CSCI 4345
COMPUTER NETWORKS
Syllabus for Fall 2012
Professor: Dr. John P. Abraham. Office: Engineering Building Room 3.276
Web: faculty.utpa/jabraham
Please check this site frequently for
updates.
Email: jabraham@utpa.edu. Tele: 665-3550
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Monday
27th August, First day of class.
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Follow me on Twitter: abrahamUTPA. You can
ask me questions on Twitter.
Required Textbook: Comer, Douglas E., Computer Networks and
Internets, 5th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2009. ISBN-0-13-606127-3 (ISBN 13:
978-0-13-606127-4)
Reference:
·
Behrouz A. Forouzan, TCP/IP
Protocol Suite, 4th Ed., McGraw Hill, 2010. ISBN 978-0-07-337604-2
·
Tanenbaum, A. S., 2002, Computer Networks, 4th Ed., Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle
River, New Jersey.
·
Data
and Computer Communications 7th edition, by William Stallings, Prentice Hall, 12004
·
UNIX
Network Programming by W. Richard Stevens, Prentice Hall, 1990
Expected Background:
Students are
expected to be able to program in C or ++, VB or Java. Students who are not
fluent in these topics should make up the deficiencies by homework and
programming exercises.
Catalog description:
An
introduction to data communication topics, including data transmission,
encoding data link control, switching, network topologies, protocols,
internetworking and data security. Examples of existing networks and
network architectures are studied.
Prerequisites: Operating systems or Computer Architecture or consent of
instructor.
In addition to this, students will gain
practical experience in setting up communication between computers, networking,
and network management. Students will also install different peer-to-peer and
client-server network software. They
will also gain some experience on inter-networking.
Approximately 60% of the time will be
spent in lecture and 40% in lab. All lab work will be done in groups of four to
five students. Since all groups will
have to give presentations, no schedule changes will be allowed. Choose your topic and schedule
carefully.
Grading:
Mid term and Final Exams 60%
Quizzes
and other assignments 10%
Practical
portion 30%
Course
Topics:
Fundamentals of computer
networks; theory, design, implementation and performance analysis of computer
networks; network protocols; examples of computer network applications.
COURSE
OBJECTIVES:
Upon conclusion of this course a student will be able to plan and install a
TCP/IP protocol stack based local area network, set up switches and routers,
and write socket programs for communication.
Learning outcomes:
1.
Compare and contrast the OSI and TCP/IP
models.
2. Given a
network problem, create appropriate topology and draw wiring diagrams.
3. Make
cat 5 cables and connect them with switches and make crossover cables where
appropriate.
4. Configure
servers, switches and routers.
5. Create
subnets and supernets.
6. Create
routing tables.
7. Setup
static IP address as well as DHCP based addresses.
8. Setup a
DNS.
9. Setup a
mail server
10. Setup a
wireless network
11. Install
appropriate network security
12. Write
socket programs in C or Java.
Assignments:
General
instructions about programming: You may choose
any of the following languages: C, C++, Java, Visual
Basic. If you would like to use another
language please talk with me first. I
will not give you any assistance with the programming assignments. You are welcome to talk with others in the
class to get general ideas and algorithms, but may not view their source
codes. Assignments are due at the
beginning of the class. Late penalties:
1 day=10%, 2 days=20%, 1 week=30%, 2 weeks=50%, after two weeks I do not accept
assignments.
General instructions about the project: Start working on the research right
away. Submit a topic for approval by the
2nd week. All research should be completed
by the middle of February. Examples of
group projects done in the past will be discussed in class.
General instructions about the independent research:
You may do practical or theoretical research.
For practical research, choose a topic that is appropriate such as
Web-services, IBM websphere, Microsoft sharepoint services, wireless encryption, SSL certificates,
Cyber forensics, Cyber Security, etc.
and implement it and write a five to ten page paper about your
implementation.
General instructions about the group assignments:
Group assignments are given to encourage cooperation among students. Consider yourself as a team leader in a
computer network department.
Programming assignments:
1. Write a Java program to discover the IP address
of your machine.
2. Write a program to send a file across Transport
Service Access Points (TSAPs) also known as TCP ports or Sockets. Your program can select any non-privileged port (that is, the port number
should be greater than 1024).
3.
You have a choice for this assignment: Write a server program to make use of
threads. Write appropriate client
program to test it. OR
Write a Java program to open a file on a remote computer and look
up records.
Drop Policy: A
student who requests a drop on
or before THE OFFICIAL DAY TO DROP will receive a DR. After that DP or DF will be given based on
the academic standing at the time. It is
the responsibility of the student to take care of necessary paper work to
receive DP, D, or W. All DP/DFs should
be handled prior to the official cut off date for
dropping.
Attendance is
required. A student with three or more
unexcused absences (10% of the classes) will be given a DF.
Classroom
Conduct:
All
students are expected to demonstrate professional behavior and use language
appropriate for the classroom learning experience. All cell phones must be turned off during
class. Cell phones must be entirely
out of sight (inside a closed backpack or purse, for example) during exams and
other in-class assignments.
Students with Disabilities:
If you have a verifiable disability that makes it difficult for you to complete course work as outlined in this syllabus without special accommodations under either the Americans with Disabilities Act or the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, please inform the instructor as soon as possible. The instructor will be happy to work with you and the UTPA Office of Services for Persons with Disabilities (OSPD), Emilia Schunior Ramirez Hall, Room 1.101 (956) 316-7005; V-TDD (956) 316-7092; FAX (956) 316-7034. The OSPD will process accommodation requests, assist you with verification of a disability and arrange for special services.
Tentative Schedule.
|
WEEK |
TOPIC |
CHAPTERS |
Assignments
due |
|
|
Introduction
& Overview. Network Programming |
1,3 |
Class
assignment is due each period begin next Monday. |
|
|
Traditional
Internet Applications Data
Communication Basics |
4,5 |
|
|
|
Information
Sources & signals Transmission
Media |
6,7
Lecture notes |
Group
Ass 1 & presentation |
|
|
Reliability
and Channel Coding Transmission
Modes, Modulation |
8,9,10 |
Program
Ass1 |
|
|
Multiplexing
and Demux Access
and Interconnection |
11,12 |
Group
ass2 |
|
|
LAN,
Layer1, Layer2 |
13,14
Lecture notes |
Project
Proposal Presentation |
|
|
Wired
& Wireless Networking – Exam1 |
15 |
March
8 |
|
|
Spring
break |
|
|
|
|
Wired
and Wireless Networking |
15
& 16 |
Project |
|
|
LAN
extensions, WAN |
17,18,19 |
|
|
|
Internetworking,
layer3 |
20,21 Lecture
notes |
Project
group-1 March 22 Program Ass3 |
|
|
Forwarding,
Support protocols |
22,23,
notes |
Project
group-2 March 29 |
|
|
IPV
6, UDP, TCP |
24,25,26 |
Project
Group-3 April 5 |
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|
Routing
Protocols, Performance, VOIP, Security |
27,28,29 |
Project
Group-4 April 12 |
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I
will give you rest of the schedule later |
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