This project upgrades and modernizes three undergraduate courses: Computer Networks and Distributed Systems (CS576), Client-Server programming (CS580) and Computer Simulation (CS558), which have a total enrollment of 80 undergraduate and 45 graduate students. The upgrades reflect the modern trends in computer networking and distributed systems, including distributed simulation. Most of the additions to the courses are focused on understanding, usage and analysis of high speed networks based on Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) technology. In order to provide extended training and laboratory experience, a new ATM laboratory will be developed. The laboratory is designed so that it can support all three courses, their current curricula, and the newly proposed upgrades. Major equipment for the new laboratory includes: two UltraSPARC 170E workstations and 17 Pentium-based workstations equipped with ATM interfaces an ATM switch an Ethernet switch, and one ATM network analyzer. Each workstation will be dual-bootable with a choice of Windows NT and the Linux operating system to increase the flexibility and usage of laboratory resources. Seven pilot projects are proposed to facilitate an early usage of the proposed laboratory and initiate the undergraduate research. The projects cover all important aspects of additions to all three courses.
