CSci 327

Fall 2009

Syllabus

This is an undergraduate level course on data communications. The purpose of this course is to introduce the concepts of data communications, while introducing the components and their interactions in modern Internet. The ultimate goal of this course is to help students to establish an integrated picture of the modern Internet from these components.

This course focuses on introducing the concepts about the modern Internet without requiring any networking-related programming. It is highly recommended to participate in lab demonstrations and hands-on practices on networking operations. The required textbook is Data Communications and Networking (Fourth Edition), Behrouz A. Forouzan, McGraw-Hill, 2007. Students are encouraged to preview the course materials before lectures.

This plan is subject to be adjusted with regard to the actual progress of the course. Detailed schedules are in the Schedule and Notes section. Please check this page often for changes and announcements.

 

Aspect

Textbook Coverage

Number of Lectures Planned

Introduction to Computer Networks

Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Network Models

1.5 weeks, 5 lectures

The Physical Layer

Chapter 3: Signals
Chapter 4: Digital Transmissions
Chapter 5: Analog Transmissions
Chapter 6: Multiplexing
Chapter 7: Transmission Media
Chapter 8: Circuit Switching and Telephone Network
Chapter 9: High Speed Digital Access: DSL, Cable Modems and SONET

2 week, 6 lectures

The Data Link Layer

Chapter 10: Error Detection and Correction
Chapter 11: Data Link Control and Protocols
Chapter 12: Point to Point Access: PPP
Chapter 13: Multiple Access
Chapter 14: Local Area Networks: Ethernet
Chapter 15: Wireless LANs
Chapter 16: Connecting LANs, Backbone Networks, and Virtual LANs
Chapter 17: Cellular Telephone and Satellite Networks
Chapter 18: Virtual Circuit Switching, Frame Relay, and ATM

3 weeks, 9 lectures

Mid-term Test

Coverage: Chapter 1-18.

1 weeks, 3 lectures

The Network Layer (I)

Chapter 19: Host to Host Delivery: Internetworking, Addressing, and Routing
Chapter 20: Network Layer Protocols: ARP, IPv4, ICMP, IPv6, and ICMPv6

1 week, 3 lectures (review and test)

The Network Layer (II)

Chapter 21: Unicast and Multicast Routers: Routing Protocols

Chapter 22: Delivery, Forwarding, and Routing

2 weeks, 6 lectures

The Transport Layer

Chapter 23: Process to Process Delivery: UDP and TCP
Chapter 24: Congestion Control and Quality of Service

2 weeks, 6 lectures

The Application Layer

Chapter 25: Client-Server Model: Socket Interface
Chapter 26: Domain Name Service (DNS)
Chapter 27: Electronic Mail (SMTP) and File Transfer (FTP)
Chapter 28: HTTP and WWW
Chapter 29: Multimedia

2 weeks, 6 lectures

Network Security Issues

Chapter 30: Cryptography
Chapter 31: Message Security, User Authentication and Key Management
Chapter 32: Security Protocols in the Internet

1 weeks, 3 lectures

Final Exam

Comprehensive Review of the Course Materials

1 week, 3 lectures (reviews)

Textbook

Data Communications and Networking (Fourth Edition), Behrouz A. Forouzan, McGraw-Hill, 2007. (Required)

Course Policy

Course participation is highly expected to every student who formally enrolls in this course. One mid-term test and one final exam are given in this course. The final exam is comprehensive, where 40% of which is from the course materials covered before the mid-term test, and 60% is from the course materials covered after the mid-term test. The final grade of a student is evaluated according to his/her performance in these tests and in course assignments.

In order to keep track of the quality of instructions, pop quiz may be conducted besides the major tests. The performance in these quizzes may be used towards upgrading a student's final letter grade, though these quizzes are not formally graded.

Time, Location, and Instructor

Time: 10am -- 10:50am TR

Location: Streibel Hall 238

Instructor : Jun Liu

Office: Streibel Hall 224

Office Hours: 3pm to 4:30pm TR, or by appointment

Contact

Email: jliu AT cs.und.edu

Phone: (701) 777-4982 (O)

Schedule and Notes

The instructional schedule is listed below. Actual lecture content may vary as the instruction progresses. Check this page often, as there may be slight modifications.

 

 

Date

Topic

Textbook Reading

Lecture Notes/Slides, Homework

Week 1
Organization

Aug 26

Course Organization. History of the Internet

 

 

Aug 28

Introduction

Ch. 1

 

Week 2
Introduction

Aug 31

Layering and the Reference Model

Ch. 2.1-2.2

HW #1

(due on Sept. 16)

Chapter 1: 17,19,21,22

Chapter 2:

16,17,18,21,22

Sept 02 Service Models of Network Layers, Structure of the Internet.

Ch. 2.3-2.4



Sept 04

ISP and the Internet backbone

Ch. 2.5-2.6


 

Week 3
Physical Layer

(I)

Sept 09

Signals

Ch. 3

HW #2

(due on Sept 25)

Chapter 3: 16,17,22,23,24,26,33,42,44,47,48

Chapter 4: 15,16,17,18

Sept 11

Digital Transmissions
Analog Transmissions

Ch. 4,5

 

Week 4

Physical Layer (II)

Sept 14

Multiplexing
Transmission Media

Ch. 6,7

 

Sept 16 Circuit Switching and Telephone Network Ch. 8

Sept 18

High Speed Digital Access: DSL, Cable Modems and SONET

Ch. 9

 

Week 5

Data Link Layer (I)
 

Sept 21

Overview of the Data Link Layer.


Ch. 10

HW #3

(Due on Oct. 16th)

Chapter 6:

13,16,24,25

Chapter 8:

11,12,14,17,18,22

Chapter 10:

11,29,30,32

 

Sept 23 Error Detection and Correction

Ch. 10


Sept 25

Data Link Control and Protocols

Ch. 11

 

Week 6
Data Link Layer (II)

Sept 28

Point to Point Access: PPP
Multiple Access

 Ch. 12-13

 

Sept 30 Local Area Networks: Ethernet;
Wireless LANs
Ch. 14-15

Oct 02

Connecting LANs, Backbone Networks, and Virtual LANs

Ch. 16

 

 

Week 7 

Mid-term Test

Oct 05

Review

 

 

Oct 07 Review
Q&A


Oct 09

Mid-term Test

 

 Sample Midterm Test

Mid-Term Review

Week 8

Data Link Layer (III)

Oct 12

Cellular Telephone and Satellite Networks

 Ch. 17

 

Oct 14 Virtual Circuit Switching

Ch. 18


Oct 16

Frame Relay, and ATM

Ch. 18

 Unsatisfactory progress report due.

Week 9 
Network Layer (I)

Oct 19

Host to Host Delivery

Ch. 20

 

Oct 21 Internetworking, Addressing

Ch. 21


Oct 23

Introduction to Routing

Ch. 21

 

Week 10 
Network Layer (II)

Oct 26

Network Layer Protocols: ARP, IPv4, ICMP, IPv6, and ICMPv6

Ch. 22.1-2

 

Oct 28 Unicast and Multicast Routers

Ch. 22.3


Oct 30

Routing Protocols

Ch. 22.4

 

Week 11 
Transport Layer

(I)

Nov 02

Process to Process Delivery

Ch. 23

HW #4 (due Nov. 13th)

Chapter 11

13,14

Chapter 18

17,18,26,27

Chapter 19

15,16,25

Nov 04 UDP

Ch. 23


Nov 06

TCP

Ch. 23

 

Week 12 
Transport Layer

(II)

Nov 09

Congestion Control (1)

Ch. 24.1-2

 

Nov 11 Congestion Control (2)

Ch. 24.3-4


Nov 13

Quality of Service

Ch. 24.5-9

 

Week 13 
Application Layer

(I)

Nov 16

Client-Server Model

Socket Interface
Domain Name Service (DNS)

Ch. 25

HW #5 (Due on Dec. 2nd)

Chapter 20

14,18,20,23

Chapter 21

13,20

Chapter 22

15,16,27

Nov 18 Electronic Mail (SMTP) Ch. 26

Nov 20

File Transfer (FTP)

Ch. 28

 

Week 14 
Application Layer

(II)

Nov 23

HTTP and WWW

Ch. 27

 

Nov 25

Multimedia

 

Ch. 29

 

Week 15

Network Security Issues

Nov 30

Overview to Network Security

Cryptography

Ch. 30

 

Dec 02 Message Security, User Authentication and Key Management

Ch. 31


Dec 04

Security Protocols in the Internet

Ch. 32

 

Week 16
Course Review

Dec 07

Comprehensive Review

 

 

Dec 09 Comprehensive Review

Dec 11

Q&A for Final Exam

 

 Reading and Review Day.

Final Exam.

Dec

Final Exam

 

12/16/2009, Wednesday
10:15AM - 12:15PM
Streibel Hall, Rm 238