College of Computer Science Northeastern University COM3510: Computer Networks: Theory, Modeling and Analysis

Winter 2001 January 5, 2001

Course Information

Class Meeting Times/Location. Room: 39CN, Thursday 6:00-9:00 PM.

Instructor: Guevara Noubir, email: noubir@ccs.neu.edu, phone: (617) 373 5205, office: 219 Cullinane Hall.

Office Hours: Tue 2:00-3:00PM, Wed 2:00-3:00 PM.

Teaching Assistant: TBD

Required Text: Data Networks, by D. Bertsekas and R. Gallager, Prentice-Hall, 1992.

Course Home Page. http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/noubir/Courses/COM3510/W01. Interested students can also look at last quarter COM3510 course web page: http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/rraj/Courses/3510/F00/.

Prerequisites: An undergraduate course in probability theory (or equivalent).

Course Description: This course provides a graduate-level introduction to the theory, modeling, and analysis of computer networks. Topics covered include:

• Lecture 1: Introduction to the networking and 7-layer OSI architecture.
• Lecture 2: Error detection, retransmission strategies, and framing.
• Lecture 3: Introduction to Markov chains and queuing theory.
• Lecture 4: Multiple access schemes (MAC sublayer): ehternet, aloha, etc.
• Lecture 5: Packet Scheduling: Max-Min Fairness, Weighted Fair Queuing.
• Lecture 6: Routing algorithms: Dijkstra, Bellman-Ford. RIP and OSPF protocols.

Grading: The course grade will be based on 4 problem sets (total 30%), a midterm (25%), and a final exam (45%).

Problem sets: PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4.

Problem sets are due at the beginning of class. As a general rule the penalty on a homework turned in upto a week late will be 20% and no homework will be accepted beyond 1 week past its due date. Students may discuss the problem sets with one another, but solutions should be written up separately. If a key idea is obtained from another person (other than the TA or the instructor) or from another book or paper (other than the course textbook), then the source of that idea should be cited. Solutions should be presented in a clear and concise manner.

Midtem: The midtem will take place on Thursday Feburary 8^th, 7:00-9:00 PM in class. Please mark your calendars and make sure that you will be able to attend the midterm.

Final Exam: The final exam will take place on Thursday, March 15^th, during finals week.