Course overview
This is a graduate level course that covers a set of advanced topics in computer networks. The focus is on principles, architectures, and protocols used in modern networked systems, such as the internet itself, wireless and mobile networks, high performance networks, and data center networks. The goal of this course is to expose students to recent advances in packets networks, with focus on the architectural and protocol aspects underlying the design and operation of these networks. The course covers protocols related to application, transport, network and data link layers (including SMTP, FTP, HTTP, TCP and UDP), IP subnetting, bit error detection and correct techniques, and some of the concepts of network security.
Participants in piloting
The course is compulsory in the 1st year of postgraduate studies at the Department of Computer Science of the Isra University Hyderabad. Approximately 5 students enrolled in the course in the 2020 – 2021 academic year. The students have been exposed to some networking courses in their undergraduate programs and have knowledge of networking essentials.
Use of ALIEN services and tools
In the Advanced Topics in Computer Networks course students perform their practical activities in the labs of the Department of Computer Science. Students solve given problems using a packet tracer. The ALIEN project provided an opportunity for students to perform real world activities digitally. The students were asked to wear a VR headset and visit a building to count floors and rooms on each floor. Students were asked to assign different addresses to floors and rooms. Letter on, students were asked to convert those addresses into network IP addresses. Students then used Cisco the packet tracer to design networks based on given problem.
