Data Networks

Data Networks

In this lecture, we will take a dive into how data networks work, and how they work together to create the network of networks we know as the Internet. After going on this journey from the history of networks and protocols to newest developments, going through every layer of the stack – from the physical wire to the applications – like the Web and Email – everyone knows and uses.

After successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Describe the relevant layers of network communication (Physical, Data, Network, Transport, Application)
• Analyze the description of a protocol to identify the layer it works on, as well as key-characteristics of the protocol (statefullnes, etc.)
• Apply protocols of all layers (esp. Network, Transport, and Application) to a given case, e.g., use a routing protocol to determine how packets would traverse a given network.
• Analyze multiple protocols for a given use-case and evaluate which one is more suited given features of the individual protocols.
• Explain the structures of protocol development/standardization bodes and the Internet governance structure in place for the Internet as a whole.
• Design simple network protocols for small example cases, e.g., a simple application layer text   chat protocol, weighting choices for, e.g., the best transport protocol to use with it.

In summary, the course enables you to navigate the protocol landscape of the modern Internet, familiarizing you with services like web (HTTP), mail (SMTP, POP, IMAP), the domain name systems (DNS), but also the lower layers, from IP through routing (BGP), to the transport layer (TCP, UDP). By taking a comprehensive look at the interactions between these protocols, you attain the ability to reason on the principles of computer networks, and apply the fundamentals of the area – including network protocol mechanisms, implementation considerations, network algorithms, advanced network architectures, network simulations, measurements, protocol specifications, and verification techniques – in the context of other specializations in computer science, from databases, to distributed systems, and computer security.

 

Course Organization

 

• This course is worth 9 LP/ECTS points.
• We provide recordings similar to the two lectures from previous years and a Q&A session.
• We provide weekly tutorials and optional assignments. Students can get detailed feedback for 3 assignments in total.
• There will be a written Multiple Choice exam early in the semester. A re-exam will only be offered in case off illness (requires documents) at the time the Multiple Choice exam took place. You have to pass the Multiple Choice exam to write the Midterm an thus to write the final exams.
• There will be a written Midterm exam that requires 30% of points to pass. Students who gain at least 70% in the Midterm exam of points receive a 0.33 bonus for a passed Final exam. A Midterm re-exam will only be offered in case off illness (requires documents) at the time the Midterm exam took place. You have to pass the Midterm to write the final exams.
• There will be a written Final exam and a written Final re-exam at the end of the semester.

 

Examination Dates

• Multiple choice test on 25.04.2025, starting at 14:00 in rooms TBA.
• Midterm exam on 06.06.2025, starting at 14:00 in rooms TBA.
• Final exam on TBA, starting at TBA in rooms TBA.
• Final re-exam on TBA, starting at TBA in rooms TBA.

Timetable

Please find all time-related information in our Timetable.
New events/exam dates might be announced during the lecture. Therefore, check the timetable from time to time.