- Communications Networks and Services - Systems Architecture

The objective of this course is to go deeper and complement the knowledge adquired in the Access Networks and Shared Media, and Communications Networks and Services courses by means of communication protocol development and the configuration of network equipment. This course has been designed with a strong applied component. The student should meet the following specific objectives: - Know the practical implications of developing network and link layer protocols. - Know the configuration requirements and go deep into the knowledge of intra-domain routing protocols. - Develop a simple network stack. - Design and deploy a communications network composed by multiple heterogeneous systems. - Configure intra-domain routing protocols in the deployed network. - Validate the correct operation of the network deployed and configured previously. Additionally, it is expected that the student will be acquire the following: - An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, statistics, science, telecommunication technologies and engineering. - An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems - An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice. - Ability to access technical literature and understand it.

This is a communication networks course, which is based on Internet technologies, and covers the development and configuration of communication protocols, with a strong practical component. The program is divided in two parts: 1. Development of a RIPv2 daemon over an UDP/IPv4/ARP/Ethernet protocol stack: 1.1. Review of IPv4 routing. 1.2. Development of an ARP client. 1.3. Development of an IPv4 networking layer. 1.4. Development of an UDP transport layer. 1.5. Development of a RIPv2 daemon. 2. Configuration of intra-domain routing protocols: 2.1. Configuration of static routing. 2.2. Configuration of RIP routing. 2.3. Configuration of OSPF routing. 2.4. Configuration of RIP+OSPF routing.

The teaching methodology includes: (1) Theoretical classes, that introduce or review the topics related to the program objectives. This knowledge is later consolidated by means of classes in the laboratory. (2) Laboratory classes, where students -- grouped in different teams -- will carry out complex configurations on network nodes and end systems. The correct operation of the developments and applied configurations is also validated, by means of sniffers and network analysis tools.