Data Communications and Computer Networks

CIS 454/554, Section 300

Cleveland State University

Summer 2003

2: 00 pm to 4: 00 pm, BU 306

Instructor: Sanchita Mal-Sarkar

Office location: BU 325

E-mail:

Web page: http://grail.cba.csuohio.edu/~sanchita/sanchita.html

Office phone number: (216) 523 7524

Office Time: 4: 00 - 5: 00 PM, T-Th, other time by appointment.

Prerequisite: CIS 345: Operating System Principles

Course Objective:

This course introduces the principles of data communications and computer networks. Topics include characteristics of physical transmission media, transmission principles, modems, multiplexors, data link protocols, mechanisms for error detection/correction, flow control, network topology, survey of existing networks, networks layers from the ISO OSI reference model, and network programming.

Text: Halsall, Fred (1996), Data Communications, Computer Networks and Open Systems, 4th edition, Addition-Wesley.

Reference: Tanenbaum, Andrew S. (1996), Computer Networks, 3rd edition, Prentice Hall.

Supplies: Each student is required to have three 3 1/2" floppy disks (1.44 MB). These diskettes are required for homework assignments.

Computer Resources:

Computer labs: BU16, BU17A, BU17B, and BU22.

Lab monitors: The student assistants (normally Computer Science majors) in the computer labs provide help for you. Do not expect them to do your homework.

Tutors: The Academic Support Center (BU426) provides free tutoring services. Please make an appointment before you go.

Instructor: You are welcome to see me during my office hours. If you need an appointment other than my office hours, please schedule with me in advance.

Grading Scheme:

Your course grade is based on your overall performance through the entire semester.
The relative weights for the final grade are the following:

Item / Points / Percentage
Assignments / 200 / 20 %
Project / 100 / 10 %
Midterm / 200 / 20 %
Quizzes / 100 / 10 %
Final / 400 / 40 %

Grading Scale:

Points / Grade
900 - 1000 / A
800 - 899 / B
700 - 799 / C
600 - 699 / D
Less than 600 / F

Last day to drop: ( Without W grade) Friday, July 4, 2003

( With W grade ) Saturday, July 26, 2003

Examination Policy:

All examinations and quizzes are closed book and closed notes. Dates of the midterm and quizzes are provided in this syllabus. Final Exam Date: Friday, August 8, 2003 from 2:00-4:00 PM in BU 306.

Quizzes: Approximately 2 short quizzes to be given throughout the course.

Assignments:

Approximately 4 assignments will be given throughout the course. All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the specified date. All assignments must be individually and independently completed and must represent the effort of the student turning in the assignment. If two or more students submit substantially the same solution or program, in the judgment of the Instructor, the solution will be considered a group effort. Both or all involved in a group effort will receive a zero for that assignment. A student submitting a group effort assignment more than once will automatically receive an "F" for the course.

All assignments are to be completed by computer - handwritten assignments will not be accepted. Each assignment must have a cover page indicating your name, class, section, due date, and a listing of the assignment components. You will lose points if you do not include a cover page.

Late Assignments:

An assignment is to be turned in at the beginning of the class period in which it is due. An assignment turned later than the due date and time will be penalized 10% of the total points attained for that assignment, for each day late. No late assignment will be accepted after three days of due date.

Make-Up Exams:

Make-up exams will be given only in the case of serious need and only when the instructor is notified PRIOR to the exam time. In case of a missed exam, valid reason must be provided along with supporting document (e.g. doctor's note). The doctor's note MUST state that you were unfit to take the exam, not just that you visited the doctor that day. Without proper documentation, no marks will be given for a missed exam.

Course Schedule:

The tentative schedule of topics and their order of coverage is given in the table below.Assignments are subject to change.

Date

/

Topic

/ Special Days
Mon 6/30/2003 / Introduction
Tues 7/1/2003 / Characteristics of physical transmission media
Wed 7/2/2003 / Modems and multiplexors
Thurs 7/3/2003 / Transmission principles
Mon 7/7/2003 / In-class Assignment
Tues 7/8/2003 / Error detection and correction
Wed 7/9/2003 / Data compression: Huffman coding
Thurs 7/10/2003 / Networks topology: physical & logical topology: Bus, Tree, Star, Ring topologies
Mon 7/14/2003 / Bus, Tree, Star, Ring: Channel access methods
Tues 7/15/2003 / Complex Networks: De Bruijn graphs, ShuffleNet, Manhattan networks / Quiz
Wed 7/162003 / LAN, MAN, and VAN
Thurs 7/17/2003 / Switching techniques: circuit, message, and packet switching techniques
Mon 7/21/2003 / Network architecture, protocols, and standards
Tues 7/22/2003 / Midterm / Midterm
Wed 7/23/2003 / TCP/IP
Thurs 7/24/2003 / IP addressing & address depletion
Mon 7/28/2003 / Subnetting
Tues 7/29/2003 / Internetworking: Repeaters, Bridges, Routers, and Gateways.
Wed 7/30/2003 / Client Server Computing / Quiz
Thurs 7/31/2003 / ISO reference model
Mon 8/4/2003 / Open system standards
Tues 8/5/2003 / Network programming
Wed 8/6/2003 / Project presentation
Thurs 8/7/2003 / Project presentation

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