31W6 Syllabus
(Communications and Networking)

Lecturers

• Prof. L.S. Smith
• Mr. R. Bland

Prerequisites

• 31P5 (general understanding of system design principles and techniques)

Aims

• understanding of data communications principles
• understanding of open communications architectures
• understanding of web scripting approaches
• understanding of communications services and protocols in current use, particularly on the Internet

Objectives

• explain the origins of data communications, demonstrating the need for open standards
• describe the principles behind layered communications architecture, and apply them to new problem areas
• describe the operation of important communications services and protocols in current use
• create web pages with associated scripts
• explain common Internet applications, with an understanding of their operation in terms of the underlying communications mechanisms

Transferable Skills

• understanding of layered systems
• understanding of Internet techniques and applications

Contents

• Communications Architecture (23 Lectures)
  • Data Communications and Networking Overview: communications, networking, information technology, standards, equipment
  • Architectural Principles: layering, services, protocols, layer-specific mechanisms
  • Communications Mechanisms: networking, data transmission
  • Communications Case Studies: ASN.1 (Abstract Syntax Notation 1), TCP/UDP (Transmission Control Protocol/Unconfirmed Datagram Protocol), IP (Internet Protocol), ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol), (R)ARP ((Reverse) Address Resolution Protocol), RIP (Routing Information Protocol), PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol), SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode), LANs (Local Area Networks - Ethernet, FDDI, Wireless)
• Scripting (9 Lectures)
  • Perl: general principles
  • Server-side WWW scripting using Perl and CGI
  • Client-side WWW scripting using JavaScript

Assessment

• assignment 1 (service/protocol design and implementation - may require programming, 20%)
• assignment 2 (network application development - may require programming, 20%)
• examination (60%)

Textbooks

• Computer Networks, A. S. Tanenbaum, Prentice-Hall, 1996 (third edition), ISBN 0-13-394-248-1 (recommended)
• Computer Networks, L.L. Peterson and B.S. Davie, Morgan Kaufmann, 2000, ISBN 1 55860 577 0 (additional)
• Data and Computer Communications, W. Stallings, MacMillan, 2000 (sixth edition), ISBN 0-13-084370-9 (additional)

• Randal L. Schwartz, Tom Christiansen, Larry Wall, Learning Perl, 2nd Ed (1997), O'Reilly UK; ISBN: 1565922840.
• David Flanagan, JavaScript: the definitive guide, 3rd edition (1998), O'Reilly UK; ISBN: 1565923928.

Up one level to 31W6 (Communications and Networking)

Professor Leslie Smith, room 4B76. Updated 15 Feb 2001.
(email address lss)