ITC8060

Network Protocol Design (ITC8061, 6 ECTS)

This module focuses on fundamental problems of network protocols and various design decisions and it's implications. This will also include security related protocols and give a better understanding why it is sometimes so hard to secure the Internet. As an exercise we will develop and implement our own protocol.

This module requires some programming skills (or a LOT of motivation to spend a LOT of time on learning algorithms and programming languages on top of the network-protocol related challenges). See also here for more detailed information.

The module consists of an introductory session (week 2). And then discussion/lectures and lab-time (week 9-16). There is no lecture/lab in week 12 (18 April). We are alternating in ICT-501 and ICT-411, please see below for the details:

     Monday, 08 FEB 2016 @ 10.00 - 13.30 in ICT-501 (week 2;  introduction, attendance STRONGLY recommended) 

     Monday, 22 FEB 2016 @ 10.00 - 13.30 in ICT-501 (week 4)  -- naming/addressing/multiplexing
     Monday, 07 MAR 2016 @ 10.00 - 13.30 in ICT-501 (week 6)   -- routing theory
     Monday, 21 MAR 2016 @ 10.00 - 13.30 in ICT-501 (week 8)    -- reliability (TCP)
     Monday, 04 APR 2016 @ 10.00 - 13.30 in ICT-501 (week 10)   -- security, robustness, evolvability, .... 
     Monday, 11 APR 2016 @ 10.00 - 13.30 in ICT-411 (week 11)   -- Protocol Design (online discussions)
     **** NO LECTURE ****                           (week 12)      -- Protocol Design (online discussions)
     Monday, 25 APR 2016 @ 10.00 - 13.30 in ICT-411 (week 13)  -- Protocol refinement (talking to AD)
     Monday, 02 MAY 2016 @ 10.00 - 13.30 in ICT-501 (week 14)  -- lab
     Monday, 09 MAY 2016 @ 10.00 - 13.30 in ICT-411 (week 15)  -- lab
     Monday, 16 MAY 2016 @ 10.00 - 13.30 in ICT-501 (week 16)  -- test-run 

In the beginning the will be more discussions, while towards the end the sessions will focus more on lab-time.

Reading recommendations:

• Kurose, Ross, “Computer networking: a top-down approach". Pearson.
• John Day, “Patterns in network architecture: a return to fundamentals”. Prentice Hall.
• Olivier Bonaventure. “Computer Networking: Principles, Protocols, and Practice” http://inl.info.ucl.ac.be/cnp3