Course Title: Data Communication and Net-Centric Computing

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Data Communication and Net-Centric Computing

Credit Points: 12

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
COSC1110	Bundoora Campus	Undergraduate	140H Comp Sci & Info Technology	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006
COSC1111	City Campus	Undergraduate	140H Comp Sci & Info Technology	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006, Sem 2 2006, Sem 1 2007, Sem 2 2007, Sem 1 2008, Sem 2 2008, Sem 1 2009
COSC2061	City Campus	Postgraduate	140H Comp Sci & Info Technology	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006, Sem 2 2006, Sem 1 2007, Sem 2 2007, Sem 1 2008, Sem 2 2008, Sem 1 2009
COSC2174	RMIT Intl University Vietnam	Undergraduate	140H Comp Sci & Info Technology	Face-to-Face	Viet1 2008, Viet2 2008, Viet3 2008, Viet1 2009, Viet2 2009

Course Coordinator: Dr. Ibrahim Khalil

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 2879

Course Coordinator Email:e57783@ems.rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 14.11.26

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Students should be familiar with general computer architecture, and understand the function and role of program communication via networks. These are typically taught in the following courses.
Undergraduate students:
Computer Organisation

Postgraduate students:
Co-requisite: Introduction to Programming

Course Description

This course will provide a broad introduction to the fundamentals of data communication and network technology. Having an emphasis is on higher aspects of data communication from the perspective of computer scientists and information technologists; the course will cover the underlying mechanisms and their characteristics that need to be considered by communicating application software.
Topics include: principles and reference models of data communication, basic operation of communication systems, protocols and error handling, applications in networked environments.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course helps to develop the following capabilities.
Enabling Knowledge: higher level aspects of data communications and network technology, details of the underlying mechanisms, principles, reference models, protocols, error handling, appropriate for the development of software applications in a networked environment.
Critical analysis: Ability to analyse communications systems that use the TCP/IP protocol suite and the abstract 7-layer OSI reference model.
Problem solving: Ability to apply knowledge of data communications concepts to solve problems involving data communications flow control and error control methods, and to apply mathematical/analytic skills to basic performance evaluation, utilization, throughput and delay.

On successful completion of this course, you should be able to:
- explain the basic concepts of data communication;
- design computer programs that are aware of basic aspects of networking;
- describe emerging networking technologies

Overview of Learning Activities

The learning activities included in this course are:

• key concepts will be explained in lectures, classes or online, where syllabus material will be presented and the subject matter will be illustrated with demonstrations and examples;
• tutorials and/or labs and/or group discussions (including online forums) focussed on projects and problem solving will provide practice in the application of theory and procedures, allow exploration of concepts with teaching staff and other students, and give feedback on your progress and understanding;
• assignments, as described in Overview of Assessment (below) and Assessment Tasks (part B course guide for this Teaching Period), requiring an integrated understanding of the subject matter; and
• private study, working through the course as presented in classes and learning materials, and gaining practice at solving conceptual and technical problems.

Overview of Learning Resources

You will make extensive use of computer laboratories and relevant software provided by the School. You will be able to access course information and learning materials through the Learning Hub (also known as online@RMIT) and may be provided with copies of additional materials in class or via email. Lists of relevant reference texts, resources in the library and freely accessible Internet sites will be provided.

Use the RMIT Bookshop’s textbook list search page to find any recommended textbook(s).

Overview of Assessment

See Assessment Tasks (part B course guide for this Teaching Period) for assessment details, including deadlines, weightings, and hurdle requirements. For standard assessment information relating to Computer Science and IT courses see: http://www.rmit.edu.au/csit/cgi