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EE30029: Digital networks & protocols

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2012/3
Follow this link for further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering
Follow this link for further information on credits Credits: 6
Follow this link for further information on unit levels Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Follow this link for further information on period slots Period: Semester 1
Follow this link for further information on unit assessment Assessment: EX 100%
Follow this link for further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Follow this link for further information on unit rules Requisites: Before taking this unit you must take EE10135 and take EE20017 or equivalent.
Follow this link for further information on unit content Description: Aims:
To give users an understanding of the principles and current practice employed in digital information networks. To indicate the directions of future development in network technology. To enable a network user to estimate performance.

Learning Outcomes:
Students successfully completing this unit will be able to: understand the broad principles of the OSI 7-layer model of a network and apply it, compare the different forms of network technology and means of multiple access, compare the characteristics and application areas of WANs, MANs, LANs and PANs, appreciate the complex demands of internet working and some current solutions, discuss the need for network management structures and signalling networks and describe some simple ones, describe the operation and evaluate broad performance measures of contention and token passing LAN protocols implemented on ring and bus topologies, calculate the performance of various ARQ data link control strategies, evaluate network performance when modelled as Markov queues.

Skills:
Protocol performance analysis. Network topology and protocol selection - Taught, facilitated and assessed. Ability to estimate network performance.

Content:
Network classification (broadcast versus switched), WANs, MANs and LANs. Generic switching philosophies (circuit, message, packet). Generic network topologies (star, tree, mesh, bus ring). Network applications. Layered networks and the OSI 7-layer reference model. Role of service primitives in layered networks. Interconnected networks: bridges, switches, routers, gateways.
Network performance using queueing theory. Markov arrival processes, Equilibrium probabilities for general Markov queues. Probability of packet loss, mean packet delay and delay distribution.
Network protocols: error control (stop and wait, go-back-N and selective repeat ARQ), flow control, routing, congestion control, connection oriented and connectionless protocols, X.25 and IP/TCP.
LANs: topologies, Ethernet, token-passing, performance calculations, WLANs (e.g. IEEE 802.11, HiperLAN).
Follow this link for further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

EE30029 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering
  • UEEE-AKB07 : BEng (hons) Computers Electronics and Communications (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • UEEE-AFB13 : BEng (hons) Computer Systems Engineering (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UEEE-AFB05 : BEng (hons) Electronic and Communication Engineering (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UEEE-AKB05 : BEng (hons) Electronic and Communication Engineering (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • UEEE-AFB14 : BEng (hons) Electronic Engineering with Space Science & Technology (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UEEE-AKB14 : BEng (hons) Electronic Engineering with Space Science & Technology (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • UEEE-AKM07 : MEng (hons) Computers Electronics and Communications (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • UEEE-AFM13 : MEng (hons) Computer Systems Engineering (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UEEE-AFM05 : MEng (hons) Electronic and Communication Engineering (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UEEE-AKM05 : MEng (hons) Electronic and Communication Engineering (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • UEEE-AFM14 : MEng (hons) Electronic Engineering with Space Science & Technology (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UEEE-AKM14 : MEng (hons) Electronic Engineering with Space Science & Technology (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4

EE30029 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering
  • UEEE-AFB10 : BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UEEE-AKB10 : BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • UEEE-AFB01 : BEng (hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UEEE-AKB01 : BEng (hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • UEEE-AFM01 : MEng (hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Full-time) - Year 3
  • UEEE-AKM01 : MEng (hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • TEEE-AFM03 : MSc Digital Communications (Full-time) - Year 1
  • TEEE-AFC08 : PG Cert Digital Communications (Full-time) - Year 1
  • TEEE-AFL07 : PG Dip Digital Communications (Full-time) - Year 1

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2012/13 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2013/14 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2012/13.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.