The ONL Tutorial

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Introduction

This section contains exercises on ONL topics. But more than that, it attempts to reinforce fundamental principles found in standard computer networking textbooks such as Kurose&Ross and Peterson&Davies through the use of real hardware and software. The exercises are grouped into six sections:

• Basic Routing, Traffic Generation and Monitoring
• Basic Queueing
• Advanced Routing and Monitoring
• Advanced Queueing
• Writing and Debugging Router Plugins
• Miscellaneous

The exercises are geared toward an undergraduate networking course. New concepts are gradually introduced within each section. The new concepts are listed at the beginning of each exercise and are labeled with New Concepts. Graduate students will likely be able to handle a larger number of new concepts at once. In those cases, new exercises can be designed by coupling several of our smaller exercises or the student can be given more involved exercises as a starting point.

You will be performing experiments with real hardware and software. The point of an experiment should be more than just getting done. Experiments help in discovering facts, relationships ... and in some cases, new insights. An exercise is only a starting point. You should feel free to explore alternative variations. But real hardware and software also have limits that sometimes produce unexpected results.

Some initial thoughts on a suggested sequence of exercises that parallel the Kurose&Ross textbook can be found here . We are also planning to provide a similar page for the Peterson&Davies textbook. Also, instructors should look at A Successful Experience which contains hints on how to make your ONL experience a successful one. Instructors should read the section If you have suggestions, send email to testbed-ops@arl.wustl.edu.

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