity of choosing between a Final Exam or a Course Progect. Course projects usually involve the design and prototype implementation of a network based system.

DATA COMMUNICATIONS TOPICS

Transmission Media

Signaling

Data Transmission

Data Compression

Data Link Protocols

INTER-NETWORKING TOPICS

Introduction to Inter-networking

Network Technologies

Inter-networking Concepts and Architecture

Inter-net addresses

Address Resolution Protocol

Reverse Address Resolution Protocol

Inter-net Protocol

Routing IP Datagrams

Inter-net Control Message Protocol

Protocol Layering

User Datagram Protocol

Transmission Control Protocol

Gateway to Gateway Protocol

Exterior Gateway Protocol

Interior Gateway Protocols

Transparent Gateways and Subnet Addressing

Client-Server Interaction

Domain Name System

Application Services

Internet Research and Engineering Problems