CPSC 441: Networking

CPSC 441: Networking (Fall 2010)

Lecture: 12:20 - 1:15 (period 5) Mon/Wed, Lansing 301 (Class Schedule)
Lab: 12:20 - 1:15 (period 5) Fri, Lansing 310 (Lab Schedule)
Web: http://math.hws.edu/mcorliss/fall10/cs441/index.html

Announcements

[Oct 28] - The date of the 2nd exam has been moved from Monday, 11/1 to Wednesday 11/3. It will be in class (Lansing 301, 12:20-1:15). Lab 5 has also been extended a week. It is now due on Friday, 11/12.
[Aug 30] - My office hours are Mon 2-3, Tue 9-10 and 12-1, Wed 4-5, and Fri 9-10. Please stop by with any and all questions or comments. If you can't make my office hours then send me an email and we can coordinate a meeting at another time. Also, feel free to stop by my office unannounced at any time and if I'm available I will meet with you.
[Aug 30] - Make sure you view the class schedule, lab schedule, and this page regularly.

Staff

Instructor: Marc Corliss (corliss at hws dot edu)
Office hours: Mon 2PM-3PM, Tue 9AM-10AM and 12PM-1PM,
Wed 4PM-5PM, and Fri 9AM-10AM.

Course Summary

One of the most important recent developments in computing is the explosive growth in the use of computer networks, which allow computers to communicate and work together. This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of computer networks, the software protocols that allow them to operate, and the distributed applications that make use of them. Topics covered include direct-link networks, packet switching, internetworking, end-to-end protocols, congestion control and resource allocation, network security, network applications, and distributed systems.

The prerequisite for this course is CPSC 225. Students must have taken this course and received a grade of at least a C-. If that is not the case, the student should meet with the instructor before enrolling for the course.

Textbook

Computer Networks: A Systems Approach (4th Edition) by Peterson and Davie

Schedule

The tentative class schedule and lab schedule are online. The class schedule shows the planned readings, homework, and exams. It is split into several topics that usually make up one chapter of the textbook. Note: the chapters will be read out of order as well as some sections within a particular chapter (and some sections will be skipped); so make sure you frequently refer to the schedule. The readings listed for each class day should be done prior to the start of that class. Homework assignments should be handed in at or before the start of each class in which they are due (late homework assignments are not accepted). Labs, exams, and vacation days are also indicated on the schedule.

The lab schedule shows the planned labs. Lab assignments will be linked off of this page once they are assigned. They must be completed at or before the start of the lab period in which they are due.

Course Work

Labs. On Fridays, we will have a lab (in Lansing 310) rather than a lecture where students will work on various programming assignments. The labs give students hands-on experience and a chance to get help from the instructor. Unlike in other courses, the labs are to be completed individually. Students will have to complete some lab exercises that must be turned in by the start of the following lab (a week later). Occasionally, a lab assignment will be due in two (or three weeks) rather than one week, which will be specified in the lab writeup. In these cases, the assignment will be worth two or three times (depending on the number weeks) as much as a one-week lab assignment. Late lab exercises will not be accepted, although the lowest lab will be dropped (for multi-week labs only 1 week's worth can be dropped). Lab exercises will be posted online for those who miss the lab.

Homeworks. There will be 7-10 short homework assignments that will help make sure that you keep up with the textbook reading. These should be worked on individually.

Exams. There will be two midterm exams and a final exam. The midterm exams will be in-class, written (no programming on the computer), and closed book/notes. The first exam is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, October 6th. The second exam is tentatively scheduled for Monday, November 1st. The final will be cumulative, but will emphasize aspects of the material covered in the second half of the course. The final exam will be held on Thursday, December 16th from 8:30AM to 11:30AM in Lansing 301 (our normal classroom). Making up exams will only be allowed for *compelling* circumstances, i.e., with documentation from an appropriate person (doctor, dean). Arrangements must be made in advance for non-emergencies.

Attendance/Participation. To get full credit for participation, students should attend all lectures (MW, 12:20-1:15, Lansing 301) and labs (F, 12:20-1:15, Lansing 310). Students can miss at most three combined lectures and labs (for any reason). If a student misses more than three classes (combined lectures and labs), they will lose 10% of their attendance/participation grade per day missed. In addition, if a student misses a lecture in which a quiz is given, they will receive a grade of zero for that quiz.

Grading

Labs: 35% (roughly 3.5% each)
Written assignments: 20% (1.5% to 2% each)
Midterm exams: 20% (10% each)
Final exam: 15%
Participation, attendance, etc.: 10%

Academic Integrity

The Principle of Academic Integrity (see the HWS HWS Community Standards , p. 22) governs the work completed in this course. The following outlines specifically how this principle applies.

Exams and Quizzes. All exams and quizzes are to be completed solely by the student whose name is on the paper. Unless otherwise specified, these are closed book/notes, which includes any materials not provided as part of the exam/quiz. Copying an exam will result in failure of the course and the case will be taken to the HWS comittee on standards. Copying a quiz will result in a 0. For a second offense, the student(s) will fail the course and the case will be taken to the HWS committee on standards.

Homework. Homework assignments are to be completed solely by the student whose name is on the paper.

Labs. Lab assignments are to be completed individually by the student submitting the lab. The work that students submit must be their own. Students may not work with other students. Students may consult the book, their notes, any course materials provided in class or on the course website, and reference books found in the lab. Use of other materials (including websites) is not allowed. It is never acceptable for a student to be in possession of another person's program, either hardcopy or electronic (even if that person is not at HWS). Copying a lab assignment will result in a grade of 0 for all involved parties. For a second offense, the student(s) will fail the course and the case will be taken to the HWS committee on standards.

Each program submitted for credit will be checked by a plaigarism detector called MOSS (http://theory.stanford.edu/~aiken/moss/) to determine if it was copied. MOSS is highly accurate at detecting plagiarized software (changing a few variable names, comments, etc., will not help). In addition, any student that submits a suspicious lab assignment will have to explain their code to the instructor. If they are unable to effectively explain the code, then they will not receive credit for the assignment. A second instance of plagiarism on a lab assignment will result in failure of the course and the case will be taken to the committee on standards.

Summary. The moral of the story is students should not cheat in this course. For each case of cheating, the student will receive a 0 on the assignment (except in the case of an exam, in which case, the student will automatically fail the course). For a second offense, the case will be taken to the committee on standards and will also result in failure of the course. It is always better to submit an incomplete solution rather than to submit a plagiarized solution.

Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)

At Hobart and William Smith Colleges, we encourage students to seek the academic collaboration and resources that will enable them to do their best work. The CTL offers a variety of resources that can help students achieve academic success, including Teaching Fellows (for course content help in the departments of Anthropology/Sociology, Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Geoscience, Philosophy, Physics, Psychology, Spanish & Hispanic Studies), Writing Colleagues (for help on papers), Study Mentors (for help with study skills and time management), Group Study Tables (for content help in specific courses), and more.

For more information on these resources, visit the CTL webpage or visit the CTL Blackboard site.

If you are a student with a disability for which you may need accommodations, you should self-identify and register for services with the Coordinator of Disability Services at the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), and provide documentation of your disability. Disability related accommodations and services generally will not be provided until the registration and documentation process is complete. The guidelines for documenting disabilities can be found at the following website: http://www.hws.edu/disabilities.

Please direct questions about this process or Disability Services at HWS to David Silver, Coordinator of Disability Services, at silver@hws.edu or x3351.