Welcome to my page

Teaching Philosophy

Why should they learn it? I ask myself, and then discuss with students that why are they here today. I believe that if students realize that they should learn, they will have the curiosity to engage in the learning process with interest and find means (including me) to learn and explore it further. My job is to facilitate students to learn and explore the subject I teach. I should not be only a post man, in a sense to deliver bits from books, but a teacher-cum-mentor for students. My teaching philosophy is based on the books and works of Sir Ken Robinson, mainly inspired by, “The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything”.

Teaching Experience

I have been involved in designing and teaching two courses, i.e., Communication Networks I and Communication Networks II, with their lab works in the University of Oulu, Finland. These courses are mainly designed for students of M.Sc. degree in Wireless Communications Engineering (WCE) at the University of Oulu, Finland, however, students from other courses such as computer science, telecommunications engineering, and electrical engineering could also attend and benefit from it as the courses progressed gradually from beginner level. The courses help students gain enough knowledge to start independent research in the themes of the courses. The lab works were specifically designed to help students in research. All the courses were designed and taught under the supervision of Prof. Mika Ylianttila.

Course Title: Communication Networks I (Tietoliikenneverkot I), 2017-2018

Code: 521340S

ECTS Credits: 5 ECTS

Language: English

Course Content

Communications architecture and protocols, adaptive network and transport layers, mobility management, cellular/multihop cellular networks, network security, network management and ad hoc and sensor networks. Introduction to cloud computing, edge computing, and Mobile Edge Computing, and the concepts of cognitive networks, Software Defined Networks, and Network Function Virtualization. The goal is to present the fundamentals of the new communication architectures, trends and technologies accepted by academia and industry. Technical implementation and application of the common data and local networks are also discussed.

Learning Outcomes

1. Upon completing the required coursework, the student is able to list and understand the functionalities of different layers of OSI and TCP/IP protocol models

2. The course gives the skills for the student to explain the mobile network evolution through previous and existing generations of mobile networks (1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G) towards incoming 5G.

3. The student is able to describe the basic protocol model of the UMTS and LTE/LTEA radio interface and radio access network, emerging technologies such as Cloud Radio Access Networks (CRAN), and core network functionalities and entities such as operator network control entities.

4. The student knows the basic properties of routing protocols in fixed, wireless and ad hoc networks.

5. Students will achieve skills to describe the main principles of network programmability, mobility control, and network security.

6. The course also gives the student the ability to explain the essential features of core network elements.

7. The student is able to simulate different types of networks in simulation environments.

Teaching Method

Face-to-face teaching, lectures 30 h and the compulsory design work with a simulation program (15 h).

Target Group

1^st year M.Sc. and WCE students

Prerequisites and co-requisites

None

Recommended optional programme components

The course is an independent entity and does not require additional studies carried out at the same time.

Recommended or required reading

Mainly from: S. Glisic & B. Lorenzo: Wireless Networks: 4G Technologies (2^nd ed.), 2009; Partly from S. Glisic: Advanced Wireless Communications: 4G Cognitive and Cooperative Technologies (2^nd ed.), 2007; Partly from the book “Software Defined Mobile Networks (SDMN): Beyond LTE Network Architecture” M Liyanage, A Gurtov, M Ylianttila – 2015.

Grading

The course unit utilizes a numerical grading scale 1-5.

Course Title: Communication Networks II (Tietoliikenneverkot II) 2017, 2018, 2019

Code: 521377S

ECTS Credits: 7 ECTS

Language: English

Course Content

Introduction to the concepts of Software Defined Networking (SDN): the OpenFlow based SDN architecture, SDN control plane and data plane (OpenFlow switches), Software Defined Monitoring, SDN and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) integration in cellular systems. Introduction to Multi-Access Edge computing (MEC), and the use cases of MEC in 5G, and MEC-IoT integration. Introduction to queueing theory and queueing systems and application of queueing theory to model software defined mobile network or virtualized networks (Jackson network). Furthermore, the course discusses the significance of network security, network load-balancing and network slicing in modern and emerging communications networks. Course provides hands-on experience on virtual networks using SDN with Mininet network emulator.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completing the required coursework the students understand basic principles of programmable networking. The students understand the challenges in existing architectures and how programmable networking enabled by Ssoftware Ddefined Nnetworking (SDN) can solve those challenges.
Students understand the idea of SDN network control and data planes, and what it means in practice, e.g. in 5G networks. The students learn how the network control-data plane separation is possible with SDN. The students have knowledge of how different control plane architectures can be developed or used for different networked environments.
Students understand the novel features in the 5G architecture, such as Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and the benefits of MEC and NFV for mobile networks. Students understand the importance of edge computing and virtualization techniques in achieving the low-latency and reliability requirements of 5G standard. Students know the planned use cases of multi-access edge computing in 5G systems and can describe some of the system architecture components.
Students understand the significance of network security, network load-balancing and network slicing in modern and emerging communications networks and how they need to be taken into consideration when using SDN and NFV.
The student understands the dynamics of simple programmable networks, the importance of queuing systems in the current model of programmable networks such as OpenFlow-based SDNs. The student is also able to design a queuing system for SDN-based network control plane to provide services in a balanced way to the underlying data plane the control plane is responsible for.
Students understand the basic principles of queueing theory, such as Birth and Death Process and the M/M/1, M/M/c, M/M/c/K models. Students can also apply queueing theory to model SDN or virtualized networks.
Students learn skills to design and implement simple SDNs and analyse performance in network emulation and simulation environments.

Teaching Method

Face-to-face teaching. Lectures 30 h, exercises 15 h and the compulsory design work either with a simulation program or testbed implementation (30 h).

Target Group

1^st year M.Sc. and WCE students

Prerequisites and co-requisites

Communication Networks I

Recommended optional programme components

The course is an independent entity and does not require additional studies carried out at the same time.

Recommended or required reading

Software Defined Mobile Networks (SDMN): Beyond LTE Network Architecture M Liyanage, A Gurtov, M Ylianttila 2015; A comprehensive Guide to 5G Security, M Liyanage, I Ahmad, A Abro, A Gurtov, M Ylianttila – 2018; In addition, selected supportive online reading materials from recent standards and publications are provided in OPTIMA.

Grading

The course unit utilizes a numerical grading scale 1-5.

Google Sites

Report abuse