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              Tech Report 1
  Introduction to Networking and Security
     Due in class on April 23, 2007
 Applied Networks and Security (IT 263 901)
Lewis 1513, Mondays, 5:45 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
     April 2, 2007 to June 11, 2007
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You are to write a 500-1000 word (2 to 4 page) critical analysis essay.

You must find a relevant paper or article published within the last
couple of years that covers a topic in computer networking or computer
security that would be relevant to this class.  Your report structure
should have four main sections as follows:

  o  Introduction.  Describe the article's motivations and show how
     this piece is relevant to this class.
  o  Summary.  Summarize the main ideas, claims or results of the
     article.
  o  Analysis.  Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the article.
     Discuss how this work has gained acceptance in the real world
     and reference competing and complimentary articles that support
     or refute this article's conclusions.
  o  Conclusion.  Reflect on importance of this article.  How might
     it be received one year from now?  Five years from now?  Why is
     this article important today?

Do cite external sources and quote sparingly from them or the topic
article as appropriate  Do not quote excessively.  Do not change just
a couple of words from another source and claim it as your own.
Plagiarism in any form will not be tolerated.  Here is a good guide
to help you avoid problems:

  <http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml>

Qualities that are considered for assigning a grade:

  Proof of relevancy of topic to class objectives.
  Clarity and well formed transition from one thought to the next.
  Well organized construction, analysis and arguments.
  Creativity, motivation and insightfulness.
      
Avoid vendor press releases.  General industry news articles are OK.

Here are some sources of articles or papers that many of you are probably
not familiar with, but may make for an excellent source of an article or
paper to hone in on:

  General Technology News
  <http://technews.acm.org/current.cfm>
  <http://www.theregister.co.uk/>

  Internet Poltics and Commentary
  <http://www.circleid.com>
  <http://www.icannwatch.org>
  <http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/>
  <http://www.cybertelecom.org/>

  Internet Technology
  <http://www.isoc.org/pubs/>
  <http://www.cisco.com/ipj/>

  Computer Security News
  <http://www.first.org/newsroom/globalsecurity/>
  <http://blog.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/>

  Computer Security Whitepapers
  <http://www.securityfocus.com/infocus>
  <http://www.sans.org/reading_room/>
  <http://www.forensics.nl/links> (and other affiliate sites)

  Research papers (for advanced students only, get approval first)
  <http://www.caida.org>
  <http://www.imconf.net>
  <http://www.sigcomm.org>