La Trobe University, Bendigo

Department of Information Technology

INT21CN: Computer Networks

Subject Outline and Schedule, Semester 1, 2003 (Version 3.1)

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^[1]. Note that the content of the current Bendigo Web-based lecture notes can change -- particularly in the days (and hours) before the lecture is presented. For 2003 instances of the subject being taken in other centres (eg Nilai, ACN, APMC) prior to the Bendigo presentation it's suggested that you work from the 2002 lecture/tutorial archive. Topics expected to be covered in 2003 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.
• Applications of computer networks in Electronic Commerce. Parts of this topic will probably be moved into the Application protocols (HTTP) section in 2003.
• Network management, including SNMP and introduction to ASN.1. Network management software tools.

URL

The canonical Internet URL for this subject is:
http://ironbark.bendigo.latrobe.edu.au/subjects/int21cn

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

Contact time:

At Bendigo: 2 hours lectures per week, 2 hours tutorial per week. This may be different in other instances of the subject. Bendigo tutorial registration is conducted "on-line" via a CGI-based system which will be activated after the first lecture.

Subject Coordinator (and Lecturer at Bendigo session):

Phil Scott, phone +61 3 5444 7277, email P.Scott@latrobe.edu.au, office: B1.10 (Bendigo Campus)

Assessment:

There will be a single 3 hour exam at the end of the semester, which will count for 60% of the marks in this unit^[2]. Three (5%, 15% and 20%, due at the end of weeks 6, 9 and 13^[3]) assignments will account for the remaining marks.

Plagiarism:

All students should familiarise themselves with the University's policy on plagiarism, available at http://www.latrobe.edu.au/acadserv/staff/policies/Plagiarism.html.