15-441 is an introductory course in computer networks. The emphasis
will be on the basic performance and engineering tradeoffs in the
design and implementation of computer networks. To make the issues
more concrete, the class includes several multi-week projects
requiring significant design and implementation.
The goal is for students to learn not only what computer networks are
and how they work today, but also why they are designed the way they
are and how they are likely to evolve in the future. We will draw
examples primarily from the Internet. Topics to be covered include:
congestion/flow/error control, routing, addressing, naming,
multi-casting, switching, internetworking, and network
security. Evaluation is based on homework assignments, the projects,
and two mid-term exams.
Because this course has a big project component, you must be
proficient in C programming on UNIX systems. It is required that you
have taken 15-213 and gotten a "C-" or higher since many of
the programming skills you will need are taught in that course.
Students are encouraged to talk to each other, to the TAs, to the
instructors, or to anyone else about any of the assignments. Any
assistance, though, must be limited to discussion of the problem and
sketching general approaches to a solution. Each student must write
out his or her own solutions to the homework. The project handouts
have more detailed information about collaboration when working on the
projects, but, basically, each programming project group must write
their own code and documentation for the programming projects done as
a group.
Consulting another student's or group's solution is prohibited, and
submitted solutions may not be copied from any source. These and any
other form of collaboration on assignments constitute cheating. If you
have any question about whether some activity would constitute
cheating, please feel free to ask the instructors.
You may not supply work that you complete during 15-441 to other
students in future instances of this course or for use in future
instances of this course (just as you may not use work completed by
students who've taken the course previously).
Late Policy
Take project and homework deadlines seriously. Our experience is that
students often seriously underestimate the effort involved in programming
assignments and projects. If we give you 4 weeks to complete an assignment,
there is typically a reason. In the interest of fairness, we have adopted
the following late policy:
Each student is given a total of 2 "free points" to use during the
semester.
One free point can be used to extend the deadline of any homework
assignment by a single day with no penalty.
Two free points are needed to extend the deadline of Projects I or
II by a single day with no penalty (you and your partner might each
contribute a point).
In the absence of free points, the deadline for any assignment
can be extended with a 15% penalty per day.
No deadline can be extended by more than two days, regardless
of how many free points you have saved up. Assignments will NOT
be accepted 48 hours after the due date.
If you are ill: If you have a medical note, you may turn
in your assignments late without using free points. Please contact
the instructors to arrange a reasonable replacement turn-in time.
You must notify us before the due-date.
Without a medical note, you must use your free points as you would
with any other reason for being late.
Re-Grading
If you think we made a mistake in grading, please return the
assignment with a note explaining your concern to the course secretary
no later than two weeks after the day the assignment was returned. We
will have the question re-graded by the person responsible for grading
that question.
Partner Problems
Please try to avoid having partner problems. Seriously! Share your hopes
before they turn into concerns, your concerns before they have problems, and
your problems before they inflate into crises.
Also, in order for the course staff to help you and your partner
work through issues, or for us to provide an appropriate response to
serious partner problems, you must contact us well before
the relevant due date! While some problems can never be truly solved,
it is likely that your career after CMU will you to sometimes "involve
management" to address issues with co-workers, and will certainly
require you to work out all sorts of problems with your co-workers. If
you find yourself in a situation which you can't resolve, it will provide
you with an opportunity to practice interacting with management.
A special case to avoid is coming to us a day or two before a major
deadline to tell us that your partner has been ill (etc.) for multiple
weeks. We, and thus you, have many more options if you inform us
while a problem is developing, instead of after the fact.
Resources
Class newsgroup: academic.cs.15-441
If you have a question about a project handout or a technical
issue, there is an excellent chance that other students have
the same question. Please read the newsgroup to see if there
has been traffic, and consider posting your questions there.
Staff mailing list:staff-441 at cs dot cmu dot edu
If you have a question you believe is particular to your circumstances
and should not be posted in a public forum (e.g., one that involves
posting the solution to homework problems), send mail to the staff list,
which reaches the instructors and TAs. Questions of general interest
sent to the staff list will probably be replied to via the newsgroup.
If your question involves a confidential personal or academic-conduct
issue, you should probably contact one of the instructors in person
or send mail to both.
Suggested study problems - if you'd like
a bit more structure to help guide your studying, we list some problems from
the book that you might find helpful.
Last updated: Thu Dec 22 15:16:27 -0500 2011
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