Architecture of package nodes (ETF TKO APC 4770)

General information

Module title

Architecture of package nodes

Module code

ETF TKO APC 4770

Study

ETF-B

Department

Telecommunications

Year

1

Semester

1

Module type

Mandatory

ECTS

6

Hours

70

Lectures

42

Exercises

14

Tutorials

14

Module goal - Knowledge and skill to be achieved by students
  The course considers routing at functional level in circular and package commuted networks. Routing algorithms as well as some routing protocols forming the basis of the Internet will be considered. Course also deals with the hardware structure of package and optical nodes, and structure of package node software.

Syllabus
  Traffic analysis and router dimensioning. Softswitch architectures. Methods for routing matrix searching. Routing in networks with channel commutation and package commutation. Hardware structure of package and optical nodes. Structure of package node software.

Literature
Recommended
Additional

Didactic methods
  Lectures are performed by the lecturer using the mathematical apparatus (modeling techniques). Lectures are followed by the presentation of practical problems in dimensioning the package nodes (42 classes total), in a manner enabling students to master knowledge and skills they should gain during this course, and thus develop abilities to design fast package nodes. <br>
As part of laboratory exercises students are introduced with basic router programming and configuration techniques (14 classes). <br>
During tutorials (14 classes) students are followed and guided by tutor with goal of enabling students to individually realize real and virtual routers using brand name Open source solutions. The typical exam problems are also included so that it is possible to continually check the level of students’ preparedness to approach the final exam. <br>

Exams
  During the course students earn points according to the following system: <br>
- Attending classes and tutorials: 10 points, student with more then three absences from lectures and/or tutorials can not get these points. <br>
- Home assignments and laboratory exercises bring maximum of 10 points, assuming solving 5 to 10 assignments equally distributed throughout the semester. <br>
- Partial exams: two partial exams; each positively evaluated partial exam 20 points. Each partial exam lasts 90 minutes and it is structured as follows: <br>
- Answering to simple questions with goal of testing whether student has basic theoretical knowledge; students with correct answers to all such questions earn 5 points; <br>
- Solving an open answer problem, with correct answer bringing 10 points; <br>
- Solving problems with multiple answers offered, on of answers being the correct one; students with correct answers to all such questions earn 5 points; <br>
Students who earned less then 20 points during the semester must retake the course. Students who earned 40 or more points during the semester will take a final exam; This exam consists of discussion of problems from partial exams, home assignments and answers to simple questions related to course topics. <br>
Final oral exam provides maximum of 40 points. In order to get positive final grade, students must earn minimum of 20 points in this exam. Student failing to earn the minimum must take the makeup oral exam. Student who earned 20 or more, and less then 40 points during the semester, will have to take the makeup exam. <br>
The makeup exam is organized in the following manner: <br>
- Written part structured similarly to partial written exam, during which students solve problems in topics they failed on partial exams (less then 10 points); <br>
- Oral part structured the same as the oral part of the final exam. <br>
Only students who managed to earn total score of 40 or more points in written part of the makeup exam will be allowed to take the oral part of the makeup exam, where the mentioned score consists of points earned through attending lectures, solving home assignments, passing partial exams and passing the written part of makeup exam. Oral makeup exam provides maximum of 40 points. In order to achieve positive final grade students must earn minimum of 20 points in this exam. Student failing to earn the minimum will have to retake the course. Oral makeup exam gives maximum of 40 points. In order to achieve positive final grade students must achieve minimum of 20 points in this exam. Student failing to achieve the minimum will have to re-enroll for this course. <br>

Aditional notes
  1. During the written part of the exam students are allowed to use a list of formulas prepared by lecturers, which may be of use in solving problems. It is not allowed to use other notes, books, cell phones or other electronic devices. <br>
2. Problems, which students must solve during the exam, are of the same type solved during the lectures and tutorials. <br>