T-79.4301 Parallel and Distributed Systems (4 ECTS)

Spring 2006

Modern software systems are often implemented as parallel and distributed systems. This can give benefits such as improved performance. However, designing, implementing, and testing such systems involves new challenges not fully addressed by traditional software engineering methods developed for sequential systems.

This course will introduce the student to techniques for the development of parallel systems. The main used method is the modelling of parallel and distributed systems. These design models of systems can then be analysed through computer-aided verification methods.

The main focus on the course is on modelling methods and practical modelling of parallel and distributed systems. Basics of computer-aided verification methods will also be discussed.

Note: The course contents and material have changed fully from previous years. Thus old material will not be applicable.

Requirements: Exams (preliminary dates for upcoming Exams: Wednesday 20.12-2006 at 9-12 in Lecture Hall T1) and home exercises: at least 50% of points from home exercises to pass, at least 80% of points gives +1 to exam grade. Note: The exercises should be done individually, no exercise groups/sharing of solutions allowed.

Prerequisites: T-79.1001/T-79.1002/T-79.148, T-79.3001/T-79.144, and the compulsory mathematics studies of the study programme.

Lectures: Fridays 12.15-14:00 in Lecture hall T3 (CS-building), first lecture on Friday 27th of Jan! Lectures will be in Finnish but material will be in English.

Tutorials: in English: Wednesdays 11:15-12:00 in T3, in Finnish: Fridays 14:15-15:00 in T3, first tutorials on Wed 1st of February and Friday 3rd of February, respectively!

Literature: Lecture notes (slides) to be distributed through Edita. Note: The course contents and material have changed fully from previous years. Thus old material will not be applicable.

Lectures: Docent Keijo Heljanko.

Tutorials: Lic.Sc. (Tech.) Heikki Tauriainen.

Lecture schedule:

Friday 20.1 at 12:15 - No lecture
Friday 27.1 at 12:15 - Lecture 1 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page)
Friday 3.2 at 12:15 - Lecture 2 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page)
Friday 10.2 at 12:15 - Lecture 3 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page)
Friday 17.2 at 12:15 - Lecture 4 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page)
Friday 24.2 at 12:15 - Lecture 5 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page), Home exercise 1 distributed (ps.gz) (partial Promela model of an elevator) (results)
Friday 3.3 at 12:15 - Lecture 6 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page)
Friday 10.3 at 12:15 - No lecture (exam period)
Friday 17.3 at 12:15 - Lecture 7 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page), Deadline of home exercise 1, Home exercise 2 distributed (ps.gz) (partial Promela model of a network with ring topology) (results)
Friday 24.3 at 12:15 - Lecture 8 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page)
Friday 31.3 at 12:15 - Lecture 9 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page), Deadline of home exercise 2, Home exercise 3 distributed (ps.gz) (partial Promela model of an FPU controller)
Friday 7.4 at 12:15 - Lecture 10 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page)
Friday 14.4 at 12:15 - No lecture (Easter holiday)
Friday 21.4 at 12:15 - Lecture 11 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page), Deadline of home exercise 3
Friday 28.4 at 12:15 - Lecture 12 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page)
Friday 5.5 at 12:15 - No lecture

The deadlines for home exercises are always at 12:15 and the deadlines are tight!

Finnish tutorial schedule:

Friday 20.1 at 14:15 - No tutorial
Friday 27.1 at 14:15 - No tutorial
Friday 3.2 at 14:15 - Tutorial 1 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Friday 10.2 at 14:15 - Tutorial 2 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Friday 17.2 at 14:15 - Tutorial 3 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Friday 24.2 at 14:15 - Tutorial 4 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Friday 3.3 at 14:15 - Tutorial 5 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Friday 10.3 at 14:15 - No tutorial (exam period)
Friday 17.3 at 14:15 - Tutorial 6 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Friday 24.3 at 14:15 - Answers of home exercise 1 (homework results)
Friday 31.3 at 14:15 - Tutorial 7 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Friday 7.4 at 14:15 - Answers of home exercise 2 (homework results)
Friday 14.4 at 14:15 - No tutorial (Easter holiday)
Friday 21.4 at 14:15 - Tutorial 8 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Friday 28.4 at 14:15 - Answers of home exercise 3 (homework results)
Friday 5.5 at 14:15 - No tutorial

English tutorial schedule:

Wednesday 17.1 at 11:15 - No tutorial
Wednesday 25.1 at 11:15 - No tutorial
Wednesday 1.2 at 11:15 - Tutorial 1 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Wednesday 8.2 at 11:15 - Tutorial 2 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Wednesday 15.2 at 11:15 - Tutorial 3 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Wednesday 22.2 at 11:15 - Tutorial 4 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Wednesday 1.3 at 11:15 - Tutorial 5 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Wednesday 8.3 at 11:15 - No tutorial (exam period)
Wednesday 15.3 at 11:15 - Tutorial 6 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Wednesday 22.3 at 11:15 - Answers of home exercise 1 (homework results)
Wednesday 29.3 at 11:15 - Tutorial 7 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Wednesday 5.4 at 11:15 - Answers of home exercise 2 (homework results)
Wednesday 12.4 at 11:15 - Tutorial 8 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Wednesday 19.4 at 11:15 - No tutorial (Easter holiday)
Wednesday 26.4 at 11:15 - Answers of home exercise 3 (homework results)
Wednesday 3.5 at 11:15 - No tutorial

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Please give course feedback before 17th of May at 23:59 using the links below.