New Course Description
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.