Carleton University

Department of Systems and Computer Engineering

94.521 Computer Communications Networks

Fall 1999

Important Information:

Final marks will be announced only by the University, according to the regulations.

Instructor:
Mike Devetsikiotis, Room 4486ME, Tel: 520-5730, email: mike.devetsikiotis@sce.carleton.ca

Course Objectives:
To provide an introduction to telecommunication networks and computer communications. Emphasis is placed on design and performance issues of traditional and broadband networks.

Lectures:
Tuesday and Thursday 19:30 - 21:00, in room 3275 ME.

Office Hours:
Tuesday 13:30 - 15:30 and Thursday 14:30 - 15:30 or by appointment.

Teaching Assistant:
Ashraf Matrawy, Office Hours Tuesdays, 15:30 - 17:00, 4290 ME. Please try to send the TA an e-mail at amatrawy@sce.carleton.ca before visiting him.

Laboratory:
Some time may be set aside for computer simulation exercises. Specific arrangements will be announced later.

Web Site:
All course-related material and announcements will be appearing on this course web site, www.sce.carleton.ca/devetsikiotis/94521page.html. Students are expected to visit that site regularly for updates on the course, deadlines etc.

Textbook:
An Engineering Approach to Computer Networking: ATM Networks, the Internet, and the Telephone Network, S. Keshav, Addison-Wesley, 1997, ISBN #0-201-63442-2.

Library Reserves:

Data and Computer Communications, W. Stallings, 5^th edition, Prentice-Hall, 1997, TK5105.S73 1996.

Computer Networks, A. S. Tanenbaum, 3^rd edition, Prentice-Hall, 1996, TK5105.5.T36 1996.

Fundamentals of Telecommunication Networks, T.N. Saadawi, M.H. Ammar with A. El Hakeem, John Wiley. 1994, TK5101.S23.

High-Speed Networks: TCP/IP and ATM Design Principles, W. Stallings, Prentice-Hall, 1998, TK5105.585.S73.

Additional References:

Communication Networks: A First Course, J. Walrand, Irwin, 1991, TK5105.5.W35.

Data Networks, D. Bertsekas and R. Gallager, 2^nd edition, Prentice-Hall, 1992, TK5105.B478 1992.

Broadband Integrated Networks, M. Schwartz, Prentice-Hall, 1996, TK5103.75.S38.

Computer Networks and Internets, D. E. Comer, Prentice-Hall, 1997, TK5105.5.C5897.

Networking Standards, W. Stallings, Addison Wesley, 1993, TK5105.5.S788.

Probability and Random Processes for Electrical Engineering, A. Leon-Garcia, Addison Wesley, 1989, TK153.L425 1989 (or any text on random processes and queuing theory).

Queueing Systems, L. Kleinrock, vol. 1, John Wiley, 1975, T57.9.K6.

Marking:

Assignments and Laboratory: 20%
First in-class exam: 40%
Second in-class exam: 40%
Bonus (optional) assignments: 10%

Prerequisites:

Some undergraduate preparation in computer networks and protocol layers. Furthermore, the course requires a certain degree of mathematical maturity and, in particular, some exposure to elementary stochastic processes.

Exams:

The first in-class exam will be held on October 21, 1999.
The second in-class exam will be held on December 2, 1999.
You will be allowed to bring to each exam one sheet of notes 8.5 x 11, written on both sides. A calculator (or two, for reliability) is essential.

Assignments:

Due date will be shown on each assignment. Late assignments will not be accepted.
Handouts, assignments etc. will usually be distributed in class on one occasion only. After that, extra copies will be available on my office door. It is your responsibility to check whether anything has been issued if you miss a class.
The purpose of assignments is to help you learn the material and prepare for examinations. It is essential that you fully understand all the assignments. If you perform badly on some questions, ensure that you find out afterwards what you should have done.

Last Day to Withdraw: November 5, 1999.

Week by Week Outline:

Course arrangements and introduction to communication networks.
Overview of traditional and broadband networks.
Layered protocol architectures and related issues.
Network design problems and techniques.
Queuing theory and math review.
Multiple access techniques.
Data Link protocols and error control.
Switching techniques.
Scheduling and resource allocation in networks.
Naming and addressing techniques.
Routing algorithms.
Congestion and flow control.
Preparation for final exam. No lectures will be scheduled unless catch-up is necessary.

Students with a disability who require academic accommodations, please feel free to come and discuss this with me. Students must also contact the Paul Menton Centre to complete the required forms at least two weeks prior to the first in-class or itv test, and no later than November 5 for December exams and March 10 for April exams.

Assignments (in PDF format):

Slides in handout/PDF format (from the textbook by S. Keshav, published by Addison-Wesley):

Slides from Tanenbaum's "Computer Networks", Chapter 3, Data Link Layer

Additional material:

B. E. Carpenter and D. D. Kandlur, "Diversifying Internet Delivery", in IEEE Spectrum, vol. 36, no. 11, November 1999