SIMULATION AND NETWORK PERFORMANCE

The course is aimed at introducing the main techniques of analysis and design for computer networks with the goal of assessing their performance. Specifically, the following aspects will be emphasised:
- understanding of the design principles for computer networks, their protocols and services;
- knowledge of the main formalismo for modelling computer and telecommunication system (with attention to the simulation models)

At the end of the course the student will be able to:
- program a simple simulator for the performance evaluation of a network protocol or a network architecture
- scientifically interpret the outcomes of a simulation experiment
- identify the “performance patterns” in a networking system
- design a wi-fi network given a certain required quality of service (as a soft requirement)

The course has the following pre-requisites:
- programming in a procedural or object orientated language
- knowledge of the basics tools of descriptive statistics (average, dispersion index)
- continuous and discrete random variables: moments, maximum likelihood estimators

- Performance patterns: bootlenecks, congestion collapse, hidden congestion collapse, side effects of competition
- Introduction to queueing systems: relations between workload intensity and response time
- Workload characterisation
- Generation of pseudo-random numbers: congruential generators
- Classification of the simulators
- Design of the discrete event simulator
- Handling the Future Event List efficiently: data structures
- Wireless transmissions
— Classification of the antennas
— Free Path loss model
— Simple Path loss model
— Other models
- Standard 802.11
- Principle of design for 802.11 networks

Notes from the teacher
Le Boudec: Performance Evaluation of Computer and Telecommunication Systems. CRC Press. 2011

The exam can be given in two ways:
- one written exam and an oral discussion
- two lab assignments and an oral discussion of the course topics

The written exam consists of open questions on the topics of the course and exercises. The exercises are aimed at verifying the student's skills on the application of theoretical models in problems. The open questions are aimed at verifying the theoretical knowledge of the student.
The lab projects verify the skills of the student on applying theoretical notions in practical situations.

Frontal Lessons and seminars

Italian

written and oral