Course syllabus

Lectures:
Monday and Wednesday, 2:37 pm - 4 pm

Location:
Cupples II, Room 217

Instructor:
Sergey Gorinsky
Email: gorinsky@arl.wustl.edu
Telephone: 935-4838
Office: Bryan Hall 522E

Office hours:
by appointment

Web site:
http://www.arl.wustl.edu/~gorinsky/cse573s/spring2009

Course description:
An introduction to the design, performance analysis, and implementation of existing and emerging computer network protocols. Protocols include multiple access protocols (e.g., CSMA/CD, token ring), internetworking with the Internet Protocol (IP), transport protocols (e.g., UDP, TCP), high-speed bulk transfer protocols, and routing protocols (e.g., BGP, OSPF). General topics include error control, flow control, packet switching, mechanisms for reliable, ordered and bounded-time packet delivery, host-network interfacing and protocol implementation models. Substantial programming exercises supplement lecture topics. Prerequisite: CSE 422S or permission of the instructor.

Semester focus:
In Spring 2009, the course focuses on analytical understanding of computer network protocols. An extensive experimental component involves implementation of the protocols and their evaluation in the Open Network Laboratory (ONL), http://onl.arl.wustl.edu/.

Policies:

Academic integrity: The students are strongly encouraged to do homework assignments independently. However, studying together in this course is allowed. If a student discusses a problem with other students or use other assistance (such as insights from books or web sites) to solve the problem, the student has to acknowledge all the used sources by listing them at the end of the solution. Violations of this policy can result in receiving a debit (negative credit) for the amount of points that the solution would earn if the sources were cited. Repeated violations can result in receiving F as the final grade in the course.

Late homework: Homework is due at the beginning of the class on the assigned day. If a student cannot attend the class on the due day, the student can turn in the homework earlier. The instructor reserves a right to accept late homework in special circumstances on the individual basis.

Exams, quizzes, projects: The course has no classroom quizzes or exams. Each student gives two presentations related to the individual course project: (1) article presentation about the research article that serves as a basis for the project and (2) project presentation about the work that the student has done in the project.

Texts: The recommended textbook is "Computer Networking - A Top-Down Approach Featuring the Internet" by Kurose and Ross. The instructor will also be providing pointers to papers, RFCs, and other relevant materials. It is the responsibility of each student to read the suggested texts before they are discussed in the class.

Grading:
Class participation: 10 %
Homework assignments: 40 %
Article presentation: 10 %
Project presentation: 10 %
Final report: 30 %

Tentative schedule: