Course content

The specialisation course consists of two themes, each of 3,75 SP, whereas one theme is mandatory and one theme is elective.
Mandatory theme:
TTM9 Traffic and Dependability, Laboratory in Tools and Methodology (3,75 SP).
Elective themes:
TTM1 Access and Core Networks, advanced (3,75 SP).
TTM2 Information Security, advanced (3,75 SP).
TTM3 Design of Self-Adaptive Systems, laboratory (3,75 SP).
TTM4 ICT-Systems and Their Interaction with the Socio-Economic Environment (3,75 SP).
TTM5 Networked Collaboration Systems (3,75 SP).
TTM6 Tele-economics, advanced (3,75 SP).
TTM7 Convergence in ICT (3,75 SP).
For students residing at UniK, the specialization course consists of the theme
TTM8 Advanced Network Topics in Ad-Hoc Networks (7,5 SP).

Learning outcome

The course shall provide specialist knowledge in evaluation of QoS in commumication systems as well as a deeper knowledge of chosen issues within the access and core network area. The course educate the student with respect to an approriate individual selection of the folloving objectives:

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.

Learning methods and activities

Laboratory investigations including simulator development and data analysis. The elective themes may be taught by laboratory investigations, lectures, seminars, colloquia or self-studies. The theme TTM2 is evaluated by a written exam.

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

Announced at the beginning of the term.

Credit reductions