FIT4015 Digital communications technology and protocols

The first component of this unit looks at digital communication technologies such as: local area networks; metropolitan area networks; satellite networks; ISDN; modem techniques; digital networks.

Topics covered within this component may include

• Channel capacity and transmission medium.
• Digital encoding and modulation techniques.
• Modem standards.
• Interfacing with communications equipment.
• Multiplexing and switching.
• LAN technologies and MAC techniques.LAN systems: Ethernet, Token Ring, Wireless LAN, FDDI, etc,.
• N-ISDN and ATM networks.
• Satellite communications.
  

The second component covers protocols including: the structure, coordination and management of the Internet; Internet standards development process; Internet link layer protocols; IP (V4 and V6) and ICMP protocols; TCP and UDP; the Internet addressing structure, including domain naming and the DNS/LDAP systems and protocols; bridging systems and spanning-tree protocols; Internet packet routing techniques and protocols; mobile IP; Real Time Protocols; the major common applications.

Topics covered within this component may include:

• the structure, coordination and management of the Internet
• Internet standards development process
• Internet link layer protocols: SLIP, CSLIP, PPP, ARP, RARP, etc.
• the IP (V4 and V6) and ICMP protocols
• TCP and UDP
• the Internet addressing structure, including domain naming and the DNS/LDAP systems and protocols
• bridging systems and spanning-tree protocols
• Internet packet routing techniques and protocols, e.g. Distance-vector, Bellman, SPF, and related IGP and EGP protocols
• mobile IP
• Real Time Protocols: RTP, RTCP, RTSP, SDP, RSVP
• Security issues
• Quality of Service (QoS) issues
• the major common applications: FTP, Telnet, SNMP, SMTP, HTTP, etc.

Teaching

One two-hour lecture per week for 13 weeks. One two-hour tutorial per week for 13 weeks. The lectures will be supported by reading exercises and by tutorial discussions.

Assessment

There will be a final examination of 2 hours duration and worth 60% of the subject assessment. Students will be required to undertake two written assignments worth 20% of the assessment each.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

None.

Prohibitions

CSE3821, CPE3004, ECE4411/5411, CSE4881, CSE4882, ECE4/5044