This folder contains information related to the course such as Course Specifications, useful URLs, useful Texbooks, and similar

This folder contains useful resources on Computer Networks presented in a simplified way. Some resources are prepared in Arabic to faciltate the transfer of knowledge and to get across a wider audiance.

Instructor: Prof. Mahmoud EL-HADIDI

N.B : Solutions will be available after sheet reports delivery

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF COMPUTER NETWORKS

It is required to evaluate the performance of a prototype computer network using standard network simulation tools. The process will proceed in two phases as explained below:

Phase I:

1 - Selecting and installing a network simulation software. It is highly recommended to use ns-2 open source software ( http://www.isi.edu/nsnam/ns/ ). Two options are available for ns-2 installation: using LINUX OS (UBUNTU) or using Windows OS. The choice is completely up to the Student Group.

2 - Getting familiar with ns-2 capabilities for: entering a network description, running the simulation for the entered network, capturing the results of simulation, plotting performance curves, and carrying out network animation. The Student Group should learn how to save the output files for the simulation, for the performance curves, and for the animation in order to reproduce the results later on.

3 - Perform "Test Run" for the installed ns-2 using the following network topology:

Assume:

- Distances between any switch and the devices connected to it (e.g. users, routers, servers) = 100 m

- Distance between R1 and R2 = 6 km

- Propagation speed over LAN links = 2x10⁸ m/s

- Propagation speed over WAN link = 1x10⁸ m/s

- All ports of switches SW1 and SW2 operate at speed 100 Mbps

- WAN ports for R1 and R2 operate at speed 2 Mbps

4 - Carryout simulation for the above network assuming 20 PC's in the school, where each PC produces packets at rate 60 packets per second.

5 - Calculate the average end-to-end delay and the throughput for the above network.

6 - Document the results of your simulation using: proper network topology graphs, tcl & c++ code for ns-2, and performance curves.

Phase II:
Note that this part is subject to change.

1 - Simulate a prototype design for the Computer Network of the Faculty of Engineering/Cairo University (details will be announced at a later date).

2 - Obtain the performance results for the simulated network, including:

• Average end-to-end delay for an FTP transaction (LAN access, WAN access, overall).
• Average user throughput (LAN access, WAN access, overall).

3 - Document the results of your simulation using: proper network topology graphs, tcl & c++ code for ns-2, and performance curves.

Deliverables and their Schedule

a)    Initial Setup (Items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 - Phase I) : Sunday, 25 November 2012

b)    Detailed Performance Evaluation (Items 1, 2, and 3 - Phase II): Sunday, 16 December 2012

Action Plan and Marking

1. Groups of 4 to 6 students are to be formed. The names for the members of the group are to be sent to Eng. Rania OSAMA  ( eng_raniaosama@yahoo.com )
2. Members of each group are encouraged to gather needed information by consulting books, papers, resources on the web, as well as by asking Demonstrators and Professors). All sources of information should be referenced clearly in each deliverable.
3. Each group will be given a mark for EACH of the THREE deliverables.
4. Each member of the group will be given a mark based on his/her understanding and contribution to the project. Such a mark will be determined by the Course Instructor through an oral session to be set during the last week of December.

This folder contains some useful resources that students may find helpful in learning and using NS-2 network sinulation tools. More resources can be found on the Internet and from NS-2 site ( http://www.isi.edu/nsnam/ns/ ).

A Kind Request

Please send us your feedback at (hadidi@eun.eg) concerning the suggested resources:

- If you find them useful, encourage us by saying so.

- if you have comments, suggestions, or modifications, send them to us so that we may improve them.

- if you came across other resources that you found helpful, inform us so that we may refer to them, or get authgrization to post them.

Thank you for your concern.

This is a video file produced by Ericsson to introduce the concepts of IP packets and basic network devices.

Instructor : Prof. Mahmoud  EL-HADIDI

Instructor : Prof. Khaled FOUAD

Course Assignments

Students are expected to workout ALL problems in these assignments. Each student is to hand in the solution of each assignment at the times listed below. The following general points should be considered:

1 - Delivered assignments will be graded and their marks will count as part of the course grade (see Course Specifications).

2 - The assignment grader may check that a student understands the solution he/she presented. It is, therefore, advised that each student does his/her best to solve the assignment on his/her own and understands how the answer is obtained.

3 - In case a grader discovers that a student copied the Assignment Solution, the grade for the assignment will not exceed 2 (out of 5).

Assignment 1: Wednesday, 26th October 2011

Assignment 2: Wednesday, 2nd November 2011

Assignment 3: Wednesday, 23rd November 2011

Sheet Solution

N.B : Solutions will be available after sheet reports delivery

Designing a Computer Network for the Faculty of Engineering at Cairo University