ID:
SCV0325
Duration (hours):
76
CFU:
9
SSD:
SISTEMI DI ELABORAZIONE DELLE INFORMAZIONI
Located in:
Como - Università degli Studi dell'Insubria
Year:
2025
Overview
Date/time interval
Primo Semestre (22/09/2025 - 19/12/2025)
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The module aims to provide the necessary knowledge and skills to project and verify the functionality of a telecommunication network. In the course, the topics are selected on the basis of two criteria: a topic that represents a fundamental knowledge at the basis of each telecommunication network and/or a topic characterized by many real applications. The goals are to:
1. provide an in-depth knowledge of the telecommunications network, developing the ability to identify a problem and solve it with a professional approach.
2. include the acquisition of transversal skills, such as language skills, written communication skills, and judgment autonomy. In fact, the module will try to motivate the student's critical attitude in evaluating the possible solutions.
3. be able to make, on the basis of the acquired knowledge, a judgment on the eligibility of the obtained results, motivating them by means of a systematic and scientific approach. The student will also acquire the ability to understand, develop and identify the network architecture and the communication protocols that are the most suitable to meet the requirements.
4. know the international technical language, adopted by the industry, make the student part of the open and debated issues within the scientific community as well as possible future developments.
1. provide an in-depth knowledge of the telecommunications network, developing the ability to identify a problem and solve it with a professional approach.
2. include the acquisition of transversal skills, such as language skills, written communication skills, and judgment autonomy. In fact, the module will try to motivate the student's critical attitude in evaluating the possible solutions.
3. be able to make, on the basis of the acquired knowledge, a judgment on the eligibility of the obtained results, motivating them by means of a systematic and scientific approach. The student will also acquire the ability to understand, develop and identify the network architecture and the communication protocols that are the most suitable to meet the requirements.
4. know the international technical language, adopted by the industry, make the student part of the open and debated issues within the scientific community as well as possible future developments.
Course Prerequisites
There are no pre-conditions to overcome the exam of Networking, in fact, no specific IT/mathematical knowledge is required other than those provided by any high school.
Teaching Methods
Frontal lectures delivered by the professor for a total of 64 hours, using electronic slides made available on the e-learning platform, along with 12 hours of practical exercises. The topics covered in the lectures are also addressed in the exercises, which require the active participation of students. Specifically, during the exercises, students apply the analytical concepts acquired during the lectures under the supervision of the professor. The topics addressed include data transmission, Layer 2 protocols, IP addressing, IP routing (interior and exterior), transport and application protocols, and their performance. The course also includes network design and implementation through virtualization/simulation software, with the use of protocol analyzers.
Assessment Methods
The exam is aimed at assessing the acquisition and correct understanding of the topics presented during the lectures and included in the professor’s slides, as well as the ability to perform critical analysis and exercise independent judgment on the main topics of the course, along with design skills. The exam consists of a written test lasting 2 hours, composed of 7–8 questions: two exercises of varying complexity and 5–6 open-ended questions (the number of questions may vary depending on their complexity). The questions cover the theory discussed in class, one exercise on network design, and another on data transmission, protocol performance, and network systems.
The final grade is given on a scale of 30 and is determined based on the following criteria: the number of correct answers, evaluated based on the ability to synthesize acquired knowledge, demonstrating the capacity to independently identify theoretical elements needed to solve a given problem and to develop a solution strategy. The final grade will also assess the communication skills shown in presenting the answers and the ability to adequately justify statements, analyses, and judgments. Each exercise and question is assigned a value in thirtieths, which is communicated to the student. The exam is considered passed with a minimum score of 18/30.
The final grade is given on a scale of 30 and is determined based on the following criteria: the number of correct answers, evaluated based on the ability to synthesize acquired knowledge, demonstrating the capacity to independently identify theoretical elements needed to solve a given problem and to develop a solution strategy. The final grade will also assess the communication skills shown in presenting the answers and the ability to adequately justify statements, analyses, and judgments. Each exercise and question is assigned a value in thirtieths, which is communicated to the student. The exam is considered passed with a minimum score of 18/30.
Contents
The acquisition of the expected knowledge and skills will develop in parallel throughout the course, addressing the following topics:
General introduction to telecommunication networks (3h)
ISO/OSI layered model for network protocols (3h)
TCP/IP stack (3h)
Data link layer; LAN network architecture and IEEE 802 standards; Spanning Tree protocol; main Layer 2 devices and their operation (bridge, router, switch); data center architectures (7h)
Wireless networks; principles of antennas and propagation; IEEE 802.11 standards; CSMA/CA; wireless network security (WEP/WPA and IEEE 802.11i); Bluetooth IEEE 802.15 (4h)
Cellular mobile radio networks; 4G/5G; OFDM; mobility and tunneling mechanisms (GTP); roaming; security (5h)
Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN): characteristics and design requirements; application scenarios; overview of routing protocols; application layer (queries) (2h)
Network layer and virtual circuit and datagram services; IP protocol and addressing, FLSM and VLSM; ICMP; DHCP; ARP; PAT/NAT; SNMP and network management (11h)
Router architecture; routing and routing protocols; Interior Gateway Protocols (IGP), Distance Vector (RIP), and Link State (OSPF); Exterior Gateway Protocols (EGP), Autonomous Systems, BGP; broadcast and multicast (9h)
Transport layer and TCP/UDP protocols; congestion and flow control with window mechanisms (5h)
Application layer and protocols: HTTP, SMTP/POP3-IMAP, FTP, DNS; multimedia applications and protocols (7h)
Network security: principles and protocols for encryption, authentication, and integrity; VPN and IPsec; perimeter security, DMZ, ACL, firewalls, and IDS; evolution of network security (6h)
Practical exercises on course topics (12h)
General introduction to telecommunication networks (3h)
ISO/OSI layered model for network protocols (3h)
TCP/IP stack (3h)
Data link layer; LAN network architecture and IEEE 802 standards; Spanning Tree protocol; main Layer 2 devices and their operation (bridge, router, switch); data center architectures (7h)
Wireless networks; principles of antennas and propagation; IEEE 802.11 standards; CSMA/CA; wireless network security (WEP/WPA and IEEE 802.11i); Bluetooth IEEE 802.15 (4h)
Cellular mobile radio networks; 4G/5G; OFDM; mobility and tunneling mechanisms (GTP); roaming; security (5h)
Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN): characteristics and design requirements; application scenarios; overview of routing protocols; application layer (queries) (2h)
Network layer and virtual circuit and datagram services; IP protocol and addressing, FLSM and VLSM; ICMP; DHCP; ARP; PAT/NAT; SNMP and network management (11h)
Router architecture; routing and routing protocols; Interior Gateway Protocols (IGP), Distance Vector (RIP), and Link State (OSPF); Exterior Gateway Protocols (EGP), Autonomous Systems, BGP; broadcast and multicast (9h)
Transport layer and TCP/UDP protocols; congestion and flow control with window mechanisms (5h)
Application layer and protocols: HTTP, SMTP/POP3-IMAP, FTP, DNS; multimedia applications and protocols (7h)
Network security: principles and protocols for encryption, authentication, and integrity; VPN and IPsec; perimeter security, DMZ, ACL, firewalls, and IDS; evolution of network security (6h)
Practical exercises on course topics (12h)
Course Language
Italian
More information
Office Hours
Students can meet with the professor before and after lectures, receive tutoring via email, or schedule an appointment for office hours at the department by contacting: giuseppe.zanolini@uninsubria.it
Recommended Textbooks
J. F. Kurose, K. W. Ross, Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach, Pearson, Addison-Wesley
A. S. Tanenbaum, D. J. Wetherall, Computer Networks, Pearson
Students can meet with the professor before and after lectures, receive tutoring via email, or schedule an appointment for office hours at the department by contacting: giuseppe.zanolini@uninsubria.it
Recommended Textbooks
J. F. Kurose, K. W. Ross, Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach, Pearson, Addison-Wesley
A. S. Tanenbaum, D. J. Wetherall, Computer Networks, Pearson
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COMPUTER SCIENCE
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3 years
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