ECE 564
Advanced Topics in Computer Networks
Course Level
Units
Prerequisite(s)
Course Texts
Class notes will be provided in several parts, which can be purchased from the EES Copy Center in Room 137 of the Harvill Building. Occasionally, notes, supplemental material, homework assignments, quizzes, etc., will be sent by email or will be posted on the class website.
Several technical articles from the literature will be assigned throughout the semester. Their titles will be announced in class and posted on the class site. Electronic copies of such articles can often be obtained from the UA Digital Library. Material not available in electronic form can be purchased from the EES Copy Center. Papers will be continually assigned throughout the semester.
Other references include:
- IETF RFCs and IEEE standards.
- Selected chapters from various books (copies can be purchased from the EES Copy Center).
Schedule
Course Links
Course Description
Current state of the Internet; multimedia requirements; quality of service in IP networks; RSVP; real-time protocol (RTP); differentiated-services (Diffserv) architecture; traffic control; traffic policing and admission control; burstiness and traffic characterization; flow control; TCP enhancements; fairness and protection; packet scheduling and buffer management; inter-domain routing (BGP protocol); intra-domain routing (OSPF protocol); hierarchical routing; web caching; medium access control in wireless LANs; mobile ad hoc networking (routing and MAC protocols, power control, topology control); addressing schemes and MAC design for sensor networks; and others.
Summary
The goal of this course is to expose students to recent advances in wired and wireless networks, with focus on the architectural and protocol aspects underlying the design and operation of such networks. These aspects include medium access protocols, routing protocols, quality-of-service provisioning, traffic control, flow control, protocols for wireless LANs, ad hoc networks, sensor networks, etc. In the process of learning network architectures and protocols, students will be exposed to various analytical methods that are used in the design and engineering of next-generation networks. They will also use simulations to evaluate the performance of various design concepts.
Assessment
- Homework (mini-projects): 4-6 assignments
- Exams: 1 midterm exam, 1 final exam
- Quizzes: 4-5
- Class participation
- Typical grading policy: 20% midterms, 25% final exam, 25% homework, 20% quizzes, 10% class participation.