Computer Science & Engineering Department, SUNY at Buffalo
Brief Course Description

This course introduces basic elements of modern computer and telecommunication networks. A hybrid five-layer reference model resembling the popular TCP/IP model will be discussed. In each layer, the state-of-the-art hardware and software technologies are introduced. These include, for example, Fiber-optic and Mobile/Cellular communications in the Physical Layer; Wavelength/Time Division Multiple Access Protocols in the Data Link Layer; Unicast and Multicast protocols in the Network Layer; TCP/UDP and ATM Adaptation Layer Protocols in the Transport Layer; and Network Security in the Application Layer.
Class Syllabus
Prerequisites: basic C/C++ programming in the Unix environment, elementary probability, statistics, computer architecture, basic knowledge on the Unix operating system (processes, file IO), elementary data structures and algorithms (stacks, queues)
Teaching staff and related info
  • Instructor
    • Dr. Hung Q. Ngo ( hungngo@cse.buffalo.edu)
    • Office Hours: Thursdays 2-4pm. 239 Bell Hall. Generally, you could stop by any time if my door is opened. If the door is closed, then either I'm not in or I do not wish to be disturbed. However, please try your best to come during office hours. For questions that other might potentially be interested in, please use the class news group at sunyab.cse.489, it is also more efficient that way.
  • Teaching Assistant 1 (arbitrarily numbered)
    • Mr. Chris Parrag (parrag@cse.buffalo.edu)
    • Office Hours: Mon, Wed 2-3pm, Trailer E02
    • Recitation Section: Fridays 2pm-2:50pm, 218 NSC
  • Teaching Assistant 2 (arbitrarily numbered)
    • Mr. Sid Bhomia (sbhomia@cse.buffalo.edu)
    • Office Hours: Tue 12-2pm, Trailer B15
    • Recitation Section: Thursdays 9:30am-10:20am, 4 KNOX
Place and Time: MW 16:00 - 17:20, NSC 228
Required Textbook: Computer Networks 3rd ed., 848pp, Andrew Tanenbaum, ISBN: 0133499456, Prentice Hall PTR, March 1996.
Reference books: it would be very helpful for the programming assignments if you have Stevens' "Unix Network Programming".
  • W. Richard Stevens, "UNIX Network Programming : Networking APIs : Sockets and XTI : Volume 1, Second Edition ", Prentice Hall, Oct 1997, ISBN: 013490012X.
  • James F. F. Kurose Keith W. Ross, "Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach Featuring the Internet", Addison Wesley Longman, July 2000, ISBN: 0201477114.
  • Douglas E. Comer, "Internetworking with TCP/IP, Volume 1: Principles, Protocols, and Architectures, Fourth Edition 4TH ", Prentice Hall, Feb 2000, ISBN: 0130183806
  • Paul Albitz and Cricket Liu, " DNS and BIND " , O'Reilly & Associates, May 2001
  • Simson Garfinkel and Gene Spafford, " Practical UNIX and Internet Security ", O'Reilly & Associates, October 1995
  • Leonard Kleinrock, " Queueing Systems: Theory, Vol. 1 ", Wiley, John & Sons, January 1975
  • Leonard Kleinrock (Editor) " Queueing Systems Volume 2: Computer Applications ", Wiley, John & Sons, April 1976
  • W. Richard Stevens Gary R. Wright, "The TCP/IP Illustrated, Volume 1: The Protocols", Addison Wesley Longman, Dec 1993, ISBN: 0201633469
  • W. Richard Stevens Gary R. Wright, "The TCP/IP Illustrated, Volume 2: The Implementation", Addison Wesley Longman, Jan 1995, ISBN: 020163354X

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