About this course: In this course, we discuss peer-to-peer protocols and local area networks. Part one in this course is to answer the question of how does a peer-to-peer protocol deliver reliable data transfer service across unreliable transmission lines or networks. We focus on several medium access control protocols and their performance analysis. In the second part, we discuss how medium access control protocols coordinate the access to the communication channel so that information gets through from a source to a destination in the same broadcast local area network. We further discuss local area network and wireless LAN.

Created by: University of Colorado System

Taught by: Xiaobo Zhou, Professor, Interim Dean
College of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Basic Info	Course 2 of 4 in the Computer Communications Specialization
Commitment	5 weeks of study, 2-5 hours/week
Language	English
How To Pass	Pass all graded assignments to complete the course.

Syllabus

WEEK 1

Peer-to-Peer Protocols

This module examines peer-to-peer protocols and service models. Importantly, it examines three automatic repeat request (ARQ) protocols that provide reliable data transfer service.

5 videos, 6 readings, 1 practice quiz

Video: Welcome
Reading: Reference Books
Video: Peer-to-Peer Protocols and Services
Reading: Lecture Slides - Peer-to-Peer Protocols and Services
Video: Stop-and-Wait ARQ
Reading: Lecture Slides - Stop-and-Wait ARQ
Video: S&W Performance, and Go-Back-N ARQ
Reading: Lecture Slides - S&W Performance, and Go-Back-N ARQ
Video: Go-back-N and Selective-Repeat ARQ
Reading: Lecture Slides - Go-back-N and Selective-Repeat ARQ
Discussion Prompt: Peer-to-Peer Protocols
Reading: RFC 793, “Transmission Control Protocol: DARPA Internet program protocol specification”
Practice Quiz: Practice Assessment - Peer-to-Peer Protocols

Graded: Graded Assessment - Peer-to-Peer Protocols

WEEK 2

Reliable Services and Data Link Controls

This module introduces TCP that uses ARQ techniques to provide reliable stream service and flow control end-to-end across connectionless packet network. It also examines two framing techniques that are used to identify the boundaries of frames of information within a digital bit stream, and discusses two data link control standards in widespread use.

3 videos, 4 readings, 1 practice quiz

Video: TCP Reliable Stream and Flow Control
Reading: Lecture Slides - TCP Reliable Stream and Flow Control
Video: Framing and PPP
Reading: Lecture Slides - Framing and PPP
Video: HDLC, Multiplexing
Reading: Lecture Slides - HDLC, Multiplexing
Discussion Prompt: Reliable Services and Data Link Controls
Reading: “The generic framing procedure: an overview”, E. Hernandez-Valencia, M. Scholten, and Zhenyu Zhu, IEEE communications Magazine, 40(5), 2002 (Required)
Practice Quiz: Practice Assessment - Reliable Services and Data Link Controls

Graded: Graded Assessment - Reliable Services and Data Link Controls

WEEK 3

Medium access control

This module discusses the need for medium access control (MAC), and introduces representative random access and scheduling MAC protocols - including the carrier-sense multiple access with collision detection CSMA-CS protocol which forms the basis for the Ethernet LAN standard. It also shows the impact of delay-bandwidth product on protocol performance.

4 videos, 4 readings, 1 practice quiz

Video: Medium Access Control
Reading: Lecture Slides - Medium Access Control
Video: MAC Random Access: Aloha
Reading: Lecture Slides - MAC Random Access: Aloha
Video: Random Access: CSMA and CSMA/CD
Reading: Lecture Slides - Random Access: CSMA and CSMA/CD
Video: Scheduling Approaches
Reading: Lecture Slides - Scheduling Approaches
Discussion Prompt: Medium Access Control
Practice Quiz: Practice Assessment - Medium Access Controls

Graded: Graded Assessment - Medium Access Controls

WEEK 4

Local Area Networks

This module discusses the structure of the frames used in LANs, and introduces several important LAN standards, including the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet LAN and IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN. Furthermore, the MAC protocols associated with each LAN standard are also described.

3 videos, 4 readings, 1 practice quiz

Video: Local Area Networks (LANs)
Reading: Lecture Slides - Local Area Networks (LANs)
Video: Wireless LANs: CSMA-CA
Reading: Lecture Slides - Wireless LANs: CSMA-CA
Video: Wireless LANs: Medium Access Control
Reading: Lecture Slides - Wireless LANs: Medium Access Control
Discussion Prompt: Local Area Networks
Reading: “IEEE 802.11 Wireless Local Area Networks”, IEEE Communication Magazine, pp. 116-126, September 1997. (Required)
Practice Quiz: Practice Assessment - Local Area Networks

Graded: Graded Assessment - Local Area Networks

WEEK 5

course project - Peer-to-Peer Protocols and Local Area Networks

This is a comprehensive peer review assessment

1 reading

Reading: Comprehensive review of course materials

Graded: Peer-to-Peer Protocols and Local Area Networks

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