COS-561 provides a research survey of network architecture, with emphasis on the underlying network infrastructure, including routing, forwarding, naming, and addressing. The course covers both classic papers about the Internet architecture and recent papers proposing novel alternatives for the future. The course focuses on how to pair a creative research idea (e.g., for a new protocol or mechanism) with a meaningful performance evaluation (via simulation, measurement, emulation, or real-world deployment).
Students will be required to read and discuss related research literature, complete several homework assignments introducing the software tools and measurement data frequently used in experimental networking research, and conduct an open-ended research or development project. (Students merely auditing the class are excused from the project and homework assignments.) Open to both graduate students and advanced undergraduate students.
Prerequisite: COS 461 or equivalent, or permission of the instructors. For an overview of the material in COS 461, see the slides from the spring 2007 offering of the course. The first few weeks of COS 561 will provide a broad overview of the material from COS 461 most related to the underlying network infrastructure (e.g., routing, forwarding, naming, and addressing).