Computer Networks, CIS 632, Winter 2008

Computer Networks, CIS632, Winter 2008

Instructor Prof. Reza Rejaie

Office Hours 1:30 - 2:30pm Tue, or by appointment

Office Deschutes 328

Time & Location UH 12:00 - 1:20pm, DES 200

Prerequisite CIS432/532

Credits 4

CRN 21427

Overview

The goals of this graduate-level course in computer networks are:

To understand how to conduct networking research, and
To study the state-of-the-art network protocols, architectures and applications,
To investigate novel ideas in term-long research projects

We primarily focus on the following topics: Network Architecture, Congestion Control, TCP, Queue Management and QoS, Unicast Routing, Multicast, Peer-to-Peer and Overlay Networks, and Network Measurement. Solid understanding of the introductory networking material (that is covered in CIS532) is essential for this course and will not be discussed in this class. If you need to review the background material, you should do this before term starts.

In each session, an overview of two research papers is presented, which is followed by class discussion. Students should read the assigned papers for each session and submit reviews for the papers before that session, and actively participate in class discussions. Students are expected to conduct a term-long (simulation or implementation) research project, submit one progress report (around mid-term), write a final technical report about their projects, and present their project in class.

Note that reading assignments and term project can collectively introduce a heavy workload for this class. So if you plan to take another class with heavy workload, it is very likely that you do not perform well in one of your classes.

Material

We will use a set of research papers, which will be listed on class web site and is available on the Web. If you need background on networks, I suggest the following books:

Computer Networks: A Systems Approach, L. Peterson, B. Davies, Morgan-Kaufman, 2001.
Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach Featuring the Internet, by James F. Kurose and Keith W. Ross, Addison-Wesley, 2002, ISBN 0-201-97699-4.
An Engineering Approach to Computer Networking: ATM Networks, the Internet, and the Telephone Network, S. Keshav, Addison-Wesley, 1997, ISBN 0-201-63442-2.

I have not ordered any textbooks at the UO Bookstore, but you should be able to get these at any major bookstore.

The class mailing list is cis632@cs. You can add yourself to the mailing list by entering grpmod -au cis632 [username]. Enter just grpmod without any arguments to see how to manipulate mailing lists. You may use the mailing list to discuss class-related issues with other class members.

Grading Policy

Your final grades will be determined as follows:

In class quizzes: 20%
Participation in class discussion: 10%
Paper Reviews: 10%
Term Project (Final report + Presentation): 60%

Academic Dishonesty

For this course, all work must be done individually. You are encouraged to generally discuss problems with other students, but you may never use some other student's solution or code in any way. The use of sources (ideas, quotations, paraphrases) must be properly acknowledged and documented.

The student conduct code allows an instructor to impose an appropriate sanction for a student found guilty of academic dishonesty, up to and including an N or an F. I will impose an N or an F for any such offenses in this course.

For more information on academic honesty, please talk to me or see the following references: the Student Conduct web page, the Student Conduct Code, and the UO Dean of Students brochure on academic integrity.

Instructor	Prof. Reza Rejaie
Office Hours	1:30 - 2:30pm Tue, or by appointment
Office	Deschutes 328
Time & Location	UH 12:00 - 1:20pm, DES 200
Prerequisite	CIS432/532
Credits	4
CRN	21427