Internet and Intranet Protocols and Applications

Syllabus

Spring 1999
Prof. Arthur P. Goldberg, Computer Science Department
Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University

Revision history: 1/11/1999, 1/20, 1/21
  1. Jan. 21: Introduction to Internet and Intranet Protocols and Applications (ppt, ps)
    2. Description
    ARPANET and Internet history.
    Growth of the World Wide Web, ISPs and Intranets.
    Common characteristics of Client/Server systems and protocols.
    Space-time diagrams.
    Course outline.
    Exponential growth of installed computers and computer networking.
    Moore's law: Exponential drop in component and network price/performance.
    Readings
  2. Jan. 28: Review of Networking  (pptV7.0) (ps)
    3. Description
    The layered model.
    The physical layer: Twisted pair.  Fiber optics. Wireless communication.
    LANs.
    The network layer: Packet switched networking. ATM. IP.
    The transport layer: TCP, UDP. Real-time and quality of service protocols.
    Addressing: IP addresses and domain naming.
    Readings
    Due
      Tanenbaum problems chap. 1: 8, 16, 17, 20
  3. Feb. 4: Protocols and Client/Server Applications (pptV7.0) (ps)
    4. Description
    Standard protocols.  An example: the Simple Message Transport Protocol for email.
    Document formats. E.g. the email message format (RFC 822).
    Other application protocols: File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and Telnet.
    Internet history.  RFCs and how to read them.
    Instruction with Protocol Professor.
    Readings
    Due
      Tanenbaum problems chap. 5: 28, 34, chap. 6: 1, 18, 21, 23
  4. Feb. 11: Network Programming (pptV7.0) (ps)
    5. Description
    The design of clients and servers.
    The BSD socket network programming interface.
    Implementing a client.
    Client programming assignment.
    Readings
  5. Feb. 18: Web Browser Functionality and Design (pptV7.0) (ps)
    6. Description
    Concepts behind a universal Internet browser.
    Multiprotocol support: FTP, Gopher, telnet, NNTP, HTTP, "file", etc.
    Mapping protocols into REQUEST-RESPONSE interactions.
    Universal naming with URLs.
    The browser as a rendering engine: text, HTML, gif and jpeg.
    Helper applications.
    Javascript.
    Readings
    Due
      Comer problems: chap. 2: 2, 3, chap. 5: 3, chap. 6: 8, chap. 7: 4, 6
  6. Feb. 25: Internet Server Functionality and Design
    7. Description
      Server architectures.
      Example servers.
      Performance issues.
    Readings
  7. Mar. 4: HTTP and Web Servers
    8. Description
    What is a Web server? HTTP 1.0, 1.1 (Draft). Resolving URLs. Server configuration. Design for performance (multithreading, non-blocking, parallel, etc.)
    Readings
  8. Mar 11: Pushed Broadcast Applications
    9. Description
    USENET Network News. News propagation. Newsgroup naming and popularity.
    USENET traffic. Article format. NNTP Design.
    Pointcast.
    Prefetch caching.
    Broadcast by IRC with UDP.  Example: the ILX network.
    Readings
    Due
      Client program: Comer problems: chap. 7: 11, 12
  9. Mar. 25:

    10. Due
      Comer problems: chap. 8: 9, chap. 11: 3, chap. 12: 6
  10. Apr. 1: Standards and Standard Processes
    11. Description
    Readings
  11. Apr. 8: Functionality Above HTTP
    12. Description
    Readings

  12. Apr. 15:  Network Application Performance: Why the World Wide Wait?
    13. Description
    Key concepts in network performance.
    NYU WebPerf measurements of the Web's Performance
    Repair of HTTP 1.0 performance bugs in HTTP 1.1.
    Readings
  13. Apr. 22: Guest lecture:

    14. Description

  14. Apr. 29: Fast Servers

    15. Description
      Limitations of the BSD sockets interface.
      Preventing thrashing in overloaded servers.
    Reading
    Due
      Tanenbaum problems chap. 6: 31, 32, 34

    Copyright © Arthur Goldberg 1999, All Rights Reserved