Calumet College of St. Joseph

SYLLABUS FOR DATA COMMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING THEORY (Directed Study)

 

 

Term:  Fall, 2003-2004  (031)  (September 2 - December 12, 2003)

Course Number:  CIS 460

Instructor: Mr. Darren Henderson

Office:  Room 508

Office Phone:  (219) 473-4346

E-mail:  dhenderson@ccsj.edu

 

Office Hours:                  To be determined after teaching schedule is finalized

                               

 

Instructor Background:

Darren Henderson earned a B. S. in Engineering from Purdue University Calumet and a M. S. in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University with a specialty in Communications and Signal Processing.  His undergraduate curriculum was characterized by a strong emphasis in mathematics and physics including courses in Advanced Calculus, Partial Differential Equations, Complex Analysis, Advanced Analysis, Electromagnetic Field Theory, Optics, and Quantum Mechanics.  As his undergraduate senior design team project, Darren worked on a prototype for a home security and convenience system that provided a speech synthesis capability.  His task was to write the assembly language software for the Motorola HC11 microcontroller and to work with the Texas Instruments speech synthesis chip.  Darren’s graduate coursework included courses in Digital Communications, Digital Signal Processing, Image Processing, Computer Networks, and Estimation Theory.

Darren joined the Computer Information Systems Program at Calumet College of St. Joseph in 1995.  He regularly teaches the courses C Programming I and II, Hardware and Software Concepts, and Data Communications and Networking Theory.  In addition to his teaching activities, Darren has worked for CCSJ's Computer Services Department.  He used his engineering background and skills to help lay the groundwork for the school's existing computer network and services.  He was responsible for initially creating the faculty and staff e-mail accounts and for making the school's computers (faculty, staff, and 4th floor computer labs) Internet accessible.  His duties involved Unix/Linux and Windows NT System Administration and TCP/IP Network Administration in support of DNS, DHCP, WWW, and e-mail services.  He was also responsible for implementing an early firewall to protect the school's Univers database system from unauthorized access.  He currently is working on ways of integrating the Blackboard 5 e-learning environment into his courses at CCSJ.

                Before his tenure at CCSJ, Darren was an adjunct instructor in the Electronics Technology Department at Ivy Tech State College in Valparaiso.  He taught a multitude of courses including: Circuits I and II, Solid State I and II, Digital Principals, Digital Applications, and Electricity for HVAC.

                His current research interests are in C++ programming, software engineering for Internet applications, and network security.

 

Course Time:   ARRANGED                Room 508

 

Course Description (revised):  This course presents the underlying principles and theory of data communications and computer networks.  Various network topologies are discussed including their operation and the computer hardware and software required to implement, particular emphasis is given to the Ethernet architecture.  The OSI Model and the TCP/IP suite of protocols are used to develop an understanding of layered protocols.  Both peer-to-peer networking and internetworking concepts will be presented.

 

Prerequisites: 

CIS 115, CIS 125, and CIS 312 or 320

 

Learning Outcomes/ Competencies:

Students in this course will:

 

·         understand the differences between analog and digital signals and systems.

·         understand the analog-to-digital (A/D) and the digital-to-analog (D/A) conversion process as it relates to data communication systems.

·         gain familiarity with various types of communications channels and the types of transmission impairments that are characteristic of each type.

·         study the layered protocol concept using the OSI model and the TCP/IP suite of protocols.

·         be provided with an overview of the major local area network (LAN) topologies and protocols.

 

Textbook:

Business Data Communications, 4th., Stallings, William, Prentice Hall Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2001. (ISBN 0-13-088263-1)

 

Learning Strategies:

With a directed study mode of delivery, the directed study student is responsible for learning the subject material during the time constraints specified in the “Course Outline” below.  Due to the technical nature of the subject matter, supplemental course material (e.g. instructor class notes, assessment exercises ) will be provided as required to the directed study student in either hard copy form or available in downloadable form (e.g. Adobe PDF files or Word documents) on the CIS 460 Blackboard supplement for the directed study student to printout.  Periodic consultation sessions will be held throughout the duration of the term.  Meeting/session times will be arranged in advance in order to best accommodate the schedules of the Instructor and/or the directed study student.  Instructor-Student consultations are also available via electronic mail (e-mail) where deemed appropriate.  The purpose of the sessions will be to address questions on reading assignments, supplemental material, homework problems/projects, and exam preparation.  However, the sessions should NOT be construed as a formal lecture as with a regularly scheduled class.  Students demonstrate the course competencies in part by completing periodic assignments and projects.

 

 

Assessment:

The student’s grade is computed using the weights shown below:

 

                                Homework/Projects        40%

                                Midterm                 30%

                                Final                       30%

                                                                        ------

                                                                        100%

 

Class Policy For Assignments/Exams:

Homework problems will be assigned throughout the duration of the term. Homework will be collected generally two weeks from the date assigned unless otherwise directed.  Late homework is subject to an automatic deduction to be determined by the instructor.  All LATE Homework received after 12 p.m. (NOON) on December 6, 2003 will NOT be considered for credit and will result in an assigned score of zero.

 

Failure to submit a required homework assignment by the instructor-specified deadlines will result in an assigned score of zero.  Failure to take the Midterm exam or the Final exam before the conclusion of the term will result in an assigned score of zero.

 

Exams are typically closed book and closed notes.

 

The FINAL EXAM is comprehensive!

 

The function of the homework assignments is that they serve both as exam preparation and to explore optional or related topics in more detail.  The function of the exams is to confirm that the student has achieved the required level of proficiency in the subject material.

 

Grading Scale:

 

A: 93-100                A-: 90-92                  B+:  87-89     B: 83-86         B-:  80-82    C+: 77-79

C: 73-76                 C-: 70-72                 D+:  67-69     D: 63-66         D-:  60-62    F:  59 & below

 

Class Policy on Attendance:

Periodic consultation sessions will be held throughout the duration of the term.  Meeting/session times will be arranged in advance in order to best accommodate the schedules of the Instructor and/or the Directed Study student(s).  Instructor-Student consultations are also available via electronic mail (e-mail) where deemed appropriate.  The purpose of the sessions will be to address questions on reading assignments, homework problems, and exam preparation.  However, the sessions should NOT be construed as a formal lecture as with a regularly scheduled class.

 

Course Outline (Tentative):

 

 

Topics/Assignments:

WEEK 1

Syllabus/Directed Study Orientation

Meeting Schedule Determination

WEEK 2

Chapter 1 (Introduction)

Chapter 2 (Business Information)

WEEK 3

Chapter 6 (Data Transmission)

WEEK 4

Chapter 6 (Data Transmission) pages 146-149

Chapter 7 (Transmission Media)

WEEK 5

Chapter 8 (Data Communications Fundamentals)

WEEK 6

Chapter 10 (Transmission Efficiency)

Chapter 9 (Data Link Control)

WEEK 7

Midterm Review

WEEK 8

Midterm Exam


 

WEEK 9

Chapter 11 (Approaches to Networking)

Chapter 14 (Local Area Network Technology)

WEEK 10

Chapter 15 (LAN Systems)

Chapter 4 (TCP/IP and OSI)

WEEK 11

RFC 1180 (A TCP/IP Tutorial)

Chapter 5 (The Internet: Addressing and Services)

Networking Concepts Class Exercise

WEEK 12

RFC 1180 (A TCP/IP Tutorial) (cont.)

“Hands-On TCP/IP” Handouts

(Ethernet Demultiplexing)

“Packet Sniffer” Class Demonstration

WEEK 13

RFC 1180 (A TCP/IP Tutorial) (cont.)

“TCP/IP Network Administration” Handout

Peer-to-Peer Networking Demonstration

WEEK 14

Router Configuration Class Exercise

Final Exam Review

WEEK 15

Final Exam

 

Class Participation:

See "Class Policy on Attendance" above

 

Center for Academic Excellence:

Tutoring assistance is free to all students of Calumet College of St. Joseph.  The Center for Academic Excellence (CAE) has experienced and well-trained tutors in most subject areas to help students who are struggling in a course or who are doing well and would like to do better.  Regular weekly tutoring sessions are likely to improve your grade.  In addition to the face-to-face tutoring offered by the Center, online tutoring is available for students whose schedules do not permit them to meet with a tutor in person.  Call the Center for Academic Excellence at (219) 473-4287, to schedule a tutoring appointment or for additional information about how to access online tutoring assistance.

 

Statement of Plagiarism:

If an instructor or other Calumet College of St. Joseph personnel find that a student has plagiarized or been involved in another form of academic dishonesty, the instructor or other personnel may elect to bring the matter up for judicial review. The maximum penalty for any form of academic dishonesty is dismissal from the College. The procedures for judicial review are listed under the section of CCSJ handbook that addresses student grievances. (Academic Planner 2001/2002 p.27)

 

Citation Guidelines:

Calumet College of St. Joseph adheres to citation guidelines as prescribed by the particular discipline (i.e., MLA, APA, and Chicago Manual of Style or Turabian.).  All of these guidelines are available in the Calumet College of St. Joseph library or bookstore.  These texts outline how to cite references from a variety of sources, including electronic media.

 

Withdrawal from Classes Policy:

After the last day for class changes has passed (see College calendar), students may withdraw from a course in which they are registered with permission from the faculty member conducting the course. A written request detailing the reason(s) for the withdrawal must be filed with the Registrar. Written request for withdrawal must be received by the Registrar by the last day of classes prior to the final examination dates specified in the catalogue. Written requests may be mailed to the Registrar or faxed to the College fax number 219-473-4259. Students are to make note of the refund schedule when withdrawing from courses. The request is forwarded to the faculty member, who makes the final determination to accept or deny the request. If the request is honored, the student will receive notification of official withdrawal; if denied, the notification will indicate why the withdrawal is disallowed. Note: Degree Completion Division (DCD) students should consult the DCD Student Handbook for information on DCD withdrawals.

 

An official withdrawal is recorded as a "W" grade on the student's transcript. Dropping a course without written permission automatically incurs an "F" grade for the course (see Refund Schedule).