COSC264-18S2 (C) Semester Two 2018

Introduction to Computer Networks and the Internet

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 16 July 2018
End Date: Sunday, 18 November 2018
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Friday, 27 July 2018
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Friday, 12 October 2018

Description

This course covers principles of theory and practice of computer networks and the Internet, and it studies important Internet technologies and protocols, including: Ethernet / Local Area Networks, TCP/IP, Routing, and HTTP.

The topics covered include:
• Fundamental design principles of data networks and the Internet
• Selected data transmission and local area network technologies
• Internet architecture and protocols
• Routing protocols and algorithms
• Transport layer protocols: UDP and TCP
• Networked applications, socket programming, web-based systems

Recommended preparation (for parts of the course): basic calculus (differentiation, integration) and trigonometric functions.

Students will be required to work in the Python programming language.

Learning Outcomes

  • After completing this course, students will be able to
  • Explain fundamental design principles of data networks
  • Understand and explain selected data transmission and local area network technologies
  • Understand and explain the Internet architecture and protocols
  • Understand, explain, compare and criticise routing protocols and algorithms
  • Explain and compare the main transport layer protocols UDP and TCP, their applicability to different types of applications, and their relation to Internet congestion phenomena
  • Understand and explain the fundamentals of web-based applications and web programming / socket programming
  • Design, implement and test applications using a simple socket program
  • Create a simple network and test the static routing via the network
    • University Graduate Attributes

      This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

      Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award

      Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.

Prerequisites

(1) COSC121; (2) COSC122; (3) STAT101 or EMTH119

Restrictions

COSC227, COSC231

Lecturers

Steve Cha and Andreas Willig

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Mid Term Test 25%
First Term Quizzes and Asisgnment 25%
Lab Test 20%
Final Exam 30%

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended Reading
• Sergio Benedetto and Ezio Biglieri. Principles of Digital Transmission – With Wireless Applications. Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers, New York, 1999.
• Robert G. Gallager. Principles of Digital Communication. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2008.
• William Stallings. Data and Computer Communications. Pearson, tenth edition, 2013.
• Andrew S. Tanenbaum and David J. Wetherall. Computer Networks. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, fifth edition, 2010.

The COSC264 lecture notes and all additional material will be available via Learn.

Additional Course Outline Information

Grade moderation

The Computer Science department's grading policy states that in order to pass a course you must meet two requirements:
1. You must achieve an average grade of at least 50% over all assessment items.
2. You must achieve an average mark of at least 45% on invigilated assessment items.
If you satisfy both these criteria, your grade will be determined by the following University- wide scale for converting marks to grades: an average mark of 50% is sufficient for a C- grade, an average mark of 55% earns a C grade, 60% earns a B- grade and so forth. However if you do not satisfy both the passing criteria you will be given either a D or E grade depending on marks. Marks are sometimes scaled to achieve consistency between courses from year to year.

Students may apply for special consideration if their performance in an assessment is affected by extenuating circumstances beyond their control.

Applications for special consideration should be submitted via the Examinations Office website within five days of the assessment.

Where an extension may be granted for an assessment, this will be decided by direct application to the Department and an application to the Examinations Office may not be required.

Special consideration is not available for items worth less than 10% of the course.

Students prevented by extenuating circumstances from completing the course after the final date for withdrawing, may apply for special consideration for late discontinuation of the course. Applications must be submitted to the Examinations Office within five days of the end of the main examination period for the semester.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $834.00

International fee $3,788.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Computer Science and Software Engineering .

All COSC264 Occurrences

  • COSC264-18S2 (C) Semester Two 2018