TCS / Studies / T-79.4301 Parallel and Distributed Systems
Helsinki University of Technology, 
     Laboratory for Theoretical Computer Science

T-79.4301 Parallel and Distributed Systems (4 ECTS)

Spring 2008


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 will be taught in English. The course contents and material will change somewhat from previous years, so old material might not be sufficient.


Requirements: Exam 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: Monday 12.15-14:00 in Lecture hall T3 (CS-building), first lecture on Monday 21st of January. Lectures and all material will be in English.

Tutorials: Mondays 14:15-15:00 in T3, first tutorial on Monday 28th of January!

Literature: Lecture notes (slides) to be distributed through Edita. Note: The course contents and material will change somewhat from previous years, so old material might not be sufficient.

Lectures: Docent Keijo Heljanko.

Tutorials: Stud. Tech. Tuomas Launiainen, email: t794301-spring08@tcs.tkk.fi

Preliminary Lecture schedule:

Monday 21.1 at 12:15 - Lecture 1 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page)
Monday 28.1 at 12:15 - Lecture 2 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page)
Monday 4.2 at 12:15 - Lecture 3 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page)
Monday 11.2 at 12:15 - Lecture 4 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page)
Monday 18.2 at 12:15 - Lecture 5 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page), Home exercise 1 distributed (ps.gz) (partial Promela model of an elevator)
Monday 25.2 at 12:15 - Lecture 6 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page)
Monday 3.3 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 unidirectional ring protocol)
Monday 10.3 at 12:15 - No lecture (exam period)
Monday 17.3 at 12:15 - Lecture 8 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page)
Monday 24.3 at 12:15 - No lecture (Easter holiday)
Monday 31.3 at 12:15 - No lecture (Lecturer travelling)
Monday 7.4 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)
Monday 14.4 at 12:15 - Lecture 10 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page)
Monday 21.4 at 12:15 - Lecture 11 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page), Deadline of Home Exercise 3
Monday 28.4 at 12:15 - Lecture 12 (.ps.gz, 4 slides per page)

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

Preliminary Tutorial schedule:

Monday 21.1 at 14:15 - No tutorial
Monday 28.1 at 14:15 - Tutorial 1 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Monday 4.2 at 14:15 - Tutorial 2 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Monday 11.2 at 14:15 - Tutorial 3 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Monday 18.2 at 14:15 - Tutorial 4 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Monday 25.2 at 14:15 - Tutorial 5 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Monday 3.3 at 14:15 - Answers of Home Exercise 1; results
Monday 10.3 at 14:15 - No tutorial (exam period)
Monday 17.3 at 14:15 - Tutorial 6 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Monday 24.3 at 14:15 - No tutorial (Easter holiday)
Monday 31.3 at 14:15 - No tutorial (Lecturer travelling)
Monday 7.4 at 14:15 - Answers of Home Exercise 2; results
Monday 14.4 at 14:15 - Tutorial 7 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)
Monday 21.4 at 14:15 - Answers of Home Exercise 3; results
Monday 28.4 at 14:15 - Tutorial 8 (ps.gz); Solutions (ps.gz)


Course Feedback

Please give course feedback between 28th of April and 20th of May at 23:59 using one of the links below.

  • Feeback form in English
  • Feeback form in Finnish
  • Feeback form in Swedish


    Exams

    The next exam of the course is scheduled to take place in the 28.8-8.9 exam period (exact date is still open).


    Old Exams

  • Exam on 8th of May 2008: Finnish version, English version, results
  • Exam on 31st of August 2007: Finnish version, English version
  • Exam on 8th of May 2007: Finnish version, English version
  • Exam on 31st of August 2006: Finnish version, English version
  • Exam on 10th of May 2006: Finnish version, English version

    The Course Newsgroup

    Please use the course newsgroup, opinnot.tik.rhj, for any homework-related questions.


    Using the Spin model checker in the Computing Centre workstations

    Spin and XSpin executables are installed in the /p/edu/t-79.4301/bin directory on the Linux workstations in the Computing Centre (see here for a list of workstations).

    To make using the tools easier, you can first add the directory /p/edu/t-79.4301/bin to your PATH environment variable, for example, by running one of the commands
        (using tcsh as your shell): setenv PATH /p/edu/t-79.4301/bin:$PATH
        (using bash as your shell): export PATH=/p/edu/t-79.4301/bin:$PATH

    Spin and XSpin should then be accessible by running the commands spin and xspin, respectively.


    Links:

    Spin model checker homepage
    T-79.4301 Parallel and Distributed Systems (Spring 2007 version)


    The course T-79.4301 replaces either the course T-79.179 Parallel and Distributed Digital Systems or the course T-79.231 Parallel and Distributed Digital Systems.


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    Latest update: 03 June 2008.