Computer network architectures and multimedia

Duration

35h Th, 10h Labo., 25h Proj.

Number of credits

Lecturer

Guy Leduc

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

This course complements the introductory course on computer networking. It explains advanced concepts of networking architectures and network protocols to support multimedia applications. It is composed of the following chapters :

• Multicast routing.
• MPLS networks and MPLS Virtual Private Networks (VPN)
• Wireless and mobile networks: CDMA, WiFi, mobility management, Mobile IP, and mobility in cellular networks.
• Multimedia Networking - Applications and Transport: streaming stored video, voice-over-IP, protocols for real-time conversational applications (RTP, SIP).
• Quality of Service (QoS) mechanisms and architectures: scheduling, shaping/policing, packet drop strategies, class-based QoS, Diffserv, per-connection QoS guarantees, RSVP.
• Seminars on IP telephony, by Eric Vyncke from CISCO Systems, and on the ULg WiFi network by Simon François.
• Visit of ULg's datacenter

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

At the end of the course students will understand well wireless, mobile and MPLS networks, as well as more advanced concepts of network architectures and protocols able to support multimedia applications. They will be able to create a model of a computer network and study its perfomance with the ns-2 simulator. They will also be able to configure a router in order to enable the mechanisms providing quality of service.
The projects bring out self-learning and team work capabilities, and help improve the writing skills of the students. Teaching, and all support material, in English allow students to improve their knowledge and skills in this langage.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

INFO0010 (Introduction to computer networking) or equivalent.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

• Lectures (30 hours) describing in detail the theoretical and practical concepts of the course.
• Lab sessions (4 hours) based on the Netkit network emulator to improve the understanding of some concepts, and one lab assignment on the configuration of QoS-specific mechanisms on a router (4 hours), in groups of 2 students.
• One project assignment based on a network simulator (ns-2) in groups of 2 students.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

The face-to-face lectures are complemented by lab sessions, an introduction to the ns-2 simulator and two seminars. The first project is mainly carried out remotely. The second project has to take place in the lab.

Recommended or required readings

Reference books:

• James F. Kurose and Keith W. Ross. Computer Networking - A Top-Down Approach (Sixth Edition), Addison-Wesley, 2012. Also published by Pearson (ISBN 978-0-273-76896-8)
• S. Keshav. An Engineering Approach to Computer Networking: ATM Networks, the Internet and the Telephone Network. Addison-Wesley, 1997 (ISBN 0-201-63442-2).

Assessment methods and criteria

The evaluation is threefold: the labs (including the QoS project to be carried out in the lab, weight of 25%), the simulation project (weight of 25%) and an oral exam on the theory (50%).
At the oral exam the student has to expose clearly and in a synthetical way one part of the course, and prove his/her in-depth understanding by answering questions. A student who has not completed his/her projects is not allowed to take this exam.
Presence at the lab sessions is mandatory. Students have to write a short report at the end of each session. Each report will receive a grade.
The assessment of the project and labs will be based on (1) the correctness of the simulation or experimental results, (2) the quality of the explanations given in the report.
Students may improve their project for the second exam session (in September), but cannot do the lab sessions again. If the grade of the labs is favorable to the students, the second session is identical to the first one, with the same weighting. On the other hand, if the grade of the labs is not favorable to the student, it will not be taken into account in the weighting in September.

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

The course is organized during the first term (from mid-September to mid December), on Wednesdays, from 9 AM to 12:30 PM. All lectures in English.

Contacts

Teacher: Guy Leduc, Guy.Leduc@ulg.ac.be Teaching assistant: Yves Vanaubel, Yves.Vanaubel@ulg.ac.be