BIRLA INSTITUTE OF

TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE,

PILANI
WORK INTEGRATED LEARNING PROGRAMMES
COURSE HANDOUT

Part A: Content Design

Course Title Advanced Computer Networks
Course No(s) CS ZG525 / CSI ZG525/ ES ZG526/SS ZG525
Credit Units 5
Course Author Virendra Shekhawat
Version No Version 1.0
Date Mar 11, 2019

Course Objectives
No Objectives

CO1 Outline the fundamental of computer network principles, services and architectures of various
networks

CO2 Introduce a set of advanced technologies in networking.

CO3 Provide an overview of advanced routing protocols and router architecture.

CO4 Examine various aspects of QoS and congestion control in end-to-end data transfer.

Text Book(s)
No Author(s), Title, Edition, Publishing House
T1 Larry L. Peterson, Bruce S, "Computer Networks: A Systems Approach", 4th edition, Davie
Publisher: Elsevier/Morgan Kaufmann, ISBN: 13:978-0-12-370548-8; 10:0-12- 370548-7.

Reference Book(s) & other resources

No Author(s), Title, Edition, Publishing House
R1 Andrew S. Tanenbaum, "Computer Networks", PHI, Fifth Edition, ISBN: 978-0132- 126953.

R2 C. Siva Ram Murthy and B. S. Manoj, "Ad Hoc Wireless Networks: Architectures and
Protocols" Prentice Hall, 2004
Modular Content Structure

M1. INTERNET ARCHITECTURE & NEXT GENERATION INTERNET DESIGN

 Introduction to the course

 Internet Architecture and Functionalities
 Next generation Internet design and challenges

M2. GENERAL TCP CONGESTION CONTROL AND QUEUING

 MTech (SW Engg) / MTech (SW Systems)
o Cubic, Datacentre TCP
o Congestion for high bandwidth delay
o Modern congestion control algorithms
o High speed TCP
o Cubic compound TCP
o Multipath TCP
 MTech (Computing Systems & Infrastructure)
o Overview of TCP congestion control and queuing mechanisms
o QoS on the Internet

M3. TRAFFIC ENGINEERING AND QUEUING

 War between mice and elephants (Short Internet connections vs. Long Internet connections)
 RED for Web traffic
 QoS on the Internet

M4. INTERDOMAIN ROUTING: BGP PROTOCOL

 Instability
 Policies
 Security
 Interactions
 QoS on the Internet – Network Layer
 Case Study – Configuring and monitoring QoS on Routers

M5. MULTI-HOP WIRELESS AD HOC NETWORK ROUTING PROTOCOLS TCP

 Ad Hoc Routing Protocols comparison and analysis of
 DSDV – TORA – DSR – AODV

M6. TCP PERFORMANCE AND WIRELESS LINKS

 Wired vs wireless networks
 Geomorphic view of networking
 Dynamic-routing mobility and session location mobility
 Dynamic-routing mobility with a non-hierarchical name space
 QoS on the Internet – Data Link Layer

M7. DATA CENTER NETWORK

 Data Centre Networks – Overview, enabling technologies, deployment
 Data Centre Networks - Topologies

M8. ADVANCED CONPUTER NETWORKING TECHNOLOGIES

 Software defined networking
  Control and data planes
 Network virtualization
 Open flow

Learning Outcomes:
No Learning Outcomes
LO1 Students shall be able to apply basic principles in designing modern computer networks.
LO2 Students shall be able to explain the challenges in delivering end-to-end QoS in the
Internet.
LO3 Students shall be able to use advanced routing architecture and protocols in networking
and apply performance measures for routing in computer networks.
LO4 Students shall be able to explain advanced networking technologies such as SDNs

Part B: Contact Session Plan

Academic Term Second Semester 2021-20212
Course Title Advanced Computer Networks
Course No CS ZG525 / CSI ZG525/ ES ZG526/SS ZG525
Lead Instructor Virendra Shekhawat

Glossary of Terms
1. Contact Hour (CH) stands for a hour long live session with students conducted either in a physical
classroom or enabled through technology. In this model of instruction, instructor led sessions will
be for 22 CH.
a. Pre CH = Self Learning done prior to a given contact hour
b. During CH = Content to be discussed during the contact hour by the course instructor
c. Post CH = Self Learning done post the contact hour
2. Contact Hour (CS) stands for a two-hour long live session with students conducted either in a
physical classroom or enabled through technology. In this model of instruction, instructor led
sessions will be for 11 CS.
a. Pre CS = Self Learning done prior to a given contact session
b. During CS = Content to be discussed during the contact session by the course instructor
c. Post CS = Self Learning done post the contact session
3. RL stands for Recorded Lecture or Recorded Lesson. It is presented to the student through an
online portal. A given RL unfolds as a sequences of video segments interleaved with exercises
4. SS stands for Self-Study to be done as a study of relevant sections from textbooks and reference
books. It could also include study of external resources.
5. LE stands for Lab Exercises
6. HW stands for Home Work.
7. M stands for module. Module is a standalone quantum of designed content. A typical course is
delivered using a string of modules. M2 means module 2.
Teaching Methodology (Flipped Learning Model)
The pedagogy for this course is centered around flipped learning model in which the traditional class-room
instruction is replaced with recorded lectures to be watched at home as per the student’s convenience and
the erstwhile home-working or tutorials become the focus of classroom contact sessions. Students are
expected to finish the home works on time.

Contact Session Plan

o Each Module (M#) covers an independent topic and module may encompass more than one
Recorded Lecture (RL) or Lecture Segment (LS).
o Contact Sessions (2hrs each week) are scheduled alternate weeks after the student watches all
Recorded Lectures (RLs) of the specified Modules (listed below) during the previous week
o In the flipped learning model, Contact Sessions are meant for in-classroom discussions on cases,
tutorials/exercises or responding to student’s questions/clarification--- may encompass more than
one Module/RLs/CS topic.
o Contact Session topics listed in course structure (numbered CSx.y) may cover several RLs; and as
per the pace of instructor/students’ learning, the instructor may take up more than one CS topic
during each of the below sessions.

Detailed Structure
Introductory Video/Document: << Introducing the faculty, overview of the course, structure and
organization of topics, guidance for navigating the content, and expectations from students>>

 Each of the sub-modules of Recorded Lectures (indicated by RLx.y / LS x.y / LSx.yVz) shall
delivered via 30 – 60mins videos followed by:
 Contact session (CSx.y) of 2Hr each for illustrating the concepts discussed in the videos with
exercises, tutorials and discussion on case-problems (wherever appropriate); contact sessions (CS)
may cover more than one recorded-lecture (RL) videos.

Course Contents
<From content structure in Part A of this document. Detail the plan of delivery across each contact
hour or each contact session. 1 contact session = 2 contact hours>

Time Type Description References

M1. INTERNET ARCHITECTURE & NEXT GENERATION INTERNET DESIGN
Pre-CH/CS RL1.1  Internet architecture and next T1: Ch-1
generation internet design
The Design Philosophy of The DARPA
Internet Protocols [Clark 1988]
End-to-End Argument in System Design
[J H Saltzer 1984]
A Brief History of The Internet [B
Leiner 2009] , Tussle in Cyberspace:
Defining Tomorrow’s Internet [Clark
2005]

During CS CS 1  Introduction to the course

  Internet Architecture and
Functionalities
Post-CH/ HW/Lab  Lab Capsule - Introduction to
CS NS2
 Read references
M2. GENERAL TCP CONGESTION CONTROL AND QUEUING
Pre-CH/CS RL 2.1  TCP congestion control and T1: Chapters 3,4,6
solution approaches Analysis of Increase and Decrease
Algorithms for Congestion Avoidance
in Computer Networks [Raj Jain 1989]
How Hard Can It Be? Designing and
Implementing a Deployable Multipath
TCP [Raiciu 2012]

During CS CS 2, 3  Summary of:

 TCP congestion control variants
 QoS on the internet - Transport
layer
 Multipath TCP Protocol Design
Post-CH/ HW/Lab  Lab Capsule – TCP Congestion
CS Control
 Read references
M3. *[MTech (SW Engg), MTech (SW Systems)] TRAFFIC ENGINEERING AND QUEUING
Pre-CH/CS RL 3.1  Traffic engineering and queuing The War between Mice and Elephants
[Guo and Matta 2001]

Core-Stateless Fair Queuing: Achieving

Approximately Fair Bandwidth
Allocations in High Speed Networks
[Stoica 1998],
Random Early Detection Gateways for
Congestion Avoidance [Floyd 1993]
During CS CS 4  Summary of Queue management
algorithms
 Active queue management
(RED, BLUE,CHOke)
Post-CH/ HW/Lab  Read references
CS
M4. INTERDOMAIN ROUTING: BGP PROTOCOL
Pre-CH/CS RL 4.1, RL  Introduction to BGP Internet Routing Instability
4.2  BGP policies, issues and security [Craig Labovitz 1998]

Stable Internet Routing Without Global

Coordination
[Lixin Gao 2001]

BGP Security in Partial Deployment

[Robert Lychev 2013]
During CS CS 5, 6  Summary of:
 BGP attributes, iBGP vs eBGP,
Additional BGP features
 BGP policies, Issues in BGP,
QoS on the Internet
Post-CH/ HW/Lab  Lab Capsule – BGP
CS  Read references
M5. MULTI-HOP WIRELESS AD HOC NETWORK ROUTING PROTOCOLS TCP
Pre-CH/CS RL 5.1  Wireless ad-hoc routing A High-Throughput Path Metric for
protocols Multi-Hop Wireless Routing [Douglas
2003]
R2: Chapter 7

During CS CS 7, 8  Wireless communication

fundamentals
 How DSDV, DSR, AODV
protocols work
Post-CH/ HW/Lab  Lab Capsule – Wireless Adhoc
CS Networks
 Read references
M6. TCP PERFORMANCE AND WIRELESS LINKS
Pre-CH/CS RL 6.1, RL  TCP over wireless links – issues T1: Chapter 4,6
6.2  TCP over wireless links - R2: Chapter 9 [9.1-9.6]
solutions A Performance Comparison of
Multi-Hop Wireless Ad Hoc Network
Routing Protocols [Josh Broch 1998]
A Comparison of Mechanisms for
Improving TCP Performance over
Wireless Links [Balakrishanan 1996]
Understanding TCP fairness over
Wireless LAN [Saar Pilosof 2003]

During CS CS 9  Summary and Analysis of TCP

over wireless links – issues &
solutions
Post-CH/ HW/Lab  Read references
CS
M7. DATA CENTER NETWORK
Pre-CH/CS NA NA NA

During CS CS 10  Data Centre Network Topologies A Scalable, Commodity Data Center

Network Architecture [Mohammad Al-
Fares 2008]
Instructor Supplied Material
Post-CH/ HW/Lab  Read references
CS
M8. ADVANCED CONPUTER NETWORKING TECHNOLOGIES
Pre-CH/CS RL 8.1  Software Defined Networking Software Defined Networking: The
New Norm of Networks, White Paper
[https://www.opennetworking.org 2012]
“OpenFlow Switch Specification 1.1.0”,
http://www.openflow.org/

During CS CS 11  Open Flow based SDN Network

Implementation
 Revision
Post-CH/ HW/Lab  Read references
CS

Lab Details
As mentioned in the contact session plan above. Material and tools/platform for lab work is available
online.

Evaluation Scheme
Legend: EC = Evaluation Component
No Name Type Duration Weightage Day, Date, Session, Time
EC-1 Quiz 1 Online * 05% February 14-24, 2022
EC-1 Quiz-2 Online * 05% March 14-24, 2022
EC-1 Assignment Online * 15% April 14-24, 2022
EC-2 Mid-Semester Open book 2 Hours 30% Friday, 11/03/2022 (FN)
Test 10 AM - 12 Noon
EC-3 Comprehensive Open book 2 Hours 45% Friday, 20/05/2022 (FN)
Exam 10 AM - 12 Noon

Important Information:
Syllabus for Mid-Semester Test (Open Book): Topics in CS 1-6.
Syllabus for Comprehensive Exam (Open Book): All topics given in plan of study
Evaluation Guidelines:
1. For Closed Book tests: No books or reference material of any kind will be permitted.
Laptops/Mobiles of any kind are not allowed. Exchange of any material is not allowed.
2. For Open Book exams: Use of prescribed and reference text books, in original (not photocopies) is
permitted. Class notes/slides as reference material in filed or bound form is permitted. However,
loose sheets of paper will not be allowed. Use of calculators is permitted in all exams.
Laptops/Mobiles of any kind are not allowed. Exchange of any material is not allowed.
3. If a student is unable to appear for the Regular Test/Exam due to genuine exigencies, the student
should follow the procedure to apply for the Make-Up Test/Exam. The genuineness of the reason
for absence in the Regular Exam shall be assessed prior to giving permission to appear for the
Make-up Exam. Make-Up Test/Exam will be conducted only at selected exam centres on the dates
to be announced later.
It shall be the responsibility of the individual student to be regular in maintaining the self-study schedule as
given in the course handout, attend the lectures, and take all the prescribed evaluation components such as
Assignment/Quiz, Mid-Semester Test and Comprehensive Exam according to the evaluation scheme
provided in the handout.