Description

The objective pursued with this course is that students acquire mastery of the basic methods of analysis for predicting the performance of networks, services and telecommunication systems, in terms of the amount of traffic they carry, the physical structure of the system and the way it is interconnected, the capacity of its constituent network elements and the algorithms used in them.

Requirements

Subjects that it is recommended to have taken before:

• Mathematics: Probability and Statistics/V05G301V01107
• Data Communication/V05G301V01204
• Computer Networks/V05G301V01210

Instructors

López García, Cándido Antonio

Suárez González, Andrés

Contents

• Queuing Theory
  • One-server systems
  • Finite queue systems
  • Systems with congestion: Erlang and Engset models
  • Reversibility
  • Networks of queues with product solution
  • Applications:
    • Link capacity design
    • Buffer size design
    • Congestion in cellular networks
    • Systems with priorities
    • ARQ provision
    • Multiaccess networks
• Graph theory
  • Graph traversal and connectivity
  • Minimum cut and maximum flow
  • Tree coverage and expansion
  • Minimum cost trees
  • Graph coloring and applications
  • Random graphs: small-world and scale-free networks
  • Applications:
    • Network topology design
    • Web graph
    • Message broadcasting in wired and ad hoc networks
• Network Optimization
  • Utility maximization
  • NUM (Network Utility Maximization) decomposition problems
  • Applications

Learning Outcomes

• B5
  CG5: The knowledge to perform measurements, calculations, assessments, appraisals, technical evaluations, studies, reports, task scheduling, and similar work in telecommunication areas
• C28
  CE28/TEL2: The ability to apply techniques that are the basis of computer networks, services, and applications, including management, signaling and switching, routing, secure systems (cryptographic protocols, tunneling, firewalls, authentication, content protection), traffic engineering (graph theory, queuing theory, teletraffic), reliability, and quality of service in various network environments
• C31
  CE31/TEL5: The ability to follow technological progress in transmission, switching, and processing to improve computer networks and services

Planned Activities

• Lecturing
  Presentation of a structured theoretical approach to the subject, highlighting objectives, key concepts, and relationships between topics.
  Students are expected to acquire knowledge related to competences CG5, CE28/TEL2, and CE31/TEL5
• Practices through ICT
  Guided practical sessions where problems are studied using analytical techniques and software tools, helping students gain hands-on experience.
  Students are expected to develop competence CE28/TEL2
• Problem solving
  Detailed resolution of selected problems and exercises, focusing on both theoretical concepts and methodologies.
  Students are expected to strengthen competence CE28/TEL2
• Project-based learning
  Group work aimed at solving a real-world problem using theoretical concepts and software tools learned in practice.
  Students are expected to gain practical experience related to competence CE31/TEL5

Assessment Methods and Criteria

Evaluation methods, qualification and learning results:

• Project-based learning
  • Group work involving presentation and defense of a real-world problem solution using theoretical knowledge and software tools
  • Qualification: 20%
  • Learning results: C28, C31
• Essay questions exam
  • Test covering part of the subject content with conceptual, logical, analytical, or applied questions and problems
  • Duration: 1.5 hours
  • Qualification: 40%
  • Learning results: B5, C28, C31
• Problem and/or exercise solving
  • Test covering part of the subject content with conceptual, logical, analytical, or applied questions and problems
  • Duration: 1.5 hours
  • Qualification: 40%
  • Learning results: B5, C28, C31

Other comments on evaluation:

• Assessment methods
  • Two options:
    • Continuous assessment
    • Exam-only assessment

Continuous assessment:

• Includes:
  • Initial short test (15 minutes) during the first two weeks (basic knowledge, no score)
  • Group project
  • Two partial exams (each worth 40% of the total grade)
• Project evaluation
  • Based on:
    • Group report
    • Individual interviews
• Grade calculation
  • If both partial exams ≥ 2.5:
    • Final grade = 0.2 × project + 0.4 × partial_1 + 0.4 × partial_2
  • If not:
    • Final grade = minimum(4.9, calculated grade)
• Project and exam grades are only valid within the same academic year (including extraordinary call)

Exam-only assessment:

• Single final written exam covering all course content
• Final grade = exam score
• Includes questions on laboratory tools (evaluating CE28/TEL2 competence)
• Automatically applied if:
  • Project is not submitted, or
  • Final exam is taken

General rules:

• Students who attend both partial exams or the final exam will receive a final grade
• Students who fail in the ordinary call have an extraordinary exam at the end of the academic year
• Extraordinary exam follows the same format as the ordinary exam-only assessment