TCP/IP and Internet Protocols 
Spring 2007 Syllabus

Dr. Vasil Y. Hnatyshin 
Department of Computer Science 
Rowan University

General Class Information
Course Title:  TCP/IP and Internet Protocols
Instructor:  Dr. Vasil Y. Hnatyshin
Department of Computer Science
Contact Information:  3rd floor, Robinson Building 
Email: hnatyshin@rowan.edu
Phone: (856) 256-4758
Catalog Description:  0704.416 (395) TCP/IP and Internet Protocols (3 credits) 

Prerequisites: 0706.410 Data Communications and Networking or permission of instructor

This is an advanced computer networking course that will expand students knowledge received in the Data Communications and Networking course. This course will examine operation of  the TCP/IP protocol as well as design and architecture of the Internet. This course will cover such topics as: medium access protocols, address resolution protocols,  Internet routing, Internet Protocol (IP), Quality of Service, Transport Protocol, and congestion control mechanisms.  This course will also include selected topics on network security and network management. Students will prepare and deliver technical presentations on state-of-the-art research topics in the Internet.
Office Hours:  Mon.    2:00 - 3:00 PM
Wed.    2:00 - 3:00 PM
 or
by appointment
Class Meeting Times and Location:  Mon./ Wed. 9:25 - 10:40 AM 
Savitz  Hall 341
Required Book:  Behrouz A. Forouzan, "TCP/IP Protocol Suite", 3e
Supplementary Materials:
  • High Performance TCP/IP Networking: concepts, Issues, and Solutions by M. Hassan and R. Jain
  • High-Speed Networks and Internets: Performance and QoS by W. Stallings
  • IP  Routing Protocols: RIP, OSPF, BGP, PNNI & CISCO routing protocols by U. Black
  • www.opnet.com  -- reference information about the OPNET network simulator
  • Selected conference and journal publications -- to be provided in class

 
 
Class Policies
Expected Work:  o   1 Final. 
o   1 Midterms.
o   Homework assignments
o   Semester long research project
Grading:  o  25 % -- Final
o   25 % -- Midterm 
o   15 % -- Semester long project
o   30 % -- Homework Assignments
o     5 % -- Attendance and class participation

Semester Long Project Grade Distribution:

  • Paper summary   - 5% total (1% per paper) 
  • Writtten Project  - 5% total 
  • Presentation        - 5% total

    • ---------------------------------
  • TOTAL              15 %


The Final Letter Grade is assigned based on the following numeric grade to letter grade conversion table: 
 
F D- D D+ C- C C+ B- B B- A- A
< 60 60-63 64-66 67-69 70-73 74-76 77-79 80-83 84-86 87-89 90-93 >= 94

Assignments/Exams Description:  o   Homework Assignments:  There will be about 7 homework assignments involving study of network performance using OPNET network simulator and Wireshark/Ethereal packet sniffer utility program.

o   Exams: There will be two written exams testing students knowledge of covered material. Re-tests will be given only in cases of extreme hardship as defined by the rules of Rowan University (with documentation). Final exam will be conducted at the time scheduled by Rowan University.

o   Project: There will be one semester long group research project. Students will form a groups of 2-3 participants and will investigate a topic of their choice related to the material covered in class. The tentative schedule of project progress is as follows: 

  • Week 1:  Identify the topic and select first batch of papers to read (1-2 papers per group member)
  • Week 3:  Submit summary of read papers (1- 4 pages long) and select the next batch of papers to read
  • Week 5:  Submit summary of read papers and select the next batch of papers to read
  • Week 7:  Submit summary of read papers and select the next batch of papers to read
  • Week 9:  Submit summary of read papers and try to identify the main points and venues for improvement of the research topic.
  • Week 10: Submit a document that describes the design of the simulation for testing properties/improvements of the topic of research. You will use OPNET network simulator for testing your research project.
  • Week 11: Set-up and run simulation.
  • Week 12: Collect and analyze the results
  • Week 13: Final report and presentation. 
 List of topics is provided in lecture #1, however students are also encourage to come up with the ideas for their own projects.

o Attendance: 

 
  Number of Missed Classes
  Attendance grade* 
0 - 1
100 %
2 - 3
80 % 
4 - 5
60 % 
6 - 7
40 %
8 - 9
20 %
10 or more
0 %

* The actual attendance grade may become higher (up to 150%) if student actively participates in the class activities.
Late Assignment Submission Policy:  Projects or homework not submitted on time will receive zero as a grade. However, most professors are reasonable people. If for some reason, you believe you will not be able to turn in homework on time, let me KNOW AHEAD OF TIME and I MAY give you an extension. 
Policy on Plagiarism:  To submit someone else's work as your own is plagiarism, a form of academic dishonesty. It is college policy that students who commit an act of academic dishonesty may be subject to failure in the course, suspension from the College, or both. See the Rowan College Student Handbook or the Course Schedule for more details. 

If you use materials that you've obtained on the Internet, from a book, etc., for example as part of a programming assignment, you must include an appropriate reference. To use such materials without proper attribution is a form of plagiarism. 

I will make a reasonable effort to catch plagiarizers, and it will not be tolerated.
Attendance:  Attendance to the lectures and labs is mandatory and 5% percent of your final grade depends on your class participation and attendance. Furthermore, it is unlikely that you'll be able to complete the assignments and pass the exams without regular attendance. Since many quizzes will be unannounced, you may miss a quiz if you miss a class. Please inform the instructor in advance, preferably by email, if you will be absent from a class or lab session.
A note about missing exams or class due to illness: In my class (and all of your other classes) it is very important to get a note from student health services, or your personal doctor, if you miss an important class. If you are not feeling well on a given day, you email or call me ahead of time. In this case, if you miss a quiz, I may let you make that quiz up. If you don't let me know in advance, I will always require some sort of documentation  that your absence was reasonable before allowing you to make up work. If you have to miss an exam (and I hope you will not) re-tests will be given only in cases of extreme hardship as defined by the rules of Rowan University, and I always require documentation of the reasons for your absence.
Email:  I will periodically send email messages to the class rather than use the class web site. I will send this email to your Rowan University Web Email account. You are required to read this email daily (not including holidays and weekends). (If you are not on campus every day and are unable to read your email from home, please let me know immediately and we'll work something out). The Rowan Web Email system will allow you to forward your email to another account and if you read your mail somewhere else more frequently, I encourage you to forward your Rowan email there. Early in the semester you will receive an assignment via email that WILL NOT BE ANNOUNCED IN CLASS to ensure that you are reading your email. 

To read your Rowan email, go to http://cp.rowan.edu/ and you can log in to web mail using your Rowan userid and password. After you log in you can also forward your email to your home account if you prefer. (To learn more about forwarding your Rowan email to another address, go to http://www2.rowan.edu/ir_info/iplanet_help/forward.html For other help with web mail and other campus computing, go to http://www2.rowan.edu/ir/supportdesk/students/
Withdrawal from the class:  IMPORTANT: Drop/Add period ends on Monday, January 22th!
During the first half of the semester, a student can withdraw from a course by filing the appropriate form at the Registrar's office; all such withdrawals will be approved. The last date for automatic approval in Spring 2007 is March 5th (professor's signature is required). After this date, no withdrawals will be approved without extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the student, such as serious illness, that prevent completion of the course. This is a policy of the Department of Computer Science and there are no exceptions.
Classroom Decorum:  In order to show proper respect for the instructor and for your fellow students, please observe the following: 
  • Be on time. Class will begin promptly at the scheduled time. Allow yourself enough time to park and get to class, ready to learn, before the period begins. 
  • Do not eat in class. It's very distracting, especially since other students may be hungry too! 
  • Do your best to remain in the room during the period. Exiting and entering during the period breaks the concentration of your fellow students, and makes it hard for you to get the full value of the class. 
  • Turn off all cell phones, pagers, and anything else that would cause a distraction to yourself or others around you. 
Getting Help:  I have scheduled office hours for your convenience; please take advantage of them. In addition, I can always be reached quickly via email or telephone (see contact information above). If you are having a problem with the course, the sooner we discuss it the more likely we'll be able to deal with it.