ECE 1458: Communication Networks: Presents an overview of modern communication networks including basic principles of network design and performance. Discusses switching and multiplexing techniques and introduces network traffic characterization. The concept of a layered network architecture is used as a framework for understanding the principle functions and services required to achieve reliable end-to-end communications. Service interfaces and peer-to-peer protocols are explained within the context of the OSI (Open System Interconnection) model. The philosophy of the OSI model is compared to the DoD (Internet) framework and IEEE LAN (Local Area Network) architectures. Studies include the basic characteristics of physical channels including fundamental limits, frequency response and propagation characteristics of various media. Emphasis will be placed on data-link layer functionality including framing, link-layer error detection, and commonly utilized automatic retransmission request (ARQ) schemes, namely, Stop-and-Wait, Go-Back-N and Selective Repeat. The shared media problem common to LANs and packet radio networks is addressed through discussion of medium-access control (MAC) methods including the Aloha protocol, Carrier Sense Multiple Access methods, broadcast and switched Ethernet, Token Ring and Token Bus, FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface), and DQDB (Dual Queue Dual Bus) used for high-speed networks local and metropolitan area networks. Network-layer issues are discussed through the analysis of routing algorithms based on flooding, shortest-path, and optimal routing. Transport-layer issues are discussed in the context of closed-loop and open-loop flow-control. Introduces important emerging technologies including ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) and WDM (Wave-Division-Multiplexing) Prereq. ECE 1355 and MTH 1384 or ECE 1330.
ECE 1256: Internetworking Design Lab: Presents a detailed examination of the operation of the Internet using a lab-based approach supplemented with readings and brief lectures. In-depth examination of the design and performance of the DoD (TCP/IP) protocol suite. Primary emphasis is on IP and TCP layer issues, including addressing, routing, congestion-control, reliable versus best-effort transport, IP address-depletion and mobility. Experiments focus on the demonstration of problems, including, ARQ schemes, address-resolution and adaptation to network congestion, and offer students the opportunity to observe and/or develop solutions. Discusses and demonstrates high-layer protocols including FTP, DNS, RPC, NFS and HTML. Presents distributed systems concepts, introduction to client-server programming and first, second and third generation LAN (Local-Area-Network) standards, including wireless LANs and ad-hoc networks, packet switch design concepts and bridges and routers. The focus of this course is on the hand-on analysis of Internet protocol operation and performance. Students will conduct experiments with commercial network equipment and measurement gear, and utilize simulation tools. Project will involve the implementation of a protocol in the lab. This is a lab course focused on experimentation and implementation involving network protocols. Prior completion or concurrent registration in ECE 1458 is recommended but not required. The necessary concepts will be covered in the lectures and readings. Prereq. MTH 1384 or ECE 1330 and Junior or Senior Standing.
ECE 3511 Network Communications and Performance Engineering: Presents basic principles and topics of fundamental importance to the design and analysis of modern communications networks. Emphasis is placed on both theoretical and practical concepts. The objective is to provide students with the necessary analytical tools and intuition for advanced course work and research. The concept of a layered network architecture is used as a framework for understanding the principle functions and services required to achieve reliable end-to-end communications. Analysis of different switching and multiplexing techniques are presented within the context of network session requirements and, hence, network traffic characterization. Performance modeling is introduced with intermediate-level problems in queueing theory including MG1 queues, simple queueing networks, the IPP and the MMPP. Point-to-point communications presents the backdrop for understanding the complexities of networks. Models for transmission, encoding and fundamental limitations of physical channels are discussed as motivation for the development of data-link-layer services. Correctness and performance analysis are presented with respect to framing, error-detection and ARQ schemes. Local-Area-Networks (LANs) are discussed briefly as a special case of multiple access point-to-point communications. Host-to-host communications is presented as a problem of routing and addressing. Routing is discussed in detail, emphasizing correctness, stability and performance of fundamental algorithms. Students should gain insight into the problems of adapting traditional routing strategies to high-speed and wireless environments. Finally, flow and congestion control strategies are discussed and considered in the context of end-to-end session requirements and global network performance. Prerequisites: ECE 3241 and C-Programming. Recommended: statistics, discrete math, knowledge of simulation and an undergraduate networking course.
ECE 3650 Local Area Networks and Internetworking: Presents fundamental principles and practical aspects concerned with the design and analysis of Local Area Networks (LANs) and Internetworking strategies. Networks can be classified by numerous criteria. Properties including size, transmission speed, ownership and applications play an important role in understanding design and implementation decisions. The traditional definition of a LAN is that it provides relatively high-speed transmission within a limited geographic scope, and ownership is associated with the organization that uses and manages it. An alternative definition is that a LAN provides the physical and link-layer access point to an internetwork. LAN technology provides electrical, physical and signaling specifications, as well as the rules for transmission on various shared or dedicated media. Today LANs can operate at speeds in the Gigabits-per-second and may span great distances. Internetworking imposes a higher logical-layer abstraction that provides the protocols, algorithms and devices for interconnecting a mesh of heterogeneous LANs and intermediate networks into an internet. Thus, providing the means for a process running on a device connected to one LAN to communicate with a process on another device connected to a remote LAN. The objective of this course is to guide students through the evolution of LAN technology, from the challenges addressed by engineers designing first and second generation LANs, to present and future advances. The course emphasizes basic algorithms and protocols used for media access control and performance evaluation. Throughout the course internetworking concepts will be discussed and related to the protocols used in the present day Internet. Prerequisite: ECE 3511 or equivalent. Recommended: ECE 3351.
ECE 3655 Special Topics in Computer Networking: Current aspects of computer communications networks not covered in previous courses. Subject matter may change from year to year. Examples of possible topics include (but are not limited to) the following: Wireless Ad-Hoc Networks, Quality-of-Service in Wireless Networks, Network and Internet Security, Modeling and Analysis of Network Traffic and Mobility, Advanced Queuing Theory. Prerequisite: ECE 3511 or equivalent.
ECE 3656 Mobile and Wireless Networks: The purpose of this course is to introduce graduate students to the fundamental techniques and protocols in first and second generation, and emerging third generation wireless systems. This course examines how mobility affects networks, systems and applications. Mobility of devices and end-users has behavioral implications at all layers of the Internet protocol stack, from the MAC layer up through the application layer. Handling mobility efficiently requires more information sharing between network layers than is typically considered. Topics will include cellular system, medium-access-control protocols for wireless systems, mobility management and signalling withing mobile networks, common air interfaces (AMPS, IS-136, IS-95, GSM), wireless data networking (CDPD), ad-hoc networks, Bluetooth, Mobile IP and PCS Systems. Finally, the course will introduce students to the problems and current research in the provision of quality-of-service (QoS) in wireless networks. Methodology: lecture, text-book and emphasis on readings from relevant literature. Prerequisite: ECE 3511 or equivalent.
ECE 3657 Broadband Communications Networks: Broadband networks are designed to support a variety of services and applications. This course will cover the basic principles and fundamental design issues relevant to broadband communication networks and expose students to current research problems. The topics will range from SONET and ATM switching to high-speed network control. Specific topics that will be addressed include characterization of network traffic and its implications on network design, traffic management, flow control and congestion control, including call admissions control, scheduling and policing, QoS-based routing and multicast routing. Networking technologies will reflect current research areas and implementations. The focus will be on high speed wide-area-networking (WAN) technologies such as Frame Relay (FR), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), and next generation Internet architecture. Methodology: lecture, readings from relevant literature, student presentations. Prerequisite: ECE 3511 or equivale