Course content

The course consists of a project dealing with a specific theme within the area Networks and quality of service. The area encompass the architectural, functional and operational aspects of communication networks, hereunder protocols, as well as the in synthesis/design and analysis of communication systems with respect to quality of service (QoS), traffic handling and dependability.

Learning outcome

The student should learn to obtain in depth knowledge of a specific theme within the technological area and strengthen his/her learning with respect to all or a subset (given by the assignment) of the objectives listed below:

A. Knowledge:
1) System architectures: The student should have an in-depth knowledge of architectures and management of access, aggregation and core networks. The student should have a clear understanding of structural concepts as layering, sectioning and interworking of autonomous systems/networks.
- Networks: Principles and functionalities of the current and foreseen network architectures as well as their possibilities, requirements and limitations.
- Use of communication (transmission) media: How options for different kinds of network architectures are provided by the various kind communication media (wires, radio, optical), as well as the inherent constraints the media put on the architectures.
- Overlays: The design and operation of overlay (logical) networks like for instance multicast networks, peer to peer networks, virtualization and VPNs.
- Network management: Principles and architectures for management of resources in networks and for provision of transport services.

2) QoS evaluation and dimensioning: In-depth knowledge of theories for evaluating performance and dependability of networks, and basic understanding of approaches to QoS provisioning in networks:
- Traffic theory: Queuing theory and network calculus for delay and loss evaluation and dimensioning in networks, and network elements. Approaches to meet required delay and loss performance in networks.
- Dependability: The design (for fault-tolerance, survivability, resilience) and quantitative evaluation of dependability (availability, reliability, safety) in systems based on information and communication technologies.

B. Skills:
The student should be able to actively apply his knowledge and to use appropriate paradigms, methods and tools to specify, design, configure, analyse, model, and simulating networks and network elements so they are meeting their functional and QoS requirements. Furthermore to be able to establish such requirement in a given context, and to be able to manage networks and provided transport services. More specifically, student should be trained to:
1) Model, evaluate and select network architectures and solutions for construction of network-provided services.
2)Engineer (small) networks including configuration of the network nodes.
3) Configure measurement set-ups, perform measurements and analyse results.
4) Using simulation and theoretical tools and methods to study traffic- and dependability properties of networks, network services.
5) Designing and applying QoS methods (with respect to dependability and performance) to meet QoS requirements.

C. General competence:
Application of a scientific approach. As a part of this, to acquire additional information and knowledge through literature studies and similar, and combine this with his/her current knowledge. Furthermore, the student shall learn to accomplish a independent project work of some size, including to prepare a plan with milestones, report progress, to give a brief oral report on the work and findings and to write up a final report according to (best) common practice.

Learning methods and activities

Individual (or group) project work with supervision.

Compulsory assignments

• Oral presentation

Recommended previous knowledge

The NTNU courses TTM4105 Access and Transport Networks, TTM4130 Service Intelligence and Mobility and TTM4110 Dependability and Performance with Discrete Event Simulation as well as at least one of the courses TTM4120 Dependable Systems or TTM4155 Teletraffic Theory, or a similar basis.

Course materials

To be decided.

Credit reductions