Computer Networks

Introduction

Prof. Dr. Ehsan Munir

Department of Computer Science
COMSATS University Islamabad, Wah Campus
[email protected]

The slides are adapted from the publisher’s material

Data Communications and Networking by Behrouz A. Forouzan, 5th edition
Data and Computer Communications by William Stallings, 8th Edition
Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach by J F Kurose, K W Ross, 7th Edition
Computer Networks, by L. Peterson, and B. Davie, 5th edition
Figure Types of connections: point-to-point and multipoint

2
Network Criteria

◼ Performance
◼ Depends on Network Elements
◼ Measured in terms of Delay and Throughput
◼ Reliability
◼ Failure rate of network components
◼ Measured in terms of availability/robustness
◼ Security
◼ Data protection against corruption/loss of data due to:
◼ Errors
◼ Malicious users
Types of Networks
◼ Local Area Network (LAN)
◼ Links the nodes in a single office, building or
campus (usually less than 1 km)
◼ Wide Area Network (WAN)
◼ Links the nodes in states, countries or in the
whole world (world wide)
◼ Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
◼ Between LAN and WAN
◼ Links the nodes in a town or city (tens of kms)
◼ HAN, PAN, SAN
4
LAN

5
A heterogeneous network made of four WANs and two LANs
 Chapter 1
Applications
◼ Internet Vs internet
◼ Most people know about the Internet (a network
of networks) through applications
◼ World Wide Web
◼ Email
◼ Online Social Network
◼ Streaming Audio Video
◼ File Sharing
◼ Instant Messaging
◼ …

7
 Chapter 1
Perspective
◼ For network user
◼ Connectivity: for services required; error free
delivery within acceptable time limits
◼ For network designer
◼ Efficiency: cost-effective design, fair allocation
and efficient use of resources
◼ For network operator
◼ Maintenance: easy to administer, fault
localization & isolation, usage accounting

8 8
Network Overview
◼ What must a network provide ?
◼ Scalable Connectivity
◼ Cost-effective resource sharing
◼ Performance
◼ How are networks designed and built ?
◼ Layering
◼ Protocols

9
 Connectivity: Building Blocks
◼ Nodes: PC, special-purpose hardware…
◼ Hosts
◼ Switches

◼ Links: coax cable, optical fiber…

◼ Point-to-point

◼ Multiple access …

10
Why not connect each node
with every other node ?
◼ Number of computers that can be
connected becomes very limited
◼ Number of wires coming out of each
node becomes unmanageable
◼ Amount of physical hardware/devices
required becomes very expensive
◼ Solution: indirect connectivity using
intermediate data forwarding nodes

11
Switched Networks

◼ Two or more nodes

connected by a link

◼ Rectangular nodes
(switches)
implement the
network
◼ Squared nodes (hosts)
use the network

12
 Switched Networks
• A network can be defined recursively as...

◼ Two or more networks

connected by one or
more nodes:
internetworks
◼ Circular nodes (router)
interconnects the
networks
◼ A cloud denotes “any
type of independent
network”

13
 What next ?
◼ Hosts are directly or indirectly connected to
each other does not mean that we have
succeeded in providing host-to-host (H-H)
connectivity

◼ Can we now provide host-host connectivity

?
◼ Nodes must be able to say which host it
wants to communicate with. This is done
by assigning an address to each node
14
Addressing and Routing
◼ Address: byte-string that identifies a node
◼ Usually unique
◼ Routing: forwarding decisions
◼ Process of determining how to forward messages
to the destination node based on its address
◼ Types of addresses
◼ unicast: node-specific
◼ broadcast: all nodes on a network
◼ multicast: some subset of nodes on a network

15
MAC Address

16
 Switching Strategies
◼ Circuit switching: • Packet switching:
carry bit streams store-and-forward
a. establishes a messages
dedicated circuit a. operates on discrete
b. links reserved for use blocks of data
by communication b. utilizes resources
channel dynamically according
c. send/receive bit to traffic demand
stream at constant c. send/receive
rate messages at variable
d. example: original rate
telephone network d. example: Internet
17
Circuit Switching

18
Packet switching

19
 MULTIPLEXING

Whenever the bandwidth of a medium linking two

devices is greater than the bandwidth needs of the
devices, the link can be shared. Multiplexing is the set
of techniques that allows the simultaneous
transmission of multiple signals across a single data
link.

6.20
 Cost effective resource sharing
(Multiplexing)
◼ Physical links/switches must be shared among
users (simultaneous transmission of multiple signals)
◼ Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM)
◼ Frequency-Division Multiplexing (FDM)
S1 Multiple flows R1
on a single link

S2 R2

Switch 1 Switch 2
S3 R3
Do you see any problem with TDM / FDM ?
21
 Frequency-division multiplexing

4kHz
4kHz
4kHz

6.22
 Time-division multiplexing

6.23
 Statistical Multiplexing
◼ On-demand time-division
◼ Schedule link on a per-packet basis
◼ Buffer packets in switches that are contending for
the link

Do you see any problem ?

24
Statistical Multiplexing
◼ An application needs to break-up its message in
packets, and re-assemble at the receiver
◼ Fair allocation of link capacity: FIFO, round-robin or
QoS
◼ If congestion occurs at a switch - buffer may
overflow, packets may be lost

25
What’s the Internet: “nuts and bolts” view
PC
▪ billions of connected mobile network
server computing devices:
wireless
laptop
• hosts = end systems global ISP

smartphone • running network apps

home
▪ communication links network
regional ISP
wireless • fiber, copper, radio,
links satellite
wired
links • transmission rate:
bandwidth

▪ packet switches: forward

router
packets (chunks of data) institutional
• routers and switches network
“Fun” Internet-connected devices

Web-enabled toaster +
weather forecaster

IP picture frame
http://www.ceiva.com/

Tweet-a-watt:
Slingbox: watch, monitor energy use
control cable TV remotely

sensorized,
bed
mattress
Internet
refrigerator Internet phones

Introduction 1-27
“Fun” Internet-connected devices
Tweet-a-watt:
monitor energy use

bikes

Pacemaker & Monitor

Amazon Echo Web-enabled toaster +

IP picture frame
weather forecaster
Internet
refrigerator
Slingbox: remote cars
control cable TV
Security Camera
AR devices
sensorized, scooters
bed
mattress Fitbit

Gaming devices
Others?
Internet phones diapers
Introduction: 1-28