CSC435 Distributed Systems Syllabus -- Elliott
Fall 2014/2015
Logistics:
Class meets: Wednesdays
5:45 Loop Campus, CS&TC 226
Professor: Dr. Clark Elliott
Class website: http://condor.depaul.edu/~elliott/435
email: elliott AATT cdm depaul edu.
[Include
"435: " prefix in subject line and MEANINGFUL mail header!]
Grader email:
elliottgrading AATT gmail com. (Administration of submissions only)?
Course Management: d2l.depaul.edu
Textbooks:
Required
text: Tanenbaum, Andrew S., and van Steen, Maarten (2007),"Distributed
Systems, Principles and Paradigms, 2nd Edition," Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall. www.prenhall.com/tanenbaum.
Recommended
background text: Kurose, James F., and Ross, Keith W. (2007 -- ) "Computer
Networking: A Top-Down Approach Featuring the Internet, [any] Edition," Boston:
Addison Wesley. (2012 is the 6th edition, but any version from 2007 on will
contain the bulk of the background material if you want to save money.)
Grading:
Exams
35%?
Assignments 65%
Grading Scale:
95% A
90% A-
86,83,80 B+,B,B-
78,74,70 C+,C,C-
65,60 D+,D
I
reserve the right to raise the grade of a student that has demonstrated
exceptional contributions in some particular portion of the class (forum
participation, programming, research/study log, etc.).
Topics:
We
will follow the chapter outline in the textbook "Distributed Systems: Principles
and Paradigms" by Andrew S. Tanenbaum and Maarten van Steen, though some material
from the book will NOT be covered. We will cover many aspects of distributed
systems dealing with system structure, models of time, client/server protocols,
state maintenance, security, distributed process coordination, and so on. These
topics are foundational in almost every contemporary area of computer science.
Class structure:
This
is primarily a lecture and reading class. However, there is a?significant?programming component, though strictly
for developing deep understanding the concepts?covered.
Discussion forum
participation is?required.
Maintaining a
written research/study log is?required
Class will be
challenging. Students are expected to do the reading without prompting from the
instructor. Some topics will be covered in the lectures, but because time is
short a number of topics will be covered only in the reading, and will appear
on exams.
Java or C++
programming background is required. However if you program well in other
similar languages you can probably pick up enough java to pass the class. The
programming assignments are used only to guarantee deep understanding of the
material. Thus we will not be assessing programming style as long as the
programs achieve the results. Programming tips may be discussed, but
programming will not be taught.
Learning Goals:
At
the end of class you will:
- Have a broad understanding of the
central problems in distributed systems.
- Have a good understanding of the
compromises -- the choices -- that must be made when designing a
distributed solution to IT problems.
- Have a good understanding of
algorithmic approaches to distributed systems solutions.
- Know how to write basic programs
that address certain challenging distributed systems problems.
- Have taken part in high-level
discussions of distributed system problems of interest.
- Demonstrated master's-level
knowledge of the course materials on exams.
Office
hours for the course are available from my faculty link at cdm.depaul.edu
All assignments, the
assignment schedule, and the course materials, are available online at either d2l.depaul.edu
or the class website.
The specific
readings are available at the class website but in general will follow the
text, chapters 1-4 and 6, with much additional lecture material.
Submission File Formats:
All submissions
to d2l MUST BE IN STANDARD ZIP FORMAT, including submissions of a single file. No
7zip files, no rar files. No exceptions. Contained within the ZIP archive, all text submissions must be made in Microsoft Word format,
or in plain ascii HTML, or plain ascii text. (Free programs are available to
produce each of these formats.) ?Java files should be submitted in plain ascii
form, with a ZIP file, suitable for command-line compile. No other formats will
be graded.
Students are
responsible for downloading their assignments after uploading, to make sure
that files have not been corrupted.
Academic Integrity:
Cheating,
plagiarism, and unethical conduct are not allowed, and will be sanctioned,
including referral to the dean's office, and failure in the class. Please refer
to the academic handbook by which rules you are expected to abide.
Violations include,
but are not limited to: making claims on any checklist for work that has not
been done; including ANY un-cited work of others in any documents you turn in;
turning in work, including any program, that has been authored by someone other
than yourself; and in some cases including?any?work of others, whether cited
or not?see the rules for each assignment.
Point Breakdowns for CSC435 (1,000 points)
350
points, Exams:
- 150 points. Midterm
- 200 points Final
650 points, Programs and
assignments:
- 20 points -- class contract, and bio
posted to newsgroup
- 10 points -- InetServer (Graded with
JokeServer)
- 100 points -- JokeServer
- 100 points -- MyWebserver
- 100 points -- Network labs
- 100 points -- Mimer
- 20 points -- HostServer
- 100 points ? Discussion Forum
Participation Log
- 100 points -- Written Research /
Study Log (Graded with Final Exam Part Two)
Note that I reserve the right
to raise the grade of a student that has demonstrated exceptional contributions
in any of these areas.
All grades are
subject to?Academic
Integrity Sanctions. See the class website and the student handbook for further
discussion.
"Minor points" notation:
From
time to time I use the point box as a communication vehicle in two specific
ways, and I reserve the right to add minor points for this purpose:
- One point extra: I am tipping my hat
to you for particularly fine work. That is, if you get 101 points on a 100
point programming assignment, I may be saying, "Hey, I noticed the
five extra modules your wrote, and that you used SSL instead of sockets!
Good job!"
- Two points extra: If you receive two
extra points, I am acknowledging an exceptional contribution beyond
expectations, so 102 points on a 100 point assignment is something to feel
really good about, and is a rare compliment.
- Grade of "1": used as a
placeholder to let a student know that I have reviewed an assignment, and
am waiting for further information or work as per correspondence. A
"1" will?always?be resolved to a different
grade.
- Grade of "2": a serious
warning that you need to communicate with me about possible plagiarism or
some other irregularity that is being investigated.
?
More Policies
?
Changes to Syllabus
This syllabus is subject to
change as necessary during the quarter.? If a change occurs, it will be addressed
during class, posted in D2L, and sent via email.
Online Course Evaluations
Evaluations are
a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and
the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor
teaching methods and course content to meet the learning goals of the course
and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course
and are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching.
The evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track
who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed
the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely separate from the student?s
identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic
reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they
complete the evaluation. Students complete the evaluation online in?CampusConnect.
Academic Integrity and
Plagiarism
This course will be subject
to the university's academic integrity policy. More information can be found
at?http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/. If you have any questions be sure to
consult with your professor. There is NO CHEATING OF ANY KIND in this class!
Academic Policies
All students are required to manage their class schedules each
term in accordance with the deadlines for enrolling and withdrawing as
indicated in the?University Academic Calendar.??Information on
enrollment, withdrawal, grading and incompletes can be found at: ?cdm.depaul.edu/enrollment.
?
Students with Disabilities
?
Students who
feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should
contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All
discussions will remain confidential.
To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your
needs, contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably
within the first week of class), and make sure that you have contacted the
Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at: csd@depaul.edu.
Lewis Center
1420, 25 East Jackson Blvd.
Phone number: (312)362-8002
Fax: (312)362-6544
TTY: (773)325.7296
Other Course Policies
?
Attendance: Students are expected to attend each
class, or view the class online, typically during the week the lecture is
presented. Attendance will not be formally taken beyond the start of the
quarter, but unless otherwise noted ALL the course material presented in the
lectures is suitable for exams. I will typically ask questions of named
students NOT present in the classroom, to be viewed online, and answered at the
forums. All students matter to me.
Class
Discussion: Student
participation in class discussions is expected, and this will take place in
class for local students, and online for all students.
Attitude: A professional and academic attitude is
expected throughout this course.? Measurable examples of non-academic or
unprofessional attitude include but are not limited to: talking to others when
the instructor is speaking, mocking another?s opinion, cell phones ringing,
emailing, texting or using the internet whether on a phone or computer.? If any
issues arise a student may be asked to leave the classroom.
Cell
phones / laptops in class: If you need to use your cell phone for
any reason, or your laptop for any reason other than following the class
slides, and taking notes, leave the room. You may quietly leave and
re-enter as often as necessary. Your peers devote many hours out of their busy
lives, and hundreds of dollars, to come to class. They deserve a vibrant,
focused, environment. If you have a special case, discuss it with the
instructor ahead of time. NO TEXTING, EMAIL, FACEBOOK, etc. in the classroom.
Civil
Discourse: DePaul
University is a community that thrives on open discourse that challenges
students, both intellectually and personally, to be Socially
Responsible Leaders.? It is the expectation that all dialogue in this
course is civil and respectful of the dignity of each student.? Any instances
of disrespect or hostility can jeopardize a student?s ability to be successful
in the course.
?
This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter. If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly addressed during class, posted under Announcements in D2L and sent via email.
Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course
content to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The
evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely
separate from the student’s identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation.
Students complete the evaluation online in CampusConnect.
This course will be subject to the university's academic integrity policy. More information can be found at http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/ If you
have any questions be sure to consult with your professor.
All students are expected to abide by the University's Academic Integrity Policy which prohibits cheating and other misconduct in student coursework. Publicly sharing or posting online any prior or current materials from this course (including exam questions or answers), is considered to be providing unauthorized assistance prohibited by the policy. Both students who share/post and students who access or use such materials are considered to be cheating under the Policy and will be subject to sanctions for violations of Academic Integrity.
Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential.
To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your needs, contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and make sure that
you have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at:
Lewis Center 1420, 25 East Jackson Blvd.
Phone number: (312)362-8002
Fax: (312)362-6544
TTY: (773)325.7296