CS4390 - Computer Networks
Summer 2009

 

Catalog Description:

CS 4390 Computer Networks: (3 semester hours) The design and analysis of computer networks. Topics include: the ISO reference model, transmission media, medium-access protocols, LANs, data link protocols, routing, congestion control, internetworking, and connection management. Prerequisite: CS/SE 4345. (3-0) S

 

Course Objectives:

This course is an introductory course on computer networks. Using the Internet as a vehicle, this course introduces the underlying concepts and principles of modern computer networks with emphasis on protocols, architectures, and implementation issues. The main goal of this course is to understand layering in computer networks, understand different protocol stacks (OSI and TCP/IP), understand functions and protocols within a layer, understand how layers fit together and finally understand how the Internet works. In addition, you will also experience with (i) writing simple network applications and (ii) learning exactly what is going on inside the Internet by looking at frames/packets/segments and identifying each bit.

The Class Learning Objectives are:

Ability to understand the need for and structure of the OSI, TCP/IP network models
Ability to design and evaluate methods for the framing messages in transmission media
Ability to analyze and evaluate different error detection schemes
Ability to understand and evaluate stop-and-wait, sliding window protocols
Ability to understand and evaluate multiple-access protocols
Ability to design and evaluate routing protocols
Ability to design and evaluate flow control and congestion control protocols
Ability to understand the issues in internetwork design
Ability to understand the various Internet protocols (TCP/IP)
Ability to write networking protocols

Course Syllabus

Tentative course schedule

Course Information:

• Lecture time:  Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30 - 8:00 pm in ECSS 2.203
• Course web page: http://www.utdallas.edu/~ksarac/cn/index.htm
• Textbook: 
• J. Kurose and K. Ross, "Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach Featuring the Internet", Addison-Wesley, 4th edition.

• References:
• Online Socket Programming Tutorials in C: short version and long version and long version 2.
• M. Donahoo and K. Calvert, "Pocket Guide to TCP/IP Sockets (C Version)", Morgan Kaufmann, 1st edition.
• M. Donahoo and K. Calvert, "TCP/IP Sockets in Java: Practical Guide for Programmers", Morgan Kaufmann, 1st edition.
• W. R. Stevens, "UNIX Network Programming, Volume 1: Networking APIs -- Sockets and XTI", 2nd edition.
• D. E. Comer, "Internetworking with TCP/IP Volume 1: Principles, Protocols and Architecture", Prentice Hall, 4th edition.
• C. Huitema, "Routing in the Internet", Prentice Hall, 2nd edition.
• Prerequisites: CS/SE 4345, programming skills in C/C++ and/or in Java, and working knowledge of a UNIX-based operating system.

Instructor Information:

Dr. Kamil Sarac (ksarac@utdallas.edu)
Office: ES 4.207
Phone: 972 883 2337
Office hours:  Tuesdays and Thursdays: 4:00pm - 5:00pm and by appointment at other times

 

Teaching Assistant:

Name:  Donghyun Kim (donghyunkim@student.utdallas.edu)

Office hours: Tuesdays/Wednesdays 8-9pm in ECSS 4.610

 

Student Evaluation:

• Programming Assignment (hw 1): 7%
• Quizzes (2 of them) : 10% each
• Homework assignment (2-4): 6% each
• Midterm : 25 %
• Final (Second mid term) : 30%

 

 

 

Miscellaneous:

• Class participation in terms of asking questions is highly encouraged. Please do not be afraid to ask questions no matter how simple you might think the answer could be. This type of interaction helps improve the effectiveness of the class and breaks the monotony.
• The presentation slides will be available on the class web page. I will try to put them up before each class meeting but no guarantees on that.
• For the home works, you are welcome to discuss the problems or solution strategies with your class mates but the resulting work should be your own. Copying from each other or from other sources is considered as cheating. Any cheating detected will be handled with the standard university procedures on the subject.
• Home works should be returned before/on due date and on time. No late homework/project is accepted.
• After the grades for your mid-term and homework assignments are announced, you will have one week to appeal for your grades. So, please keep this in mind if you think that there is a problem/issue with the grading of your work.
• You should plan on taking the exams on the scheduled times. No late/early exams unless in case of an emergency situation such as health emergency or similar un-avoid-able situations and you need to provide convincing documentation for it. The exams will be closed books and closed notes. No calculators (unless otherwise stated) and no other electronic devices such as cell phones, beepers, etc. should be used during the exam.
• Quizzes will be 30 min long at the beginning of lectures.

 

 

Course Topics (from the textbook):

• Introduction (Chapter 1)
• Application Layer (Chapter 2)
• Transport Layer (Chapter 3)
• Network Layer and Routing (Chapter 4)
• Link Layer and Local Area Networks (Chapter 5)