The course provides an overview of the main techniques used to design and evaluate the performance of telecommuncation systems. The course is organized into four main parts. First, an overview of the main concepts of networking is given. In its second part, the course focuses on the fundamental elements needed to model a network and to understand its behavior, concepts like stability, capacity and load will be discussed. The course will then provide an overview of the main methodologies used to design a network and to evaluate its performance. Finally, a laboratory, that will be held in the same periods in which the methodological part is taught, will consists in understanding and evaluating the performance of a system through simulation. A suitable simulation tool will be provided for the lab experience.

The course requires basic knowledge of probability theory.
The basic knowledge on computer networking will be reviewed during the first part of the course. A deeper knowledge of computer networks is preferred.

The activity in the lab consists in the study and performance evaluation of a networking system through simulation. The simulator will be provided, the student will be requested to analyze system performance through the simulator applying the knowledge acquired during the course. Simple modifications/extensions to the simulator will be also proposed during the lab.

The teaching material will be made available by the class teacher on the Didattica web portal.

The exam consists of a written test on the course topics and a report on the work done during the activity in the lab. The report will consist of a paper-like analysis of the performance of the system proposed in the lab.