Computer Networking & Distributed Applications (with project)

Practically every time we interact with a computer program — on our computer, tablet, smartphones, SmartTVs or our refrigerators … or, for some reason on our also connected toaster oven — we’re in reality interacting with a distributed application.

The device we hold in our hands for sending an email (or, into which we slide our sliced toast … ) will, at the very least, communicate with a server, somewhere out there in “the cloud” — and, most often, comunicate with a whole host of servers, and computers … and does so through what we call “The Internet”.

A corollary to this is that every relevant modern application is a distributed aplication, which uses the Internet and the cloud — and, in a nutshell, the purpose of this MODAL is to teach you how to competently develop those.

That implies, of course, discovering how the net works (pun intended), what a protocol is, what a system is, and what the different acronyms that you might encounter really means: TCP/IP, SMTP, NAT, NATP, etc. It also implies writing programs which communicate over the Internet — who knows, maybe you will be getting the impulse to starting the next Google or FaceBook during this course?

This course will consist of a set of activities, organised through "learning flows". These activities are:

• Video Capsules, which introduce key technological concepts for conceiving network systems.
• Quizzes, which will help you verify if you have learned the key technological concepts and -- if not -- will help you identify which you will need to study further.
• Tutorials, which will take you "from neophyte" to a competent networker, and which will teach you how to write communicating programs, and have them talk to each other across the Internet.
• A Project, which will allow you to, more autonomously, apply the competencies that you have learned.

Course Evaluation & Grading:

• Up for grabs: 100 points

• Quizzes & Tutorials: 30 points

• Project: 70 points

• Letter-grades:

• > 50 points ➔ C

• A, B, C distributed in accordance with the “note de cadrage” from the DE

• Any instance of plagiarism will be met with an F.

• The grade F, will be used for all scores ≤50%

• Nummerical grades:

• Highest point score (assuming >80) ➔ 20/20

• >50 points: ➔ ≥ 10/20

• Other point-scores mapped to [0;20] distributed to be in accordance with the “note de cadrage” from the DE

Remedial Exam:

• A complement to the project + report + an oral exam

Language:

• All course materials are in English
• All instructors speak English and French (and often also Danish and Spanish)

Prerequisites:

• Basic familiarity with computer programming, in any language (python, PHP, Java, C, ...)

See the English version of the general description.

See the English version of the general description.

Video capsules, Asynchronous Learning Flows, Flipped Classrooms