University of Cambridge > Department of Engineering > Teaching Office index page > Year group page > Syllabus index page

ENGINEERING TRIPOS PART IIB – 2011/2012 (module not running this year)

Module 4B15 – Advanced
Telecommunications Networks

Leader:	Dr T D Wilkinson (tdw@eng.cam.ac.uk)
Timing:	Lent Term
Prerequisites:	3F5 useful, but not essential
Structure:	12 lectures + 2 examples classes + coursework
Assessment:	*Material / Format / Timing / Marks* Lecture Syllabus / Written exam (1.5 hours) / Start of Easter Term / 75 % Coursework / Report / 25 %

AIMS

The aim of this module is to provide a wide description and understanding of advanced telecommunications systems and networks. The course is designed to be reasonably technologically independent as well as independent of telecommunications operators and companies. The focus is on high-speed data, voice and video networks from a purely objective viewpoint, whilst trying to keep as up-to-date as possible. Particular focus is on the transition of protocols from LANs to MANs to WANs

LECTURE SYLLABUS

Local area networks (LANs) and (4L, Dr T.D. Wilkinson)

Ethernet vs Token ring and other protocols
Gigabit and 10G Ethernet structures
Wireless LAN and the 802.11 protocols

Metropolitan and wide area networks (MANs and WANS) (8L, Dr T. D Wilkinson)

LAN interconnection and internetworking
From bridges to routers
Data path mechanisms: the spanning tree
The TCP/IP protocol
TCP/IP routing algorithms
Dijkstra's path allocation system: vector vs link state
MPLS rounting and TAG switched networks

COURSEWORK

Design exercise: Design a local area network for a given specification including simple traffic simulations and analysis.

OBJECTIVES

On completion of the module students should:

Have an independent view of telecommunications networks
Understand the structure and analysis of LANs
Be able to calculate the performance of an Ethernet LAN
Understand the difference between LANs and MANs
Show how LANs have evolved into a modern global network model
Appreciate the complexity and versatility required in a MAN and be able to identify potential bandwidth restrictions
·Understand the role of the WAN and the evolution to modern systems
Be able to design basic routing structures in a WAN
Understand the importance of switching in modern packet networks
Appreciate the complexity of packet protocols and how they can lead to overly complex networks with no latency
Understand the impact of the IP protocol and the power of the Internet and routing

REFERENCES

Please see the Booklist for Group B Courses for references for this module.

Last updated: November 2011

teaching-office@eng.cam.ac.uk

Module 4B15 – Advanced Telecommunications Networks

Module 4B15 – Advanced
Telecommunications Networks