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CS 488�Computer Networks and the Internet

Updated 01/01/2021

Logistics and Admin

(a.k.a. The boring slides)

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Hello!

  • Welcome to CS488!
    • Are you in the right classroom (or you should be at Pleasantville)?
    • Okay, good.
  • Who am I?
    • Professor Jun Yuan
    • http://csis.pace.edu/~jyuan2
    • jyuan2@pace.edu
    • Office: 163 William 215
    • Office Hours:

Tuesday: 8:00-9:00am & 10:00-11:00am

Wednesday: 8:00-9:00am Thursday: 8:00-10:00am

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Why Take This Course?

  • How many of you have checked your email, FB, texts…
    • Today?
    • In the past hour?
    • Since I started talking?
    • Your hand is still down because you’re online at this very moment

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Networks and Distributed Systems are Ubiquitous

  • Touch every part of our daily life
    • Web search
    • Social networking
    • Watching movies
    • Ordering merchandise
    • Banking
    • Dating
    • Driving directions
    • Requesting a ride or food
    • …

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Why Take This Course?

  • Networking is one of the most critical topics in CS
    • There would be no…
      • Web
      • Streaming media
      • Big Data
      • Cloud
      • Apps or mobile computing
    • … without networks

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Goals

  • Fundamental understanding about computer networks
    • All the way from bits on a wire…
    • … across the Internet…
    • … to a complex, distributed application
  • Focus on software and protocols
    • Not hardware
    • Minimal theory
    • Not software engineering
  • Focus on hands on experience
    • Real labs and projects, protocols, etc.

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Online Resources

  • Everything except class forum is on Blackboard
  • Class forum is on Piazza
    • Link is on the course webpage
    • Piazza supports anonymous questions
    • Sign up today!
    • Install their iPhone/Android app
  • When in doubt, post to Piazza
    • Piazza is preferable to email
    • Use #hashtags (#homework1, #lecture2, #project3, etc.)

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Teaching Style

  • I am a researcher
    • Things make sense to me that may not make sense to you
    • I have an accent and I could talk fast if nobody stops me
    • The more quiet you are, the faster I talk.
  • Solution: stops me by asking questions!
    • Seriously, ask questions
    • Standing up here in silence is very awkward
    • I do not mind the awkward -- I will stand here until you answer my questions
  • Help me learn your names
    • Say your name before your first question

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Textbook

  • Computer Networking A Top-Down Approach, 6th edition
  • Use 7th edition at your own risk

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Workload

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Quizzes 20%

Assignments(projects, labs, etc) 50%

Final 30%

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Assignments

  • This is a high-level course with a focus on real-world problems.
    • Designed to give you real networking experience
    • Some projects are broken down into labs
    • In a lab, you could be asked to
      • use Wiresharks and other sniffing tools
      • answer analytical questions about experiments
      • write small programs to verify theory.
    • For all coding assignments, working code is paramount
    • Due at 11:59:59pm on specified date
    • Use Gradescope to submit your Assignments.

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Project Logistics

  • Languages
    • You may choose the language for the projects.
      • Java, C and Python are common options.
      • Code must compile
      • You will be given a virtual instance to develop and test your code, which is the standard canonicalized environment used by autograder to grade your code.
  • Project questions?
    • Post them on Slack!

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Project Groups

  • Except the warm-up project, projects will be completed in groups of up to 3 students
    • Only one submission is required
    • All members receive the same grade
    • I actually check your github commit history to see who did what
      • Everyone should contribute. Free riders incur penalties to entire team!
  • Partner selection
    • Pick whoever you want
    • You may switch partners between projects
    • Do not complain to me about your lazy partner
  • Can’t find a partner? Post a message on Slack!

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Late Policy

  • Each student is given 3 slip days that they can use at any time to extend a homework or project deadline without penalty.
    • You don’t need to ask me, just turn-in stuff late
    • All group members must have unused slip days
      • i.e. if one member has zero slip days left and the other has 3 slip days, the whole group has (0+3)/2=1.5 days, 36 hours.
  • Assignments are due at 11:59:59, no exceptions
    • 1 second late = 1 hour late = 1 day late
    • 20% off per day late

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Exams

  • No Midterm.
    • We will have weekly low-stakes quizzes
    • Due every Sunday (quiz 1 is out)
    • I drop 2 lowest grades. No makeup under any circumstance

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  • Final exams is on BrightSpace (for Responduse Lockdown Browser):
    • Close everything: closed book, close internet and close compilers.
      • You will have to take the exams using Respondus lockdown browser + camera.
    • No electronic devices.
      • If I see a smartphone, I will take it and sell it on Ebay
    • You are allowed to bring an 8.5x11, double-sided cheat sheet, type or handwritten.

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Attendance

  • This is a high-level college course
    • Attendance is not mandatory but strongly recommended.
      • I don’t care if you skip lecture, no penalty.
      • I give students who makes good effort some bonuses.

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Cheating

  • Do not do it
    • Seriously, don’t make me say it again
  • Cheating is an automatic zero/automatic F
    • Must be referred to the university for discipline and possible expulsion
  • Project code must be original
    • You and your partner only
      • Unless we give you starter code, obviously
    • If you have questions about an online resource, ask us
    • Copying answers from friends or former students is forbidden

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Check home page of the course on github

https://github.com/jyuan2pace/CS488S21

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Questions?

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