• Objectives

– Understand the technologies, interfaces, and protocols used for broadband access

– Understand the most successful protocols, implementations, and technologies for broadband LANs

– Understand the principles, technologies and the major components of an optical network; understand the SONET/SDH protocol(s) and the elements of SONET/SDH networks

– Analyze and compare the competing architectures, protocols, and technologies used for building broadband Wide Area Networks

– Identify the quality of service issues in broadband networks and present potential solutions

– Show how different broadband technologies merge toward a multi-services, broadband network

– Discuss special issues and trends in the implementation of broadband networks in the form of individual projects

• Pre-requisites and expected background

– CS455 or an equivalent course is a pre-requisite

• Textbooks and other materials:

– Harry Perros, “Connection-Oriented Networks”, Wiley, 2005 (optional)

– Haojin Wang, “Packet Broadband Network Handbook”, McGraw-Hill Networking and Telecommunications, 2003 (optional)

– P. Izzo, “Gigabit Networks”, John Wiley & Sons, 2000 (optional)

– Other books and papers as referenced

– Class Notes

• Course Organization

– Part I: Formal lectures

– Part II: Student projects, written reports, presentations, and group discussions

• Assignments:

– There will be homework assignments

– Some assignments are for self-study, to help understand and review the material presented in class; these assignments need not be submitted

– Other assignments are to be submitted; those assignments are due two weeks after the day of the assignment

• Student projects, written reports and presentations

– Each student will select a project topic (with instructor’s consent) and write a paper on that topic

– The student will present the major findings of that project to the rest of the class

• Exams:

– There will be a midterm about the 7 th week (the exact date to be announced at least two weeks prior to the exam)

– The final exam at the end of the semester, as scheduled by the University

• Grading

– Midterm 35%

– Project, written report, presentation, class participation and (possible) quizzes 25%

– Final Exam 40%

• Grade distribution:

– 90 <= A

– 80 <= B < 90

– 70 <= C < 80

– 65 <= D < 70

• Project topics

– Selected Topics: A project on a selected topic may contain a detailed presentation of the subject beyond its coverage given in the formal lectures of Part I and a critical survey of the relevant published papers

– Case study: A project on a specific broadband system or service, its main characteristics, the particular solutions selected in the design, and a critical comparison with other systems or services in the same category

Note: A list of possible selected topics and case studies will be posted

• Format of Project Written Reports and Presentations

– The students are expected to prepare a written report and submit it to the TA at least one week before the scheduled presentation: the report will be posted on the Blackboard to be shared with the rest of the class

– The project written report will follow the format of typical published papers

– Each student will give a brief presentation describing the highlights of the report

Tentative course content:

I. Formal lectures

1. Introduction to broadband: broadband technologies and the Internet evolution to broadband

2. Broadband access: Cable Modems, Digital Subscriber Lines, high-speed wireless access

3. Broadband Local Area Networks (LANs): Ethernet switching, Gigabit Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, Bluetooth, Virtual Local Area Networks (vLANs)

4. Broadband Wide Area Networks: Optical Networks

5. Broadband Wide Area Networks: ATM technologies, traffic management and congestion control in broadband networks

6. High speed cell switching systems and routers for broadband

7. Internet Evolution to Broadband: QoS in Support of Multimedia Applications

8. Internet Evolution to Broadband: Wire-Speed Routers, IP Switching, and MPLS

II. Case Studies

Instructor