CS5020: Principles of Computer Communication Systems

This module is offered in 2024-25.

Aims

The aims of this module are:

To equip students with a deep knowledge of fundamental concepts and terminologies of computer communication systems (CCS).
To illustrate fundamental principles with reference to widely-used systems and technologies for CCS.
To enable students to use high level tools for networked systems configuration, exploration and management of CCS.

On successful completion of this module, the student should:

Be aware of the role of the computer networks.
Have investigated chosen aspects of computer networks within a concrete context.

Development of the Internet: Internet design goals and alternative network architectures
Layered Model abstractions, their role and limitations
Protocol design, Message formatting and Encapsulation
Traffic management, Quality of Service and Quality of Experience
Measurement and Verification in terms of Reliability, Latency, Bandwidth, and Throughput
Patterns of Communication, including Broadcast, Multicast, Unicast; Duplex, Half-Duplex, Simplex; symmetric/asymmetric
Network Architecture, including Naming, Addressing and Routing
Mobility Concerns and Issues
Application Design, for example Client-Server, Peer-to-Peer, Publisher-Consumer - Network Configuration
Management - Network Security and Privacy

This module has no compulsory elements beyond those common to all modules (mark of 4 in each assessment component).