The objective of this course is gain an understanding of the concepts and techniques used to model and implement communications between processes residing on independent host computers. The course examines the conceptual framework for specifying a computer network - the network architecture, and investigates the set of rules and procedures that mediate the exchange of information between two communicating processes - the network protocols.

The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model (OSIRM) provides the conceptual framework for identifying the functions required for communications to take place between processes on autonomous hosts. The OSIRM is presented, and the service definitions and protocol specifications for implementing each of the seven layers of the Reference Model are analyzed in detail. The TCP/IP architecture and protocols upon which the Internet is based are also presented and compared with OSI.

The network layer sub-architecture is introduced to explain the relationship between the network layer and real networks (subnets). Internetworking among heterogeneous subnets is described in terms of addressing and routing, and techniques for identifying different protocol suites sent over the subnets are explained. The abstract syntax notation - one (ASN.1) type, length, value (TLV) protocol header encoding rules are examined, and techniuqes for parsing protocol headers are presented.

The OSI application layer sub-architecture for providing common application services is presented, and the core building blocks for developing applications are described. The addressing structure used by OSI to access remote applications over the Internet is presented and compared with the TCP/IP addressing structure. The basic OSI and TCP/IP application protocols are presented and the operation of these protocols are analyzed. Finally, interoperability techniques for implementing multiprotocol internets are presented, techniques for OSI and TCP/IP coexistence are described and IPv6 transitioning techniques are discussed.