CS 456: Open Systems Networking, Fall 2007
Instructor
Cristian BorceaOffice: GITC 4303
Phone: 973 596-3662
Office Hours: Mondays 5:30 - 6:30pm; Tuesdays 4pm - 5:30pm.
News
- 12/19 The grades are posted. You can check them in the Highlander Pipeline. Send me an email if you want to know your score(s). HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
- 12/11 The final exam is on Tuesday, 12/18, at 6PM (in the regular classroom).
- 12/05 Last homework is posted and is due on on Monday 12/10.
- 12/05 The TA posted the test cases and grading scheme for the third phase of the programming assignment.
- 12/02 Extension: I decided to give a 5-day extension for the third phase of the programming project. The new deadline is on 12/09, 11:59PM.
- 11/28 Homework 9 is posted and is due on Monday 12/03.
- 11/28 The lecture slides for next week are posted. Don't forget: (1) Send me questions for homework by 6pm today, (2) Form groups and choose topic for the research project by Tuesday, (3) Submit the third phase of the programming project by Tuesday.
- 11/21 The research project is posted.
- 11/19 The lecture slides for next week are posted. All of you should attend the class next week because I'll also present the topics for the research project.
- 11/15 The TA posted the solutions for phase 2 of the programming project.
- 11/14 Homework 8 is posted and is due on Monday 11/19.
- 11/12 Phase 3 of the programming project is posted. This phase is due on 12/04.
- 11/06 I decided to give a one week extension for the second phase of the project. I sent an email about it to your NJIT email addresses, but just in case, follow this link to read it: Extension - Message.
- 11/04 The TA emailed you the scores for the first phase of the project (on your NJIT email addresses).
- 11/01 The TA posted some advices regarding the second phase of the project.
- 10/31 Homework 7 is posted and is due on Monday (11/05) at 6PM.
- 10/31 The lecture slides for next week are posted. Don't forget to send me questions for the homework by 6PM today.
- 10/30 The TA posted the test cases and the grading scheme for the second phase of the project (due next Tuesday).
- 10/23 The lecture slides for next week are posted. The TA will come to class next week to answer questions about the second phase of the project and discuss the test cases (this phase is due on 11/06; you should really start working on it this week).
- 10/22 Homework 6 solutions are posted. Don't forget to bring a photo ID for the midterm tomorrow and ... study! :-)
- 10/17 Homework 6 is posted and is due on Monday (10/22) at 6PM.
- 10/15 Reminder: The midterm is on Tuesday, next week (10/23). More details about the midterm will be provided in class tomorrow.
- 10/11 Homework 5 is posted and is due on Monday (10/15) at 6PM.
- 10/10 The slides for next week's lecture are posted.
- 10/09 The TA posted the solutions for the first phase of the programming project.
- 10/08 The lecture slides for tomorrow are posted.
- 10/07 Don't forget: The first phase of the project is due on Tuesday (10/09) at 4pm. The project together with instructions on how to run it has to be emailed to the TA. The second phase of the project is posted, and I'll go over it on Tuesday.
- 10/03 Homework 4 is posted and is due on Monday (10/08) at 6PM.
- 10/03 The test cases for the first phase of the programming project are posted in the TA's web page. You should make sure that your program runs on AFS and produces the expected results for these test cases. Don't forget: this phase is due on Tuesday (10/09) at 4PM.
- 09/26 Homework 3 is posted and is due on Monday (10/01) at 6PM.
- 09/26 The lecture slides for next week are posted.
- 09/24 I emailed you the graded HW2.
- 09/24 The lecture slides for tomorrow are posted. DON'T FORGET: HW2 is due today at 6pm.
- 09/20 I emailed you the graded HW1 today.
- 09/19 Homework 2 is posted and is due on Monday (09/24) at 6PM.
- 09/15 The first phase of the project is posted. On Tuesday, I'll go over the client-server model, the socket API, and the details of this phase (no slides for this lecture). The TA will also come to class and present some programming examples as well as instructions on how to work on AFS.
- 09/12 Homework 1 is posted and is due on Monday (09/17) at 6PM.
- 09/12 Don't forget: each of you must send me one question by 6PM today. Then, I'll select/edit a few questions and post the homework which is due on Monday. As mentioned during the first lecture, you will receive credit for sending the questions.
- 09/05 The lecture slides for next week are posted below (under the weekly schedule)
- 09/05 I emailed you the results of the prerequisites test. If you didn't take the test, send me an email. In general, people that were average or under should consider using Java. The TA posted a few links in his web page.
- 09/04 Neeraj Rajgure will be our TA/grader. His main job is to provide help with the programming project. He will post more information in his web page.
Goals
- Understand basic principles of computer networks
- In-depth study of the Internet architecture and protocols
- Apply what you learned in a programming project
- Learn about recent networking developments in a research project
Short Description
This course provides an introduction to computer networks, with a special focus on the Internet architecture and protocols. The topics include architecture of interconnected networks, addressing, naming, routing, transport protocols, and several application layer protocols. Besides the theoretical foundations, students will acquire programming experience by implementing an application-layer protocol. Finally, students will learn about several recent networking developments through a research-oriented project that will end up with presentations in class.
Prerequisites
CS 114. Students are expected to be capable of programming in either Java (used for code examples in this class) or C/C++ (acceptable, but only minimally supported through examples in this class). A test of prerequisites will be administered in the first week of classes. All students are required to take it; students that will not do well will be advised to quickly review the material covered in the prerequisites. Failure to do so may result in a difficult time with the programming project and understanding of some material.
Book
Schedule
| Date | Topic | Readings |
| 09/04 | Course overview and requirements. Introduction to computer networks. Test of prerequisites. Slides. | Chapters 1 & 3 |
| 09/11 | Protocol layering and the Internet architecture. IP addressing. Naming, DNS. Slides. | Chapters 4, 10 & 23 |
| 09/18 | The client-server model. The socket API. Phase 1 of the programming project handed out. | Chapters 20 & 21 |
| 09/25 | HTTP. Web Servers. Email protocols. Slides. | Chapter 26 & 27 |
| 10/02 | Mapping IP addresses to physical addresses. ARP. DHCP. Slides. | Chapters 5 & 22 |
| 10/09 | IP. Phase 1 of the programming project due. Phase 2 handed out. Slides. | Chapters 6 & 7 |
| 10/16 | ICMP. Subnets & Supernets. Slides. Midterm review. | Chapters 8 & 9 |
| 10/23 | Midterm. Discussion of midterm solutions. | |
| 10/30 | Link state routing. Distance vector routing. Slides. Q&A for phase 2 of the programming project. | Chapter 13 |
| 11/06 | RIP. OSPF. Slides. Q&A for phase 2 of the programming project. | Chapter 15 |
| 11/13 | BGP (use the link from last week for the slides). Second phase of the project due. Third phase handed out. | Chapter 14 |
| 11/27 | Transport layer protocols. UDP. TCP I. Slides. Discussion of the research project topics. | Chapters 11 & 12 (12.1-12.23) |
| 12/04 | TCP II. Slides. Phase 3 of the programming project due. Final exam review. | Chapter 12 (12.24-12.34) |
| 12/11 | Research project presentations. |
Lecture Notes and Assigned Readings
The lecture slides will be posted on the class's webpage prior to the lecture. Students are required to read the assigned book chapters before the lecture.
Exams
There will be two exams: a midterm, and a final exam. Both exams are closed book/notes. The final exam will cover only the material taught after the midterm.
Programming Project
Students will work individually toward implementing an application-layer protocol. The project will be divided in three phases, which will be graded separately. Solutions for the intermediate phases will be posted immediately after each submission; in this way, students can work on a new phase even if they didn't implement completely the previous phase. The submissions will be done electronically. Test cases will be posted one week before the due dates. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Homework
Homework will be assigned weekly to prepare students with the type of questions encountered in exams. Each student is required to submit electronically one short question after each lecture. The questions are due by Wednesday at 6PM. The homework consists of a few of these questions selected/edited by the instructor and posted by midnight. The homework is due (electronically) the next Monday at 6PM. Late submissions will not be accepted. The solutions will be discussed in class the next day.
Research Project
This project has two goals. First, it provides students with an opportunity to learn about the latest developments in the computer networks area. Second, it helps students improve their oral communication skills through an in-class project presentation. Students will form groups of two and choose research topics from those provided by the instructor. Each group is required to search the Internet for relevant information (e.g., conference, journal, or magazine articles) and present its research topic in class using power point slides.
Grading
- Midterm - 25%
- Final exam - 25%
- Programming project - 25%
- Homework - 15%
- Research project - 10%
Policy of Missed Exams
A make-up exam may be taken only after providing written documentation from the Dean of Students.
Honor Code
The NJIT Honor Code will be upheld, and any violations will be brought to the immediate attention of the Dean of Students. Note in particular that copying homework or programming assignments, in full or in part, is forbidden.
Modifications to Syllabus
The students will be consulted and must agree to any modifications or deviations from the syllabus throughout the course of the semester.