Computer Networks are now of central importance to all of
Information Technology. With the explosive growth of the Internet,
they are rapidly becoming of crucial importance to all of modern
society. It is absolutely certain that you will need to know about
networks and network technology to survive in the IT workplace.
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 historical interest.
Philosophy
This subject aims to give a solid overview of the technologies
and philosophies that are needed to understand how computer
networks are built, and can be used. It also examines, in part, why
some apparently illogical things are the way they are, and how
human foibles can affect technology.
One crucial aspect of the subject is that it will not shy away
from discussion of the "P" word (politics) where this seems
necessary to understand the technology.