Computer Networks

Chapter 1:Introduction
Computer Networking:
A Top Down Approach ,
4th edition.
Jim Kurose, Keith Ross

Chapter 1: Introduction
Our goal:

get feel and

terminology
more depth, detail
later in course
approach:
use Internet as
example

Overview:
whats the Internet?
whats a protocol?
network edge; hosts, access

net, physical media

network core: packet/circuit
switching, Internet structure
performance: loss, delay,
throughput
Protocol layers, service models
History of Internet

Whats the Internet: nuts and bolts view

PC

Interconnects millions Mobile network

of computing devices:
Global ISP
hosts = end systems
wireless
laptop
running network
cellular
Home network
handheld
apps
Regional ISP
communication links
fiber, copper, radio,
access
points
Institutional network
satellite
wired
links
transmission rate =
bandwidth (bits/sec)
routers: forward
router
packets (chunks of
data)
server

Whats the Internet: nuts and bolts view

protocols control sending,

receiving of msgs

Global ISP

e.g., TCP, IP, HTTP, Skype

Internet: network of
networks

Mobile network

public Internet versus

private intranet

Internet standards
IETF: Internet Engineering
Task Force
RFC: Request For Comments
IETF standard Documents
More than 5000 RFCs

Home network
Regional ISP

Institutional network

Whats the Internet: A Service View

infrastructure
that provides services to
applications:
Involve multiple end system
that exchange data with each
other.
Web, VoIP, email, games, ecommerce, file sharing
Applications do not run on the
routers
Communication services provided
to applications:
reliable data delivery from
source to destination
(connection oriented)
best effort (unreliable) data
Communication

Whats a protocol?
Human Protocols:
whats the time?
I have a question
Interview
specific msgs sent
specific actions
taken when msgs
received, or other
events

Network Protocols:
machines rather than
humans
all communication
activity in Internet
governed by protocols

protocols define format,

order of msgs sent and
received among network
entities, and actions
taken on msg
transmission, receipt

Whats a protocol?
a human protocol and a computer network protocol:
Hi

TCP connection
request

Hi

TCP connection
response

Got the
time?

Get http://www.awl.com/kurose-ross

2:00

<file>
time

The Network Edge:

end systems (hosts):

run application programs

e.g. Web, email
at edge of network

peer-peer

client/server model

client host requests, receives

service from always-on server
client/server
e.g. Web browser/server;
email client/server

Peer-Peer model:

minimal (or no) use of dedicated

servers
e.g. Skype, BitTorrent, Kazaa

More

in Chapter 2

Network Access
Access Networks:
The physical link that connects an end
system to its edge router.

Q: How to connect end systems to

edge router?
Access Networks can be loosely classified
into three categories
Residential access networks
Dial up, DSL etc
Institutional access networks (school,
company)
Ethernet
mobile access networks

Wireless LAN (WiFi)

Wider-area wireless access (WiMAX)

Reading Assignment

Physical Media
Bit: propagates between transmitter/rcvr pairs
physical link: what lies between transmitter &

receiver
guided media:

signals propagate in solid media:

copper, fiber, coaxial cable

unguided media:
signals propagate freely in the atmosphere, e.g., wireless
LAN, cellular, satellites etc
no physical wire
propagation environment effects:
reflection
obstruction by objects
Interference

The Network Core

Mesh of interconnected

routers
the fundamental question: how
is data transferred through
net?
circuit switching:
dedicated circuit per call:
telephone networks
packet-switching: data
sent through network in
discrete chunks called
packets
Hotel reservation analogy

Network Core: Circuit Switching

End-end resources reserved for the
duration of the call
Three phases
Establish, Transfer,
Disconnect
dedicated resources: no sharing
Guaranteed performance
Very Reliable
Developed for Telephone
networks
Inefficient
Channel capacity dedicated
for duration of connection
If no data, capacity wasted
Set up (connection) takes time

Network Core: Packet Switching

Todays internet is a packet switched network

Each end-end data stream divided into packets
Each packet contains a portion of user data plus some
control info.
Each packet has to find its own route to the destination
No predetermined path
Decision as to which node to hop to in the next step is
taken only when a node is reached.
Resources used as needed
Congestion : packets queue, wait for link use
Reliability
Less reliable
Store and forward switching
Routers receives complete packet before forwarding
Question: What is Cut through Switching?

Throughput
The rate (bits/sec) at which bits are transferred

between sender/receiver
Difference between Bandwidth and Throughput?
ISPs sell bandwidth
In computer networks, the throughput is less
than the bandwidth for several reasons
The channel may be shared by other users
Packet loss due to congestion
Packet loss due to bit errors
Noise in the channel
Transmission rates of the link over which the data
flows.

Throughput
Rs

< Rc What is average end-end throughput?

Rs bits/sec

Rs

Rc bits/sec

> Rc What is average end-end throughput?

Rs bits/sec

Rc bits/sec

Throughput is min {Rs,Rc}

Transmission Rate of the bottleneck link

Throughput
10 clients/servers pairs,
Common link R traversed by

all 10.
Rate of the link R is very
large then the throughput
is min {Rs , Rc}

Rs
Rs

Rs
R

Rs=2Mbps, Rc=1Mbps,

R=5Mbps
Common link divides
transmission rate equally
among the 10 downloads
500kbps to each download
Shared Link R is now the

bottleneck.

Rc

Rc
Rc

10 connections share bottleneck

link R