Laboratory for computer networks (G 115)

The Computer Networks Laboratory offers the typical components of high-performance computer networking as found in large corporate networks or service providers. In this environment, students should be able to gain first experiences with the functions as well as the practical construction and operation of computer networks (LAN).

Goals and idea

The students have up to 18 workstations with notebooks or desktop PCs with which practical work and exercises can be carried out on the existing networking components. In addition, a software replica of the classic communication protocols, the so-called Network Work Bench, is implemented on the PCs. With this, exercises on communication protocols can be carried out where parts of the protocols themselves are implemented.

Laboratory G 115

Laboratory equipment and activities

All typical elements of computer networking are present: numerous current high-performance Ethernet switches (hp ProCurve), carrier-class routers (Juniper / Cisco) and enterprise routers (Extreme / 3Com). A Cisco firewall is available for security work. For further networking, we have WLAN evaluation boards where protocol parameters can also be modified, as well as the classic Ethernet hubs and switches for the introductory exercises on PC networking.

The main focus of the courses in the Computer Networks Lab is the practical course for the lecture "Computer Networks". In the winter semester, all students of Electrical Engineering and Flight and Vehicle Informatics complete their internship here (WS15/16: 6 groups), in the summer semester the lab is occupied by the prospective computer scientists (SS15: 3 groups). In addition, a project is planned for WS15/16 with the students of the Master of Computer Science, focus "Security and Safety", in which a Security Work Bench will be developed and implemented step by step in the laboratory.

In cooperation with the ZAF, experiments on WLAN networking in the Car2x environment are carried out in the laboratory. In addition, projects are being considered that are based on the planned Security Work Bench.