Chapter 1
Introduction
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Computer Networking:
A Top Down Approach
Featuring the Internet,
3rd edition.
Jim Kurose, Keith Ross
Addison-Wesley, July
2004.
Thanks and enjoy! JFK/KWR
All material copyright 1996-2005
J.F Kurose and K.W. Ross, All Rights Reserved
Introduction
A few comments about the Internet
 Network Edge
 End machines to routers
 Network Core
 Mesh of connected routers
 ~ hierarchical Internet
router
server
mobile
local ISP
 Two Internet services
 Connection-oriented (TCP)
 Connectionless (UDP)
 End to end data transfer
 Uses Internet services which
 Use IP for data delivery to a
destination
workstation
regional ISP
company
network
Introduction
Circuit versus packet switching
 Circuit switching
 Resources reserved for the
entire duration of call
 Classical example: POTS
 Waste of resources
 Packet Switching
 Uses chunks of data that
traverse the network while
sharing it with other chunks
 Statistical Multiplexing
 For bursty data (Internet)
 PKT switching is the way to go
 What about voice over IP
and similar applications???
Introduction
Choices for Packet switching?
 IP provides service to TCP and to UDP
 A datagram approach – one of the two possible
ways of transferring data end to end
 The other possibility is virtual circuit
• More suitable for VoIP and the likes?
 Present day Internet has emerged as:
 Datagram (IP) in the edges
 IP over virtual circuits in the core
 Idea: End users originate “bursty” traffic while
traffic from large networks is semi-bursty
 X.25  Frame Relay  ATM  MPLS
Introduction
Network Taxonomy
Telecommunication
networks
Circuit-switched
networks
FDM
TDM
Packet-switched
networks
Networks
with VCs
Datagram
Networks
Note: X.25 is a VC network and so is MPLS but these two were
designed with totally different philosophies in mind!
1) X.25: reliability provided in the network itself
2) MPLS: easy integration with IP while providing virtual circuits
Introduction
Internet structure: network of networks
 roughly hierarchical
 at center: “tier-1” ISPs (e.g., MCI, Sprint, AT&T, Cable
and Wireless), national/international coverage
 treat each other as equals
Tier-1
providers
interconnect
(peer)
privately
Tier 1 ISP
Tier 1 ISP
NAP
Tier-1 providers
also interconnect
at public network
access points
(NAPs)
Tier 1 ISP
Introduction
Internet structure: network of networks
 “Tier-2” ISPs: smaller (often regional) ISPs
 Connect to one or more tier-1 ISPs, possibly other tier-2 ISPs
Tier-2 ISP pays
tier-1 ISP for
connectivity to
rest of Internet
 tier-2 ISP is
customer of
tier-1 provider
Tier-2 ISP
Tier-2 ISP
Tier 1 ISP
Tier 1 ISP
Tier-2 ISP
NAP
Tier 1 ISP
Tier-2 ISPs
also peer
privately with
each other,
interconnect
at NAP
Tier-2 ISP
Tier-2 ISP
Introduction
Internet structure: network of networks
 “Tier-3” ISPs and local ISPs
 last hop (“access”) network (closest to end systems)
local
ISP
Local and tier3 ISPs are
customers of
higher tier
ISPs
connecting
them to rest
of Internet
Tier 3
local
local
ISP
Tier-2 ISP
ISP
ISP
ISP
Tier-2 ISP
Tier 1 ISP
Tier 1 ISP
Tier-2 ISP
local
local
ISP
ISP
local
NAP
Tier 1 ISP
Tier-2 ISP
local
ISP
Tier-2 ISP
local
ISP
Introduction
Internet structure: network of networks
 a packet passes through many networks!
 Where is MPLS???????
local
ISP
Tier 3
local
local
ISP
Tier-2 ISP
ISP
ISP
ISP
Tier-2 ISP
Tier 1 ISP
Tier 1 ISP
Tier-2 ISP
local
local
ISP
ISP
local
NAP
Tier 1 ISP
Tier-2 ISP
local
ISP
Tier-2 ISP
local
ISP
Introduction
IP routing versus MPLS
 Discussion limited to core network – there
is no MPLS to end systems
 Even if we use MPLS in core

The “payload” it carries today is still IP
 What differentiates IP from MPLS?
 The routing and forwarding paradigm!
Introduction