Subject Outline and Schedule, Semester 2, 2004

Overview and Philosophy

This subject is provides a "top-down" overview of the technology and design of computer networking systems. We begin with network applications and application protocols, then progress "downwards" through the various "layers" -- transport, network, link and, finally, physical. Then in (approximately) the second half of the unit we cover a range of "miscellaneous" topics, principally encryption, network security and network management. The Internet ("TCP/IP") protocols are used exclusively: it's fair to say that the Internet is now "The Only Game In Town", and other protocol architectures are nowadays of purely "academic" interest.

Lecture Content:

The subject material is presented in a sequence of 26 lectures. Note that the content of the current Web-based lecture notes can change -- particularly in the days (and hours) before the lecture is presented. Topics expected to be covered in 2004 include:

• Overview of computer networks: layered models, functional description of the layers. The role of de jure and de facto standards.
• Internet application protocols: telnet, HTTP, SMTP, etc.
• Overview of the Internet transport service, TCP.
• Technical aspects of the Internet: IP, routers, DNS.
• Overview of network technologies.
• Commercial telecommunications services and charging models.
• Introduction to encryption technologies and their application.
• Introduction to network security issues and firewalls.
• Network management, including SNMP and introduction to ASN.1. Network management software tools.

 

Texts:

Nil. There is no single textbook, as such, for this unit. Instead, a variety of sources, both printed and on-line, will be used.

References:

The following are listed in order of relevance to the subject. This is not an exhaustive list -- many, many books cover our subject area.

Kurose, James F. & Ross, Keith W. (2003) Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach Featuring the Internet 2/e, Pearson Education Inc. ISBN 0-201-97699-4. The older (2001, Addison-Wesley) edition of this text may also be available (especially 2nd hand) and is a suitable substitute. Note:

• Students who wish to purchase a text for INT21CN Computer Networks should buy this book. However, be aware that we do not work through the book in "traditional" textbook style -- instead, we use it as a principle reference for most (but not all) topics. You are not required to buy this book.
• The companion Website for these books (edition 1 and 2) requires a username and password which you obtain using a registration code hidden under a scratch panel in the front of the book. In the previous edition this expired after a few months, so that anyone buying a secondhand copy would not have access to the site. This may have changed in the current edition, caveat emptor.

Comer, D.E, (1999) Computer Networks and Internets 2/e NJ, Prentice-Hall. ISBN 0-13-084222-2. Now available: 3rd edition.

Stallings, W (1994) Data and Computer Communications, 5th Ed NY, Macmillan. ISBN 0-02-415441-5 (hardcover).

Comer, D.E, (1995) Internetworking with TCP/IP, Volume 1: Principles, Protocols and Achitecture, 3rd Ed NJ, Prentice-Hall. ISBN 0-13-216987-8 (v.1)

Tanenbaum, A.S. (1996) Computer Networks, 3rd Ed NJ, Prentice-Hall. ISBN 0-13-394248-1