IS52016A (CIS222)
Data Communications and Enterprise Networking
Aims and Objectives
This course provides an introduction to data communications and enterprise networking, their
associated technologies, protocols and standards and the design and management of enterprise
networks.
Learning Outcomes
After taking this course a student should be able to:
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Explain the operation of different data communications protocols and their roles within
layered network architectures.
Explain the need for standards and outline the roles of the various standards bodies
responsible for data communications standardisation.
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of different network topologies and technologies.
Demonstrate skills in using simple network management tools such as ping, traceroute and
netstat and in using spreadsheets to analyse and display results.
Analyse marketing strategies used by companies offering network products and services.
Describe the technologies deployed in enterprise networks and make informed choices among
the competing technologies.
Explain how enterprise networks are managed with particular emphasis on performance and
security management.
Design and cost simple enterprise networks that meet specified requirements.
Demonstrate transferable skills in spreadsheet modeling.
Prerequisites
Students must have successfully completed IS51009A (CIS110) Introduction to Computing and
the Internet.
Assessment
One 3 hour examination
Four equally weighted coursework assignments
80%
20%
The exam will test the students’ understanding of the various protocols and technologies that are
used in data communications and to build enterprise networks. It will also test the students’
understanding of the management and security issues involved with enterprise networking
alongside the technical issues.
The coursework assignments will provide the opportunity for students to perform experiments
using simple network management tools as part of an investigation and to display and analyse
results. They will also afford the opportunity for students analyse the marketing strategies of
some companies offering network products and services and to turn incomplete and vague simple
user requirements into a costed network design. Students will be able to develop and demonstrate
skills in spreadsheet modeling.
Extended Syllabus
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Network concepts, including Shannon’s Communications Model, types of channels,
transmission impairments, measuring attenuation and signal to noise ratios in deciBels,
types of networks and network topologies.
Network architectures, including services, protocols, standards, standards bodies and the
OSI, DoD (TCP/IP) and Hybrid Reference Models.
Application layer protocols, including HTTP, SMTP, POP3, IMAP, MIME, FTP, TFTP,
NFS, Telnet, the Client Server Model and data compression with Huffman codes.
Transport layer protocols, including UDP, TCP and SSL.
Network layer protocols, including IPv4, IPv6, ICMP, IGRP, ARP, IPsec and CIDR
supernetting.
Data link layer protocols, including BSC, HDLC, PPP and LLC, multiple access methods
and error detection and correction techniques.
Physical layer protocols, including V.24 and X.21, the electromagnetic spectrum,
Nyquist’s Theorem and Shannon’s Law, modulation techniques and line codes, Digital
Subscriber Line protocols and Cable modems.
Network markets and the use of marketing models to analyse generic, growth, product
and partnership strategies for gaining competitive advantage. Market studies of fixed and
mobile network operators, Internet Service Providers, network equipment manufacturers
and Global distribution Systems.
Network technologies used to support Personal Area Networks (Universal Serial Bus,
FireWire, Infra-red Data Association and Bluetooth), Storage Area Networks (Fibre
Channel) and Local Area Networks (the different types of Ethernet, including VLANs,
Token Ring networks, FDDI and Wireless LANs).
Network technologies used to support Metropolitan Area Networks (Switched Multimegabit Data Service and Cable TV networks) and Wide Area Networks (private circuit
networks, satellite networks, PSTN, ISDN, Intelligent Networks, Mobile Networks,
Public Packet Switched Data Networks and Frame Relay Networks).
Network integration by means of internetworking, using bridges, routers and gateways
and the associated bridging and routing protocols, Dijkstra’s algorithm, Intranets
(including Network Address Translation), Extranets, Virtual Private Networks and
multicasting.
Network integration techniques and protocols to support the transmission of live, stored
and interactive multimedia over IP and ATM networks, including Multi-Protocol Label
Switching.
Network design of enterprise networks. Determining user requirements, specification and
design of enterprise networks including choice of technology, subnetwork addressing
schemes, Classless Inter-Domain Routing and costing.
Network management of enterprise networks: configuration, performance, fault,
accounting and security management, plus risk analysis and disaster recovery.
Learning Activities
Labs and workshops will enable students to develop skills in:
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Performing experiments with simple network management tools such as ping, traceroute
and netstat.
Displaying and analysing results of experiments.
Calculating gains, losses and signal to noise ratios using deciBels.
Calculating bandwidth and capacity using Nyquist’s Theorem and Shannon’s Law,
Compressing text using Huffman codes.
Correcting single bit errors using Hamming codes.
Calculating availability, MTBF and MTTR.
Computing the shortest path through a network using Djikstra’s algorithm.
Designing subnetwork addressing schemes.
Designing and costing simple enterprise networks.
Using spreadsheet modeling to support the above activities
Indicative Reading List
Andrew S. Tanenbaum, Computer Networks, Prentice Hall, 4th Edition, 2003.
Behrouz A. Forouzan, Data Communications and Networking, McGraw-Hill, 3rd Edition, 2003.
William Stallings, Data and Computer Communications, Prentice Hall, 7th Edition, 2004.
Fitzgerald and Dennis, Business Data Communications and Networking, John Wiley & Sons, 8th
Edition, 2005.
Carr and Snyder, The Management of Telecommunications, McGraw-Hill, 2nd Edition, 2003.