227-0558-00L  Principles of Distributed Computing

SemesterSpring Semester 2023
LecturersR. Wattenhofer
Periodicityyearly recurring course
Language of instructionEnglish



Courses

NumberTitleHoursLecturers
227-0558-00 VPrinciples of Distributed Computing2 hrs
Wed08:15-10:00CAB G 61 »
R. Wattenhofer
227-0558-00 UPrinciples of Distributed Computing
In Gruppen
2 hrs
Wed14:15-16:00ETZ E 6 »
16:15-18:00ETZ E 6 »
R. Wattenhofer
227-0558-00 APrinciples of Distributed Computing
No presence required.
Creative task outside the regular weekly exercises.
2 hrsR. Wattenhofer

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.
Learning 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.
LiteratureLecture Notes By Roger Wattenhofer. These lecture notes are taught at about a dozen different universities through the world.

Mastering Distributed Algorithms
Roger Wattenhofer
Inverted Forest Publishing, 2020. ISBN 979-8628688267

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.)
CompetenciesCompetencies
Subject-specific CompetenciesConcepts and Theoriesassessed
Techniques and Technologiesassessed
Method-specific CompetenciesAnalytical Competenciesassessed
Decision-makingassessed
Problem-solvingassessed

Performance assessment

Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again)
Performance assessment as a semester course
ECTS credits7 credits
ExaminersR. Wattenhofer
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 120 minutes
Additional information on mode of examinationA grade bonus (0.25) can be achieved through designing an interesting exam-like question about the material of this course, complex enough to take about 20 minutes to solve. For details and deadlines see https://disco.ethz.ch/courses/podc/.
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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RecordingRecording
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