Team Project IDEAS for Communication Networks: CS 3000

1. Pick a country somewhere in the world, and discuss how many Internet users it has per 100 people, and how its amount of Internet connectivity affects its relationship to the rest of the world. There are lists here and here that give statistics for many countries. (Incidentally, you might want to check and see how close the USA is to number one.)
   
   
2. How do governments and employers control what people can access on the Internet? What should be done?
   
   
3. What is the latest information about FBI, CIA, and NSA "spyware" - some known previously and variously as Thin Thread, Trailblazer, Turbulence, Stellar Wind, Carnivore, NarusInsight, and DCS?
   
   
4. What is the latest information on the Protect America Act of 2007 and the FISA Amendments Act of 2008?
   
   
5. Create an interface to some RFC's -- organize a set of readings for people who wish to learn "all about" some Internet topic(s) by reading RFC's. This can be thought of as a guide to the underlying topic(s). Set things up to help people to read the material in an optimal manner. Exploit the potential of hypertext. Beforehand, do your best to discover websites that do the same kind of thing you are trying to do. Try to make your site unique in a useful way.
   
   
6. Present an overview of the best current software tools for analyzing network performance. Start with RFC 2151.
   
   
7. Explicate in detail several different forms of network transmission technology. For example, how do the leased telephone lines "work?" Also, give details about satellite communications. Explain the technology of a communications satellite.
   
   
8. What's new in the development of ideas on using low earth orbit communication satellite arrays?
   
   
9. Report on research into the use of "aerial base stations" for wireless networking.
   
   
10. Report on interesting information having to do with one or more IEEE 802.x standards for local and metropolitan area networks.
    
    
11. Report on the possibility of using the power grid for broadband networking.
    
    
12. Give design details on the hardware used for laser, infrared, radio, and/or microwave transmission.
    
    
13. Do a report on WDM (wave division multiplexing) and its applications.
    
    
14. Describe the design of the different kinds of "boxes" to be found at the "ends" of network links. Include explanations of how the boxes do modulation/demodulation and multiplex/demultiplex.
    
    
15. Report on error correction and detection coding in networking applications. Investigate the range of techniques in use or under investigation today. Compare and contrast. Discuss advantages and disadvantages.
    
    
16. Report on cyclic redundancy checks (CRC's). Provide insights into the mathematical properties. Why are they better for certain kinds of error detection? Develop any other interesting themes. (For a project like this, I think one of the team members needs to have taken a course in number theory or abstract algebra.)
    
    
17. Find out all about the structure and composition of the LAN here at CSU Stanislaus. Present a description in as much detail as possible. Include maps and charts. (This may no longer be possible, because of the policies of our Office of Information Technology. If you are interested, you can ask around to find out what kind of information they are willing to share.)
    
    
18. Give a presentation explaining the distributed spanning tree algorithm that ethernet bridges execute to prevent frame forwarding cycles.
    
    
19. Report on ADSL technology for the local loop.
    
    
20. Find out all about cable modem technology and how it is working out for users, especially in areas where it is used heavily.
    
    
21. Get data showing the structure of the Internet worldwide and patterns of usage. Come up with analyses of the Internet -- insights.
    
    
22. Tell all about how ATM works, or some other major networking paradigm.
    
    
23. Give a report on the latest information about cloud computing and/or related paradigms.
    
    
24. Tell all about the principles and tradeoffs involved in designing a WAN.
    
    
25. Dig up lots of information on how dynamic routing works. Explore the relationship between levels of service and routing schemes. Also, how multicasting and routing relate.
    
    
26. Report on issues surrounding Net Neutrality
    
    
27. Present alternatives for creating a secure data network connected to the Internet. What degree of security is feasible? What measures are recommended? Include discussion of virtual private networks (VPN's).
    
    
28. Describe several layered network architectures. Compare and contrast.
    
    
29. Describe all about how to set up a subnet using SLIP or PPP. How does one use ARP and routing? What are the rules for assigning a family of addresses and a netmask?
    
    
30. Describe all about how to set up an internet using ham radios as routers and packet switches. How does one make that work?
    
    
31. Describe the routing protocols now in use on the Internet, and how the routers interoperate.
    
    
32. Tell about current research in Internet routing.
    
    
33. Tell all about the current deployment of IP multicasting technology.
    
    
34. Tell all about schemes for supporting real-time streaming audio and video on the Internet.
    
    
35. Tell about Internet protocol research and development. (new protocols)
    
    
36. Explain all about how packet sniffing works and how the information can be used. (Warning: you absolutely may not do packet sniffing anywhere on campus - it's a very serious breach of policy.)
    
    
37. Create a web-based application, preferably one of use to the CS Department. (program planning tool?)
    
    
38. Set up a secondary name server.
    
    
39. Tell about how to set up POP and IMAP clients and servers.