Advanced Topics in
Communication Networks Fall 2024

Networked Systems Group

This course covers advanced topics and technologies in computer networks, both theoretically and practically.

The goal for this course is to provide students with a deeper understanding of existing and upcoming Internet routing and forwarding technologies used in large-scale computer networks such as Internet Service Providers (e.g., Swisscom or Deutsche Telekom), Content Delivery Networks (e.g., Netflix) and Data Centers (e.g., Google).

Besides covering the fundamentals, the course will be “hands-on” and will enable students to play with the technologies in realistic network environments, and even implement some of them on their own during labs.

News

Oct 15 An early version of the data-plane programmability transcript is now online. Thanks to Georgette Weingärtner!
Oct 15 An early version of the MPLS transcript is now online. Thanks to Jonas Schmid and Georgette Weingärtner!
Oct 15 An early A now complete version of the transcript on fast convergence is now online. Thanks to Viola Zucchi and Jonas Schmid!
Oct 15 Materials for the fifth lecture (and second programming exercises) are now online.
Oct 8 Materials for the fourth lecture (and the first programming exercises) are now online.
Oct 7 The transcript of the end of the lecture on scalable networks is now online. Thanks to Dennis Küenzi!
Oct 1 The transcript of the second lecture is now online. Thanks to Joel Fischer and Alexandra Marchon for helping with the transcribing!
Oct 1 Materials for the third lecture are now online.
Sep 24 Materials for the second lecture are now online.
Sep 24 Please register here if you could help us with the transcripts of one (or more lecture slots) during the semester. Thanks already!
Sep 24 The transcript of the first lecture is now online. (As well as the complete slides deck, with hidden slides.)
Sep 17 Materials for the first lecture are now online.
Sept 4 The website for the Fall 2024 edition goes live with a tentative schedule.

Contact

Professor Laurent Vanbever

Coordinator Romain Jacob
Mail

Assistants

Research group Networked Systems

Location & time

Lecture
Tuesdays, 2:15 pm–4 pm

Exercise sessions
Tuesdays, 4:15 pm–6 pm

 In-person     ML E 12
Recordings   Will be released in the middle and at the end of the semester.

Content

The course will cover advanced topics in Internet routing and forwarding such as:

  • Hierarchical routing
  • Fast Convergence
  • Network programmability
  • Network verification
  • Network measurements
  • Network security
  • Transport protocols
  • Sustainable networking

Prerequisites

  • Communication Networks (227-0120-00L), Computer Networks (252-0064-00L) or equivalents.
  • Good programming skills (in any language) are expected as many exercises involve coding.

Performance assessment

  • 6 ECTS credits
  • Closed-book, written exam
Week 1
17.09
 Lecture    Introduction, Course organization. Building scalable networks (Part 1)
Exercise   None this week. Start in week 2.
Week 2
24.09
 Lecture    Building scalable networks (Part 2)
Exercise  
Extra readings
Week 5
15.10
 Lecture    Data-plane programmability (Part 2)
Exercise   Load balancing in P4
Week 6
22.10
 Lecture    Network measurements (Part 1)
Exercise   AS-level topology inference
Week 7
29.10
 Lecture    Network measurements (Part 2) + Network verification (Part 1)
Exercise   Network tomography
Week 8
05.11
 Lecture    Network verification (Part 2)
Exercise   Building a simple (but functional!) network verifier
Week 9
12.11
 Lecture    Routing algebras
Exercise   Building a network verifier (the end) + Routing algebras
Week 10
19.11
 Lecture    Transport protocols
Exercise   Evaluating and comparing transport protocols
Week 11
26.11
 Lecture    Congestion control
Exercise   Analyzing congestion control
Week 12
3.12
 Lecture    Network security
Exercise   Defending against DDoS attacks
Week 13
10.12
 Lecture    Sustainable networking (Part 1)
Exercise   Understanding power proportionality
Week 14
17.12
 Lecture    Sustainable networking (Part 2)
Exercise   Saving energy in today's networks