CS5220: Computer Communications, Fall 2014

Course Description

CS522 covers fundamental computer networking concepts and principles which guide you to apply the networking theory and design principles, verify their understandings, and build a solid foundation for creating innovations in today's Internet. It lays foundations of network architectures, protocol design principles, and TCP/IP programming skills, which are necessary to take more advanced courses in graduate study and/or technical training in the industry. It covers basic networking knowledge and in-depth understanding of the inner-workings of computer networks and their evolution. Communication systems, from simple to asynchronous point-to-point links, to those based on complex network architectures will be studied. Material will be oriented toward the computer scientist as a user, designer and evaluator of such systems. It may also feasure recent advances in research and development, e.g., cloud computing and data center networking.

Announcement

What is new?
• Nov 24: the last homework assignment, textbook exercise questions 7.33, 7.34, 7.56, 7.59, 8.2, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.9, 8.12. Due Wed, Dec 3, class time.
• Nov 10: The project is due Due 7 PM, Dec 3. You can use following severs: crestone, redcloud, sanluis, blanca, eas-gcc, shavano, windom. You should test your project between different servers.
• Nov 10: The presentation schedule is posted.
• Nov 10: There is no class on Nov 19 (Wed) due to a business travel. We will make it up on Dec 5, Friday, 4:45-6PM, in classroom ENG 105. I will also use the class to give a review for the final exam.
• Oct 28: homework assigned, due Nov 5 Wed class time in hardcopy. Note that you will also do the 3rd homework assignment questions 5.52, 5.53 and 5.64 (if you have done it, simply turn it in again).
• Oct 2: The 3rd homework assignment will be due class time Oct 8, Wed! Note that you will do questions 5.52, 5.53 and 5.64 with homework assignment 4, not this time!
• Sep 30: The reading assignment is due class time of Oct 20 (Monday) - one week extension.
• Sep 29: Midterm scheduled on Oct 13, Monday, class time in the classroom.
• Sep 29: On Oct 10, Friday, 4:45-6PM, in classroom ENG 105, we will have a makeup class for the missed on Sep 22 class.
• Sep 17: Homework assignment 2 will be due Sep 29. Turn in the hardcopy in an envelope at class time.
• Sep 10: On Sep 24, Prof. Yue will give a guest lecture on nework security. Please read the paper "The Matter of Heartbleed" in Proc. IMC 2014 before the class.
• Sep 8: Homework assignment 1 will be due Sep 15. Turn in the hardcopy in an envelope at class time.
• Sep 4: CS 5220 homework Assignments;. Note that the specific due date of each homework assignment will be announced in this webpage about one week before the actual due time. Please turn in the hardcopy in an envelope at the due time only (no early submission).
• Aug 28: Our classroom is changed to ENG 105 (The next door!!!).
• Aug 20: For doing the project on linux machines, you can use blanca, shavano, and windom. You need to use your UCCS credentials to log in (please check this URL: http://www.uccs.edu/eas/linux.html).
• Aug 20: Welcome to CS5220! The course materials including the syllabus and slides are available for downloading.

Required Backgrounds

• Prerequisite: Prerequisites are CS 2060 (C) and CS 2080 (Unix).
• You should have background of C/C++ Programming or Java.
• If you want to take the class without the prerequisite, you have to get permission from the instructor. If approved, it is your responsibility to makeup for the prerequisite.

Textbook

• Required: Alberto Leon-Garcia and Indra Widjaja, "Communication Networks", 2nd Edition, McGraw Hill, 2004, ISBN 0-07-246352-X. The text may be complemented by some additional technical paper reading assignments.

Course Tentative Schedules

• Introduction to Computer Communications
• Layered Architectures and Socket API
• Queuing and Differentiated Services
• Digital Transmission Fundamentals
• Peer-to-Peer Protocols and Data Link Layer
• Medium Access Control Protocols and Local Area Networks
• Packet-Switching Networks
• TCP/IP
• Advanced Network Architectures and Applications
• Research Presentations on Clouds and Data Center Networking

Reading and Project Assignments

• The reading assignment is available at HERE. The reading assignment is due class time of Oct 13 (Monday). The presentation assignment is TBA.
• The project assignment is available at Project. Due 7 PM, Dec 3.

Exam Schedules

• Midterm scheduled: 4:45pm -- 6:00pm, Monday, Oct 13, 2014; in the classroom; No Make-up exam.
• Final Exam: 5:20pm -- 7:20pm (firm), Wednesday, Dec 17, 2014; in the classroom; No Make-up exam.
• All exams are close-book and close-notes. However, you are allowed to carry one double-side hand-writing help sheet of 8.5 by 11in.
• The final exam is comprehensive.
• The best way to prepare for exams is to re-do lecture examples and homework assignments, review the textbook according to the lecture notes, and of course attend all lectures.
• If you schedule another exam that overlaps with these exams, you need to make arrangements with the other instructor to take that exam at another time.
• In case of any change, it will be announced in the class and on the course Web site at least one week before the change.

Grading Scale

Borderline cases will be resolved by student participation in class providing intelligent questions, informative comments, and constructive criticisms.

Grading Percentage

All exams will be graded by the instrutor himself.

The attendance policy is as follows: There will be a few times of attendance check, randomly given in the semester. For each absence, the attendance percentage is reduced proportionally. Exceptions to this policy will be made only in extreme cases, due to circumstances beyond your control and which were unforeseen at the beginning of the semester. If you are aware of classes you will need to miss because of business trips, or athletic events, please discuss with the instructor before the event occurs so that the absence is granted. If you arrive too late or leave early, you may be marked absent for that class. .

Course Policy

• The last day to drop the class without special permission from the dean is Oct 31, 2014.
• If you have a disability for which you are requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact the Disability Services Office within the first week of classes. The Disability Services Office is located in Main Hall #105. (Phone # is 255-3354)
• Students are required to attend all lectures. Missing lectures are extremely risky since the teaching pace is fast and the course is heavy! If you will miss a class due to a business travl, please inform the instructor as early so that the absence can be granted.
• Homework (project) assignments are important part of the course and are to be completed individually. Assignments should be due in class on the due date in hard-copy. No email submission.
• Late homework, readling assignment, and project submission: loses 30% of its value per day, except under extreme non-academic circumstances, such as illness. In such cases, you have to provide sufficient and convincing proof, i.e., documents from the doctors.
• For FAIRNESS, no make-up examinations, except under extreme non-academic circumstances, such as illness. In such cases, you have to provide sufficient and convincing proof, i.e., documents from the doctors.
• Adherence to the University's Code of Ethics will be strictly monitored and enforced. This will be applicable to assignments, projects and examinations.
• Academic Integrity violations, such as plagiarism, cheating on an exam etc., will result in a series of actions and penalties including the student failing the class.
• Any work submitted for a grade must include the following statement and be signed and dated. If this is missing or not signed and dated, the work will be returned ungraded.
• I have neither given nor received unauthorized assistance on this work.
• Signed:
• Date:

Links to Information Assurance Related Websites

• Web link of National Security Agency
• Web link of NIST, Computer Security Division, Computer Security Resource Center
• Web link of Common Criteria for Information Technology Security Evaluation
• Web link of U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• Web link of ITU (International Telecommunication Union
• Web link of Internet Society (ISOC)
• Web link of The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
• Web link of Internet Architecture Board (IAB)
• Web link of International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
• Web link of IEEE Computer Society
• Web link of Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
• Web link of USENIX: The Advanced Computing Systems Association