2018 MST
2018 MST
Total marks: 32
Answer ALL questions.
Assume that k stands for 1000 (103) and not 1024 (210)
Speed of light is: 3*108 m/s
Name:___________________________ ID:_______________________
1) Host A sends a packet of length 15000 bits to host B. There is one packet switch
between host A and host B. The hosts are connected to the packet switch by fiber optic
links. Each link is 500km long. The transmission rates for the two legs of route are
500kbps, and 200kbps respectively.
500kbps 200kbps
Assuming that the switch uses store-and-forward packet switching, what is the total
end-to-end delay to send the packet. (Ignore queuing and processing delays). [2 marks]
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2) Consider applications which transmit data in bursts (infrequent and small intervals).
Would a packet-switched network or a circuit-switched network be more
appropriate for such applications? Why? [2 marks]
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3) Circuit switched links involve either Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM) or Time
Division Multiplexing (TDM). Sketch and explain how the bandwidth is divided in both
these cases. [2 marks]
7) What is the web server’s response if the client resends a request for an object in the
client’s cache, which has not been modified? [1 mark]
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8) Explain how a DNS query is encapsulated as it passes down the protocol stack. Be sure
to mention what each layer refers to their unit of data (packet). For each of the layers
indicate what type of address is recorded in the headers. [4 marks]
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11) a) Explain why packets sent in a given order on the Internet, can arrive out of order at
the receiver? [2 marks]
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b) What mechanisms are needed on the receiving host to re-order these packets?
[1 marks]
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12) Differentiate between TCP flow control and congestion control. [2 marks]
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13) Suppose the SMTP protocol was designed to run over UDP instead of TCP, with sound
reasoning describe what a user might experience when sending and receiving emails.
[2 marks]
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14) Consider sending data packets over an unreliable channel, which corrupts and at times
loses packets. Explain what the sender and receiver will do to implement a reliable data
transfer in order to recover from the following situations.
a) Host A sends a packet, which arrives corrupted at host B. [2 marks]
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b) Host A sends a packet, which arrives intact and host B sends an acknowledgment for
that packet. However the acknowledgment goes missing on its way to host A.
[2 marks]
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The End