Course:
Subject:
Level 02
Computer Networks & Infrastructure
Lecturer:
Eck – Dr. E.C. Kulasekere
Kgpd -- Dr. K.G.P. Dharmawardena
Week #
Lecture Outline
List main topics/sub topics Include assessments eg. Case
study, test , report , presentation
Starting
1
2
3

Lecturer
Involved
Kgpd



Introduction and welcome to CNI and its electronic
facilities.
Aims, objectives and the expected outcomes.
CNI procedures, policies and assessment methods.
CNI Textbook and other references.

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

Data communications model and it components;
Basic communication tasks.
Briefing on Data Communication Networking
Protocols (elements and architecture)
OSI Reference Model vs. TCP/.IP Model
Kgpd


Characteristics of Protocols
Protocol Functions
Kgpd

Concepts and terminology (frequency, bandwidth, etc.)
Analogue and digital data transmission.

Transmission Impairments (attenuation, noise, etc.)

Channel capacity and the Nyquist and Shannon
Theories
Eck

Transmission Media design factors.

Electromagnetic spectrum

Guided Transmission Media (UTP, Coaxial, fibre, etc.)

Wireless Transmission (microwave, satellite, radio,
etc.)
Eck
4
5

Synchronous and Asynchronous transmission

Line Configuration (topology and duplicity)

Interfacing and its characteristics.

Overview of Data Link Control and Flow Control
mechanisms

Flow Control Techniques (Stop-n-Wait, Sliding
Windows)

Error Detection methods (parity, CRC – polynomial
only)

Error Control (Stop-and-Wait ARQ)

Error Control (Go-back-N and Selective Reject ARQ)
Eck
Eck

Multiplexing and its usage in Data Communications.

Time-Division Multiplexing (Synchronous &
Asynchronous)

Statistical Time-Division Multiplexing

Frequency-Division Multiplexing and Inverse
Multiplexing.
6
7
8



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
Classification of networks (LAN, MAN, WAN, etc.)
Motivation behind WAN technologies;
Switching networks and their architecture;
Circuit switching, packet switching, message switching.
Review with the students the material



Switching Techniques
VCPS vs. DPS and the effect of packet size on
efficiency
Internal vs. External Switching


Basic elements of routing;
Routing strategies in WAN



X.25 protocols, services, and specifications
Frame Relay and its relation to X.25
Critical comparison between the X.25 approach vs.
Frame Relay approach.

ATM switching technology;

ATM architecture in relation to the OSI reference
model;

ATM logical connections and control signalling;

ATM cell structure and its effect on the performance of
ATM networks
Kgpd
Eck
Eck
Eck
Eck
Kgpd
9
10

ISDN and Integrated Services Networks.


ISDN and Integrated Services Networks.
Review of LAN Applications



IEEE model for LAN vs. OSI Reference Model;
LAN topology and its relation to LAN technologies;
Medium Access Control (MAC) and the MAC frame
format;

Logical Link Control (LLC) services and its frame
format;




11
12
Internetworking devices & the need to connect LANs
Bridges and their architecture and routing issues
Routing in bridges (fixed routing and spanning tree)
Other Internetworking devices (routers, gateways, etc.)

Performance issues in LAN systems (access delay,
applied load, and throughput)

Ethernet technology and its protocols and access
methods;
Ethernet-related technologies (fast Ethernet, switched
Ethernet and gigabit Ethernet standards)

Ring and token bus technologies and their
specifications;

Performance issues in Token Ring and alternatives

Token priority and early token release.

FDDI technology and how it differs from token ring.



TCP/IP terminology and the meaning of TCP and IP;
History of TCP/IP and ARPA project.
TCP/IP architecture and protocols

13
14
Responsibilities and services of the IP layer;

Addressing concept in TCP/IP protocols and how the
IP layer maps the entities to a network and a host.

Other IP-related protocols like ICMP and ARP.

Transport services provided by a transport protocol;

Connection-oriented vs. connectionless-oriented issues

Service provided by the TCP protocol;

The structure of the IP datagram and its header;


Distributed applications and their protocols;
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP);
Kgpd
Kgpd
Kgpd
Kgpd
Kgpd
Kgpd
Kgpd
Kgpd
Eck

Electronic mail (SMTP & MIME) protocols and
operations.

Other application protocols (http, URL and URI
concepts, etc.)

Review of the CNI material for the final examination;