Computer Network FundamentalsCNT4007C

Spring, 2014

Ye Xia

(Pronounced as “Yeh Siah”)

How is the course conducted?

• Please follow the lecture and reading schedule on course web page

• Assignments are all posted on e-learning.

• Critical dates are posted on the web page.

Course Coverage• Overview of communication networks

– Focus on the Internet; but also think about other networks

• Will teach networking knowledge– Pick up concepts, jargons and technologies

• Special attention will be paid to engineering the network– Principles and design of the network– Protocols– Algorithms

• Always consider: what are the issues and how they are solved?

Coverage

• Basic: network protocol layers– Application– Transport– Networking– Data Link

• Integrated or advanced topics– Quality of service framework and mechanisms– Wireless networks– Peer-to-peer networks– network resource allocation– network security

Principles and Design• Most communication networks are giant infrastructure. A

lot is at stake. Need– Careful and good design, and/or– Can be evolved

• Objective: what is it used for– Limited or unlimited?

• What is its architecture ?– Specify different components and what they do– How they are realized: implementation and technologies

• What are the design principles: for coping with complexity– To ease designer, implementer, or user’s lives

Protocols and Algorithms

• Algorithms: formal procedure to accomplishing some task

• Protocols: governs the information exchange and collective behavior of distributed entities– For certain tasks

• These are important components in networks

• Each piece can also be complex– Also need some design principles

Network Programming

• Learn network programming – through project– not a focus of the lectures; but important

• You can do much more yourselves.

Why This Course?• Obvious:

– Learn about the internals of the Internet– Learn about communication networks in general– Learn network programming– Related to other core areas of CS: (distributed)

operating systems– For some: continue with advanced network courses

• Less obvious: Learn about distributed, complex systems– Typical issues, solutions, design and architecture– Coping with complexity and scale

Textbook

• Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach, 6th Edition

• by James F. Kurose & Keith W. Ross

• Important to have access to the 6th edition– Homework questions and labs are from the

textbook

• Course home page: http://www.cise.ufl.edu/~yx1• You will find

– Lecture slides

– Project assignments; due dates

– Contact information

– Announcements

• Please check it frequently• Check grades on e-learning (Sakai)

– Go to https://lss.at.ufl.edu/, and log in with your gatorlink account

– Distribute assignments and solutions

• Assignments, lecture notes and other handouts will NOT be distributed in class.

• Please get them from the course web site!

Requirements

• Homework assignments (6) – 10%

• One programming project (25%)

• Exams: each two hours long– Midterm – 30% (Feb 27, in class)– Final – 35% (April 28, 3-5 pm)

Homework

• Due date will be posted when each homework is assigned

• Submit homework in hard copy in class

• Some homework contains a lab part; – only the lab part will be submitted through

Sakai

Homework: Important Note

• Each exam will have at least 10% (maybe 20%) of the points coming directly from the homework questions.– This is in addition to the homework’s 10%

direct contribution to your course grade.

• Check homework solutions carefully for correctness.

Project

• One programming project– on network programming, spread out– There is a mid-semester checkpoint– Final due date: April 23– Team project: 3 persons per team– Java programming; C/C++ are also alright

• Details will be posted later

Late Policies

• Late homework will face 30% additional deduction before the solutions are posted (in one week).– After that, no points may be earned on the

homework.

• No late project please.

Office Hours

• Instructor: Fridays: 1:00 – 3:00 pm, or by appointment

• TA: see web page later

Others

• Class participation: Please show up in classes

• Academic honesty: no copying of anything!