CSE 725 - Network Coding: Theory and Applications
Spring 2007

	Office: 238 Bell Hall 
	Office Hours: Tuesdays 1-3pm
	Phone: 645-3180 x 160 
	Email: hungngo {at} cse {dot} buffalo {dot} edu

Website: http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~hungngo/classes/2007/Network-Coding

Grading: to be done on an S/N (or S/U) basis only.

Time and place: 2-5pm, Saturdays, Bell 242

Description:

Network coding in recent years has become a very "hot" research area in the intersection of networking and information theory. With network coding, a network node may send out packets which are formed by combining using some mathematical function previously received packets. The benefits of this approach include provably higher network throughputs and robustness.

This seminar aims to skim through the foundation of knowledge behind network coding and its potential applications in networking. I shall spend roughly half of the semester presenting the foundations of network coding and perhaps a little bit of coding theory in general. Elementary knowledge on probability theory and linear algebra are required. I will provide reading materials on basic probability theory and linear algebra. In the second half, each member of the class presents a paper or a topic related to network coding. I will provide a recommended list of papers/topics for you to choose from. However, you can talk about a different paper/topic with my consent.

Also, each class member prepares scribe notes for at least one lecture, depending on how large the class is. A LATEX template will be provided. Part of the grading is based on how much effort I have to spend modifying the scribe note. All notes shall be shared to the class.

The seminar is very useful for students interested in algorithms and networking.

Objectives:

• Have fun!
• Learn the foundations of network coding theory.
• Learn their applications to networking.

Topics (tentative): this list include topics that students will present

• Introduction to coding theory
• Introduction to network coding
• Applications of network coding

Course Load:

• About 20 pages of dense reading per week (i.e. no bedtime reading).
• Each student is expected to do a presentation at some point during the semester, based on:
  • A survey done by the student on a particular topic to be suggested by the instructor or picked by the student but approved by the instructor.
  • A (few) very dense mathematical paper.
  • An open problem solved by the student.

Prerequisites:

• Rudimentary knowledge on linear algebra, algorithms, probability theory. They are not entirely essential to follow things presented in the seminar. Related background materials shall be provided in the forms of small tutorials/notes. You'd have to read them though.