34775 - Telecommunications Networks (2nd cycle)

Learning outcomes

Understand the principles of engineering and design of telecommunication networks. Apply the basics of teletraffic theory to network performance evaluation, dimensioning and planning. Learn engineering practice for circuit switching and packet switching networks. Learn to simulate and analyse the most widespread network protocols.

Course contents

TELETRAFFIC THEORY

• Introduction to teletraffic theory and queuing systems.
• Markov chains and birth and death processes
• Markovian queues and the Erlang formulas.
• Application to analysis, dimensioning and planning of circuit and packet switched networks.

END-TO-END CONTROL AND THE TRANSPORT PROTOCOLS

• Overview of the TCP protocol
• TCP flow control: the AIMD concept.
• Mathematical models to estimate the throughput of a TCP connection.

VIRTUALIZATION AND SOFTWARE DEFINED NETWORKS

• Separation of the control plane and the data plane
• The OpenFlow protocol
  

Readings/Bibliography

For teletraffic theory a reference document is freely published by the ITU at the link

ITU - Teletraffic Engineerin

For TCP protocol analysis

Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach, 6th Edition

Teaching methods

Lectures

Case studies referring to real life examples of application of teletraffic theory

Simulations of the TCP protocol with the ns2 simulator

Assessment methods

Written exam aimed to solve study cases of the topics addressed during the course.

The exam is in 4 parts:

• at least two practical exercises of application of teletraffic and TCP protocol analysis
• 1 or 2 questions requesting to present and discuss in written form topics studied in the course.

Teaching tools

Lecture notes provided by the lecturer.

For teletraffic theory and TCP analysis the teacher will present to the students some relevant scientific papers as examples of in depth works on the topics.

Office hours

See the website of Franco Callegati