227-0558-00L  Principles of Distributed Computing

SemesterSpring Semester 2020
LecturersR. Wattenhofer, M. Ghaffari
Periodicityyearly recurring course
Language of instructionEnglish



Courses

NumberTitleHoursLecturers
227-0558-00 VPrinciples of Distributed Computing2 hrs
Wed08:00-10:00ER SA TZ »
08:15-10:00CAB G 11 »
R. Wattenhofer, M. Ghaffari
227-0558-00 UPrinciples of Distributed Computing
In Gruppen
2 hrs
Wed13:15-15:00LFW C 11 »
15:15-17:00HG G 26.1 »
R. Wattenhofer, M. Ghaffari
227-0558-00 APrinciples of Distributed Computing
No presence required.
Creative task outside the regular weekly exercises.
2 hrsR. Wattenhofer, M. Ghaffari

Catalogue data

AbstractWe study the fundamental issues underlying the design of distributed systems: communication, coordination, fault-tolerance, locality, parallelism, self-organization, symmetry breaking, synchronization, uncertainty. We explore essential algorithmic ideas and lower bound techniques.
ObjectiveDistributed computing is essential in modern computing and communications systems. Examples are on the one hand large-scale networks such as the Internet, and on the other hand multiprocessors such as your new multi-core laptop. This course introduces the principles of distributed computing, emphasizing the fundamental issues underlying the design of distributed systems and networks: communication, coordination, fault-tolerance, locality, parallelism, self-organization, symmetry breaking, synchronization, uncertainty. We explore essential algorithmic ideas and lower bound techniques, basically the "pearls" of distributed computing. We will cover a fresh topic every week.
ContentDistributed computing models and paradigms, e.g. message passing, shared memory, synchronous vs. asynchronous systems, time and message complexity, peer-to-peer systems, small-world networks, social networks, sorting networks, wireless communication, and self-organizing systems.

Distributed algorithms, e.g. leader election, coloring, covering, packing, decomposition, spanning trees, mutual exclusion, store and collect, arrow, ivy, synchronizers, diameter, all-pairs-shortest-path, wake-up, and lower bounds
Lecture notesAvailable. Our course script is used at dozens of other universities around the world.
LiteratureLecture Notes By Roger Wattenhofer. These lecture notes are taught at about a dozen different universities through the world.

Distributed Computing: Fundamentals, Simulations and Advanced Topics
Hagit Attiya, Jennifer Welch.
McGraw-Hill Publishing, 1998, ISBN 0-07-709352 6

Introduction to Algorithms
Thomas Cormen, Charles Leiserson, Ronald Rivest.
The MIT Press, 1998, ISBN 0-262-53091-0 oder 0-262-03141-8

Disseminatin of Information in Communication Networks
Juraj Hromkovic, Ralf Klasing, Andrzej Pelc, Peter Ruzicka, Walter Unger.
Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg, 2005, ISBN 3-540-00846-2

Introduction to Parallel Algorithms and Architectures: Arrays, Trees, Hypercubes
Frank Thomson Leighton.
Morgan Kaufmann Publishers Inc., San Francisco, CA, 1991, ISBN 1-55860-117-1

Distributed Computing: A Locality-Sensitive Approach
David Peleg.
Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), 2000, ISBN 0-89871-464-8
Prerequisites / NoticeCourse pre-requisites: Interest in algorithmic problems. (No particular course needed.)

Performance assessment

Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again)
Performance assessment as a semester course
ECTS credits7 credits
ExaminersR. Wattenhofer, M. Ghaffari
Typesession examination
Language of examinationEnglish
RepetitionThe performance assessment is only offered in the session after the course unit. Repetition only possible after re-enrolling.
Mode of examinationwritten 180 minutes
Additional information on mode of examinationWe will have two graded homework assignments (compulsory continuous performance assessment). Each graded homework assignment will account for 10% of the final grade, the main exam will be 80% of the final grade.
Missing the submission deadline for a homework assignment will result in grade of 1 for that assignment.
Written aidsAll written documents (scripts, own notes, exercises, books, etc...) are allowed. All electronic devices (own calculator, mobile phone, laptop, etc...) are NOT allowed!
This information can be updated until the beginning of the semester; information on the examination timetable is binding.

Learning materials

 
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