Subject description
The course content is divided into three parts. In the first part, students learn the basic concepts of communication protocols and their role in the communication process. This includes the communication service, the protocol, the protocol entities, the protocol messages, the protocol stack and the protocol performance.
The second part deals with some protocol tasks and the mechanisms they use in their execution. The tasks considered include encoding and decoding a protocol message, ensuring reliable transmission, message fragmentation and reassembly, flow and congestion control, and protocol state management
In the third part, students learn about some commonly used protocols. These include DNS, DHCP and HTTP application protocols, TCP and UDP transport protocols, IP and ICMP network protocols, Ethernet and WLAN protocols for local networks and LTE mobile protocols.
The subject is taught in programs
Objectives and competences
The aim of the course is to introduce the principles and methods of transmitting messages through a telecommunication system. The student will learn the role of communication services, protocols, and protocol stacks.
Special emphasis is placed on the mechanisms used to ensure reliable message transmission. Some of the most important protocols are discussed in detail. The knowledge acquired will serve as a basis for selecting or designing a protocol suitable for solving the given communication problems.
Teaching and learning methods
The lectures provide a theoretical background illustrated with numerous examples. In laboratory, practical aspects of protocols are studied based on protocol specifications, protocol efficiency simulations, experimentation with some application-layer protocols of the TCP/IP stack, and protocol analysis with Wireshark software.
Expected study results
After successful completion of the course, students should be able to:
- explain general principles and concrete methods of message transmission through
- a communication system
- recognize the role of layers in protocol stacks and their specific tasks
- identify the characteristics of a protocol suitable for carrying out a particular communication task
- evaluate the traffic characteristics of the given protocol
Basic sources and literature
- Stallings, W., Data and Computer Communications, 10th Ed., Pearson, 2014
- Kurose, J., Ross, K., Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach, 8th Ed., Pearson, 2022
- Hercog, D., Communication Protocols: Principles, Methods and Specifications, 1st Ed., Springer, 2020
- Jakus, G., Tomažič, S., Long term evolution (LTE) of mobile radio communications. V: Furht, B (ur.). Encyclopedia of wireless and mobile communications. Boca Raton; New York: Taylor & Francis, cop. 2008.
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University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering Tržaška cesta 25, 1000 Ljubljana