Computer Networks -- Syllabus

Syllabus

This page contains the syllabus for Computer Networks for Fall 2012.

CNT 6215 - Computer Networks - 3 credits
Fall 2012
Class meeting time and location: Monday and Wednesday, 3:05pm to 4:20pm in CPR 354

Class website: http://www.csee.usf.edu/~christen/class1/class1.html

Instructor: Dr. Ken Christensen
Department: Computer Science and Engineering
Office location: ENB 319
Office hours: Monday through Thursday, 4:30pm to 5:30pm. Call or email to schedule an appointment.
Office phone: 974-4761 (can leave a message)
Email: christen@csee.usf.edu
Homepage: http://www.csee.usf.edu/~christen

Teaching Assistant: Mr. Matt Shreve
Department: Computer Science and Engineering
Email: mshreve@mail.use.edu
Homepage: http://www.cse.usf.edu/~mshreve/

Old catalog course description: Design and analysis of data communication networks with an emphasis on the Internet and its protocols. Key topics include protocol models, HTTP, TCP, IP, local area networks, routing, flow control, multimedia networking, and performance evaluation.

Updated catalog course description: Design and analysis of communication networks with an emphasis on the Internet and its protocols. Key topics include protocol models, performance evaluation, and emerging areas.

Course prerequisites: Graduate standing in the Department is required. It is assumed that the student has passed an undergraduate course in Computer Networks (or has equivalent knowledge), has a modest background in probability and statistics, and can program well in "C".

Required textbook:The required textbook is Performance Modeling of Communication Networks with Markov Chains by Jeonghoon Mo (ISBN-10: 1598299174) (cost is roughly $35 at amazon.com). Additional readings will come from assigned papers (that will be available via the class website).

Required software:There is a required software package - CSIM20 from Mesquite Software (cost is about $65).

Course objectives: As a result of successfully completing this course, a student will:

Understand the foundations of computer networks
Be able to evaluate the performance of a computer network using measurement, analysis, and simulation.
Understand queueing theory and its application to modeling of computer networks
Have a familiarity with important and emerging research areas in computer networks

Course topics: This course will cover the following topics:

Week 1: The Internet top down
Week 2: The Internet top down (continued)
Week 3: The Internet top down (continued)
Week 4: Performance evaluation
Week 5: Measurement
Week 6: Analytical modeling
Week 7: Queueing theory
Week 8: Queueing theory (continued)
Week 9: Midterm exam and Simulation modeling
Week 10: Simulation modeling (continued)
Week 11: Traffic characterization
Week 12: Hot topic #1 - traffic shaping and scheduling
Week 13: Hot topic #2 - multicast and P2P
Week 14: Hot topic #3 - sensor networks
Week 15: Hot topic #4 - green networks
Week 16: Final exam

Detailed course outline: A detailed course outline that includes readings, assignment and project deadlines, and exam dates is here, http://www.csee.usf.edu/~christen/class1/outline1.html.

Grading: Students will earn a grade based on four mini-projects, a midterm exam, a paper review, and a final exam. The grade breakdown is:

Mini-projects: 40% (due on midnight of 10/05/12, 10/19/12, 11/21/12, and 12/07/12).
Midterm exam: 20% (held on 10/22/12 in class)
Paper review: 10% (due on midnight of 12/07/12)
Final exam: 30% (held on 12/12/12 from 8:00pm to 10:00pm)

The grading scale is "no worse than" (note that there are no "+" or "-" grades):

A = 90% through 100%
B = 80% through 89%
C = 70% through 79%
D = 60% through 69%
F = Less than 60%

Course policies:

Students in need of academic accommodations for a disability may consult with the office of Students with Disabilities Services to arrange appropriate accommodations. Students are required to give reasonable notice prior to requesting an accommodation.
Late work will not be accepted.
Incomplete ("I") grades will only be given in the case of severe hardship including verifiable medical emergencies or legal troubles. Simply being "overloaded" and unable to complete your work is not grounds for an "I" grade.
Out of courtesy to other students please make sure that you turn off, or place in silent mode, your cell phone.
You may tape the lectures and take notes for personal use, but you may not make monetary profit from the tapes and/or notes.

Academic integrity:

I expect students to be honest in their academic life. I will recommend expulsion from the Department for students that are dishonest. I expect that all software used for this course has been legally acquired and is used according to license requirements. The ACM code of ethics is http://www.acm.org/about/code-of-ethics and the ACM definition of plagiarism is http://www.acm.org/publications/policies/plagiarism_policy. Read these documents. Be sure that you fully understand the contents of these documents.

Last update on August 25, 2012