Objective
The objective of this course is to study broadband network architectures, focusing on the most recent developments in the evolution of communication and computer networks to the next generation and key enabling technologies. The first part of the course addresses the requirements, technology enablers and limitations in the design of broadband networks and the implementation of broadband applications and services. Wireline and optical broadband networks are analyzed in the second part of the course, with emphasis placed on transmission and baseband processing, multiple access and network architecture issues. In the third part, recent technological advances in the area of broadband wireless access are studied, including next generation WiFi and 5G communications. Finally, the most critical technology trends and system concept principles targeting ubiquitous broadband access in future networks are discussed, namely, Densification, Extreme Resource Sharing and Cloudification.
Course Contents
- Broadband access requirements, technological advances and applications
- Fundamental broadband transmission principles: capacity, spectral efficiency, connectivity, reliability, quality of experience
- Efficient spectrum utilization techniques for broadband access: modulation, coding, multiplexing, spatial/MIMO processing, spread spectrum, cooperative techniques, coordination and interference management
- Digital Subscriber Line: baseband processing, physical layer procedures architecture, advanced features for ADSL2, VDSL, multiuser DSL
- Next generation Ethernet: baseband processing, physical layer and MAC protocols. xGigabit Ethernet architectures, crosstalk, Ethernet in the first mile
- Optical fibre and optical transmission: transmission, attenuation, optical signal amplification, Wavelength Division Multiplexing
- Optical networks design and architecture: optical network components, Optical Transport Network Hierarchy, WDM optical networks design
- Broadband Wireless Local Access and the next generation WiFi: OFDM technologies, multiuser MIMO, random and scheduled access
- Ubiquitous broadband access in Future Networks with 4G and 5G Communications: cooperation, coordination, massive MIMO, millimeter wave, user-centric, cell-less architectures
- Recent technological advances in Broadband communications: Ultra Dense Networks, Universal Resources Management and Cloudification
- Behrouz A. Forouzan, “Data Communications and Networking”, Fourth edition, McGraw-Hill (2007)
- W Stallings, “Wireless Communications and Networks”, Prentice Hall (2004)
- D. Tse, P. Viswanath, “Fundamentals of Wireless Communication”, Cambridge University Press (2005)
- Bernhard H. Walke, Stefan Mangold, Lars Berlemann, “IEEE 802 Wireless Systems: Protocols, Multi-Hop Mesh/Relaying, Performance and Spectrum Coexistence”, Wiley (2006)
- Rajiv Sivarajan, Kumar N. Ramaswami, “Optical Networks: A Practical Perspective (Morgan Kaufmann Series in Networking)”, Morgan Kaufmann, 2nd edition (2001)