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EE30029: Digital networks & protocols

[Page last updated: 04 August 2021]

Academic Year: 2021/2
Owning Department/School: Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering
Credits: 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 120
Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Period:
Semester 1
Assessment Summary: EX 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Exam (EX 100%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites: Before taking this module you are advised to take EE10135 AND take EE20017 or equivalent.
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).

Programme availability:

EE30029 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering
  • UEEE-AFB13 : BEng(Hons) Computer Systems Engineering (Year 3)
  • UEEE-AKB13 : BEng(Hons) Computer Systems Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UEEE-AFB14 : BEng(Hons) Electronic Engineering with Space Science & Technology (Year 3)
  • UEEE-AKB14 : BEng(Hons) Electronic Engineering with Space Science & Technology with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UEEE-AFM13 : MEng(Hons) Computer Systems Engineering (Year 3)
  • UEEE-AKM13 : MEng(Hons) Computer Systems Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UEEE-AFM14 : MEng(Hons) Electronic Engineering with Space Science & Technology (Year 3)
  • UEEE-AKM14 : MEng(Hons) Electronic Engineering with Space Science & Technology with Year long work placement (Year 4)

EE30029 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering
  • UEEE-AFB01 : BEng(Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Year 3)
  • UEEE-AKB01 : BEng(Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UEEE-AFB15 : BEng(Hons) Electronic Systems Engineering (Year 3)
  • UEEE-AKB15 : BEng(Hons) Electronic Systems Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UEEE-AFM01 : MEng(Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Year 3)
  • UEEE-AKM01 : MEng(Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UEEE-AFM16 : MEng(Hons) Robotics Engineering (Year 3)
  • UEEE-AKM16 : MEng(Hons) Robotics Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UEEE-AFB16 : BEng(Hons) Robotics Engineering (Year 3)
  • UEEE-AKB16 : BEng(Hons) Robotics Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 4)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2021/22 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2022/23 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2021/22.
  • Programmes and units are subject to change 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.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.