Objectives
The goal of this course is to focus on the evolution of modern communication networks. In the first part of the course the fundamentals of communication networks are discussed and then the TCP/IP protocol suite is summarized. The emphasis in the second part of the course is on the overview of modern networking environments with specific interest on the quality of service and quality of experience requirements. In the third part of the course the technologies of software-defined networks (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV) are discussed. The final part of the course will focus on wireless communication technology, with emphasis on the wireless environment and MIMO transmission systems. The lab sessions focus on the use of Netkit and Linux-based OS to emulate the main networking protocols and functionalities and on the use of Matlab to simulate MIMO systems.
Course program
Theoretical contents • Introduction and technical background: Transmission Fundamentals (Analog and digital transmission, channel capacity, transmission media). Communication Networks: LANs, MANs, WANs and switching techniques: circuit switching, virtual circuit packet switching and datagram packet switching. Quality of service and the need of a protocol architecture. • The TCP/IP Protocol suite: Application Layer services and protocols: HTTP, FTP, SMTP, DNS. Transport Layer services and Protocol: UDP and TCP. Transport Layer: Reliable Data Transfer Protocol. Stop and Wait, Go Back N and Selective Repeat. Network Layer services, IPv4 addressing, DHCP and NAT. IPv6 and transition from IPv4 to IPv6, ICMP, and routing protocols. Link Layer services, error-correction and error-detection techniques. Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) codes. Multiple access links and protocols, link layer addressing ARP protocol and link layer switches. • Elements of Modern Networking, Requirements and Technology: The Modern Networking Ecosystem, Cloud Computing and Cloud Networking and Internet of Things. Concepts of network convergence and unified communications. Elastic and inelastic traffic. Real time traffic, big data, cloud computing and mobile traffic. Quality of Service and Quality of experience. SDN and NFV fundamentals and modern networking elements. Routing and congestion control principles. • Software-Defined Networks: SDN Approach and requirements. SDN Data plane, Openflow and SDN control Plane. SDN Control Plane: OpenDaylight implementation, cooperation and coordination among controllers. SDN Application Plane Architecture and Network Applications. • Network function virtualization: Background and motivation of Network Functions Virtulization (NFV), Virtual Machines, Type 1 and Type 2 Hypervisors, Container Virtualization. NFV Concepts, NFV Architectural Framework, NFV Principles, NFV Framework and OPNFV. • Wireless Communications Technology: Wireless communication Technology: Spectrum considerations and regulations, propagation modes, free space loss and Okumura-Hata model. Noise impairments. The expression Eb/N0 and atmospheric absorption. Mutlipath phenomenon and fading in the wireless environment: types of fading in wireless communications. The fading channel models and channel correction mechanisms: forward error correction, adaptive equalization and adaptive modulation and coding. Diversity techniques. MIMO systems: diversity gain, multiplexing gain and diversity/multiplexing tradeoff. Multiuser MIMO systems, zero-forcing and channel matched beamforming. Lab Sessions • Kathará: Installation and configuration of the emulation environment. • Kathará commands and configuration of one host and routing between two hosts. • Kathará: routing tables and ARP protocol • Kathará: Web server configuration. • Kathará: Load Balancing and DNS • Matlab: implementation of Okumura-Hata path loss model • Matlab: MIMO communication • Matlab: Multiuser MIMO communication
