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CMPSMD22 - COMPUTER NETWORKS

Module Code:
CMPSMD22
Department:
Computing Sciences
Credit Value:
20
Level:
M
Organiser:
Dr. Ben Milner
This unit analyses the fundamental concepts in data transmission and computer network design, implementation and management. Protocols for local and wide-area networks are studied in detail from a performance evaluation perspective.

Lecture notes, workshop topics and laboratory assignments will be made available a via Blackboard. For some parts of the module, more detailed handouts will also be made available when the material is better suited for whiteboard presentation, rather than Powerpoint. It is important to note that the lecture notes are not comprehensive, and students are expected to make their own notes from lecturers notes and commentary during lectures.

In workshops, students will be expected to tackle problems individually but with help available from the seminar leader.

Laboratory work will take place during time-tabled laboratory periods using networked personal computers. CMP teaching laboratories are available to CMP students during term time outside time-tabled teaching hours.


Required reading:

  • Tanenbaum,A. (2002) Computer Networks (4th edition), Prentice Hall
  • Leon-Garcia, A. and Widjaja,I. (2003)Communication Networks, McGraw Hill
  • Stallings,W. (2010) Cryptography and Network Security: Principles and Practice, Prentice Hall

Many engineering mathematics books are available which give readers an insight into Fourier methods. Similarly, there are a wide range of books, at varying levels, on sound and image processing.


Submission:

Written coursework should be submitted by following the standard CMP practice. Students are advised to refer to the Guidelines and Hints on Written Work in CMP.

Deadlines:

If coursework is handed in after the deadline day or an agreed extension:
 

 

Work submitted Marks deducted
After 15:00 on the due date and before 15:00 on the day following the due date 10 marks
After 15:00 on the second day after the due date and before 15:00 on the third day after the due date 20 marks
After 15:00 on the third day after the due date and before 15:00 on the 20th day after the due date.  All the marks the work merits if submitted on time (ie no marks awarded) 
After 20 working days Work will not be marked and a mark of zero will be entered


Saturdays and Sundays will NOT be taken into account for the purposes of calculation of marks deducted.

All extension requests will be managed through the LTS Hub. A request for an extension to a deadline for the submission of work for assessment should be submitted by the student to the appropriate Learning and Teaching Service Hub, prior to the deadline, on a University Extension Request Form accompanied by appropriate evidence. Extension requests will be considered by the appropriate Learning and Teaching Service Manager in those instances where (a) acceptable extenuating circumstances exist and (b) the request is submitted before the deadline. All other cases will be considered by a Coursework Coordinator in CMP.

For more details, including how to apply for an extension due to extenuating circumstances download Submission for Work Assessment (PDF, 39KB)
 

Plagiarism:

Plagiarism is the copying or close paraphrasing of published or unpublished work, including    the work of another student; without due acknowledgement. Plagiarism is regarded a serious offence by the University, and all cases will be investigated. Possible consequences of plagiarism include deduction of marks and disciplinary action, as detailed by UEA's Policy on Plagiarism and Collusion.


 


Module specific:

  • To introduce the basic concepts of layered network architectures with particular reference to the OSI 7 layer model and the TCP/IP model.
  • To examine the functionality of the upper layers of the OSI 7 layer model.
  • Be able to compare the performance of commercial VoIP systems in terms of QoS parameters such as delay, speech quality and bit rate.
  • To study Voice over IP (VoIP) and see how unreliable channels contribute to delay, packet loss and jitter which are detrimental to Quality of Service (QoS), and then see how compensation against these can be implemented
  • To compare circuit switched and packet switched communication, and connectionless and connection-orientated services and examine their transport layer protocols - UDP and TCP
  • To examine the network layer and routing strategies such as non-adaptive routing, distance-vector routing, link state routing and internet routing, and traffic modelling
  • To study the Internet Protocol (IP) with respect to addressing, subnets, classless routing, IPv6 and address resolution techniques
  • To examine specific local area network topologies and Ethernet 802.x protocols
  • To study Medium Access Control (MAC) in wired and wireless networks
  • To examine the data link layer functionality of error detection and error correction and to compare backward and forward error correction methods - specifically parity, cyclic redundancy check and Hamming codes
  • To contrast physical layer modulation methods (AM, FM and PM) and multiplexing methodologies (TDM, FDM and CDMA) and compare digital and analogue signalling
  • To examine cryptography and compare symmetric and asymmetric ciphers
  • To study network security

Transferable skills:

  • Problem solving skills through design, implementation and evaluation
  • Group working through coursework 1
  • MATLAB and JAVA programming skills in the area of networking

On completion of the module, students should be able to:

Subject specific:

  • Explain the layers that make up both the OSI seven layer reference model and the TCP/IP model and explain their functionality
  • Recognise the need to adopt a layered network architecture and how its functionality can be logically grouped into layers
  • Explain the operation of each of the seven layers of the OSI model and compare the operation of them in delivering a reliable end-to-end communication channel
  • Assess the effectiveness of networks at delivering real-time networking and investigate methods to overcome these problems
  • Design and implement a voice over IP (VoIP) communication system and evaluate its performance in unreliable network conditions
  • Explain the architecture of circuit-switched and packet-switched routers.
  • Be able to calculate CRC codes and Hamming codes for error detection and correction as used in the Data Link Layer.
  • Determine the sink-tree in simple networks using Dijkstra's algorithm and compare the operation of distance vector and link state routing algorithms.
  • Compare strategies for dealing with congestion in subnets.
  • Be able to analyse basic strategies for allocating a multiple access channel (e.g. CSMA, CSMA/CD, CSMA/CA) in terms of channel utilization and throughput.
  • Explain IEEE standards 802.x and 802.11 for logical link control.
  • Compare internetworking  over connection-oriented virtual circuit subnets and datagram oriented subnets.
  • Explain the operation of IPv4 and IPv6.
  • Explain and compare asymmetric and symmetric ciphers (e.g. DES, AES, RSA, Diffie-Hellman) and their use in ensuring message confidentiality, integrity, authentication and nonrepudiation.

Total hours: 40

Lectures:  30 hours, Content (with provisional weekly schedule):

  1. Introduction, layered network architectures, OSI seven layer model, TCP/IP model
  2. Upper layers - multimedia data, Voice over IP, Quality of Service
  3. Transport layer - connetionless vs. connection orientated, sliding window protocols
  4. Data link layer - backward and forward error correction; Physical layer - modulation, multiplexing
  5. Network layer - routing strategies, traffic modelling
  6. Local area networks - topologies, data framing, Ethernet, Media Access Control (MAC)
  7. Reading week
  8. Internet protocol (IP) - IP addressing, IP datagrams, IPv6
  9. Cryptography - symmetric and asymmetic ciphers, digital signatures, authentication
  10. Network security
  11. Network security
  12. Contingency/revision


Workshops: 2 hours, Content (with provisional weekly schedule)

  1. Voice over IP  
  2. Error detection and correction


Laboratory work: 16 hours, Content (with provisional weekly schedule)

  1. No lab
  2. No lab
  3. Audio record and playback in Java
  4. Sending simple text messages using the DatagramSocket class
  5. Threads
  6. Voice over IP
  7. Probing the internet
  8. Internet addressing & HTTP
  9. Cryptography 1: AES Block Cipher
  10. Cryptography 2: RSA Public Key Encryption
  11. Network security 1
  12. Network security 2

Examination with Coursework or Project