THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2015/2016

University Homepage
DRPS Homepage
DRPS Search
DRPS Contact
DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Informatics : Informatics

Postgraduate Course: Computer Networking (Level 11) (INFR11049)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Informatics CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Year 4 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryComputer networking is a major area of interest in practical computer science. This course aims to give students a perspective on the many and diverse techniques and structures used in communications networks. Additionally it covers recent developments in the area and future trends.
Course description * Introduction: overview of current network structures; message, circuit and packet switching. Influencing factors: technology, regulation, standards and market forces.
* Applications and layered architectures: web browsing, email; the OSI Reference Model.
* Properties of media: twisted pair, co-axial cable, optical fibre, radio. Multiplexing: frequency-division; time-division, CDMA, WDM.
* SONET. Telephone network switches and signalling. Traffic and routing control. Cellular & Satellite phone networks.
* Peer-to-Peer protocol service models; ARQ protocols: Stop & Wait, Go-Back-N, Selective Repeat; transmission efficiency.
* Routing algorithms: static and dynamic; centralised and distributed; link state and distance vector routing; Bellman-Ford; Dijkstra; Flooding. Interior and Exterior Internet routing protocols.
* Traffic Management and Congestion control.
* TCP/IP architecture; IP packets, addressing, routing; IPv4 & IPv6. Voice over IP.
* ATM Networks: Adaptation Layers; Quality of Service parameters. Network management.
* Wireless networks: 802.11, Bluetooth, GSM/GPRS/UMTS.

Relevant QAA Computing Curriculum Sections: Computer Communications, Computer Networks
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites It is RECOMMENDED that students have passed Computer Communications and Networks (INFR09027)
Co-requisites It is RECOMMENDED that students also take Distributed Systems (Level 11) (INFR11022)
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements This course is open to all Informatics students including those on joint degrees. For external students where this course is not listed in your DPT, please seek special permission from the course organiser.

Students are also assumed to have basic knowledge of Java programming.
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2015/16, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 20, Summative Assessment Hours 2, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 76 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 75 %, Coursework 25 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Two assignments. One will be on writing a survey based on set of papers on a cutting edge research topic in networking. Other will be a simulation based performance study of network protocols.

You should expect to spend approximately 30 hours on the coursework for this course.

If delivered in semester 1, this course will have an option for semester 1 only visiting undergraduate students, providing assessment prior to the end of the calendar year.
Feedback Not entered
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)2:00
Learning Outcomes
1 - Be able to describe different types of internet applications (including delay sensitive multimedia applications) and their associated transport and network resource allocations issues.
2 - Be able to contrast between different types of wireless networks in terms of their application scenarios, architectures, resource allocation problems as well as describe cross-cutting issues such as mobility support.
3 - Be able to describe various network performance metrics and their measurement methodologies and techniques.
4 - Be able to grasp the research on advanced topics in networking and summarise it in writing.
5 - Have obtained hands-on experience in simulation based performance study of networks.
6 - Have developed an insight into cutting edge issues in the field of networking.
Reading List
* James Kurose, Keith Ross, "Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach", 6th Edition, Pearson Education 2012
* L.Peterson and B Davie, "Computer Networks: A Systems Approach", 5th Edition, Morgan Kaufmann 2011
* A. Tanenbaum and D. Wetherall, "Computer Networks", 5th Edition, Pearson Education, 2013
* Additional readings in the form of other reference texts and research papers as needed
Additional Information
Course URL http://course.inf.ed.ac.uk/cn
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserDr Mahesh Marina
Tel: (0131 6)50 5125
Email: mahesh@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMs Sarah Larios
Tel: (0131 6)51 4164
Email: sarah.larios@ed.ac.uk
Navigation
Help & Information
Home
Introduction
Glossary
Search DPTs and Courses
Regulations
Regulations
Degree Programmes
Introduction
Browse DPTs
Courses
Introduction
Humanities and Social Science
Science and Engineering
Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Other Information
Combined Course Timetable
Prospectuses
Important Information
 
© Copyright 2015 The University of Edinburgh - 18 January 2016 4:13 am