Networked Systems 3 (2011-2012)
Networked computer systems are becoming ubiquitous, whether in the form
of desktop and laptop computers connected to the Internet, mobile phones,
television set-top boxes, or the myriad of networked sensors and embedded
computing systems that surround us in our everyday life. An understanding
of the operation of these systems is essential for practising engineers
and computer scientists, both to manage, design, or implement the next
generation of networked systems, or to make effective use of the current
generation. This module introduces the fundamental concepts in networked
systems architecture, using a layered reference model, and outlines some
strategies for low-level communications software development, as a basis
for the future study of large-scale and high-level communications models.
Aims and Objectives
The aims of the course are: to introduce the fundamental concepts and
theory of communications; to provide a solid understanding of the
technologies that support modern networked computer systems; to introduce
low-level network programming concepts; and to give students the ability
to evaluate and advise industry on the use and deployment of networked
systems.
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
-
Describe and compare capabilities of various communication
technologies and techniques
-
Know the differences between networks of different scale, and how
these affect their design
-
Describe the issues in connecting heterogeneous networks
-
Describe the important of layering, and the OSI reference model
-
Understand demands of different applications on quality of service
requirements for the underlying communication network
-
Understand a description of a LAN-based computer system, and explain
the purpose and function of its various components
-
Write simple communication software
Prerequisites
Computer Systems 2 is a pre-requisite. Advanced Programming 3 and
Operating Systems 3 are strongly recommended as co-requisites.
Timetable
The course consists of 19 lectures delivered over 10 weeks, supported
by weekly 2-hour laboratory sessions.
Recommended Reading
Any good text on computer networks, e.g.,:
-
Peterson and Davie, Computer Networks: A Systems Approach, 3rd
Edition, Morgan Kaufman, 2003, ISBN 1558608338
-
Kurose and Ross, Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach, 5th
Edition, Addison-Wesley, 2010, ISBN 0136079679
-
Tanenbaum, Computer Networks, 4th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2002, ISBN 0130384887
Credits
This is a level H course, worth 10 credits.
Assessment
Assessment is by examination (80%) and assessed coursework (20%).
Lecture Slides
Laboratory Sessions
Past exam papers