Objectives

• To understand the principles and practice of designing, building, and operating computer networks, particularly the Internet.

Outline (draft)

• Introduction
  • Internet/CA*Net/UVicNet overview
  • Access network technologies: basics
  • Backbone network technologies and structures: basics
  • Network architectures, services and protocols
• Application layer
  • Client-server model
  • Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
  • Domain Name System (DNS)
  • Electronic Mail (SMTP)
  • Socket Application Programming Interface
• Transport layer
  • Transport layer services
  • User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
  • Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)
  • TCP connection management techniques
  • TCP flow, error and congestion control basics
• Network layer
  • Network layer services
  • Internet Protocol (IP)
  • Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP)
  • Basic routing algorithms: distance vector and link state
  • Internet routing protocols: basics
• Link layer
  • Link layer services
  • Link layer error and flow control techniques
  • Medium Access Control (MAC) techniques
  • Link layer interworking techniques
  • IEEE 802.3 and 802.11 basics

Textbook

• You need to have at least one of the following two books
  • Computer Networks, Fourth Edition, Andrew S. Tanenbaum, Prentice Hall, 2002, ISBN: 0-13-066102-3
  • Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach Featuring the Internet, Third Edition, James F. Kurose and Keith W. Ross, Addison Wesley, 2004, ISBN: 0-321-22735-2
    Note: the 4th edition is coming soon!