A Graduate Degree Program with Unlimited Opportunities – MINT
MINT 702 Course Description Fall 2008
MINT 702 Data Communication Protocols course Outline
Calendar Description:
*3 (fi 6) (variable, 36 hours). Structure of communication protocols, with an emphasis on the data link layer. SDLC and HDLC. Medium access control techniques. AAA. Local area, metropolitan area and wireless standards: Ethernet, 802.11 and Bluetooth. Offered jointly by the Department of Electrical and Computing Engineering and the Department of Computing Science.
General Information:
Term: Fall 2008
Dates: Weekends of October 18, 19; November 1, 2; and November 15, 16
Times: Saturdays and Sundays 0900 – 1200; 13:00 – 16:00
Final Exam: Date & Time: Sunday, December 7, 13:00 – 16:00
Location: ETLE 1 008
Overview:
This course provides an introduction to layered data communication protocols, and focuses primarily on issues related to the data link layer. Functionality required from the data link layer will be discussed, including error detection, automatic repeat request procedures, flow control, framing, and medium access control. HDLC and PPP protocols for point-to-point links will be discussed. An overview of local area, metropolitan area, and personal area network protocols will be given, including discussion of Ethernet, WiFi, WiMax, and Bluetooth. Interconnection of local area networks, and wide area networks will also be discussed, with specific attention given to SONET/SDH, Frame Relay,ATM and MPLS.
Objectives:
By the end of this course, students will be expected to have the ability to:
- Discuss why networking protocols are designed in a layered manner, and identify drawbacks of this approach
- Identify the basic functionality provided by the data link layer, and discuss in detail several specific responsibilities of protocols operating at this layer
- Provide insight into the evolution of local area network protocols, and describe characteristics of several LAN standards, including Ethernet and 802.11.
- Discuss the differences and similarities of LANs with metropolitan area networks (such as WiMax) and personal area networks (such as Bluetooth)
- Discuss the use of telecommunication facilities in support of data communications, and describe several wide area networking technologies, including SONET/SDH, Frame Relay,ATM and MPLS
Course Topics:
Weekend #1: Introduction and data link layer
- Introduction to networks, protocols, and services (Chapters 1 & 2 of text)
- Data link layer functionality: error detection, ARQ, flow control framing, medium access control (Chapters 10, 11, 12 of text)
Weekend #2: Point-to-point protocols, LANs, MANs, PANs
- HDLC and PPP (Sections 11.6, 11.7 of text)
- Ethernet (Chapter 13)
- 802.11, 802.16, Bluetooth (Chapter 14)
Weekend #3: Interconnection of LANs, and WANs
- Approaches to network interconnection (Chapter 15)
- SONET/SDH (Chapter 17)
- Frame Relay and ATM (Chapter 18)
- MPLS (Chapter 16)
Course Work and Evaluation:
Grades for the course will be assigned based on the completion of three assignments and a final exam.
- Three assignments, each 15% of course grade. Final exam: 55% of course grade.
- Each assignment will be based on the material covered in a weekend session, and will be available from the course web page. It will be due eight days later (the following Monday) in order that it can be marked and returned by the next lecture session. Late assignments will not be accepted unless there is a legitimate reason, and only then if the assignments have not yet been graded.
- The three hour final exam will be open book (course notes, assignments, and texts allowed). Proposed date: Sunday, December 7, 1 – 4 PM.
Final grades will be assigned based on relative standing in class in terms of overall performance.
Course Material:
Required text:
- Data Communications and Networking, 4th Edition, B.A. Forouzan, McGraw Hill. ISBN 0-07-325032-5 (This text will be available from the U. of A. Bookstore)
Supplemental texts:
- Data and Computer Communications, 8th Edition, W. Stallings, Pearson/Prentice Hall. (This text is required for MINT 700)
- Communication Networks: Fundamental Concepts and Key Architectures, 2nd Edition, A. Leon-Garcia & I. Widjaja, McGraw Hill
Supplemental material will be made available on the course webpage.
Academic Integrity:
The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online at www.ualberta.ca/secretariat/appeals.htm) and avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University. (GFC 29 SEP 2003)
Collaboration:
While you may discuss your individual coursework with other students, the work claimed and submitted in your name must be your own. That said, there are assignment and project-specific policies on how much source code from publicly available sources may be borrowed. Always give proper credit to the original developers in your source code and documentation. Ask permission beforehand if you intend to recycle your work from another course in this course.
University Policies:
The University of Alberta policies include, but are not limited to, the following:
- (Section 23.4(2) of the University Calendar)
- (Section 23.5 of the University Calendar)
- (Section 30 of the GFC Policy Manual)
- Regulations listed in the GFC Policy Manual and the University Calendar will be used in resolving any discrepancies.
