CSC 374 Computer Systems II

Fall 2019-2020

TTh 3:10pm - 4:40pm in CDM 224

Karen Heart, MS, Instructor
kheart@depaul.edu

(312)362-1469

Syllabus

Last revised: 9-11-19

Summary of the course

A course on computer systems topics, focusing on operating systems components and their relevance for application programming. Caching, memory hierarchy, performance optimization, linking, processes, virtual memory, dynamic memory allocation, system level I/O.

Textbooks and printed resources

Computer Systems: A Programmer's Perspective, 3rd Edition, Bryant & O'Hallaron, Prentice Hall/Pearson, 2016, ISBN: 978-0134092669.

Programming in C, 4th edition, Stephen G. Kochan, Addison-Wesley Professional, 2014, ISBN: 978-0321776419.

The primary textbook is the Computer Systems book by Bryant & O'Hallaron; it is essential to the course. The lectures will cover the material in this book, and the homework exercises and tests will be drawn from it. The book on C programming, by Kochan, is a useful resource for learning the basics, as well as some of the intricacies, of programming in the C language. Tutorials on C programming are also available on Lynda.com; please see Resources and Links under Content in D2L.

Prerequisites

CSC 373

Office Hours

I will be in my office, CDM 838, during office hours, which are posted on Bluestar.

Assignments and Grading

Overview

This course focuses on the details of implementing fundamental parts of computer systems. There will be four (4) lab (programming) assignments, sixteen (16) quizzes, and a Final exam. These assignments and tests require you to read and write code in the C programming language, as well as develop proficiency in systems concepts.

Sec. 1. Lab exercises

Sec. 2. Quizzes

Sec. 3. Final exam

Sec. 4. How your grade for the course is calculated

Approach

This course will be taught in a manner that is sometimes described as a "flipped" class. Lecture material will be prerecorded and uploaded to D2L for you to view; no lectures will be given live, except for the first class period. Class time will be reserved for reviewing coding techniques, lab assignments, and related matters. Consequently, you may use class time to work on labs and other matters; but, more importantly, you may obtain assistance from the instructor during that time. You may also, as mentioned above, obtain assistance from the instructor during office hours.

Policy on Working Together

Each student is expected to turn in original work. Copying code or other documents from another person is considered a serious violation of the university's academic integrity policy (see below).

Course Schedule

WeekDateTopics
1 Sep. 12 Review: data representation; basic C programming
  Sep. 17 Memory: hard disk operation; System Level I/O: reading & writing
2 Sep. 19 System Level I/O: buffering
  Sep. 24 System Level I/O: stat, chmod, redirection, Standard C lib
Last day to drop without penalty!
3 Sep. 26 Lab review: file utilities
  Oct. 1 Dynamic memory allocation: System API, C library, implicit lists
4 Oct. 3 Dynamic memory allocation: linked lists, explicit lists
  Oct. 8 Dynamic memory allocation: segregated lists and trees, garbage collection
5 Oct. 10 Lab review: malloclab
  Oct. 15 Threading: intro, pthreads
6 Oct. 17 Threading: semaphores
  Oct. 22 Threading: message library
7 Oct. 24 Threading: readers & writers
  Oct. 29 Lab review: threadlab
Last day to withdraw without receiving a grade.
8 Oct. 31 Memory: hardware; Cache organization & use
  Nov. 5 Cache-friendly code
9 Nov. 7 Processes
  Nov. 12 Lab review: cachelab; Signals; longjumps
10 Nov. 14 Linking: static libraries, dynamic libraries
  Nov. 19 Virtual Memory
Final Exam Nov. 26 From 2:30pm to 4:45pm (exam available Nov. 20)

Attendance

Although attendance is encouraged in order to foster participation, it is not mandatory.

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.

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: http://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

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.

Changes to Syllabus

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.

School Policies

Policies of the school are explained on the webpage for this course on my.cdm.depaul.edu.