COMPSCI 742 : Advanced Internet: Global Data Communications

Science

2023 Semester Two (1235) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

The course covers wide area networks, global routing, network and protocol performance, buffering and queuing, advanced network measurement, network application performance, content networks, and advanced networking concepts.

Course Overview

This is a research-oriented course covering various aspects of networked systems with a strong focus on the Internet and mobile network infrastructure. The course prepares students for roles in which they need to design and work with network infrastructure at the provider and carrier levels. Students who have completed this course will also be ready to undertake research in the general area of computer networking and distributed systems, including mobile and satellite systems. The course will be delivered mostly in the form of lectures, but will also include self-directed learning in the form of team projects and/or presentations.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: COMPSCI 314 or 315

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Analyse complex communication scenarios in wired and wireless networks at different layers of the network stack and communicate their conclusions. (Capability 1, 2, 4 and 5)
  2. Create Internet applications based on raw and non-blocking sockets, and be aware of the potential of abuse involved in raw sockets. (Capability 1, 3 and 6)
  3. Critically evaluate the behaviour of transport protocols over satellite networks. (Capability 1 and 2)
  4. Query and work with the global routing, naming and numbering system of the Internet and of the software used to maintain it. (Capability 1, 2 and 6)
  5. Able to assess where the use of software-defined networking is appropriate, and implement simple solutions. (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
  6. Work with advanced concepts in TCP, congestion control, multicasting communications, wireless communications, etc. and are able to develop in-depth self-learning in these concepts by reading research articles and present findings in a suitable format. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
  7. Be able to carry out basic experiments/simulations in a network simulator for networking research. (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
  8. Capable of applying Queuing Theory to real-life and networking applications. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 6)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments 35% Individual Coursework
Projects 15% Group Coursework
Final Exam 50% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Assignments
Projects
Final Exam

Tuākana

Tuākana Science is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/study-with-us/pacific-in-our-faculty.html
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/study-with-us/maori-in-our-faculty.html

Key Topics

  • Advanced concepts in TCP/IP
  • Non-blocking and raw sockets
  • Host- and network-based congestion control
  • Bufferbloat
  • Internet over satellite links
  • Wireless
  • Link budgets
  • Cellular systems
  • Network coding
  • Global routing
  • The Internet name and numbering system
  • Software-defined networking
  • Network simulation
  • Multicasting
  • Smart cities

Special Requirements

Must pass both exam and practical components (assignments, projects, and/or presentations) of the course separately.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 150 hours in total for each 15 point course they are enrolled in.  This equates to approximately 10 hours per week.

For this course, each week you can expect 2-3 hours of lectures, 3 hours of reading and thinking about the content, and 4-5 hours of work on assignments and projects.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities including tutorials to receive credit for components of the course. 

Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings. 

Attendance on campus is required for the test/exam. 

The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable. 

This course may be taken remotely, including tests and exams, if you meet Ministry of Health guidelines and receive an exemption, or are unable to attend because of border restrictions.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

There is no required textbook for this course. Recommended textbooks, which you can read to brush up on your networking background, include:
  • Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach (6th or 7th Edition) by Kurose and Ross
  • Computer Networks: A Systems Approach (5th Edition) by Peterson and Davie
  • Data and Computer Communications (10th Edition) by Stallings

If you are interested in further exploring advanced material covered in this course, then you may also wish to read:
  •  "Queuing Systems" by Kleinrock

Student Feedback

During the course Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the staff responsible for the course and staff-student consultative committees.

At the end of the course students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback.

Your feedback helps to improve the course and its delivery for all students.

N/A

Other Information

Students are expected to be familiar with a number of concepts from COMPSCI 314 or 315 and its prerequisites. These include: layered communication/encapsulation, transmission media, signals, frequency, bandwidth, latency, modulation, decibels, synchronisation, error detection and correction, data link layer protocols such as Ethernet, collision detection and management on media, IPv4 addresses, ARP, DHCP, IPv4 subnetting, making IP forwarding decisions based on destination address and netmask, DNS, TCP, TCP sequence numbering and congestion window, HTTP and E-mail protocols.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.

You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

The delivery mode may change depending on COVID restrictions. Any changes will be communicated through Canvas.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 01/11/2022 09:36 a.m.