Topics for Computer Networking
Comprehensive Exam
Modified: September 10, 2006
The purpose of this comprehensive exam is to discern your knowledge in the broad area of Networking and Distributed Computing. The topics covered will cover both Undergraduate and Graduate networking material.
Remember there are only two hours allotted for the test, and
a huge body of knowledge to cover; thus, the questions asked will tend to focus
on high level concepts rather than picky details. They will be designed to
determine the scope and depth of your understanding, not your ability to
memorize minutia. For example, a question would be more likely to read, җhat
information must be included in the header field when a packet is transmitted
across a packet-switched network? Why is each type of information
necessary?Ӎrather than ҄raw and label the format of an Ethernet packet.Ӧnbsp; As
another example, a question might ask you to compare and contrast the ISO OSI
Reference Model with TCP/IP in terms of philosophy and functionality.
Because students may have taken CECS 472, 474 and 572 from
different instructors, some choice of questions will be provided. For example,
students may be asked to select seven out of ten possible questions.
Possible Topics
|
Subject |
Examples (This is not an
exhaustive list) |
|
Physical Layer |
Types of media, encoding, propagation delay,
bandwidth, throughput, digital vs. analog |
|
General Concepts |
ISO Reference Model, TCP/IP Model, protocol
design, the client/server concept, Quality of Service (QoS)
Concerns |
|
Internetworking |
Repeaters/Bridges/Routers, gateways, routing
techniques, IPv4 vs. IPv6, ARP, DHCP, tunneling |
|
Data Link Layer |
Error detection/correction, data compression,
multiplexing, flow control |
|
Transport Issues |
Connection-oriented/connectionless,
end-to-end/link-to-link, handshaking |
|
End-to-End Issues |
UDP, TCP |
|
LANs and WANs |
Concepts: topology, media,
MAC protocols Protocols: Ethernet, Token
Ring and Bus, FDDI, ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode), wireless
networks |
|
Application Protocols |
DNS, HTTP, SMTP, MIME, IMAP (You should be
familiar with these protocols at a basic level.) |
|
Network Security |
Encryption/decryption, symmetric vs. asymmetric,
firewalls, application gateways |
Suggested References
1. A current computer networking textbook is essential. Recommended texts include:
o Computer Networking: A Top Down Approach Featuring the Internet (3rd Edition), by Jim Kurose and Keith Ross, Addison Wesley, (2004)
o
Computer Networks and Internets (3rd Edition), by Douglas E.
Comer, Prentice Hall (2004)
o Computer Networks: A Systems Approach (3rd Edition), by Larry L. Peterson and Bruce S. Davie, Morgan Kaufman (2003)
2. CECS 472, CECS 474, and CECS 572 course notes posted
on-line.