ENTERPRISE NETWORKING 4th DECEMBER 2011 MARKING SCHEME

This Marking Scheme has been prepared as a guide only to markers. This is not a set of model answers, nor is the Marking Scheme exclusive, for there will frequently be alternative responses which will provide a valid answer. Unless a question specifies that an answer be produced in a particular form, then an answer that is correct, factually or in practical terms, must be given the available marks. If there is doubt as to the correctness of an answer the relevant NCC Education materials and associated module textbook should be the first authority.

Throughout the questions, please credit any valid alternative point.

Notice to Markers Where markers award half marks in any part of a question they should ensure that the total mark recorded for a task is rounded up to a whole mark.

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ANSWER ANY FOUR QUESTIONS

Question 1 a) i. So different countries can plan and operate networks that can connect internationally.
(1 mark)

ii. iii.

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU)

(1 mark)

Allocate 1 mark for each of the following points up to a maximum of 4 marks: ITU Telecommunications Sector (ITU-T) Function is to study technical questions, operating methods and international tariffs for telephony, telegraphy and data communications ITU Radiocommunications Sector (ITU-R) Function is to study technical and operating questions relating to radio communications
(4 marks)

b) i. Diagram [1]

All nodes are connected to a common link like a central backbone. There is no controlling node and each node has equal access to the network [1].
(2 marks)

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ii.

Diagram [1]

The links are looped in and out of each node which gives greater reliability. There is no controlling node and the network requires all nodes and connections to be working to function correctly [1].
(2 marks)

iii.

Diagram [1]

All user nodes are connected via a dedicated link to the central server node. If a node other than the server fails all other routes are still available. If the server fails the whole network fails [1].
(2 marks)

iv.

Diagram [1]

All user nodes are connected to each other. There is no controlling node and if a node fails there is always an alternative messaging route [1].
(2 marks)

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c) i. Allocate 1 mark for each of the following points up to a maximum of 2 marks: Echo is when the caller and/or called person hears a reflected signal It occurs when line balancing is not perfect and a message transmitted in one direction is reflected and returns in the other direction
(2 marks)

ii. iii.

It makes the received speech message more difficult to understand

(1 mark)

Allocate 1 mark for each of the following points up to a maximum of 2 marks: Echo is usually louder for the person talking so it is more disruptive It interrupts the message being spoken
(2 marks)

iv.

Allocate 1 mark for each of the following points up to a maximum of 2 marks: Echo increases with length of circuit and satellites are a long way away The long delay inherent in the signal makes the echo even more disruptive
(2 marks)

v.

Allocate 1 mark for each of the following points up to a maximum of 2 marks: A voice signal operated attenuator placed in one path of a four wire circuit It is operated by voice signals in the other path ensuring that when a circuit is transmitting in one direction signals in the opposite direction are attenuated
(2 marks)

vi.

Allocate 1 mark for each of the following points up to a maximum of 2 marks: Cancels out echo by subtracting a replica of it from the received signal This replica is derived from a filter controlled by a feedback loop.
(2 marks)

Total: 25 marks

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Question 2 a) i. Award 1 mark for each valid point up to a maximum of 4 marks: A malicious program that causes damage to a computer or network Usually propagated as attachments to e-mails or as part of a corrupted program Traditionally viruses were used for integrity attacks against an end users computer that modified the contents of a hard drive Modern viruses often attack the network itself
(4 marks)

ii.

Award 1 mark for each valid point up to a maximum of 4 marks: Appears as an innocuous program running on the host computer It allows an attacker to access the host computer via an attached network Spread in a similar manner to viruses Can be used to steal data on host computer or to gain access to a network
(4 marks)

iii.

Award 1 mark for each relevant point up to a maximum of 3 marks: Simply snooping on the information carried by a network which may take several forms Could involve borrowing a terminal while the user is away from their desk More sophisticated cases involve tapping into cables Wireless networks can be tapped into without physical access as messages can be intercepted with a suitable receiver
(3 marks)

iv.

Award 1 mark for each relevant point up to a maximum of 3 marks: A third party intercepts a conversation between two other parties and pretends to be the other party in the conversation to both parties This allows the man-in-the-middle to change information (e.g. a delivery address) as well as gain information Messages could also be discarded creating a denial-of-service attack
(3 marks)

v.

Award 1 mark for each relevant point up to a maximum of 2 marks: This is simply taking note of which users of a network are talking to each other This is an attack on privacy and can be used to find associates of an individual user even if the message content is not known
(2 marks)

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b) Award 1 mark for each point up to a maximum of 3 marks: An e-mail is sent claiming to be from a legitimate enterprise and directs the receiver to a bogus website Here the user is requested for personal information, e.g. bank account numbers, passwords, etc. This allows the attacker to steal this information and use it for their own ends
(3 marks)

c) Award 1 mark for each relevant point up to a maximum of 6 marks: Authentication aims to identify the person or system attempting to access a network It is further used to determine the permissions available for that person or system in relation to the network Encryption does not prevent access to encrypted information but instead relies on the inability of an unauthorised person to decipher the information Therefore only those users with the correct key for deciphering the information will truly have access to it Essentially the former method aims to prevent access to information, the latter aims to prevent reading of the information Encryption should, in theory, prevent eavesdropping attackers from receiving useful information in a wireless network where authentication is incapable of this
(6 marks)

Total: 25 Marks Question 3 a) Award 1 mark for each relevant point up to a maximum of 5 marks: Lightweight, portable equipment Greater network capacity Better reception Wider geographical coverage Data transfer facilities
(5 marks)

b) Award 1 mark for each relevant point up to a maximum of 4 marks: There is a very competitive environment between suppliers There has been a great reduction in costs of equipment and services Cellphones are very convenient Cellular telephony systems are easy to install, even in countries with a poor quality cabled network
(4 marks)

c) Provides simultaneous communications in both directions

(1 mark)

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d) Award 1 mark for each relevant point up to a maximum of 7 marks: Each subscriber has a unique number Calls are achieved by dialling the appropriate number Each user is logged onto the cell that provides the best service, usually the closest Calls between cells travel via the network infrastructure Calls to fixed locations go to the mobile exchange equipment and then through a trunked connection to the required network When users pass over a cell boundary during a call they are passed over to the next base station Cells allow communications channels to be reused thus maximising the number of users the network can handle
(7 marks)

e) Award 1 mark for each relevant point up to a maximum of 4 marks: Uses multiple antennae at both transmitter and receiver Creates multiple channels thus allowing for high data rates and lower error frequency Must be combined with powerful and intelligent signal processing Better quality and data rates are balanced by extra complexity and cost of infrastructure required
(4 marks)

f) Award 1 mark for each relevant point up to a maximum of 4 marks: Distributes data over a large number of carriers separated at precise frequencies Demodulators only see their own frequency Provides efficient use of the frequency spectrum There is low multipath distortion It is resistant to interference from radio frequencies
(4 marks)

Total: 25 Marks

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Question 4 a) Award 1 mark for each point, up to a maximum of 4 marks: Traffic is offered to a single group of circuits that represent a route between two exchanges Calls arrive in a random fashion at a constant rate (a Poisson process) Calls terminate at random regardless of how long they have been in progress (have an exponential distribution) The system has operated with same call rate for some time ensuring that there is statistical equilibrium
(4 marks)

b) The probability that all circuits are simultaneously engaged

(1 mark)

c) Award 1 mark for each point, up to a maximum of 3 marks: A represents the traffic B represents the grade of service Traffic carried = A(1-B)
(3 marks)

d) Award 1 mark for each symbol explanation and 2 marks for correct formula up to a maximum of 5 marks: A represents the traffic BN represents the probability that all N circuits are busy N represents the number of circuits

(5 marks)

e) Award 1 mark for each point, up to a maximum of 2 marks: In each group of circuits, every circuit is available to every call Calls that arrive when all circuits are busy are lost and have no effect on the circuits. There are no repeated call attempts.
(2 marks)

f) Allocate 1 mark for each valid point up to a maximum of 5 marks: First identify the worst grade of service that customers will accept, the dimensioning of individual routes within the network can then be assessed Ensure that routes used in combinations brought about by the network plan remain within this grade of service If this is not possible then utilise variations in the grade of service of individual routes to work around this Alternatively avoid the combinations that give the worst grade of service Large groups of circuits are more efficient at carrying traffic than small groups of circuits but are more susceptible to overload than small groups of circuits so requires a balance
(5 marks)

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g) i. Award 1 mark for each valid point up to a maximum of 2 marks: A radio technology suited for voice, data and networking applications Up to a range of a few hundred metres
(2 marks)

ii.

Award 1 mark for each valid point up to a maximum of 3 marks: A unique DECT technology that ensures the best available radio channels are used Ensures that DECT can co-exist with other DECT applications and with other systems operating in the same frequency Provides high quality, robust and secure communications for end users
(3 marks)

Total: 25 Marks Question 5 a) IP defines the rules for the transfer of packets from one location to another.
(1 mark)

b) Allocate 1 mark for each valid point, up to a maximum of 5 marks: TCP operates on top of IP to produce reliable delivery of data from one host to another It takes care of breaking down data into packet-sized chunks and reassembling them at their destination It ensures the transmission is reliable by using a checksum for each packet If a packet is corrupted TCP will detect this and request a retransmission of that packet It will detect missing packets and request their transmission
(5 marks) c)

i. ii. iii.

The start point of the connection

(1 mark)

The end point of the connection

(1 mark)

Used to release a connection specifies that there is no more data to send

(1 mark)

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iv.

Award 1 mark for each valid point, up to a maximum of 2 marks: Ensure that data is reassembled into a stream correctly Ensure that dropped packets are detected and resent
(2 marks)

v. vi.

Specifies how much data the host is willing to accept

(1 mark)

Award 1 mark for each valid point, up to a maximum of 2 marks: States the number of 32-bit words in the header Needed because the options and header are of variable length
(2 marks)

vii.

Award 1 mark for each valid point, up to a maximum of 2 marks: Provided for extra reliability When the receiver performs the checksum calculation for the whole message the result should be zero
(2 marks)

d) Award 1 mark for each relevant point up to a maximum of 4 marks: Must allow for the fact that certain routes may not or should not be used Data transmission must be paid for so the owners of the data must pay for the necessary links Packets from non-contributing networks should be excluded Must be capable of handling extremely high volumes of data in a secure and robust fashion
(4 marks)

e) Award 1 mark for each relevant point up to a maximum of 5 marks: Provides the user with two simultaneous user channels (B channels) Each can carry data to different locations at a rate of 64 Kbit/s A third channel (D channel) is primarily used for signalling The D channel is sometimes used to provide the user with a slower 9.6 Kbit/s data channel A total data rate of 144 Kbit/s is available
(5 marks)

Total: 25 Marks

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LEARNING OUTCOMES MATRIX

LO LO1 Chapter/Page Reference Ch1, p9-10 Ch2, p18-19 Ch3, p32-33 Ch5, p70 Ch5, p71-72 Ch11, p180 Ch11, p187-189 Ch11, p192-193 Ch8, p126-128 Ch6, p88-89 Ch6, p94 Ch6, p94 Ch13, p245 Ch5, p72-74 Ch15, p271-274 Ch15, p276 Ch15, p276-279 Topic International telecoms standards bodies Network topology Echo Basic traffic model Lost traffic IP TCP BGP BRA ISDN Cellular telephony MIMO OFDM DECT Network Dimensioning Security threats Phishing Authentication & encryption Question number Q1a) Q1b) Q1c) Q4a) Q4b), c), d), e) Q5a) Q5b, c) Q5d) Q5e) Q3a), b), c), d) Q3e) Q3f) Q3g) Q4f) Q2a) Q2b) Q2c)

LO2

LO3 LO4

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