Mike Divine's Learning Journal

This is the final week of my computer networking class, and it's been a journey of learning and discovery. This week, we focused on some security implementation, learning about firewalls and intrusion detection systems. I learned about the fundamentals of firewalls, which act as a protective barrier between internal networks and the outside world. Firewalls help with filtering network traffic and preventing unauthorized access. We also learned about intrusion detection systems (IDS), which are designed to detect and respond to potential threats or attacks within a network.  At the link layer, we focused on wireless security, recognizing the importance of protecting wireless networks from unauthorized access. I learned about encryption methods, authentication mechanisms, and best practices for securing wireless networks. Lastly, we have been working on finishing our team project and it has been a great learning experience.  This class has been an enlightening experience learnin...

     Week 7 of my Networking class has been fun and challenging as I learned more about the link layer and took the Final Exam.  We started by focusing on understanding the principles behind link layer services. I learned that an important role of the link layer is providing reliable communication between adjacent nodes.  One of the key topics we covered was error detection and error correction. We explored different algorithms and techniques used to detect and correct errors that may occur during data transmission. From simple parity checks to more advanced cyclic redundancy checks (CRC), we gained insights into how these methods help ensure data integrity across the network.    I finished the week  by studying for and taking the Final Exam. It was a comprehensive assessment that tested our knowledge of the topics covered throughout the course. While it was challenging, I felt well-prepared thanks to the video lectures, practice final, and the ex...

     This week in my Networks class, I learned about the principles behind the network control plane, gaining a better understanding of how networks are managed and controlled. It was fascinating to learn about traditional routing algorithms and their practical applications in different network scenarios. I also learned about Software-Defined Networking (SDN).  Another thing I learned this week was the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and its role in network diagnostics and alerting.      My team and I  began coding the emulation of a network using the Mininet API. The project is challenging but fun and will facilitate our learning while we simulate a network with multiple networks, routers, and servers.      I also started studying for the Final this week as we are planning to take it this upcoming Saturday.  Overall, w eek 6 has been interesting as we have been learning more about networking principles and technologie...

          This week in Networking Class, I learned the difference between forwarding and routing. Understanding the difference between these two concepts clarified how network devices handle packet forwarding and make routing decisions based on destination addresses. I also learned about the inner workings of a router including the algorithms employed for packet processing and forwarding.            I learned about the structure and format of IPv4 addresses, as well as subnetting techniques. I also learned about IPv6 addresses and how we are running out of available IPv4 addresses. I was also introduced to Software-defined Networking (SDN) as well as Network Address Translation (NAT) using Mininet and Wireshark.          My team also finished  our multi-threaded client-server chat program. This project combined the concepts learned so far, including socket programming, multithreading, and netw...

    This week in  Networking class, I started by learning the principles of network security, focusing on protecting data and systems from unauthorized access. Encryption was the major method as I learned about symmetric key systems and public/private key systems.       I also learned about securing the transport layer using SSL/TLS protocols, which provide encryption, authentication, and integrity. I was able to set up a Certificate Authority (CA) in Mininet, learning how about issuing digital certificates. Our team started on a programming assignment to develop a client-server chat program, which will apply the concepts we've learned. Finally, I took the Midterm Exam, assessing my knowledge of the course material.      Overall, this week covered network security topics, from encryption and email security to SSL/TLS protocols. I enjoyed this week and look forward to next week.

    This week I learned about transport layer services, including multiplexing and demultiplexing for process-to-process delivery. I learned about the principles behind reliable data transfer, flow control, and congestion control. Two significant transport layer protocols, UDP and TCP, were thoroughly discussed.      Our group programming assignment focused on developing a UDP Ping application that provided experience and demonstrated its usefulness in computing packet statistics. Using the network emulation program Mininet, we simulated the effects of distance, bandwidth, and loss on TCP traffic.      Overall, Week 3 of Computer Networks provided valuable insights into transport layer services, reliable data transfer, and the implementation of UDP and TCP protocols. The programming assignment offered practical applications and reinforced my learning for this class.

          This week in Networking class, I learned about the basic principles of network applications. I learned about the basics of three client-server application protocols: HTTP, SMTP, and DNS.  I also looked into Peer-to-Peer applications and how they differ from client-server applications. This topic was interesting as it showed how the internet can be used for more than just client-server communications.          Our group  began working on the UDP Pinger program which looks like it will be fun to complete as a team. I also examined HTTP and DNS traffic using Wireshark. This exercise provided me with knowledge of how these applications work and how to analyze network traffic.           Overall, this week in Networking class was a valuable experience for me as I learned about the principles of network applications, protocols, and peer-to-peer applications.