676 Computer Communications
Content
- Introduction: Computer networks and internet
- Basic notions: layer, protocol, service, protocol stack. Backbone and local area networks; transmission latency sources.
- Application layers: services, network application basics, overview of well-known protocols. Protocols HTTP, FTP, SMTP, DNS. E-mail functionalities, peer-to-peer applications, sockets, use of transport layer services.
- Presentation and session layer: their purpose and services.
- Transport layer: services, multiplexing, connection-oriented and connectionless transfer (TCP and UDP), reliable data transfer, congestion control and its implementation inside TCP.
- Network layer: services, virtual and datagram connections, routing, addressing in internet (IPv4 and IPv6), routers.
- Transmission system – data link and physical layer, local area networks (LANs): services, error detection and correction techniques, media access protocols, addressing (MAC addresses) and mapping of MAC address to IP addresses (protocol ARP), switches and their functionalities. Ethernet, PPP, wireless networks, current standards (IEEE 802.11x, Bluetooth), cellular networks, mobile networks, transmission of signals, media types, modulations.
- Network security, reliability and protections. Message integrity, authentication, protection of e-mail, TCP connections (SSL), network connection (IPSec), wireless connections). Firewalls, IDS/IPS systems. Network attacks and defense from them.
- Network management.
Objectives and competences
The main goal is to present the students of computer science and informatics the basics of computer networking and the most important communication protocols in this area. The competences that the students will acquire, are:
- capability to use information and communication systems and technology
- understanding of how multi-layer communication systems work
- use and design of network services
- being capable of designing network architectures and implementing network addressing
- capability for installing and administering a simple (home) network, performing basic routing settings and configuring switches and wireless access points.