Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Rajan Shankaran
TBA
Lecturer/Tutor
Nardin Hanna
TBA
Tutor
Adnan Mir
TBA
Tutor
Salma Hamad
TBA
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Credit points |
Credit points
10
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
130cp at 1000 level or above including ((COMP1010 or COMP125) and (COMP2250 or COMP247)) and ((DMTH137 or MATH1007 or MATH2907 or DMTH237 or ELEC2040 or ELEC240))
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit gives an understanding of advanced topics in the design and implementation of computer networks. It provides an in-depth understanding of key protocols of the TCP/IP protocol suite, and its relationship to emerging technologies. This unit allows students to develop knowledge and expertise in key areas such as intra- and inter-domain routing protocols, multicast protocols, different transport protocols, Quality of Service, and multimedia. These concepts are reinforced through tutorials and laboratory sessions. Knowledge gained during the unit builds upon communication protocols; topological designs; wide area and local area networks; wireless/mobile networks; as well as practical hands-on skills on Cisco equipment. It allows students to expand their skill set by exposure to socket programming paradigm enabling them to better understand the design and implementation of protocols. Some of the reasoning tasks that the students complete require focused thinking instead of iteratively modifying and testing a program. It also enhances students' skills in critical thinking and problem solving using challenging assignments.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
---|---|---|---|
Quizzes-Online | 20% | No | Weeks 5 and 11 |
Final Examination | 40% | No | Final Exam Period |
Practicals | 10% | No | Weekly: Starting Week 2 |
Assignment 1 | 15% | No | Week 8 |
Assignment 2 | 15% | No | Week 12 |
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Weeks 5 and 11
Weighting: 20%
There will be two quizzes in the following weeks: 5 and 11. Each quiz is worth 10 marks. A quiz is a short test that will be based on your previously attempted discussion questions and previous lecture material. The quizzes will be held online in your practical class. The quiz questions will be handed over to you at the beginning of your Practical class and will be 1 hour in duration. .
Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: Final Exam Period
Weighting: 40%
Online final exam.
An examination allows us to individually and securely assess student's mastery of the coursework material. The examination will be closed book and three (3) hours in length.
Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 0 hours
Due: Weekly: Starting Week 2
Weighting: 10%
Practical marks are obtained by attendance of practical sessions and making a suitable attempt at the practical work during the session. To receive your marks you must attend the practical section and demonstrate your completion of the section to your practical supervisor. Earning the marks will require not only successful completion of the exercises, but presentation of appropriate documentation, as outlined in the question sheets. You should complete the practical session in the week it is allocated. (and the practical material is structured against the lecture material with this in mind).
Note: We advise you to complete all sections to gain a good understanding of the covered topics.
Assessment Type 1: Problem set
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 8
Weighting: 15%
Assignment Type: Problem Solving:
The purpose of the problem solving assignment is to help the students to get accustomed to dealing with real world problem situations/issues.It is designed to help students analyse a particular problem and find its best solution. Some questions may require an in depth research and will be a process to come up with an acceptable and reasonable answer
Assessment Type 1: Problem set
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Week 12
Weighting: 15%
Individual Assignment
Assignment Type: Problem Solving-Research: This type of assignment is designed to help students build up their critical thinking skills while looking for solutions to real world networking related problems.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
3 hours of lectures each week.
Lectures are used to introduce new material, give examples of the use of networking concepts and techniques and put them in a wider context. While lectures are largely one to many presentations, you are encouraged to ask questions of the lecturer to clarify anything you might not be sure of. Tutorial style discussions on important topics will be conducted in the lectures. These discussions will give you the opportunity to interact with your peers as well as the lecturer.
Practical classes give you an opportunity to practice your practical networking skills under the supervision of a demonstrator. Each week you will be given a number of problems to work on; it is important that you keep up with these problems as doing so will help you understand the material in the unit and prepare you for the work in assignments.
Note that while the practical material is structured against the lecture material, you need to keep in mind that there will not always be a one to one mapping between the practical exercises and the lecture topics. This is because you need some practical sessions to get acquainted to new tools and devices thereby limiting the number of practical time slots available to experiment with technologies discussed in some lectures.
There will be one 2 hour practical session each week, Conducted in a specially-equipped networking laboratory. There is no opportunity to conduct practical work outside the assigned sessions.
There will be two quizzes in the following weeks: 5, and 11. A quiz is a short test that will be based on your previously covered lecture material. For example, week 5 quiz will be based on lectures done in weeks 1-4. The quiz questions will be handed over to you at the beginning of your Lecture class. These quizzes contribute 20% of the total mark and serve as a feedback mechanism to monitor your progress in the unit.
Tutorials are posted every Friday on ilearn. Even though these tutorial exercises are not formally assessed, it is important that students solve them on a weekly basis as these questions are often previous exam questions or structured like test/exam questions. The more practice you have at such questions, the more likely you are to do yourself justice in quizzes/exams. Solutions to these exercises will be regularly posted on ilearn unit site. If need be, this will also allow you to discuss the problems effectively with your lecturer/peers and maximise the feedback you get on your work. In case of any difficulty, seek help from the teaching staff.
Your assignment is to be submitted online using Turnitin.
No extensions will be granted without an approved application for Special Consideration. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late. For example, 25 hours late in submission for an assignment worth 10 marks – 20% penalty or 2 marks deducted from the total. No submission will be accepted after solutions have been posted.
Internetworking with TCP/IP Volume 1, 6th edition Douglas Comer
Computer Networks (5th Edition) by Andrew S. Tanenbaum and David J. Wetherall
Computer Networks and Internets: Global (6th) Edition by Douglas Comer
Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach 6th edition by James F. Kurose and Keith W. Ross
General Notes
In this unit, you should do the following:
Lecture notes will be made available each week but these notes are intended as an outline of the lecture only and are not a substitute for your own notes or the recommended reading list.
Unit Schedule
Note: We anticipate that there may be some shifting of material depending on class progress during the lecture series.
Week | Topic | Reading |
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1 | Introduction to TCP/IP, IP addressing | Chap: Tanenbaum - 5, 1 pgs 45-54, Comer-21 |
2 | Introduction to Routing, Intra-Domain Routing |
Chap: Tanenbaum - 5 (pgs 362-380), Comer - 1, 2, 21, 27 |
3 | Intra domain Routing (Contd), CIDR | Chap: Tanenbaum - 5 (pgs 362-380, 447-449), Comer- 27 (section 27.16) |
4 | Inter-Domain Routing | Chap: Tanenbaum - 5 (pg 479), Comer - 27 |
5 | Inter Domain Routing (Contd) | Chap: Tanenbaum - 5 (pg 479), Comer - 27 Quiz 1 |
6 | IP Multicast | Chap: Tanenbaum - 5 (pg 382), Comer - 26. |
7 | IP Multicast (Contd), Introduction to transport Layer |
Chap: Tanenbaum - 5 (pg 382), Comer - 26 |
Break | Continue to Work on assignment 1 | |
8 | Transport Layer-Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) | Chap: Tanenbaum - 6, Comer - 26. Assignment 1 due. |
9 | Network Security | Chap: Tanenbaum - 8, Comer - 32-33. |
10 | Network Security (contd) and Design | Chap: Tanenbaum - 8, Comer - 26. |
11 | Internet Protocol (IP) version 6: An Introduction | Chap: Tanenbaum - 5 (pg 455), Comer - 20. Quiz 2 |
12 | Application Layer Protocols |
Chap: Tanenbaum - 7. RFC 3117. Comer - 4 Assignment 2 due |
13 | Review |
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
At the end of the semester, you will receive a grade that reflects your achievement in the unit
In this unit, the final mark will be calculated by combining the marks for all assessment tasks according to the percentage weightings shown in the assessment summary.
Concretely, in order to pass the unit, you must obtain an overall total mark of 50% or higher.
Students obtaining a higher grade than a pass in this unit will (in addition to the above)
Note:
You are encouraged to:
All work submitted should be readable and well presented.
You should never commit plagiarism in any of your submitted work, including tutorial and practical answers.