(net time : 87 hours)

Learning

In the study guide, this course is planned for 100-hours learning. I spent 87 hours. There’s a 5-point question in the assignment requiring students to build a web proxy server. This is a very tough question to me, which cost me about 10 hours. There’s a similar task in course COMP470, web server management, but it is the content of the whole assignment with 25% weight. Therefore, the value ratio is 1:50 for the same task.

As I’m interested in how to build a web server, I still spent time on it. However, I do think it’s not so fair.

This course answers a lot of my questions about network. I worked as network administrator for three months, focusing on tons of details, but this course leads me to the top of the hill.

Assignments

The assignment is well organized. I think it covers 60%~70% of the content. My tutor is Walter RidgeWell, who is very helpful. He marked carefully, pointed out any of my fault and encouraged me when I was doing good. Although I didn’t ask him any question, I see that his reply to other students are timely and detailed. He is way better than my tutor in COMP361.

Mr. RidgeWell corrected my understanding about how switch is handling packets and the difference between circuit switching, packet switching and virtual circuit. 

The most exciting moment is when I use the orthogonal properties in linear algebra prove the effectiveness of CDMA. I learned the two courses at the same time. What a coincidence!

Tips:

I read the PPT twice and only read the book when I can not understand the content of PPT. The knowledge in PPT covers 95% of the content.