A detailed understanding of the factors that influence the performance of computer networks and the tools used to measure and predict performance are important skills required by professional network and application designers, so this unit aims to provide this knowledge for Computing students.

This unit was previously called CPE3014 Communication Network Performance and was in the Bachelor of Network Computing. The unit has been changed to fit the faculty requirements for the Bachelor of Information Technology and Systems.

SFEC 4/06: This unit will be co-taught with CSE3151(BComp) as part of the teaching-out strategy for that unit.

This is an elective unit of the Net-centric and Security majors for the Bachelor of Information Technology and Systems.

This unit extends students' fundamental knowledge of network technologies to include the factors that effect network performance. The unit is intended for students wishing to focus their studies particularly in the area of network technologies.

This unit is relevant to the Bachelor of Information Technology and Systems with a major in net-centric computing, in that it provides students with advanced study in network technologies, which is one of the aspects of this major.

At the completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. understand various measures of data network performance
2. be able to use various hardware and software tools to measure performance
3. use simulation packages to construct models of computer networks
4. use models for performance analysis and prediction
5. make recommendations for network performance improvement

ASCED Discipline Group Classification: 020113 Networks and communications.

Topics covered in this unit include the need for network performance studies, indicators of network performance and measuring network performance; SNMP and other Network monitoring tools; Predicting Network performance; Queueing theory and Modeling of networks; Overheads of network protocols including features of TCP/IP that effect network performance; Network performance in distributed systems.

1. J.Blommers. Practical Planning for Network Growth, Prentice Hall 1996.
2. D.J.Nassar. Network Performance Baselining, Macmillan 2000.
3. R.Lloyd-Evans. Wide Area Network Performance and Optimization, Addison Wesley 1996.
4. G.Kesidis. ATM Network Performance, Kluwer Academic 2000.
5. G.Held. Local Area Network Performance, Wiley 1994.

Lecture presentation with detailed discussion and case studies (Baseline measurements) will meet requirements for objectives 1 and 5.

Lab exercises and demonstrations involving network protocol analyser hardware and software will be given to realise objective 2.

Extensive worked examples and structured Lab exercises will be used to develop knowledge and experience of a network modelling tool (eg OPNET). This will address the requirements of objectives 3 and 4.

Practical work:

• Laboratory Practical tests: 15%
• Network Modelling project: 25%

Theory:

• Final Exam (3Hr): 60%

The Lab tests will be designed to assess students comprehension and level of expertiese in network metrics (obj.1), modelling (obj.3 and obj.4) and tuning (obj.5). The modeling project builds on this and will require the student to be more analytical and creative and so relates to all objectives.

The final exam will assess student understanding of unit content based on material presented in lectures. This addresses all objectives.

Students will be expected to spend a total of 12 hours per week during semester on this unit. This will include:

• Lectures: 2 hours per week
• Tutorials: 2 hours per week (in Network Lab)
• an additional 8 hours per week completing Lab and Project work, private study and revision.

Standard lecture theatre

The Peninsula School of Information Technology network laboratory

The Peninsula School of Information Technology network laboratory

Lecturer: 2 hours per week Tutor: 2 hours per week per session.

• Software Title:
• Vendor:
• Version:
• OS: MS Windows XP ( ) and/or LINUX ( )
• License Details: (A valid software license certificate/s or Vendor permission must be available upon request if the software is to be installed for teaching)
• Are we currently licensed: Yes ( ) or No ( ) (If unsure, please check with your local IT support )
• If (Yes), who is the contact person for this software?:
• If (No), will the software license be arranged by: Staff member requesting the software ( ) or Technical Services* ( ) ? *If the latter is selected, please discuss your requirement/s with myself ASAP, prior to finalising your request, as there could be financial or resourcing implications.
• Is the software to be installed and accessed from a: Client/Workstation ( ), or Server ( ) ?
• Type of license: Site License ( ), Freeware ( ), FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) ( ), Shareware ( ), Lab based ( ) # of Licenses needed ____
• In what week will you commence using the software in class? Semester 1 (Week ___ ) and/or Semester 2 (Week ___ ):
• Nominated Staff For Acceptance Testing Software: (Name) (Phone) (Email)
• Additional Information: Special Requirements, Software Configuration/Installation Requirements, etc:

Licence software already available.

Several copies of the recommended texts should be held in the library.

Faculty of Information Technology

None

CPE1007 or CPE2002 or FIT1005 or CSE2318 or CSE3318