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Host `A` sends a packet towards `B`. When receiving this packet, `R1` learns that `A` is reachable via its `West` interface. Since it does not have an entry for destination `B` in its port-address table, it forwards the packet to both `R2` and `R3`. When `R2` receives the packet, it updates its own forwarding table and forward the packet to `C`. Since `C` is not the intended recipient, it simply discards the received packet. Router `R3` also receives the packet. It learns that `A` is reachable via its `North-West` interface and broadcasts the packet to `R4` and `R5`. `R5` also updates its forwarding table and finally forwards it to destination `B`. Let us now consider what happens when `B` sends a reply to `A`. `R5` first learns that `B` is attached to its `North-East` port. It then consults its port-address table and finds that `A` is reachable via its `North-West` interface. The packet is then forwarded hop-by-hop to `A` without any broadcasting. Later on, if `C` sends a packet to `B`, this packet will reach `R1` that contains a valid forwarding entry in its forwarding table.
Host `A` sends a packet towards `B`. When receiving this packet, `R1` learns that `A` is reachable via its `West` interface. Since it does not have an entry for destination `B` in its port-address table, it forwards the packet to both `R2` and `R3`. When `R2` receives the packet, it updates its own forwarding table and forward the packet to `C`. Since `C` is not the intended recipient, it simply discards the received packet. Router `R3` also receives the packet. It learns that `A` is reachable via its `North-West` interface and broadcasts the packet to `R4` and `R5`. `R5` also updates its forwarding table and finally forwards it to destination `B`. Let us now consider what happens when `B` sends a reply to `A`. `R5` first learns that `B` is attached to its `North-East` port. It then consults its port-address table and finds that `A` is reachable via its `North-West` interface. The packet is then forwarded hop-by-hop to `A` without any broadcasting. Later on, if `C` sends a packet to `B`, this packet will reach `R1` that contains a valid forwarding entry in its forwarding table.
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To understand the operation of the port-address table, let us consider the example network shown in the figure below. This network contains three hosts: `A`, `B` and `C` and five routers, `R1` to `R5`. When the network boots, all the forwarding tables of the nodes are empty.
To understand the operation of the port-address table, let us consider the example network shown in the figure below. This network contains three hosts: `A`, `B` and `C` and five routers, `R1` to `R5`. When the network boots, all the forwarding tables of the nodes are empty.
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Networks deployed several techniques to update the forwarding tables upon the arrival of a packet. In this section, we briefly present the principles that underlie three of these techniques.
Networks deployed several techniques to update the forwarding tables upon the arrival of a packet. In this section, we briefly present the principles that underlie three of these techniques.
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Similarly, routers also fail. There are two types of failures that affect routers. A router may stop forwarding packets due to hardware or software problems (e.g., due to a crash of its operating system). A router may also need to be halted from time to time (e.g., to upgrade its operating system or to install new interface cards). These planned and unplanned events affect the set of links and routers that can be used to forward packets in the network. Still, most network users expect that their network will continue to correctly forward packets despite all these events. With manually computed forwarding tables, it is usually impossible to pre-compute the forwarding tables while taking into account all possible failure scenarios.
Similarly, routers also fail. There are two types of failures that affect routers. A router may stop forwarding packets due to hardware or software problems (e.g., due to a crash of its operating system). A router may also need to be halted from time to time (e.g., to upgrade its operating system or to install new interface cards). These planned and unplanned events affect the set of links and routers that can be used to forward packets in the network. Still, most network users expect that their network will continue to correctly forward packets despite all these events. With manually computed forwarding tables, it is usually impossible to pre-compute the forwarding tables while taking into account all possible failure scenarios.
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In most networks, manual forwarding tables are not a solution for two reasons. First, most networks are too large to enable a manual computation of the forwarding tables. Second, with manually computed forwarding tables, it is very difficult to deal with link and router failures. Networks need to operate 24h a day, 365 days per year. Many events can affect the routers and links that compose a network. Link failures are regular events in deployed networks. Links can fail for various reasons, including electromagnetic interference, fiber cuts, hardware or software problems on the terminating routers,... Some links also need to be either added to or removed from the network because their utilization is too low or their cost is too high.
In most networks, manual forwarding tables are not a solution for two reasons. First, most networks are too large to enable a manual computation of the forwarding tables. Second, with manually computed forwarding tables, it is very difficult to deal with link and router failures. Networks need to operate 24h a day, 365 days per year. Many events can affect the routers and links that compose a network. Link failures are regular events in deployed networks. Links can fail for various reasons, including electromagnetic interference, fiber cuts, hardware or software problems on the terminating routers,... Some links also need to be either added to or removed from the network because their utilization is too low or their cost is too high.
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The computation of the forwarding tables of all the routers inside a network is a key element for the correct operation of the network. This computation can be carried out by using either distributed or centralized algorithms. These algorithms provide different performance, may lead to different types of paths, but their composition must lead to valid paths.
The computation of the forwarding tables of all the routers inside a network is a key element for the correct operation of the network. This computation can be carried out by using either distributed or centralized algorithms. These algorithms provide different performance, may lead to different types of paths, but their composition must lead to valid paths.
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The network layer enables the transmission of information between hosts that are not directly connected through intermediate routers. This transmission is carried out by putting the information to be transmitted inside a data structure which is called a `packet`. As a frame that contains useful data and control information, a packet also contains both data supplied by the user and control information. An important issue in the network layer is the ability to identify a node (host or router) inside the network. This identification is performed by associating an address to each node. An :term:`address` is usually represented as a sequence of bits. Most networks use fixed-length addresses. At this stage, let us simply assume that each of the nodes in the above network has an address which corresponds to the binary representation of its name on the figure.
The network layer enables the transmission of information between hosts that are not directly connected through intermediate routers. This transmission is carried out by putting the information to be transmitted inside a data structure which is called a `packet`. As a frame that contains useful data and control information, a packet also contains both data supplied by the user and control information. An important issue in the network layer is the ability to identify a node (host or router) inside the network. This identification is performed by associating an address to each node. An :term:`address` is usually represented as a sequence of bits. Most networks use fixed-length addresses. At this stage, let us simply assume that each of the nodes in the above network has an address which corresponds to the binary representation of its name on the figure.
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Even if we only consider the point-to-point datalink layers, there is an important characteristic of these layers that we cannot ignore. No datalink layer is able to send frames of unlimited size. Each datalink layer is characterized by a maximum frame size. There are more than dozen different datalink layers and unfortunately most of them use a different maximum frame size. This heterogeneity in the maximum frame sizes will cause problems when we will need to exchange data between hosts attached to different types of datalink layers.
Even if we only consider the point-to-point datalink layers, there is an important characteristic of these layers that we cannot ignore. No datalink layer is able to send frames of unlimited size. Each datalink layer is characterized by a maximum frame size. There are more than dozen different datalink layers and unfortunately most of them use a different maximum frame size. This heterogeneity in the maximum frame sizes will cause problems when we will need to exchange data between hosts attached to different types of datalink layers.
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File “locale/pot/principles/naming.pot” was added. 4 years ago
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Until February 2008, the root DNS servers only had IPv4 addresses. IPv6 addresses were slowly added to the root DNS servers to avoid creating problems as discussed in http://www.icann.org/en/committees/security/sac018.pdf As of February 2021, there remain a few DNS root servers that are still not reachable using IPv6. The full list is available at http://www.root-servers.org/
Until February 2008, the root DNS servers only had IPv4 addresses. IPv6 addresses were slowly added to the root DNS servers to avoid creating problems as discussed in http://www.icann.org/en/committees/security/sac018.pdf As of February 2021, there remain a few DNS root servers that are still not reachable using IPv6. The full list is available at http://www.root-servers.org/
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Names provide a lot of flexibility compared to addresses. For the network, they play a similar role as variables in programming languages. No programmer using a high-level programming language would consider using hardcoded values instead of variables. For the same reasons, all networked applications should depend on names and avoid dealing with addresses as much as possible.
Names provide a lot of flexibility compared to addresses. For the network, they play a similar role as variables in programming languages. No programmer using a high-level programming language would consider using hardcoded values instead of variables. For the same reasons, all networked applications should depend on names and avoid dealing with addresses as much as possible.
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Mapping a single name onto a set of addresses allows popular servers to dynamically scale. There are also benefits in mapping multiple names, possibly a large number of them, onto a single address. Consider the case of information servers run by individuals or SMEs. Some of these servers attract only a few clients per day. Using a single physical server for each of these services would be a waste of resources. A better approach is to use a single server for a set of services that are all identified by different names. This enables service providers to support a large number of servers processes, identified by different names, onto a single physical server. If one of these server processes becomes very popular, it will be possible to map its name onto a set of addresses to be able to sustain the load. There are some deployments where this mapping is done dynamically in function of the load.
Mapping a single name onto a set of addresses allows popular servers to dynamically scale. There are also benefits in mapping multiple names, possibly a large number of them, onto a single address. Consider the case of information servers run by individuals or SMEs. Some of these servers attract only a few clients per day. Using a single physical server for each of these services would be a waste of resources. A better approach is to use a single server for a set of services that are all identified by different names. This enables service providers to support a large number of servers processes, identified by different names, onto a single physical server. If one of these server processes becomes very popular, it will be possible to map its name onto a set of addresses to be able to sustain the load. There are some deployments where this mapping is done dynamically in function of the load.
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Using names solves these problems and provides additional benefits. If the clients are configured with the name of the server, they will query the name service before contacting the server. The name service will resolve the name into the corresponding address. If a server process needs to move from one physical server to another, it suffices to update the name to address mapping on the name service to allow all clients to connect to the new server. The name service also enables the servers to better sustain the load. Assume a very popular server which is accessed by millions of users. This service cannot be provided by a single physical server due to performance limitations. Thanks to the utilization of names, it is possible to scale this service by mapping a given name to a set of addresses. When a client queries the name service for the server's name, the name service returns one of the addresses in the set. Various strategies can be used to select one particular address inside the set of addresses. A first strategy is to select a random address in the set. A second strategy is to maintain information about the load on the servers and return the address of the less loaded server. Note that the list of server addresses does not need to remain fixed. It is possible to add and remove addresses from the list to cope with load fluctuations. Another strategy is to infer the location of the client from the name request and return the address of the closest server.
Using names solves these problems and provides additional benefits. If the clients are configured with the name of the server, they will query the name service before contacting the server. The name service will resolve the name into the corresponding address. If a server process needs to move from one physical server to another, it suffices to update the name to address mapping on the name service to allow all clients to connect to the new server. The name service also enables the servers to better sustain the load. Assume a very popular server which is accessed by millions of users. This service cannot be provided by a single physical server due to performance limitations. Thanks to the utilization of names, it is possible to scale this service by mapping a given name to a set of addresses. When a client queries the name service for the server's name, the name service returns one of the addresses in the set. Various strategies can be used to select one particular address inside the set of addresses. A first strategy is to select a random address in the set. A second strategy is to maintain information about the load on the servers and return the address of the less loaded server. Note that the list of server addresses does not need to remain fixed. It is possible to add and remove addresses from the list to cope with load fluctuations. Another strategy is to infer the location of the client from the name request and return the address of the closest server.
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In addition to being more human friendly, using names instead of addresses inside applications has several important benefits. To understand them, let us consider a popular application that provides information stored on servers. This application involves clients and servers. The server provides information upon requests from client processes. A first deployment of this application would be to rely only on addresses. In this case, the server process would be installed on one host and the clients would connect to this server to retrieve information. Such a deployment has several drawbacks :
In addition to being more human friendly, using names instead of addresses inside applications has several important benefits. To understand them, let us consider a popular application that provides information stored on servers. This application involves clients and servers. The server provides information upon requests from client processes. A first deployment of this application would be to rely only on addresses. In this case, the server process would be installed on one host and the clients would connect to this server to retrieve information. Such a deployment has several drawbacks :
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The possibility of using all Unicode characters to create domain names opened a new form of attack called the `homograph attack <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IDN_homograph_attack>`_. This attack occurs when two character strings or domain names are visually similar but do not correspond to the same server. A simple example is https://G00GLE.COM and https://GOOGLE.COM. These two URLs are visually close but they correspond to different names (the first one does not point to a valid server [#fg00gle]_). With other Unicode characters, it is possible to construct domain names are visually equivalent to existing ones. See [Zhe2017]_ for additional details on this attack.
The possibility of using all Unicode characters to create domain names opened a new form of attack called the `homograph attack <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IDN_homograph_attack>`_. This attack occurs when two character strings or domain names are visually similar but do not correspond to the same server. A simple example is https://G00GLE.COM and https://GOOGLE.COM. These two URLs are visually close but they correspond to different names (the first one does not point to a valid server [#fg00gle]_). With other Unicode characters, it is possible to construct domain names are visually equivalent to existing ones. See [Zhe2017]_ for additional details on this attack.
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In the early days of the Internet, only a few hosts (mainly minicomputers) were connected to the network. The most popular applications were :term:`remote login` and file transfer. By 1983, there were already five hundred hosts attached to the Internet [Zakon]_. Each of these hosts were identified by a unique address. Forcing human users to remember the addresses of the hosts that they wanted to use was not user-friendly. Humans prefer to remember names, and use them when needed. Using names as aliases for addresses is a common technique in Computer Science. It simplifies the development of applications and allows the developer to ignore the low level details. For example, by using a programming language instead of writing machine code, a developer can write software without knowing whether the variables that it uses are stored in memory or inside registers.
In the early days of the Internet, only a few hosts (mainly minicomputers) were connected to the network. The most popular applications were :term:`remote login` and file transfer. By 1983, there were already five hundred hosts attached to the Internet [Zakon]_. Each of these hosts were identified by a unique address. Forcing human users to remember the addresses of the hosts that they wanted to use was not user-friendly. Humans prefer to remember names, and use them when needed. Using names as aliases for addresses is a common technique in Computer Science. It simplifies the development of applications and allows the developer to ignore the low level details. For example, by using a programming language instead of writing machine code, a developer can write software without knowing whether the variables that it uses are stored in memory or inside registers.
4 years ago
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Which are the mechanisms that should be included in a transport protocol providing an unreliable connectionless transport service that can detect transmission errors, but not correct them ?
Which are the mechanisms that should be included in a transport protocol providing an unreliable connectionless transport service that can detect transmission errors, but not correct them ?
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Multiple choices questions
Multiple choices questions
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File “locale/pot/exercises/intro.pot” was added. 4 years ago

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