CS143: Computer Networks

(Course Overview)
9/3/2014

Professor HT Kung
Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Copyright 2014 by H. T. Kung

CS 143

Todays Agenda
l
l
l
l

Course overview
Changing perspectives on computer networks
Revamped course
Administrative information
Widespread use of the Internet started in early
1990s. The technology and applications have gone
through multiple culture changes. Their impact to
the society has being increasing rapidly over the
years

CS 143

DARPA Information Science and Technology (ISAT) study group

National Information Infrastructure (NII)

CS 143

CS 143

(This was 1993!)

CS 143

(This was 1993!)

Can you
point out
three
important
services
we missed
then?

CS 143

(It is now 2014)

Computer Networks Culture: Changing Again
THEN:
l
l
l

Stateless network: Applications are not supposed to

touch the core of the network
Email and Web traffic mostly
Network security and privacy: on the back burner

NOW:
l
l
l
CS 143

Programmable network: Program massive

commodity network equipment in datacenters
Mobile computing: Use application-adapt protocols
for mobile social networking
Network security and privacy: Employ messagebased peer-to-peer networking
7

What Does the Change in the

Network Culture Mean to Students?
THEN:
l

Study network protocols in detail. The more you know about

how exactly these protocols work at low levels, the more
respect you would get from your peers
Learn the Internet architecture and it was considered as the
ground truth as if it would never change

NOW:
l
l

l
CS 143

Learn how networks have enabled the applications and

services we use every day
Learn networks in the context of cloud computing/datacenters,
mobile computing, and the emerging Internet of Things (IoT)--networking is only longer studied as a separate technology
Exercise networking concepts/principles and study security
issues from the viewpoint of applications/services, such as
mobile computing and social networking
Note that jobs, start-up opportunities and interesting research
topics will be abundant in these new areas in the next decade
8

A Very Large Internet of Things

(IoT)
Seizing # IoT devices is a
game of asserting multiples!
l 1 billion smartphone users
worldwide today
l Suppose that there will be
10 IoT devices for each
smartphone user
l Then this will mean 10
billion IoT devices

26 billion in year 2020

predicted by Gartner, 30
billion by ABI Research,
and 50 billion by Cisco
CS 143

Image courtesy: Wilgengebroed

9 9

Smart Cars Would Save 420 Million

Barrels of Oil Over 10 Years

CS 143

10

Revamped CS143 (1/3)

l

CS 143

Address new networking structures and technologies for

IoT applications, web-scale distributed computing,
datacenters, cyber-physical systems, etc.
Gain new insights on why traditional networking concepts
such as statistical multiplexing and router-oriented
architecture may no longer be applicable. Instead there is
a need to program the network, like a computer, to
support applications directly, and also use machine
learning to configure the network based on traffic data
Discuss new directions such as software defined
networks (SDN) and how we can use an OpenFlow
controller to program massive commodity network
equipment
Study emerging network infrastructures supporting
multimedia content delivery and mobile applications
11

Revamped CS143 (2/3)

l

We will still review the traditional Internet structure

and protocols, and we will contrast them with the new
approaches. This will help build deep insights and
understanding about computer networking
This course is organized into nine modules
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

CS 143

Basics of Networking: Protocol Layering

Internet of Things: All-service Bluetooth Low Energy
(BLE)
Data Center Networking: Software Defined Networking
Content Networks: Video Streaming
Web-scale Networking: Distributed Cloud Computing
Network Security: Defense Against Protocol Exploitation
Wireless Networking: Wireless Mesh, Geographic
Routing
Cyber-physical Networks: Vehicular Networking
Machine Learning Assisted Networking: End-to-end
Application Adaptive Protocols

12

Revamped CS143 (3/3)

l

CS 143

In summary, CS143 students can expect a

good balance between the old school and
emerging topics in networking, and obtain a
broad perspective of emerging networkbased applications. More significantly, they
will witness the major new networking
directions unfolding at this exciting time, and
prepare themselves as strong contributors of
technology and applications in this new era
of networking
13

Course Aim and Approach

l

CS 143

After this course, students will acquire a general

knowledge of how computer networks work, and how
they enable personal IoT networking as well as webscale applications and services
Students will be able to understand technical papers in
this area, and more importantly, will be able to think like
a network person. That is, each student will understand
how the layering structure of networks works
In the classroom, the instructor will focus on motivating
students and introducing concepts. After having learned
how to think about a topic and the underlying principles,
students should be able to study the subject effectively
by themselves
It is expected that all students will show up (physically!)
in classes to engage in good classroom discussion
14

A Students Work
l

l
l
l
l

Submit answers to online questions on assigned readings

(posted on course iSite) by 11:59pm the night before the
next class (starting Tuesday, Sep 9)
Attend classes, labs, and participate in discussion
Do a written midterm
Do network programming assignment
Do a course project in a 2-3 person team:
l
l
l
l
l

CS 143

Formulate a project proposal

Have a few face-to-face individual meetings with teaching staff
Design, implement and evaluate the resulting system or application
Do a presentation on project results
Write a final project report

Give a presentation on research papers to prepare your

course projects
15

Example Final Projects

l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
CS 143

Homomorphic encryption
Ensuring privacy in the cloud
Preserving location privacy
P2P social-networking without central brokers
P2P mobile applications
Innovative use of HTML5 local Web storage
Data center network design for sorting with
MapReduce
Cloud-based games with OpenGL
RenderScript for mobile devices
Parallel link-layer wireless transmissions
Inference-based wireless ad-hoc networking
1
16

Course Schedule (1/2)

CS 143

Sep
Sep
Sep
Sep
Sep
Sep
Sep
Sep

3 Wed
8 Mon
10 Wed
15 Mon
17 Wed
22 Mon
24 Wed
29 Mon

Course overview
Basics of Networking
Basics of Networking
Basics of Networking
Internet of Things
Internet of Things
(University Holiday: President's Day)
Data Center Networking

Oct
Oct
Oct
Oct
Oct
Oct
Oct
Oct
Oct

1 Wed
6 Mon
8 Wed
13 Mon
15 Wed
20 Mon
23 Wed
27 Mon
29 Wed

Data Center Networking

Content Networks, Programming Assignment Out
Web-scale Networking
Web-scale Networking
Network Security
Network Security, Programming Assignment Due
Wireless Networking
Wireless Networking
Midterm

17

Course Schedule (2/2)

Nov 3
Nov 5

Mon Cyber-physical Networks

Wed Machine Learning Assisted Networking

Nov 10
Nov 12
Nov 17
Nov 19
Nov 24
Nov 26

Mon
Wed
Mon
Wed
Mon
Wed

Project proposal presentations

Project proposal presentations
Research paper presentations
Research paper presentations
Individual project team meetings
(Thanksgiving Recess begins)

Dec 1 Mon Student project presentations

Dec 10 Wed Project final reports due
Dec 11 Thu Fall Term Final Examinations Begin
Students receive advice on their project reports

CS 143

18

Course Grading Formula

l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
CS 143

Answers to midnight questions: 30%

Classroom discussion: 10%
Research presentation: 5%
Midterm: 15%
Programming assignment: 15%
Project formulation: 5%
Project presentation: 5%
Final report on project: 15%
19

Administrative Information
l

Textbook
l

TFs:
l
l

l
l

Enroll by visiting http://piazza.com/harvard/fall2014/cs143

Late day policy:

l

CS 143

http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k106316

Course message board on Piazza

l

Marcus Comiter <marcuscomiter@college.harvard.edu>

Michael Crouse <mcrouse@fas.harvard.edu>

Section time and place: TBA

Course web site (run by iSites)
l

Kurose and Ross, Computer Networking: A Top-Down

Approach (6th edition or early editions)
For rent (due Dec 22, 2014) for $27.49 on Amazon

No late days are allowed for weekly questions submission

(Note, however, that bottom 10% of scores received on
submitted questions will be ignored for each student)
20

Reasons for Taking This Course

Learn basics in computer networks and new
network-enabled applications and services
l Learn how to carry out a project (final project),
make presentations, and write technical reports
l Develop teamwork skills, and, hopefully, also do
some research
l Enjoy an interactive, seminar-style classroom
experience
l Acquire knowledge useful in job markets (e.g., jobs
related to network services, mobile computing,
content delivery, and cloud computing), or prepare
for research in computer science, and computing in
general
l Finally, become a network person who understands
the principles of networking
l

CS 143

21

Course Sign Up
If you are interested in taking the class
(I hope you are), please send an email to:
kung@harvard.edu
with YES on the subject line
l This will help the teaching staff determine
resources required for the course
l

Please consult the following webpages for

further info about the course:
l
l
CS 143

Course iSite: http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?

keyword=k106316
Piazza: https://piazza.com/harvard/fall2014/cs143/home
22