Syllabus

Email: mostowfi@gmail.com
Homepage: http://www.csee.usf.edu/~mostowfi/

Required Textbook: Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach, 5th edition, by James Kurose and Keith Ross (ISBN-10: 0136079679). Cost is $82.03 from Amazon with free shipping (as of July 13, 2010).

Approved Course Description (from 2009-2010 catalog): Design and analysis of distributed processing systems. Covers communication hardware and software, network operating systems, and reliability enhancement techniques.

Proposed Course Description (for 2009-2010 catalog): An introduction to the design and analysis of computer communication networks. Topics include application layer protocols, Internet protocols, network interfaces, local and wide area networks, wireless networks, bridging and routing, and current topics.

Course Objectives: As a result of successfully completing this course, students will:

1. Become familiar with layered communication architectures (OSI and TCP/IP).
2. Understand the client/server model and key application layer protocols.
3. Learn sockets programming and how to implement client/server programs.
4. Understand the concepts of reliable data transfer and how TCP implements these concepts.
5. Know the principles of congestion control and trade-offs in fairness and efficiency.
6. Learn the principles of routing and the semantics and syntax of IP.
7. Understand the basics of error detection including parity, checksums, and CRC.
8. Know the key protocols for multimedia networking including IntServ and DiffServ for IP.
9. Familiarize the student with current topics such as security, network management, sensor networks, and/or other topics.

• Week 1: Protocol layers and service models. The OSI model.
• Week 2: History of the Internet. Concepts of delay and Quality of Service (QoS) in the Internet.
• Week 3: Application layer protocols and client-server model.
• Week 4: Sockets programming in C (client-server and web server programs).
• Week 5: Reliable data transfer. Semantics and syntax of TCP.
• Week 6: Principles of congestion control: reactive and proactive, efficiency and fairness.
• Week 7: Principles of routing: link-state and distance vector. Semantics and syntax of IP.
• Week 8: Error detection including checksums and CRC. Multiple access protocols including IEEE 802.3 Ethernet.
• Week 9: Mid-term exam, and switching and bridging
• Week 10: ATM. Media, signal strength, and data encoding.
• Week 11: Wireless and cellular networks.
• Week 12: Multimedia: overview of streaming video and voice.
• Week 13: Security: overview of cryptography, authentication, and firewalls.
• Week 14: Network management including SNMP.
• Week 15: Overflow from previous weeks. Discussion of current research areas. Review for final exam.
• Week 16: Comprehensive final exam during the university scheduled final exam period.

• Assignments: 15% (six assignments - lowest grade dropped - due on 09/08/10, 09/22/10, 10/06/10, 11/03/10, 11/17/10, and 12/01/10 at the beginning of class)
• Project: 30% (due on 12/03/10 at 5pm for maximum 100% grade, or on 12/01/10 at 5pm for 105% maximum grade, or on 11/29/10 at 5pm for 110% maximum grade)
• Midterm exam: 25% (held on 10/20/10)
• Final exam: 30% (TBD)

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

Course Policies:

• We will be observing all university policies regarding religious holidays and disability policies. Any student with a disability who needs special accommodations must bring a current Memorandum of Accommodations from the Office of Student Disability Services (this is the prerequisite for receiving accommodations). Accommodated examinations through the Office of Student Disability Services require two weeks notice. For information regarding religious holidays, please see http://isis.fastmail.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/acadaf/gc10-045.htm.

• If you must submit work late you need to talk to me before the due date in questions. Otherwise, late work cannot be accepted except in cases of verifiable emergencies.

• 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.

• You may tape my lectures and take notes for personal use, but you may not make monetary profit from the tapes and/or notes.

• Out of courtesy to other students and to me, please make sure that you turn off, or place in silent mode, your cell phone.

I expect students to be honest and not cheat on their assignments, project, and exams. Students may work together on assignments and/or the project with one other person in the class. All student pairs must then submit one copy of the assignment and/or project with both names on it. Both students will earn the same grade. The exams must be completed without giving or accepting assistance from other students. Any source code copied from another source must be credited as such. Open source software used must maintain all headers and other information as required by the Open source license used. I expect you to know the University's policies on student conduct, academic dishonesty, etc. Please see the University's Undergraduate Catalog regarding these policies at http://www.ugs.usf.edu/catalogs/0809/adadap.htm. Students found cheating in any form will receive an FF grade for the course.

In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. It's the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information.