engleski

An approach for teacing and understanding computer networks using realistic emulation tool

When teaching our students (undergraduates, STEM - electrical engineering), one of the fields that cannot be “skipped” in last decade or even longer is computer networking. Convergence of different network technologies and protocols to common global TCP/IP-based networks is something that urges future engineers to embrace at least basic knowledge of the functional principles of those networks. When it comes to computer networking, one should try to understand the principles in order to be able to make decisions and apply the right approach when working on any network- related project. It is expected that an engineer or a technician educated in STEM area has some deeper knowledge of it. Why? Because, like the Internet, most of all computer networks are based on the same protocols, the TCP/IP suite. This article is about showing an approach that, hopefully, simplifies teaching and increases level of understanding of how the network protocols work. In addition to standard lectures, we introduce computer lab examples based on open-source and free emulation tool called IMUNES. Standard methods of real-life network analysis and tests in computer labs – using computers with standard operating systems, connected to a local area network, usually Ethernet based - are also a valid approach, but when learning and especially trying to understand the functional principles, such standard methods may include too much overhead and bring students out of focus. It is mostly because modern operating systems continuously send some control data to the network, but also because students should collaborate or centralise their work in lab exercises. We believe that the approach introduced in this article allows students to overcome these limitations and get a better understanding faster. Of course, after validating and verifying their lecture-based knowledge in that kind of labs, they can easily check it in standard environments too. The objective of this paper is to show that students can get an in-depth understanding of how basic tools like ping and traceroute and related protocols work, using a simple and user-oriented emulation tool and standard network analyzer such as Wireshark. Due to the nature and architecture of proposed emulator tool, it will be shown that both the procedure and results are comparable to realworld (non- emulated) network environments, as expected.

IMUNES ; emulation ; computer lab ; exercise ; ping ; traceroute

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