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CMSC 417 Midterm #1 (Fall 2001) - Solution

This document contains the solutions to questions on a computer networking midterm exam. It discusses: 1) The meaning of protocol layering and why it is beneficial by allowing different implementations of each layer and graceful evolution. 2) How the count-to-infinity problem can occur in distance vector routing when link failures are not quickly propagated, and how BGP avoids this using explicit paths instead of hop counts. 3) Calculating the necessary packet size on a 155 Mbps OC-3 link between DC and LA to fully utilize the connection using a sliding window protocol.

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67 views3 pages

CMSC 417 Midterm #1 (Fall 2001) - Solution

This document contains the solutions to questions on a computer networking midterm exam. It discusses: 1) The meaning of protocol layering and why it is beneficial by allowing different implementations of each layer and graceful evolution. 2) How the count-to-infinity problem can occur in distance vector routing when link failures are not quickly propagated, and how BGP avoids this using explicit paths instead of hop counts. 3) Calculating the necessary packet size on a 155 Mbps OC-3 link between DC and LA to fully utilize the connection using a sliding window protocol.

Uploaded by

NickHenry
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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CMSC 417 Midterm #1 (Fall 2001) - Solution

1.) (10 points) What does the term protocol-layering mean? Why is it a good idea?

Layering is dividing functionality into well-defined interfaces at func-
tional boundaries. It allows different implementations of each layer to
be swapped out without requiring changes to other layers. Layering is
good because it allow graceful evolution of different layers. It also
allows multiple (incompatible layers) to co-exist (i.e. both Ethernet
and Token Ring running TCP/IP at the higher levels) and communicate.
2.) (15 points) Explain what is meant by the count-to-infinity problem in distance vector routing. How
does BGP, which uses distance-vector, avoid this problem?

Slow to hear about failed links since information propagated is only the
number of hops. A failed link may still be in the routing table due to
cycles in the possible routes (i.e. A->B->A->C).

BGP avoids this problem by maintaing an explicit path, not just a hop
count. This allows routes with cycles to be eliminated easily.
3.) (15 Points) An OC-3 (155 Mbps) link connects Washington DC to Los Angeles (10 mili-seconds
apart at the speed of light). If you wanted one connection to be able to fully use the link to send
packets from DC to LA, what packet size (in bytes), is needed if a sliding window protocol with a
window size of 10 packets is used?
The Round-trip time is 20msec = 1/50 sec.
In an RTT, the link can send 1/50 * 155,000,000 3Mega-bits

Packets must therefore be about 3Mb/10 300Kbits / 8 bits/byte 40KB
4.) (20 points) If I wish to send the message 0110 1111
LSB
using a Hamming code (even parity in
check bits), what would the transmitted message be? Please show your work in calculating the
message.
Bits 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Data 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0
PB
1
0 1 1 1 0 1
PB
2
1 1 1 1 1 1
PB
4
1 1 1 1 0
PB
8
0 0 1 1 0
MSG 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0

Some people used odd parity, this resulted in a few points being de-
ducted.

Some people used a different MSB, this was given full credit if done
correctly

5.) (25 points) The following C program has four threads: reader1, reader2, writer1 and writer2. that
share the integer variable, dataCount. Threads write1 and write2 execute writeFunc() and the reader
threads execute readFunc(). readFunc() should repeatedly do the following: block until dataCount is
greater than 0, then execute readIt, and decrement dataCount by 1. writeFunc() should repeatedly
do the following: call writeit, and then increment dataCount by 1. To ensure correct operation, any
number of readIt calls may be active at once, but when a call to writeit is running, no calls to readit
or other calls to writeit may be active. Your solution should not allow starvation of readers/writers,
and should let new readers in while readIt is active. Complete the code bellow to achieve these re-
quirements.
int dataCount = 0;
pthread_muext mutex;
pthread_cond_t cond;




readFunc(void *arg) {
while (1) {
pthread_lock(&mutex);
while (dataCount <= 0 || wCount >= 1)
pthread_cond_wait(&cond, &mutex);
dataCount--;
rCount++
pthread_unlock(&mutex);
readIt();
pthread_lock(&mutex);
rCount--;
pthread_unlock(&mutex);
pthread_signal(&cond);



}
}
writeFunc(void *arg) {
while (1) {

pthread_lock(&mutex);
while (rCount >= 1 || wCount >= 1)
pthread_cond_wait(&cond, &mutex);
wCount++
pthread_unlock(&mutex);
writeIt();
pthread_lock(&mutex);
wCount--;
pthread_unlock(&mutex);
pthread_signal(&cond);




}
}

main() {
pthread_t read1, read2, write1, write2;
pthread_init(&read1, NULL); pthread_init(&read2, NULL);
pthread_init(&write1, NULL); pthread_init(&write2, NULL);


pthread_cond_init(&cond, NULL);
pthread_mutex_init(&mutex, NULL);

pthread_create(&read1, NULL, eat, );
pthread_create(&read2, NULL, eat, );
pthread_create(&write1, NULL, grow, );
pthread_create(&write2, NULL, grow, );
}
6.) (15 points)
a) (10 points) Explain what it means to tunnel one protocol through another? How is this different
than layering?
Encapsulating one packet type into another to allow moving data through
a network that cant handle the tunneled traffic (i.e. Ethernet tunneled
through IP). Layering adds new functionality as you work up the stack,
but tunneling could be involve sending a lower level protocol through a
higher level one.
b) (5 points) Why might you wish to tunnel IP through IP?
Security (ipSEC)

Mobility (tunnel packets for the mobile host through the Internet to the
foreign agent).

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