Data Communications Systems and Network

At the end of the course, the students should be able to: 1. identify various network services, characteristics, elements, standards, and technologies; 2. describe the layered architecture of computer networks and the operation of main protocols in the TCP/IP model; 3. identify, compare and contrast different techniques and design issues of core functions such as addressing, routing, internetworking, switching, multiplexing, error and flow control, medium access, and coding; 4. implement simple client-server applications using socket programming; 5. demonstrate the ability to set up a small network and properly configure network components including switches, routers, and services (such as RAS, FTP, DNS, Web, DHCP, POP3); and 6. explain potential threats to network resources and various security mechanisms.

Types and sources of data, simple communications network, transmission definitions, one- way transmission, half-duplex transmission, transmission codes, transmission modes, parallel transmission, serial transmission, bit synchronisation, character synchronisation, synchronous transmission, asynchronous transmission, the efficiency of transmission, error detection methods and data compression. Protocols: Introduction to the network protocol. Seven Layer ISO-OSI standard protocols and network architecture. Transport protocols, session services protocols, and other protocols. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering 802 standards. Error control and Data Compression: Forward Error Control; error detection methods; parity checking; linear block codes, cyclic redundancy checking; feedback error control, data compression, Huffman coding, and dynamic Huffman coding. Local Area Networks: medium access control techniques – Ethernet, token bus and token ring; LAN standards; fibre-distributed data interface, metropolitan area network. Peer-to-peer, Client- Server. Client-Server Requirements: GUI design standards, interface independence, platform independence, transaction processing, and connectivity, reliability, backup, and recovery mechanisms. Information Network Software; Features and benefits of major recovery mechanisms. Information Network Software: features and benefits of major Network Operating Systems. Network OS: (e.g., Novell NetWare, UNIX/LINUX, and OS/2 & Windows NT). TCP/IP and Network OS. INTERNET: Definition, architecture, services, internet addressing. Internet protocol, IPv4, IPv6. Internet programming, Intranet. System administration, and security issues. Lab Work: Demonstration of simple communications networks. Illustration of applications at the various levels of the OSI model. Demonstration of different types of Local Area Networks (LANs). Illustration of Metropolitan Area Networks. Illustration of Error Detection and Error Correction techniques. Demonstration of Network Operating Systems. 400 Level