Module COMP53915: Advanced Network Design and Analysis

Department: Computer Science

COMP53915: Advanced Network Design and Analysis

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To introduce the theoretical and practical tools needed to analyse social and technological networks.
• To design structured networks to provide the communications fabric of distributed-memory multi-processors, networks-on-chips and data centre networks.

Content

• Core aspects of interconnection networks: topology; routing; switching; flow control; packets; technology.
• Graph theory: degree; cuts; bisections; paths; diameter; embeddings; automorphisms; symmetry.
• Topologies: hypercubes; tori; k-ary n-cubes; cube-connected cycles.
• Performance: traffic patterns; throughput; latency; path diversity; packaging; routing algorithms.
• Modelling networks to make comparisons and predictions: random graphs; Milgram's small world experiment; Watts-Strogatz model; Kleinberg model.
• Centrality measures: finding influential nodes in networks; using centrality measures to understand the community structure of networks.
• Epidemics: how contagions spread in networks; models of diffusion; SIR model; epidemic threshold; SIS model.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this module, students should be able to demonstrate:
• an in-depth knowledge of the state-of-the-art in interconnection networks and network science.
• an awareness of the main open problems of current interest.
• an understanding of research issues that relate to these problems, including recent developments and research trends and breaking technologies.

• By the end of this module, students should be able to demonstrate:
• an ability to conduct significant self-study and critically evaluate research issues in interconnection networks and networks science.
• an ability to reason with and apply theoretical methods.
• an ability to propose adaptations to computing methodologies to problems of current interest.

• By the end of this module, students should be able to demonstrate:
• an ability to read and understand technical papers.
• an ability to propose original solutions to problems of current interest.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lectures enable the students to learn new material and engage in discussion.
• Computer classes enable students to apply their learning to practical examples.
• The summative assessment and formative exercises encourage students to focus their ability to independently analyse and solve problems.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Via computer classes.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University