Advanced Computer Networks

(CSL858)

Vinay Ribeiro
 Goals of Course
• Develop a strong understanding of network technologies
from the physical to application layer
– design choices
– strengths and weaknesses

• Get a feel of networking research

– Develop healthy critical eye
– reading key research papers
– working with simulators, test beds etc.

• Enhance communication skills and team work

– form project teams
– make class presentations
 Syllabus
1. Brief history of Computer Networks

2. Protocol layering 

3. Point-to-point data communications

4. Error detection and correction

5. Multiple access schemes 

6. Internetworking

7. Congestion control and Quality-of-Service 

8. Applications
 Course Web Page and Mailing List

• Web Page

http://www.cse.iitd.ernet.in/~vinay/courses/CSL858.html

• Mailing list (join today!)

– Subscribe from course web page

• Instructor’s email: vinay.ribeiro [at] gmail

 Evaluation

• Assignments (25pts)

• Minor Exam (15pts)

• Major Exam (30pts)

• Project (30pts)
 Project Details

• Form teams of  3 students

• Choose a topic from the list on course web page

• Form a project web-page and email the link to the

instructor

• (Optional) Use material from your project web-page to

contribute to any web-based education project (example:
Connexions, cnx.org)
Brief History of Computer Networking
 Why History?

• Understanding of the past is fundamental to an

understanding of the present

• Where did technology come from?

– Societal conditions
– Discoveries
– Culture
– Economic factors

• Today’s technology will be history soon!

History of Computer Networking

Communication Computers

Computer Networking
 History of Computer Networking

• Focus on some key breakthroughs

• Claude Shannon

• John Von Neumann

• ARPANET
 Von Neumann (1903-1957)
• Major contributions to quantum
physics, functional analysis, set theory,
economics, computer science,
topology, numerical analysis,
hydrodynamics (of explosions),
statistics ...

• Pioneer of modern digital computer

• published (1945) a paper entitled “First Draft of a report

to the EDVAC”
– presented all of the basic elements of a stored-program
computer
 Von Neumann Machine
Other contributor:
Konrad Zuse (1936)
(courtesy maxmon.com
wikipedia.org)

• A memory containing both data and instructions. Also to allow both

data and instruction memory locations to be read from, and written
to, in any desired order
• A calculating unit capable of performing both arithmetic and logical
operations on the data
• A control unit, which could interpret an instruction retrieved from the
memory and select alternative courses of action based on the
results of previous operations

Concept of Reprogrammable Computer

 Claude Shannon (1916-2001)
• Boolean Algebra: His 1937 master's
thesis, A Symbolic Analysis of Relay and
Switching Circuits

Boolean algebra and binary arithmetic could

be used to simplify the arrangement of the
electromechanical relays used in telephone
switches

Used arrangements of relays to solve

Boolean algebra problems

• Information Theory: In 1948 published A Mathematical Theory of

Communication article. Invented concepts such as “Entropy” of an
information source and “Capacity” of a communication channel.

(courtesy: wikipedia.org)
 Information Entropy

“random” data

sde1rtn.…
source receiver

• source of information  “random” data generation (as far

as receiver concerned)

• What is the “uncertainty” in the source data?

 Entropy
p  x i 0.3

• Assume source draws data randomly 0.2

0.1
• Call outcome X

• Takes values x 1 , x 2 , ... , xn

xi
• Prob X = xi := p  xi 
n
Entropy : H  X =−∑ p  x i log 2 p x i bits /symbol
i=1

Compression rate ≥ H  X 
 Channel Capacity
• the amount of information that can be reliably transmitted over a
communication channel
noise

X Y
source channel receiver

• Mathematical definition
C=max p  x I  X ; Y 

where I(X,Y) is called the mutual information between X and Y

• can transmit information with zero error at any rate
smaller than the capacity C
• impossible to transmit information at rate larger than
capacity C
 Source-Channel Separation Theorem

• A source X with entropy H(X) can be transmitted error-free

over a channel with capacity C if and only if H<C

source Source Channel Channel Source

channel receiver
coder coder decoder decoder

image jpeg Reed-Muller (introduces Reed-Muller jpeg image

coder coder errors) decoder decoder


Key idea: separate the coders for source and channel
 ARPANET Project
• Soviet Union appeared to be #1 scientifically

• US needed
– to bring together the brain-power resident in discrete pockets at
universities and research institutions
– to strengthen telecom infrastructure against nuclear attack

• Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET)

– Distributed (no single point of failure), and widespread

– Combine diverse computing resources

– Use packet switching

 ARPANET  Internet

ARPANET 1969 Internet (2004)

(courtesy: som.csudh.edu) (courtesy: internetworldstat.com)

• What is the future going to be like?

 Computers In the Paint!
• “We will have computers in the paint” - Nacho Navarro
• Computers in
– Household appliances (networked)
– Body (monitoring health)
– Environment (sensor networks)
– Vehicles
– Paint??

• New types of computers

– Molecular computers
– Quantum computers
Protocol Layering
 Protocol Layering
• Networking suite divided into layers

• Layer: Essentially a piece of code running some

protocol related to a networking task
• Protocol: convention or standard that controls or enables
networking tasks
• What are some tasks?

• Why divide into layers?

 Analogy of Postal Network

• Registered post – need confirmation of receipt

 OSI model
• Different layers, different functionality
Layers in Internet
 Need for Standard Protocols

• Proposals usually submitted as RFCs (Request for

Comments)

• Standards bodies (e.g. Internet Engineering Task Force

– IETF) debate

• Produce document defining standard