COMS7201 - Sem 2 2008 - St Lucia - Internal

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1. General Course Information

1.1 Course Details

Course Code: COMS7201 Course Title: Computer Networks I
Coordinating Unit: School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering
Semester: Semester 2, 2008    Mode: Internal
Level: Postgraduate Coursework
Location: St Lucia
Number of Units: 2    Contact Hours Per Week: 3L1T1P
Pre-Requisites: COMP7306
Incompatible: COMS2000 or COMS3200 or CS233 or CS332 or CS334 or CS336
Course Description: OSI & Internet reference models. Communication protocols for Local, Metropolitan & Wide Area Networks. BISDN networks.The Internet protocol suite. Mobile Networks. Network security. Trends in communication networks. Quality of service in communication protocols.
Assumed Background:

Students are expected to have basic knowledge of computer architecture and Java or C programming skills. Knowledge of operating systems would be an advantage but it is not necessary. Previous programming experience is essential.

1.2 Course Introduction

COMS3200 / COMS7201 is a course on computer networks and modern communication systems. The Open System Interconnection (OSI) and Internet models are used as a reference, in order to show the logical structure of the communication systems. The emphasis of the course is on the Internet communication protocols.

Communication and computer networks are part of our everyday technology. The volume and complexity of communication systems is rapidly increasing, therefore extending both theoretical and engineering knowledge of the subject. In addition, all fields of communication are subject to extensive standardisation and the volume of international standards is enormous. It is essential that future computer professionals know the general structure, scope and likely future directions of standards. COMS3200 / COMS7201 provides knowledge about communication systems (mainly computer networks) and also characterises standardisation trends. 

1.3 Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Professor Jadwiga Indulska
Phone: 3365 2542     Email: j.indulska@uq.edu.au
Campus: St Lucia Building: General Purpose South (Map)   Room: 627
Consultation: Tuesday, 14.00 - 15.00


1.4 Timetable

Timetables are available on mySI-net.

2. Aims, Objectives & Graduate Attributes

2.1 Course Aims

The main goal of this course is to equip students with good understanding of network technologies and also practical skills in development of networked applications.

2.2 Learning Objectives

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

1  Understand the possible topologies, functions and architectures of computer networks
2  Describe functionality and design principles of communication protocols in various layers of the OSI and Internet reference models
3  Understand the functionality of and be able to compare various interconnecting devices, e.g. repeaters, hubs, bridges, switches and routers
4  Describe multimedia applications and their Quality of Service (QoS) requirements and be able to describe and compare the IntServ, DiffServ, and MPLS models of QoS
5  Describe network security threats and their countermeasures
6  Design simple communication protocols and design and implement simple networked applications
7  Understand the message passing and RPC paradigms of inter-process communication (IPC) and be able to select appropriate inter-process communication methods for networked applications

2.3. Graduate Attributes

Successfully completing this course will contribute to the recognition of your attainment of the following UQ (Postgrad Coursework) graduate attributes:

GRADUATE ATTRIBUTELEARNING OBJECTIVES
A. IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF THE FIELD OF STUDY
A2. A broad understanding of the field of study, including how other disciplines relate to the field of study. 1, 2, 4, 7
A3. A comprehensive and in-depth knowledge in the field of study.3, 5, 6
A5. An international perspective on the field of study.1, 2, 3
A7. An appreciation of the link between theory and practice.2, 6
B. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
B1. The ability to collect, analyse and organise information and ideas and to convey those ideas clearly and fluently, in both written and spoken forms.1, 2, 3, 4
B2. The ability to interact effectively with others in order to work towards a common outcome. 
B3. The ability to select and use the appropriate level, style and means of communication. 
B4. The ability to engage effectively and appropriately with information and communication technologies.1, 2
B5. The ability to practise as part of an interdisciplinary team. 
C. INDEPENDENCE AND CREATIVITY
C2. The ability to work and learn independently and effectively.6, 7
C3. The ability to generate ideas and adapt innovatively to changing environments.2, 3, 4
C5. The ability to formulate and investigate problems, create solutions, innovate and improve current practices.1, 2, 3, 5
C6. The abilities and skills that provide a foundation for future leadership roles. 
D. CRITICAL JUDGEMENT
D2. The ability to apply critical reasoning to issues through independent thought and informed judgement.1, 2, 3, 5, 7
D4. The ability to process material and to critically analyse and integrate information from a wide range of sources. 
D5. The ability to evaluate opinions, make decisions and to reflect critically on the justifications for decisions using an evidence-based approach.3, 4
E. ETHICAL AND SOCIAL UNDERSTANDING
E1. An understanding of social and civic responsibility.5
E3. An appreciation of the philosophical and social contexts of a discipline. 
E4. A knowledge and respect of ethics and ethical standards in relation to a major area of study.2
E5. A knowledge of other cultures and times and an appreciation of cultural diversity. 
E7. The ability to work effectively and sensitively across all areas of society. 
E8. An understanding of and respect for the roles and expertise of associated disciplines. 

3. Learning Resources

3.1 Required Resources

Tanenbaum, A.S., Computer Networks, 4th ed., Prentice-Hall International 2003  
 

3.2 Recommended Resources

Students are not expected to purchase the following books, but may find them useful. Copies of some of these books are available in the library.

  • Peterson, L., Davie, B., Computer Networks – A Systems Approach, 3rd ed.,  Morgan Kaufmann, 2003.

  • Stallings, W., Data and Computer Communications, 7th ed., Prentice Hall, 2004.

  • Gallo, M.,  Hancock,  W., Computer Communications and Networking Technologies, Thomson Learning,  2002.

  • Kurose, J. and Ross, K., Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach Featuring the Internet, 3rd ed. Pearson - Addison-Wesley, 2004.

 
 

3.3 University Learning Resources

Access to required and recommended resources, plus past central exam papers, is available at the UQ Library website (http://library.uq.edu.au/search/r?SEARCH=COMS7201).

The University offers a range of resources and services to support student learning. Details are available on the myServices website (https://student.my.uq.edu.au/).

3.4 School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Learning Resources

Students enrolled at St Lucia who wish to retain a hard copy of this profile can use the free print quota provided each semester to students enrolled in courses in the School of Information Technology & Electrical Engineering. For information on how to use this print quota, see the School Policy on Student Photocopying and Printing (St Lucia) (http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/about_ITEE/policies/copy-print.html). Students enrolled at the Ipswich campus will either be provided with a hard copy or given directions in class on how to obtain a free copy.

ITEE course websites can be found at http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/~COURSECODE. Many ITEE courses also have Usenet newsgroups, named uq.itee.COURSECODE. Instructions for accessing newsgroups are available at http://studenthelp.itee.uq.edu.au/faq/1stYearFAQ.html#accessnews.

4. Teaching & Learning Activities

4.1 Learning Activities

Date
Activity
Learning Objectives
21 Jul 08 - 25 Oct 08
 Tuesday and Friday Lectures (Lecture Series): A detailed teaching plan can be found on the course website.

Readings/Ref: TK5105.5 .T36 2 ;
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
28 Jul 08 - 24 Oct 08
 Weekly tutorials (Tutorial): Tutorials will be used to reinforce understanding of the course material. Students should attend one tutorial per week. Tutorial questions will be provided on the course website one week in advance.
Readings/Ref: TK5105.5 .T36 2 ;
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
18 Aug 08 - 25 Oct 08
 Pracs and Assignment Assistance (Practical): Lab sessions will be used for seeking help from tutors on the assignments
6

4.2 Other Teaching and Learning Activities Information

A detailed teaching plan can be found on the course website.

Lectures are used to introduce course concepts . Copies of lecture slides will be provided (via the course web site) - usually before the lecture concerned. You should note, however, that the lecture slides may not be a complete representation of the material presented at a lecture. Additional examples and other material may be provided. You should read the appropriate chapters of the textbook before coming to the lecture (page/section references will be provided). As the course is very broad, it is essential that you keep up with the weekly flow of the descriptive material – it cannot be assimilated in a short time.

Students should sign-up (via mySI-net) for a weekly tutorial session (commencing in week 2). Tutorials will be used to reinforce understanding of the course material. Active student participation is expected. Tutorial questions will be issued one week before the tutorial and will be placed on the course web site. The questions will be related to the lecture material and are to facilitate its comprehension and exam preparation. It is assumed that students prepare for the tutorial sessions and will be able to work on the questions under the tutor’s supervision. Other questions related (directly or indirectly) to the material are encouraged. Answers to the tutorial questions will be available via the course web site.

Students should sign-up for and attend a weekly prac session (commencing in week 5). For weeks 5 to 10, lab sessions will be used as programming consultation sessions for assignments 2 and 3.  From week 11, the labs will be used by students to undertake and demonstrate their work on the lab assignment (assignment 4).

You are not required to attend any of the teaching sessions (except those in which an assessment activity is taking place), however, you are strongly encouraged to do so because the material for this course is very broad and complex. The lectures, tutorials and pracs have been specifically designed to aid your learning of the course material. Failure to attend a session may result in you being disadvantaged. It is up to you to find out what happened at any class session that you miss

5. Assessment

5.1 Assessment Summary

This is a summary of the assessment in the course. For detailed information on each assessment, see 5.5 Assessment Detail below.

Assessment Task
Due Date
Weighting
Learning Objectives
Programming Assignment
Assignment 1
8 Sep 08 16:00
16%
6
Programming Assignment
Assignment 2
8 Oct 08 16:00
17%
6
Networking Application Lab
Assignment 3
9 Oct 08 - 24 Oct 08
7%
2, 6
Exam - during Exam Period (Central)
Final examination
Examination Period
60%
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7

5.2 Course Grading


Grade 1, Fail: Fails to demonstrate most or all of the basic requirements of the course:

Overall mark is in the range of 1-19.



Grade 2, Fail: Demonstrates clear deficiencies in understanding and applying fundamental concepts; communicates information or ideas in ways that are frequently incomplete or confusing and give little attention to the conventions of the discipline:

Overall mark is in the range of 20-44.



Grade 3, Fail: Demonstrates superficial or partial or faulty understanding of the fundamental concepts of the field of study and limited ability to apply these concepts; presents undeveloped or inappropriate or unsupported arguments; communicates information or ideas with lack of clarity and inconsistent adherence to the conventions of the discipline:

Overall mark is in the range of 45-49.



Grade 4, Pass: Demonstrates adequate understanding and application of the fundamental concepts of the field of study; develops routine arguments or decisions and provides acceptable justification; communicates information and ideas adequately in terms of the conventions of the discipline:

Overall mark is in the range of 50-67.



Grade 5, Credit: Demonstrates substantial understanding of fundamental concepts of the field of study and ability to apply these concepts in a variety of contexts; develops or adapts convincing arguments and provides coherent justification; communicates information and ideas clearly and fluently in terms of the conventions of the discipline:

Overall mark is in the range of 68-77.



Grade 6, Distinction: As for 5, with frequent evidence of originality in defining and analysing issues or problems and in creating solutions; uses a level, style and means of communication appropriate to the discipline and the audience:

Overall mark is in the range of 78-87.



Grade 7, High Distinction: As for 6, with consistent evidence of substantial originality and insight in identifying, generating and communicating competing arguments, perspectives or problem solving approaches; critically evaluates problems, their solutions and implications:

Overall mark is in the range of 88-100.


5.3 Late Submission

Late submission of assignments will be penalised by the loss of 20% of the assignment mark per working day late (or part thereof). In the event of exceptional personal or medical circumstances that prevent on-time hand in, you should contact the lecturer concerned and be prepared to supply appropriate documentary evidence (e.g. medical certificate). Where paper submissions are required, late submissions should be made to the lecturer (via the GPSouth office). For electronic submissions, late submissions should be made electronically as per on-time submissions.

5.4 Other Assessment Information

Note that all assignments are to be worked on individually and must be your own work. All submitted code will be subject to electronic plagiarism and collusion detection. Assignments with no academic merit will be awarded a mark of zero.

5.5 Assessment Detail

Assignment 1
Type: Programming Assignment
Learning Objectives Assessed: 6
Due Date:
         8 Sep 08 16:00
Weight: 16%
Task Description:

The assignment consists of  two parts:

1. Students will be required to design a system of communicating processes. Students must (a) select  appropriate interprocess communication methods, and (b) design appropriate message formats. This assignment will test you against learning objective 7.

2. Students will be given a protocol specification and will be required to implement a process (or processes) which communicates using those protocols. Students will use low level UDP and/or TCP primitives. Implementation must be in the Java or C programming language. This assignment will test you against learning objective 6.


Criteria & Marking: Detailed assessment criteria will be described in the assignment.
Assignment 2
Type: Programming Assignment
Learning Objectives Assessed: 6
Due Date:
         8 Oct 08 16:00
Weight: 17%
Task Description: Students will be required to implement a network application using UDP and/or TCP primitives. Implementation must be in the Java or C programming language. This assignment will test you against learning objective 6.
Criteria & Marking: Detailed assessment criteria will be described in the assignment.
Assignment 3
Type: Networking Application Lab
Learning Objectives Assessed: 2, 6
Due Date:
         9 Oct 08 - 24 Oct 08
Weight: 7%
Task Description:

Students will be required to demonstrate the use of (and understanding of the output of) some simple network diagnostic and query tools. Students will also be required to install and configure a web server application (Apache). This assignment will test you against learning objective 6.


Criteria & Marking: Detailed assessment criteria will be described in the assignment.
Final examination
Type: Exam - during Exam Period (Central)
Learning Objectives Assessed: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
Due Date:
         Examination Period
Weight: 60%
Perusal: 10 minutes
Duration: 120 minutes
Format: Short answer, Problem solving
Task Description:

A two hour final examination will be held during the final examination period. This exam will be open-book and will contain a number of questions. Open-book means that you may bring any written material into the examination room. You may also bring a battery-operated non-programmable calculator. Programmable calculators and other computing or communication devices are NOT permitted. The final examination will test understanding of a subset of learning objectives 1-5 and 7.


Criteria & Marking: Detailed assessment criteria will be described in the exam.

6. Policies & Guidelines

 
This section contains the details of and links to the most relevant policies and course guidelines. For further details on University Policies please visit myAdvisor and the University Handbook of Policies and Procedures.

6.1 Assessment Related Policies and Guidelines

University Policies & Guidelines

An overview of the University’s assessment-related policies can be found on myAdvisor (http://www.uq.edu.au/myadvisor/index.html?page=2910).

Academic Integrity
It is the University's task to encourage ethical scholarship and to inform students and staff about the institutional standards of academic behaviour expected of them in learning, teaching and research. Students have a responsibility to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity in their work. Students must not cheat in examinations or other forms of assessment and must ensure they do not plagiarise.

Plagiarism
The University has adopted the following definition of plagiarism:

Plagiarism is the act of misrepresenting as one's own original work the ideas, interpretations, words or creative works of another. These include published and unpublished documents, designs, music, sounds, images, photographs, computer codes and ideas gained through working in a group. These ideas, interpretations, words or works may be found in print and/or electronic media.

Students are encouraged to read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism policy (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25128) which makes a comprehensive statement about the University's approach to plagiarism, including the approved use of plagiarism detection software, the consequences of plagiarism and the principles associated with preventing plagiarism.

Feedback on Assessment
Feedback is essential to effective learning and students can expect to receive appropriate and timely feedback on all assessment. For a detailed explanation of the feedback you are entitled to, you should consult the policy on Student Access to Feedback on Assessment. (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25109)

As a student you have a responsibility to incorporate feedback into your learning; make use of the assessment criteria that you are given; be aware of the rules, policies and other documents related to assessment; and provide teachers with feedback on their assessment practices.

There are certain steps you can take if you feel your result does not reflect your performance. Please refer to the myAdvisor web site. (http://www.uq.edu.au/myadvisor/index.html?page=2953)

School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Assessment Guidelines

Misconduct
 

Further to the statement on academic integrity and plagiarism above, students are required to read and understand the ITEE policy on Student Misconduct (http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/about_ITEE/policies/student-misconduct.html).

 

Late Arrival or Non-attendance at Examinations

 

The policy and procedure for late arrival or non-attendance at centrally controlled examinations is set out in the University's Examinations policy (HUPP 3.30.5), sections 8 and 10.2.

 

The way in which late arrival at a School-controlled examination is dealt with will be at the discretion of the course coordinator, who may be guided by the policy for centrally controlled exams.

 

In the case that a student requests a special exam for a School-controlled exam, the request will be considered and, if allowed, the timing shall be determined by the course coordinator, in consultation with the School's Chief Examiner where necessary, and in accordance with HUPP 3.30.5. Unless otherwise indicated in the Course Profile, applications must be made in writing to the Head of School no later than one week after the exam. Late applications will not be accepted.

 
Examination Feedback
 
In addition to the advice above, students wishing to view examination answer scripts and/or question papers should consult with the School office (Room 217, General Purpose South Building [78], St Lucia; Room 218, Building 1, Ipswich) regarding arrangements. The ITEE policy on exam script viewing is available at http://study.itee.uq.edu.au/current_students/exam_script_viewing.html.

Supplementary Assessment

If you fail this course you may be eligible for supplementary assessment - see the general award rules and/or your program rules for details. You should note that even though you may be eligible for supplementary assessment under these rules, in some circumstances there may be no practical assessment that can be offered to allow you to meet the minimum passing requirements. These circumstances may include failure based on:
  • group or team based assessment;
  • attendance or class participation requirements;
  • laboratory-based assessment, where laboratories can't practically be made available after classes have finished;
  • project or thesis-based assessment, where a significant period of time would be required to undertake supplementary assessment;
  • progressive assessment, where subsequent assessment items build on earlier assessment items; or
  • multiple assessment items, where it is impractical to offer multiple supplementary assessment items.
If the course coordinator determines that there is no practical supplementary assessment that can be offered to allow you to improve your grade, then you will not be offered supplementary assessment and your grade will remain unchanged.

6.2 Other Policies and Guidelines

University Policies and Guidelines

Placement Courses
Students on a placement course – also known as a work placement, internship, industry study, industry experience, clinical practice, clinical placement, practical work, practicum, fieldwork, teaching practice – should refer to the University policy, Placement Courses (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25120) for detailed information.
 
Working with Children
Students whose studies include a professional/work placement, internship, clinical practice, teaching practice or other similar activity which involves them in regular contact with children should refer to the University policy, Working with Children Check - "blue card" (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25004) to find out how to apply for a ‘blue card’.
 
Students with a Disability
Any student with a disability who may require alternative academic arrangements, including assessment, in the course/program is encouraged to seek advice at the commencement of the semester from a Disability Adviser at Student Support Services. Refer to the University policy, Students with a Disability (Disability Action Plan) (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25122) and to the policy on Special Arrangements for Examinations for Students with a Disability (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25111

Where an adjustment is made to an accredited program, it is the responsibility of the relevant Faculty to liaise with professional and registration bodies regarding the acceptability of the change/s.  

Occupational Health and Safety
Undergraduate Students (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25055) and Postgraduate Students (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25057) should be familiar with the University policies on occupational health and safety in the laboratory.

Other School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Guidelines

Ethical Clearance
If your course involves assignment or project work involving human subjects or human-related materials, you must investigate the need for ethical clearance and obtain it when required. Information on ethical clearance can be found at http://www.uq.edu.au/research/orps/index.html?page=5064&pid=5256.

Learning Summary

 

Below is a table showing the relationship between the learning objectives for this course and the broader graduate attributes developed, the learning activities used to develop each objective and the assessment task used to assess each objective.

Learning Objectives

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

1  Understand the possible topologies, functions and architectures of computer networks
2  Describe functionality and design principles of communication protocols in various layers of the OSI and Internet reference models
3  Understand the functionality of and be able to compare various interconnecting devices, e.g. repeaters, hubs, bridges, switches and routers
4  Describe multimedia applications and their Quality of Service (QoS) requirements and be able to describe and compare the IntServ, DiffServ, and MPLS models of QoS
5  Describe network security threats and their countermeasures
6  Design simple communication protocols and design and implement simple networked applications
7  Understand the message passing and RPC paradigms of inter-process communication (IPC) and be able to select appropriate inter-process communication methods for networked applications


Assessment & Learning Activities

  Learning Objectives
  1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Learning Activities
Tuesday and Friday Lectures (Lecture Series)
selected
selected
selected
selected
selected
selected
selected
Weekly tutorials (Tutorial)
selected
selected
selected
selected
selected
  
selected
Pracs and Assignment Assistance (Practical)          
selected
  
Assessment Tasks
Assignment 1          
selected
  
Assignment 2          
selected
  
Assignment 3  
selected
      
selected
  
Final examination
selected
selected
selected
selected
selected
  
selected

Graduate Attributes

Successfully completing this course will contribute to the recognition of your attainment of the following UQ (Postgrad Coursework) graduate attributes:

  Learning Objectives
  1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Graduate Attributes
A IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF THE FIELD OF STUDY
A2. A broad understanding of the field of study, including how other disciplines relate to the field of study.
selected
selected
  
selected
    
selected
A3. A comprehensive and in-depth knowledge in the field of study.    
selected
  
selected
selected
  
A5. An international perspective on the field of study.
selected
selected
selected
        
A7. An appreciation of the link between theory and practice.  
selected
      
selected
  
B EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
B1. The ability to collect, analyse and organise information and ideas and to convey those ideas clearly and fluently, in both written and spoken forms.
selected
selected
selected
selected
      
B2. The ability to interact effectively with others in order to work towards a common outcome.              
B3. The ability to select and use the appropriate level, style and means of communication.              
B4. The ability to engage effectively and appropriately with information and communication technologies.
selected
selected
          
B5. The ability to practise as part of an interdisciplinary team.              
C INDEPENDENCE AND CREATIVITY
C2. The ability to work and learn independently and effectively.          
selected
selected
C3. The ability to generate ideas and adapt innovatively to changing environments.  
selected
selected
selected
      
C5. The ability to formulate and investigate problems, create solutions, innovate and improve current practices.
selected
selected
selected
  
selected
    
C6. The abilities and skills that provide a foundation for future leadership roles.              
D CRITICAL JUDGEMENT
D2. The ability to apply critical reasoning to issues through independent thought and informed judgement.
selected
selected
selected
  
selected
  
selected
D4. The ability to process material and to critically analyse and integrate information from a wide range of sources.              
D5. The ability to evaluate opinions, make decisions and to reflect critically on the justifications for decisions using an evidence-based approach.    
selected
selected
      
E ETHICAL AND SOCIAL UNDERSTANDING
E1. An understanding of social and civic responsibility.        
selected
    
E3. An appreciation of the philosophical and social contexts of a discipline.              
E4. A knowledge and respect of ethics and ethical standards in relation to a major area of study.  
selected
          
E5. A knowledge of other cultures and times and an appreciation of cultural diversity.              
E7. The ability to work effectively and sensitively across all areas of society.              
E8. An understanding of and respect for the roles and expertise of associated disciplines.              

Authorised by: Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)
Maintained by: Software Services
Last Updated - 24 May , 2006