Communications Networks II

Prerequisites and co-requisites
Communications Networks I

Recommended optional programme components
The course is an independent entity and does not require additional studies carried out at the same time.

• Upon completing the required coursework, the students understand basic principles of programmable networking. The students have knowledge of how different control plane architectures can be developed or used for different networked environments.
• Students understand the novel features in the 5G architecture and their benefits of for mobile networks. Students understand the importance of edge computing and virtualization techniques in achieving the low-latency and reliability requirements of 5G standard. Students know the planned use cases of multi-access edge computing in 5G systems and can describe some of the system architecture components.
• Students understand the idea of SDN network control and data planes, and what it means in practice. The students learn how the network control-data plane separation is possible with SDN.
• Students understand the dynamics of simple programmable networks, the importance of queuing systems in the current model of programmable networks such as OpenFlow-based SDNs. The student is also able to design a queuing system for SDN-based network control plane to provide services in a balanced way to the underlying data plane the control plane is responsible for.
• Students understand the significance of network security, network load-balancing and network slicing in modern and emerging communications networks and how they need to be taken into consideration in the network design.
• Students understand the basic principles of queueing theory, such as Birth and Death Process, the M/M/1, M/M/c, M/M/c/K and queuing networks models. Students understand concept of Markov model and its application in communication network analysis. Students can apply queueing theory to model SDN or virtualized networks.
• Students learn skills to design and implement simple SDNs and analyze performance in network emulation and simulation environments.

Generic skills:

• identify the key skills of analytical, critical and creative thinking and be able to observe them in their own activities
• is able to critically evaluate knowledge in their own field and apply it to solve complex and unpredictable problems
• is able to use digital and AI applications relevant to their field in their studies appropriately, safely, and responsibly

All teaching materials (lecture slides, recorded lectures, lab work instructions etc) are available in the course Moodle page.

Timing
Spring, periods 3-4

Target group
1 st year M.Sc. and WCE students