94005 - Laboratory on Telecommunications Networks for Energy and Environment

Learning outcomes

In this course the student will learn how to design and manage telecommunications networks for energy and environmental monitoring. In particular, the student will acquire, by means of lectures and practical laboratory sessions, the knowledge required for the dimensioning, configuration and deployment of a private telecommunication network and a wireless sensor network to collect and process energy and environmental monitoring data.

Course contents

The course in intended to provide the fundamental practical skills for the design, administration, monitoring and management of wireless sensor networks and enterprise telecommunication networks based on TCP/IP protocols, with particular emphasis on applications for energy and environmental monitoring data collection and processing.

The course is organized in two teaching modules and includes the following topics:

Teaching module 1 - Wireless sensor networks

• Introduction to wireless sensor networks (WSNs) and their applications with particular emphasis on environmental monitoring
• Review of A-to-D and D-to-A conversion and signal processing
• Implementation of basic signal processing algorithms for information acquisition and transmission
• Practical implementation of algorithms on a software-defined radio (SDR) platform

Teaching module 2 - Network administration

• Introduction to Linux as an operating system for network administration
• Software tools for protocol analysis: wireshark, tcpdump
• Basics of network security issues, SSH protocol
• IP addressing and network planning, subnetting
• Network interface configuration, DHCP server
• Ethernet switch management and virtual LAN (VLAN) configuration
• IP packet forwarding, tools for firewall and NAT implementation
• Basic applications for the Internet of Things

Readings/Bibliography

Teaching module 1 - Wireless sensor networks

• A. V. Oppenheim, R. W. Schafer, Elaborazione Numerica dei Segnali, Franco Angeli, 1996.
• V. K. Ingle, J. G. Proakis, Digital Signal Processing using MATLAB, Brooks/Cole, 2000.
• J. G. Proakis, M. Salehi, Contemporary Communication Systems using MATLAB, Brooks/Cole, 2000.
• L. Calandrino, M. Chiani, Lezioni di Comunicazioni Elettriche, Pitagora Editrice, Bologna, 2013.

Teaching module 2 - Network administration

• M. L. Merani, M. Casoni, W. Cerroni, Hands-On Networking. From Theory to Practice, Cambridge University Press, UK, 2009, ISBN-13: 9780521869850.
• Slides provided by the instructor (in italian).
• Linux man and info commands.
• Suggested documentation available on-line.

Teaching methods

Teaching module 1 - Wireless sensor networks

The teaching module, partly as lectures and partly as laboratory sessions, follows a basic methodology that consists of problem formulation, problem solution, laboratory simulation (Matlab), and experimentation (with the SDR platform).

Teaching module 2 - Network administration

The teaching module consists of both lectures, to introduce specific topics and focus on operational aspects, and practical laboratory sessions. Significant part of the course schedule is dedicated to lab experiments, which are essential to gain a deep knowledge of the practical aspects related to the design and management of communication networks.

In order to motivate students and stimulate their interest, each lab exercise is finalized to achieve practical goals that are also functional to perform the following ones. Lab exercises are also intended to stimulate teamwork skills.

 

In view of the type of activity and teaching methods adopted, the attendance of this course requires the prior participation of all students in Modules 1 and 2 of the Health and Safety Training, in e-learning mode.

Assessment methods

Teaching module 1 - Wireless sensor networks

Students are divided into groups to carry out some laboratory exercises and write short technical reports. Technical reports and the code developed must be delivered to the teacher no later than seven days before the final exam. The final exam consists of a laboratory test and questions to assess the acquired theoretical aspects. In the laboratory test, students are asked to write Matlab code to solve basic signal processing and data transmission problems.

Teaching module 2 - Network administration

The final assessment consists of a test on the module content and a practical exercise based on one of the lab practices performed during the course. Attending the lab sessions is essential to develop problem solving skills required to successfully pass the final exam.

Teaching tools

Teaching module 1 - Wireless sensor networks

The course consists of laboratory exercises to learn fundamental aspects of signal processing and data transmission by writing Matlab code. There are also several experiments on a real SDR platform.

Teaching module 2 - Network administration

• Software-based protocol analyzer.
• Linux-based workstations with networking software tools.
• Ethernet switch (physical or virtualized).
• Virtualization tools (virtual machines, containers).

Office hours

See the website of Walter Cerroni

See the website of Enrico Testi