Animation of computer networking concepts

ABSTRACT

A number of the key concepts in the design of computer networks lend themselves to illustration through animation. Animation can make the main features of these concepts accessible to the beginning undergraduate student as well as to more advanced students. We have identified six of these networking concepts: packet encapsulation; packet fragmentation; error control; media access in Ethernet local-area networks; domain name resolution; and the hypertext transfer protocol. We developed Java applets and accompanying materials to illustrate four of these concepts. The applets serve two roles: one role as a visual representation of different scenarios with respect to the concept in question; the second role as a vehicle for experimentation. We discuss the applets, the sequence of points each applet is designed to convey, and how the user can conduct experiments to further understand the networking concept. For the other two concepts, we show how the student can use free, easily available software to observe how the concept is implemented in the Internet.

REFERENCES

• 1: Lillian N. Cassel , Richard H. Austing, Computer Networks and Open Systems: An Application Development Perspective, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc., 2000
• 2: Elliotte Rusty Harold, Java network programming, O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., Sebastopol, CA, 1997
• 3: Holliday, M. A. 1997. An Ethernet Java applet for a course for non-majors. Mathematics and Computer Education 31, 2 (1997), 158--166.
• 4: Holliday, M. A. 2003. A Java applet for illustrating Internet error control. Submitted for publication.
• 5: James F. Kurose , Keith Ross, Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach Featuring the Internet, Addison-Wesley Longman Publishing Co., Inc., Boston, MA, 2002
• 6: Chris McDonald, A network specification language and execution environment for undergraduate teaching, Proceedings of the twenty-second SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education, p.25-34, March 07-08, 1991, San Antonio, Texas, United States
• 7: Eyal Shifroni , David Ginat, Simulation game for teaching communications protocols, Proceedings of the twenty-eighth SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education, p.184-188, February 27-March 01, 1997, San Jose, California, United States

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.2 Computer and Information Science Education
          Subjects: Computer science education

Additional Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.2 COMPUTER-COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
      C.2.5 Local and Wide-Area Networks
          Subjects: Ethernet (e.g., CSMA/CD); Internet (e.g., TCP/IP)

General Terms:
Design, Performance, Reliability

Keywords:
CSMA/CD, Java applets, Protocol stack, Selective Repeat, encapsulation, error control, fragmentation, hypertext transfer protocol., media access, name resolution