COMPUTER NETWORKS

Computer networks are an integral part of ICT systems, and are massively pervasive. It is essential that students have a thorough understanding of how they work and how they affect the performance of the software that is used at the application levels. Knowledge of how networks work is key both for those who want to pursue a career as a systems administrator, but also for developers who need to know how the network introduces delays, congestion, and exposes private information to third parties.

The student will achieve the following knowledge:
- Introduction to the general problems underlying digital communications: reliable communications, sharing of the means of communication, secure communications.
- The architectural models of computer networks, the ISO/OSI stack and TCP/IP
- Protocol detail of each stack layer:
- Representation and retrieval of information, HTTP, email, DNS
- Multiplexing and reliability: TCP/UDP
- Addressing and routing: IPv4, IPv6
- Channel access: Ethernet, Wi-Fi.
- As a cross layer topic, the security services and secure protocols will be introduced

The student will achieve the following skills:
- interpret traffic flows in a network
- design a basic network architecture with address assignment and routing tables
- use known tools and primitives to create simple services

The student will obtain the following judgment and communication skills:
- interpret a network architecture proposal, evaluating its completeness, the presence of essential services, the security of the system
- Communicate specific component and service support needs when liaising with industry experts and suppliers.

Familiarity with C language provided by the coding exam.

General principles of networks:
- physical layer communication: speed, errors
- correction and detection of errors
- reliable protocols: retransmissions and state machines
- sharing resources: the MAC level
- congestion control
- extend the network: routing algorithms
- multiplexing and reliability: the transport layer
- representation of information
- security services, introduction to cryptographic primitives

Network Protocols:
- HTTPS
- DNS
- TCP/UDP
- IPs (v4 and v6)
- BGP
- Ethernet
- Wi-Fi
- Secure protocols: TLS/DNSSEC

Recommended book:
O. Bonaventure, "Computer Networking : Principles, Protocols and Practice" third edition. Freely available on-line.
A.Tanenbaum, D. Wetherall, ‘Reti di Calcolatori’, 6yh edition, Pearson.

The exam is a written exam that will use the Moodle platform and will take place in the laboratory, and an optional oral test.
The written test consists of exercises that verify the acquired knowledge:
- mastering the principles underlying network communications
- understanding the essential components of existing network protocols
- checking the security features of a network

The exercises will also need to test the skills:
- producing the design of a network protocol
- checking the correctness of a network system

Finally, through the verification of the confidence in the technical language, the correct use of terminology and familiarity in the use of some basic commands, the ability to judge and communication skills will be verified

The evaluation of the exam is formulated as follows:
- written test with multiple choice questions (33% of the vote): they will be used to verify familiarity with essential concepts and with the basic characteristics of a protocol
- written test with open questions (66% of the vote): they will be used to verify the ability to solve problems related to the design of a network and its security.

The exam can be passed by obtaining a sufficient mark in the written exam, students who have obtained a mark higher than 25 can take an oral exam to increase the score obtained.
The oral exam is based on open questions and exercises and will verify the ability to solve advanced problems with a higher level of details compared to the ones in the written test.

Frontal course which also makes use of teaching modules available on the university e-learning platform moodle.unive.it and other platforms for the creation of online exercises.
The lessons will have a theoretical component and some exercises. If possible, extra activities will be proposed such as group exercises in the classroom, or presentations on topics chosen by the students.

Italian

written and oral