Introduction to Computer

Networks and Telecommunications

Carnegie Mellon University

The Practical Software Engineering Series

Course Introduction and Transmission Media

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 1

Objectives

† Discuss course organization

† Provide motivation for networking concepts as design
models for software engineers
† Introduction to network and telecommunication terminology
† Introduce the concept of layers
† Understand the difference between protocols and services
† Understand the advantages and disadvantages of different
types of transmission media

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 2

 General Course Flow

† Lectures, Exams and Homework

† Networking Concepts:
„ Transmitting signals
„ Ensuring the signals are error free
„ Getting the signals to the right place
„ Regulating signals efficiently
„ Communicating efficiently and effectively
„ Network protocols at the application layer
† Text Books and Attributions
„ Comer, Douglas E., Computer Networks and Internets, 4th
Edition, 2004
„ Tanenbaum, Andrew S., Computer Networks, 4th Edition, 2003

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 3

Number of Computers Attached to the Internet

(1981-2003)

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 Growth Plotted on a Log Scale

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Networks and Distributed Systems

† Computer Networks – A collection of autonomous

computers interconnected by a single technology
„ Copper wire
„ Fiber optics
„ Microwaves
„ Communication satellite
„ Etc.

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 6

 Distributed Systems

† Distributed Systems – A collection of independent

computers that appear to a user as a single coherent
system.
„ Single model or paradigm
„ Middleware implements the model
„ Machines act in a coherent manner
„ Example: World Wide Web

Distributed Systems work on top of networks

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 7

Uses of Computer Networks: Business Applications

† Resource Sharing
„ Share information
„ Share expensive hardware (example: printers)
„ Share applications
† Communication among employees
„ Email
„ Video teleconferencing
„ Chat
† Electronic commerce
„ Business to business
„ Business to consumer

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 8

Uses of Computer Networks: Home Applications

† Access to remote information

„ Journals
„ Government
„ News
„ Mis-information
† Person-to-person communication
„ Instant messaging
„ Chat rooms
† Interactive entertainment
„ On demand movies
„ Game playing
† Electronic commerce
„ Consumer to consumer
„ Peer to peer

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 9

Client – Server Model

Network

Server

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 Network Layers

Host 1 Host 2

Layer 5 protocol
Layer 5 Layer 5

Layer 4/5 interface

Layer 4 protocol
Layer 4 Layer 4

Layer 3/4 interface

Layer 3 protocol
Layer 3 Layer 3

Layer 2/3 interface

Layer 2 protocol
Layer 2 Layer 2

Layer 1/2 interface

Layer 1 protocol
Layer 1 Layer 1

Physical medium

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 11

Why Layers?

† Reduces complexity
† Shields lower layer
† Provides certain services
† Peers communicate efficiently
„ Peers are the corresponding layers on different machines
† Interfaces define which primitive operations and services
the lower layer makes available to the upper layer
† Protocols are agreements between the communicating
parties on how communication will proceed

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 12

 More Definitions

† Network architectures are a set of layers and protocols

† A protocol is a set of rules governing the format and

meaning of the packets, or messages that are exchanged
by the peer entities within a layer

† A protocol stack is a list of protocols used by a certain

system, one protocol/layer

† Services are a set of primitives (operations) that a layer

provides to the layer above it

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 13

Protocol versus Service

Layer k + 1 Layer k + 1

Layer k Protocol Layer k

Layer k - 1 Layer k - 1

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 Design Issues

† What is the mechanism for identifying senders and

receivers?
† Will there be one way or two way communication? Data?
† What happens when there is an error?
† How fast or slow can information flow between senders and
receivers?
† How long is a message? Can it be arbitrarily long?
† How will messages be routed?
† How will we know if there is a problem with the routing of
messages?

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 15

Software Engineering Ideas in Networks

† Layers are abstractions – Software engineers use layers in

designing software applications and interactions with other
services
† Distribution – Applications can run processes on different
platforms and communicate seamlessly
† How do applications know where other applications reside?
† How do applications know how and what can be
communicated?
† How do applications manage simultaneous
communications?
† How do applications manager errors?

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 16

Transmission Media

† Copper Wire and Coaxial Cable

† Glass Fibers
† Radio
† Microwave
† Infrared
† Laser

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 17

Copper Wire and Coaxial Cable

† Signals sent over a wire emit a small amount of energy

† Electromagnetic energy wave generates a small amount of
current that interferes with adjacent wires
† Crossed wires are less of a problem, but parallel wires are
a problem
† Simple twists change the electrical properties
† Limit electromagnetic energy
† Prevents radiation therefore less interference

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 18

Copper Wire and Coaxial Cable

† Barrier isolates the inner wire from incoming

electromagnetic energy
† Barrier isolates electromagnetic energy from radiating to
other wires

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 19

Glass Fibers
Fiber Optic Cable

† Miniature glass fiber is encased in a plastic jacket

† Not susceptible to electrical interference
† Can carry a pulse of light much farther than a copper wire can carry a
signal
† Can carry much more information than electrical signal
† Copper cable requires a pair of wires, light can travel over a single fiber

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 20

Radio Frequency

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Common Wireless Network (base station)

ISP

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Wireless Network (no base station)

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Satellite Communications

† Antenna determines the range

† Satellite provides communication at greater distances
† A Single satellite carries many receiver-transmitter pairs operating
independently
† Bandwidth and throughput can be limiting

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 24

 The Internet
Router

ISP

NAP

Backbone
POP

Corporate LAN

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 25

Other Communication Media

† Geosynchronous Satellites
„ Orbit is synchronized with earth’s rotation
„ Located approximately 35,785 Kilometers above the earth
† Microwave
„ Aimed in a specific direction
„ Can carry more information than lower frequency transmissions
„ Line of sight best
† Infrared
„ Short distances
„ Wireless without the antennas

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 26

 Summary

† At the end of this course students should understand the

function of the network layers found in common use today
† Layering provides a useful model to define and segregate
network services
† Many of the design issues in constructing efficient and
reliable networks are also useful for basic software design
issues
† Networks are constructed from many types of media which
must interact seamlessly throughout the world
† There are advantages and disadvantages to the various
physical network media, but these distinctions change
based on the needs of the user

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph. D. 27