Coordinator: Dr. Gerald A. Marin

This serves as a guide for students preparing for the Computer Networks Graduate Comprehensive Exam.

Topics:

• INTRODUCTION (Ch 1)
  • Uses of Computer Networks
  • Network Hardware
  • Network Software
  • Reference Models
    • The OSI Reference Model
    • The TCP/IP Reference Model
  • Example Networks
    • The Internet
    • Novell Netware
    • Gigabit Testbeds
  • Example Data Communication Services
    • SMDS=97Switched Multimegabit Data Service
    • X.25 Networks
    • Frame Relay
    • Broadband ISDN and ATM
  • Network Standardization
• THE PHYSICAL LAYER (Ch 2)
  • The Theoretical Basis for Data Communication
  • Transmission Media
  • Wireless Transmission
  • The Telephone System
  • Narrowband ISDN
  • Broadband ISDN and ATM
  • Cellular Radio
  • Communication Satellites
• THE DATA LINK LAYER (Ch 3)
  • Data Link Layer Design Issues
  • Error Detection and Correction
  • Elementary Data Link Protocols
  • Sliding Window Protocols
  • Protocol Specification and Verification
  • Example of Data Link Layer Protocols
• THE MEDIUM ACCESS SUBLAYER (Ch 4)
  • The Channel Allocation Problem
  • Multiple Access Protocols
  • IEEE Standard 802 for LANs and MANs
  • Bridges
  • High-Speed LANs
  • Satellite Networks
• THE NETWORK LAYER (Ch 5)
  • Routing Algorithms
• THE TRANSPORT LAYER (Ch 6)
  • The Internet Transport protocols (TCP and UDP)
• THE APPLICATION LAYER (Ch 7)
  • Network security
  • DNS--Domain Name System
  • The World Wide Web
  • Multimedia

Book:

• Andrew S. Tanenbaum, "Computer Networks," Third Edition, Prentice-Hall, 1996.