Logistics:
Class meets: Th 5:45 Loop Campus, CS&T 218
Professor: Dr. Clark Elliott
email: elliott AATT cdm depaul edu. Use ECT425 in subject
heading. No homework sumissions!
Class materials, and all homework submission: col cdm depaul edu
Website: www.depaul.edu/~elliott/425
Textbooks:
Required text (CDK): Courlouris, George; Dollimore, Jean; and Kindberg, Tim
(2005), "Distributed Systems, Concepts and Designs, Fourth Edition,"
Edinburgh Gate, Essex, England: Pearson Education Limited / Addison
Wesley. ISBN 0-321-26354-5. www.pearson-books.com
Recommended programming text: Harold, Elliotte Rusty (2005) "Java Network
Programming, Third Edition," Sepastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media Inc. ISBN
0-596-00721-3, 978-0-596-00721-8. www.oreilly.com
Recommended background text: Kurose, James F., and Ross, Keith W. (2005)
"Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach Featuring the Internet, 2nd
Edition," Boston: Addison Wesley.
Grading:
Exams 70%
Newsgroup participation 12%
Reading study log 6%
Initial program 2%
Full Programs 10%
I reserve the right to raise a student's grade if I believe that timely, outstanding,
work in one area merits it.
Grading Scale: 95% A
90% A-
86,83,80 B+,B,B-
78,74,70 C+,C,C-
65,60 D+,D
Class structure:
This is primarily a reading, lecture, and discussion, class. Online
participation in the discussion groups is required. Assessemnt is primarily
by exam.
In general we will follow the outline in the textbook, covering the first
seven chapters.
Students are expected to do much of the reading on their own. 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 tests.
Expectations for this course are high. You must read the material in the
book (probably three times) to pass the exams, and you must pass the exams
to pass the course.
Java programming background is required. We will review network java
programs in this class, and assume this knowledge.
The programming assignments are substantial, but it is possible to pass the
class without completing them. ALL students must understand the programs and
they will appear on tests.
Topics:
We will cover foundational topics in the study of Distributed Systems,
including, but not limited to, basic design fundamentals, existing systems,
client/server, peer-to-peer,
architectures, networking, protocols, security, timing, process
communication, marshalling, distributed objects, thread models, multimedia
distribution, transcations, mobile computing, software agents.
Academic Integrity: Cheating, plagiarism, and unethical conduct are
not allowed, and will be sactioned, 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.