Syllabus

CSCI 632 – Data Communications and Networking

Spring 2008

1.0           General Information

Class Time: Monday 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Class Location: 203 Thompson

Instructor: Dr. Shankar M Banik

            Office: 222 Thompson

            Email: shankar.banik@citadel.edu

Instructor Office Hours:

            Tuesday 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

            Wednesday 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

            Thursday 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

            Friday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

2.0           Course Objectives

This course aims to

·        provide the student with an overview of computer networking with OSI architecture;

·        introduce the concepts related to packet switching networks;

·        present the issues of communication over heterogeneous network technologies, internetworking, and virtual networks;

·        analyze the layered approach to the design of network protocols, with emphasis on the TCP/IP protocol suite;

·        study the design of client/server applications that use TCP/IP;

·        present the BSD sockets API; and

·        investigate the details of some of the major networking applications, including DNS, ftp, mail transfer, and the World Wide Web.

3.0           Course Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will

·      be able to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of the functionalities of the different layers on network in the OSI architecture;

·      understand the concepts of packet switched and circuits switched network;

·      be able to analyze the designs of different network protocols;

·      be able to design and implement client/server applications using BSD sockets API; and

·      understand the concepts of communication over heterogeneous network technologies.

4.0           Course Material

Textbook:       Computer Networks: A Systems Approach

L. Peterson and B. Davie

4^th Edition

Morgan Kaufmann

2007

5.0           Tentative List of Topics

·      Physical transmission media

·      Using modulation to encode digital information

·      Packet switched networks

·      LAN technologies

·      WAN technologies and routing

·      Layering in protocol suites and the TCP/IP model

·      Important network applications

·      Network security

6.0           Required Work

·        Homework

§         Homework will consist of problems and programming projects. Each homework should be turned in at the beginning of the class on the due date. The homework must be typed. Late and/or illegible work will not be accepted. For every 24 hours late, you will be deducted 10% of the grade of the homework.  Any homework that is more than 5 days late will not be evaluated. A homework that does not meet the specifications will receive an automatic deduction 50% of the grade.

·        Term Project

§         Students will be expected to choose and research some topic of interest to them in computer networks. They will be expected to give a presentation and a written report on the topic. A handout on the project details will be given in the class.

·        Midterm Examinations

§         There will be two Midterm Exams during the semester. Tentative dates for the Midterm Examinations are Monday, February 25 and Monday, March 31 at Thompson 203 during the lecture class. Missing an examination without a previously approved excuse will result in a grade of zero for that examination. Makeup examinations are never available.

·        Comprehensive Final Examination

§         The Final Examination is from 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM on Monday, April 28. The Final Examination is comprehensive. No Final Examination can be given early, except as required by The Citadel Policy.

7.0           Course Policies

Class Attendance and Discussion: It is advised that students attend all lectures. Everyone in the class is expected to participate in the class discussion.

E-mail: Any announcement will be sent through email. Class emails are sent to your official email address using WebCT. You are responsible for making sure that you are receiving class e-mails. It is your responsibility to have your official email account working properly and forwarding to the location where you read emails.

Grading: There are four components to the course grade. They are weighted as follows.

The grading scale will be no higher than the following. It may be lower at the discretion of the instructor.

Grading Policies

• If you have a question about the grading of a homework, please see the instructor during his office hours. All disagreements about the grading of homeworks must be brought to the attention of the instructor within one week of when the item was returned. 
• If there is a dispute about the grading of an examination problem, you may stay after the class the day the exams are returned to discuss it with the instructor. If you cannot stay at this time, return the paper to the instructor at the end of class and visit with the instructor during his office hours. ONCE AN EXAM HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE CLASSROOM AFTER IT HAS BEEN RETURNED, THE GRADE IS FINAL AND WILL NOT BE CHANGED, EVEN IF IT IS FOUND TO BE IN ERROR.

Disability

Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent him or her from fully demonstrating his or her abilities should contact the instructor personally as soon as possible so that necessary accommodations can be made to ensure full participation and to facilitate educational opportunities.

Academic Misconduct

All work submitted for an individual grade, including homework and project, should be the work of that single individual, and not their friends, nor their tutor.

It is your responsibility to be familiar with the Academic Policies of The Citadel. Ignorance of these policies is not an excuse for violating them.