This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Postgraduate Handbook 2015-2016 (archived)
Module COMP51715: DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING
Department: Computer Science
COMP51715: DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 4 | 15 | Available in 2015/2016 | Durham |
Pre-requisites
- None.
Corequisites
- None.
Excluded Combinations
- None.
Aims
- The module aims to provide an introduction to the issues and technology of Distributed Systems and forms a sound basis for later work in the course. There will be a mixture of theory and practice, studying the basic ideas and experimenting with them in real systems. The assessment will involve the construction and analysis of a non-trivial distributed system.
Content
- Techniques covered will include several of the following: message passing, client-server, peer-to-peer, routing, distributed snapshots, clock synchronization, cryptosystems, distributed shared memory, distributed transactions.
- Technologies covered will include several of the following: Java TCP/UDP Sockets, Java RMI, CORBA, multithreading, network architectures and protocols.
- Theory: Time; Process coordination; Fault tolerance; Transactions; Replication; Security issues.
- Security issues
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the underlying concepts, technologies and algorithms relating to Distributed Systems, being able to explain the key points, and to discuss strengths and weaknesses of the technologies.
- Demonstrate sufficient knowledge to critically analyse the design of distributed systems, in terms of the suitability of the techniques used.
Subject-specific Skills
- To be able to analyse, build, and modify simple components of distributed systems using modern technologies while being aware of the issues involved in building distributed systems.
Key Skills
- The outcomes mentioned above include elements of IT skills as well as analytical/critical thought (or problem solving).
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Lectures provides specialist subject information and the application of the theory to practical examples. Tutorials provide active engagement and feedback to the learning process.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 6 | 3 per week in weeks 1 and 2 | 2 hours | 12 | Yes |
| Tutorials | 4 | in weeks 3 and 4 | 2 hour | 8 | Yes |
| Preparation and Reading | 130 | ||||
| Total | 150 |
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coursework | 100% | Coursework | 2500 words | 100% |
Formative Assessment
Practical work and exercises with feedback given.
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.