Course Syllabus

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Summary:
The goal of this class is to introduce you to basic networking concepts (including the OSI 7 layer model, data transmission methods, medium access, link control, and connections management), network applications (including electronic mail, file transfer, distributed computing, window systems), and network management tools (including OSI and Internet management frameworks). After this course, you will be able to easily use common network communication primitives as part of programming tasks in various languages, undertake more complex protocol engineering and network management tasks, as well as be ready to continue your study of the intricacies of modern networking.

Knowledge and Skills Acquired:

  • Mastery of:
    • Terminology, concepts, and technologies required for telecommunication in local area networks (LANs) and on the global Internet
    • Network application programming using sockets, RPC, and RMI
    • Various network protocols and their benefits and tradeoffs
    • Use of network management tools
  • Familiarity with:
    • Network design and analysis
    • Network protocol engineering
    • Network security issues and the roles of confidentiality and authenticity
    • WWW technologies

Prerequisites: CIS 300 (Data and Program Structures) with C or better grade.

Class meeting time (Nichols 236): Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 1:30 PM – 2:20 PM

Instructor and TA:
Instructor: Eugene Vasserman
Office hours (Nichols 316A): Thursdays 1:30 – 3; Fridays 2:30 – 4, or by appointment
Email: eyv@ksu.edu
Phone: 785.532.7944
TA: Yang Xue
Office hours (Nichols 16A): Monday and Wednesday from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Email: xueyang@ksu.edu
(A clarification on the nature of "office hours" [PDF])

Required text:

  • Computer Networking: A Top-down Approach by James F. Kurose and Keith W. Ross, ISBN-13: 978-0-13-285620-1.

Additional recommended texts (NOT REQUIRED):

Evaluation: 10% in-class quizzes, 60% homework assignments including programming, and 30% exams (including final).

Assignments: Homework and programs are due at the beginning of class on the date they are due. A full letter grade will be deducted for each day, including weekends (but excluding national holidays), that an assignment is late.

Class participation: Come to class; be prepared to listen, ask questions, and discuss. This may also include short written responses to assigned reading or questions about the day's scheduled topic of discussion. See Expectations for Classroom Conduct.
Slides are available immediately after class on K-State Online.

Error "bounty": You can get extra credit for spotting and reporting errors in any of the course materials, such as slides, homeworks, programming assignments, quizzes, or exams. These should be meaningful, e.g. content errors rather than just typos.

Electronic devices in the classroom: Electronic devices can help supplement lectures and discussion, e.g. by looking up terms and concepts in real time, but if you bring devices, please be considerate (silence them) and use them wisely. You are welcome to bring electronic devices (e.g. cell phones, laptops, tablets, etc.) as long as they do not make noise or interfere with your attention or the attention of others. If I think that your device interferes, you will no longer be allowed to bring electronic devices.

Copyright issues: Class and lecture notes, assignments, handouts, quizzes, and exams for this course carry a copyright of several authors, including Mitchell L. Neilsen and Eugene Y. Vasserman. Do not sell (or get paid for taking) notes during this course to or by any person or commercial firm without the express written permission of the professor teaching this course. DO NOT copy (and present as your own work) other people's writing or code without permission. See Academic Honesty.

Academic Honesty
Kansas State University has an Honor System and Integrity based on personal integrity, which is presumed to be sufficient assurance that, in academic matters, one's work is performed honestly and without unauthorized assistance. Undergraduate and graduate students, by registration, acknowledge the jurisdiction of the Honor and Integrity System. The policies and procedures of the Honor and Integrity System apply to all full and part-time students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate courses on-campus, off-campus, and via distance learning. The honor system website can be reached via the following URL: http://www.ksu.edu/honor. A component vital to the Honor and Integrity System is the inclusion of the Honor Pledge which applies to all assignments, examinations, or other course work undertaken by students. The Honor Pledge is implied, whether or not it is stated: "On my honor, as a student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work." A grade of XF can result from a breach of academic honesty. The F indicates failure in the course; the X indicates the reason is an Honor Pledge violation.
The default in this class is that ALL work will be accomplished individually, UNLESS my permission is given in advance of an assignment/quiz/exam/take-home exam/final. If you are in doubt, please ask.

Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities who need classroom accommodations, access to technology or information about emergency building/campus evacuation processes should contact their instructor and/or the access services office. Services are available to students with a wide range of disabilities including, but not limited to, physical disabilities, medical conditions, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, depression, and anxiety. If you are a student enrolled in on-campus/online courses through the Manhattan or Olathe campus, contact accesscenter@k-state.edu, 785.532.6441; for Salina campus, contact acac@k-state.edu, 785.826.2649.
You can find more information on the Student Access Center web page.

Expectations for Classroom Conduct
All student activities in the University, including this course, are governed by the Student Judicial Conduct Code as outlined in the Student Governing Association By Laws, Article VI, Section 3, number 2. Students who engage in behavior that disrupts the learning environment may be asked to leave the class.
The bylaws for recent years can be found here.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due