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Proposed Curriculum

 

Notations

 

Absolutely every individual CS/CE undergraduate must be at this level as a result of his or her required coursework

  • K = Know the term
  • C = Comprehend so as to paraphrase/illustrate
  • A = Apply it in some way
  • N = Not in Core, but can be in an elective course
CORE COURSES:
CS0 Computer Literacy course (typically for non-CS majors), also called Computer Principles
CS1 Introduction to Computer Programming (First Courses) Computer 
CS2 Second Programming Course in the Introductory Sequence
Systems Intro Systems/Architecture Core Course
Discrete Maths Discrete Mathematics
DS/A Data Structures and Algorithms
ADVANCED/ELECTIVE COURSES:
Arch 2 Advanced Elective Course on Architecture
Algo 2 Elective/Advanced Algorithm Design and Analysis (CS7)
Lang Programming Language/Principles (after introductory sequence)
SwEngg Software Engineering
ParAlgo Parallel Algorithms
ParProg Parallel Programming
Compilers Compiler Design
Networking Communication Networks
DistSystems Distributed Systems

Note: The numbers of hours suggested in the following tables must be interpreted carefully. Within all tables except for Algorithms, the number suggested for a given topic represents a cumulative total across a number of higher-level topics. For example, students need to achieve "A" level competence in shared memory programming. The number of hours required for this is not simply the number assigned to the topic "shared memory" under "target machine model" but rather the total of all hours allocated for “shared memory” across all higher-level topics --- in addition to the hours allocated to related topics such as “SPMD,” “tasks and threads,” and “synchronization.” In contrast, the hours allocated to Algorithms topics represent our estimates of the effort required to achieve the desired level of competence solely within the context of Algorithms instruction. This decision reflects our recognition that many Algorithms topics develop concepts and tools that will pervade the coverage of many disparate non-Algorithms topics --- the specific list of topics varying from institution to institution. The cumulative number of hours to master a topic is, therefore, impossible to estimate in isolation.

 

Architecture Topics

 

Table 1: Architecture
Topics

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 Where Covered Learning Outcome
Classes        
Taxonomy C 0.5 Systems Flynn's taxonomy, data vs. control parallelism, shared/distributed memory
Data vs. control parallelism        
Superscalar (ILP) K 0.25 to 1, based on level Systems Describe opportunities for multiple instruction issue and execution (different instructions on different data)
SIMD/Vector (e.g., SSE, Cray) K 0.1 to 0.5 Systems Describe uses of SIMD/Vector (same operation on multiple data items), e.g., accelerating graphics for games.
Pipelines        
● Single vs. multicycle K 1 to 2 Systems Describe basic pipelining process (multiple instructions can execute at the same time), describe stages of instruction execution
● Data and control hazards N   Compilers (A), Arch 2 (C) Understand how one pipe stage can depend on a result from another, or delayed branch resolution can start the wrong instructions in a pipe, requiring forwarding, stalling, or restarting
● OoO execution N   Arch 2 (K) Understand how independent instructions can be rescheduled for better pipeline utilization, and that various tables are needed to ensure RAW, WAR, and WAW hazards are avoided.
Streams (e.g., GPU) K 0.1 to 0.5 Systems Know that stream-based architecture exists in GPUs for graphics
Dataflow N   Arch 2 (K) Be aware of this alternative execution paradigm
MIMD K 0.1 to 0.5 Systems Identify MIMD instances in practice (multicore, cluster, e.g.), and know the difference between execution of tasks and threads
Simultaneous Multi-Threading K 0.2 to 0.5 Systems Distinguish SMT from multicore (based on which resources are shared)
Highly Multithreaded (e.g., MTA) N   Arch 2 (K) Have an awareness of the potential and limitations of thread level parallelism in different kinds of applications
Multicore C 0.5 to 1 Systems Describe how cores share resources (cache, memory) and resolve conflicts
Heterogeneous (e.g., Cell, on-chip GPU) K 0.1 to 0.5 Systems Recognize that multicore may not all be the same kind of core.
Shared vs. distributed memory        
SMP N   Arch 2 (C) Understand concept of uniform access shared memory architecture
● Buses C 0.5 to 1 Systems Single resource, limited bandwidth and latency, snooping, scalability issues
NUMA(Shared Memory)        
● CC-NUMA N   Arch 2 (K) Be aware that caches in the context of shared memory depend on coherence protocols
● Directory-based CC-NUMA N   Arch 2 (K) Be aware that bus-based sharing doesn’t scale, and directories offer an alternative
Message passing (no shared memory) N   Arch 2 (K) Shared memory architecture breaks down when scaled due to physical limitations (latency, bandwidth) and results in message passing architectures
● Topologies N   Algo 2 (C) Various graph topologies - linear, ring, mesh/torus, tree, hypercube, clique, crossbar
● Diameter N   Algo 2 (C) Appreciate differences in diameters of various graph topologies
● Latency K 0.2 to 0.5 Systems Know the concept, implications for scaling, impact on work/communication ratio to achieve speedup
● Bandwidth K 0.1 to 0.5 Systems Know the concept, how it limits sharing, and considerations of data movement cost
● Circuit switching N   Arch 2 or Networking Know that interprocessor communication can be managed using switches in networks of wires to establish different point-to-point connections, that the topology of the network affects efficiency, and that some connections may block others
● Packet switching N   Arch 2 or Networking Know that interprocessor communications can be broken into packets that are redirected at switch nodes in a network, based on header info
● Routing N   Arch 2 or Networking Know that messages in a network must follow an algorithm that ensures progress toward their destinations, and be familiar with common techniques such as store-and-forward, or wormhole routing
Memory Hierarchy        
● Cache organization C 0.2 to 1 Systems Know the cache hierarchies, shared caches (as opposed to private caches) result in coherency and performance issues for software
● Atomicity N   Arch 2 (K) Need for indivisible operations can be covered in programming, OS, or database context
● Consistency N   Arch 2 (K) Models for consistent views of data in sharing can be covered in programming, OS, or database context
● Coherence N   Arch 2 (C) Describe how cores share cache and resolve conflicts - may be covered in programming. OS, or database context
● False sharing N   Arch2 (K)/ParProg (K) Awareness, examples of how it originates
● Impact on software N   Arch2 (C)/ParProg (A) Issues of cache line length, memory blocks, patterns of array access, compiler optimization levels
Floating point representation       These topics are supposed to be in the ACM/IEEE core curriculum already – they are included here to emphasize their importance, especially in the context of PDC.
Range K   CS1/CS2/Systems Understand that range is limited, implications of infinities
Precision K 0.1 to 0.5 CS1/CS2/Systems How single and double precision floating point numbers impact software performance
Rounding issues N   Arch 2 (K)/ Algo 2 (A) Understand rounding modes, accumulation of error and loss of precision
Error propagation K 0.1 to 0.5 CS2 Understand NaN, Infinity values and how they affect computations and exception handling
IEEE 754 standard K 0.5 to 1 CS1/CS2/Systems Representation, range, precision, rounding, NaN, infinities, subnormals, comparison, effects of casting to other types
Performance metrics        
Cycles per instruction (CPI) C 0.25 to 1 Systems Number of clock cycles for instructions, understand the performance of processor implementation, various pipelined implementations
Benchmarks K 0.25 to 0.5 Systems Awareness of various benchmarks and how they test different aspects of performance
● Spec mark K 0.25 to 0.5 Systems Awareness of pitfalls in relying on averages (different averages can alter perception of which architecture is faster)
● Bandwidth benchmarks N   Arch 2 (K) Be aware that there are benchmarks focusing on data movement instead of computation
Peak performance C 0.1 to 0.5 Systems Understanding peak performance, how it is rarely valid for estimating real performance, illustrate fallacies
● MIPS/FLOPS K 0.1 Systems Understand meaning of terms
Sustained performance C 0.1 to 0.5 Systems Know difference between peak and sustained performance, how to define, measure, different benchmarks
● LinPack N   ParProg (K) Be aware of the existence of parallel benchmarks

 

Programming Topics

 

Table 2: Programming
Topics

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 Where Covered Learning Outcome
Parallel Programming paradigms and Notations        
By the target machine model   5    
SIMD K 0.5 CS2; Systems Understand common vector operations including element-by-element operations and reductions.
● Processor vector extensions K   Systems Know examples - SSE/Altivec macros
● Array language extensions N   ParProg (A) Know how to write parallel array code in some language (e.g.,Fortran95, Intel’s C/C++ Array Extension[CEAN])
Shared memory A 2.0 CS2; DS/A; Lang Be able to write correct thread- based programs (protecting shared data) and understand how to obtain speed up.
● Language extensions K     Know about language extensions for parallel programming. Illustration from Cilk (spawn/join) and Java (Java threads)
● Compiler directives/
pragmas		 C     Understand what simple directives, such as those of OpenMP, mean (parallel for, concurrent section), show examples
● Libraries C     Know one in detail, and know of the existence of some other example libraries such as Pthreads, Pfunc, Intel's TBB (Thread building blocks), Microsoft's TPL (Task Parallel Library), etc.
Distributed memory C 1.0 DS/A; Systems Know basic notions of messaging among processes, different ways of message passing, collective operations
● Message passing N   ParProg(C) Know about the overall organization of an message passing program as well as point-to-point and collective communication primitives (e.g., MPI)
● PGAS languages N   ParProg (C) Know about partitioned address spaces, other parallel constructs (UPC, CoArray Fortran, X10, Chapel)
● Client Server C 1.0 DS/A; Systems Know notions of invoking and providing services (e.g., RPC, RMI, web services) - understand these as concurrent processes
Hybrid K 0.5 Systems Know the notion of programming over multiple classes of machines simultaneously (CPU, GPU, etc.)
By the control statement        
Task/thread spawning A 1 CS2; DS/A Be able to write correct programs with threads, synchronize (fork-join, producer/consumer, etc.), use dynamic threads (in number and possibly recursively) thread creation - (e.g. Pthreads, Java threads, etc.) - builds on shared memory topic above
SPMD C 1 CS2; DS/A Understand how SPMD program is written and how it executes
● SPMD notations C     Know the existence of highly threaded data parallel notations (e.g., CUDA, OpenCL), message passing (e.g, MPI), and some others (e.g., Global Arrays, BSP library)
Data parallel A 1 CS2; DS/A; Lang Be able to write a correct data-parallel program for shared-memory machines and get speedup, should do an exercise. Understand relation between different notations for data parallel: Array notations, SPMD, and parallel loops. Builds on shared memory topic above.
● Parallel loops for shared memory A   CS2; DS/A; Lang Know, through an example, one way to implement parallel loops, understand collision/dependencies across iterations (e.g., OpenMP, Intel's TBB)
● Data parallel for distributed memory N   ParProg (K) Know data parallel notations for distributed memory (e.g., High Performance Fortran)
Functional/logic languages N   ParProg (K) Understanding advantages and disadvantages of very different programming styles (e.g., Parallel Haskell, Parlog, Erlang)
Semantics and correctness issues        
Tasks and threads K 0.5 CS2; DS/A; Systems, Lang Understand what it means to create and assign work to threads/processes in a parallel program, and know of at least one way do that (e.g., OpenMP, Intel TBB, etc.)
Synchronization A 1.5 CS2; DS/A; Systems Be able to write shared memory programs with critical regions, producer- consumer communication, and get speedup; know the notions of mechanisms for concurrency (monitors, semaphores, etc. - [from ACM 2008])
● Critical regions A     Be able to write shared memory programs that use critical regions for synchronization
● Producer-consumer A     Be able to write shared memory programs that use the producer-consumer pattern to share data and synchronize threads
● Monitors K     Understand how to use monitors for synchronization
Concurrency defects C 1.0 DS/A; Systems Understand the notions of deadlock (detection, prevention), race conditions (definition), determinacy/non-determinacy in parallel programs (e.g., if there is a data race, the output may depend on the order of execution)
● Deadlocks C     Understand what a deadlock is, and methods for detecting and preventing them
● Data Races K     Know what a data race is, and how to use synchronization to prevent it
Memory models N   ParProg (C) Know what a memory model is, and the implications of the difference between strict and relaxed models (performance vs. ease of use)
● Sequential consistency N     Understand semantics of sequential consistency for shared memory programs
● Relaxed consistency N     Understand semantics of one relaxed consistency model (e.g., release consistency) for shared memory programs
Tools to detect concurrency defects K 0.5 DS/A; Systems Know the existence of tools to detect race conditions (e.g., Eraser)
Performance issues        
Computation C 1.5 CS2; DS/A Understand the basic notions of static and dynamic scheduling, mapping and impact of load balancing on performance
Computation decomposition strategies C     Understand different ways to assign computations to threads or processes
● Owner computes rule C     Understand how to assign loop iterations to threads based on which thread/process owns the data element(s) written in an iteration
● Decomposition into atomic tasks C     Understand how to decompose computations into tasks with communication only at the beginning and end of each task, and assign them to threads/processes
● Work stealing N   ParProg (C) Understand one way to do dynamic assignment of computations
Program transformations N   Compilers (A) Be able to perform simple loop transformations by hand, and understand how that impacts performance of the resulting code (e.g., loop fusion, fission, skewing)
Load balancing C 1.0 DS/A; Systems Understand the effects of load imbalances on performance, and ways to balance load across threads or processes
Scheduling
and mapping		 C 1.0 DS/A; Systems Understand how a programmer or compiler maps and schedules computations to threads/processes, both statically and dynamically
● Static       Understand how to map and schedule computations before runtime
● Dynamic       Understand how to map and schedule computations at runtime
Data K 1.0 DS/A; Lang Understand impact of data distribution, layout and locality on performance; know false sharing and its impact on performance (e.g., in a cyclic mapping in a parallel loop); notion that transfer of data has fixed cost plus bit rate (irrespective of transfer from memory or inter-processor)
Data distribution K     Know what block, cyclic, and block-cyclic data distributions are, and what it means to distribute data across multiple threads/processes
Data layout K     Know how to lay out data in memory to get improve performance (memory hierarchy)
Data locality K     Know what spatial and temporal locality are, and how to organize data to take advantage of them
False sharing K     Know that for cache coherent shared memory systems, data is kept coherent in blocks, not individual words, and how to avoid false sharing across threads of data for a block
Performance monitoring tools K 0.5 DS/A; Systems Know of tools for runtime monitoring (e.g., gprof, Vtune)
Performance metrics C 1.0 CS2; DS/A Know the basic definitions of performance metrics (speedup, efficiency, work, cost), Amdahl's law; know the notions of scalability
● Speedup C     Understand how to compute speedup, and what it means
● Efficiency C     Understand how to compute efficiency, and why it matters
● Amdahl’s law K     Know that speedup is limited by the sequential portion of a parallel program, if problem size is kept fixed
● Gustafson’s Law K     Understand the idea of weak scaling, where problem size increases as the number of processes/threads increases
● Isoefficiency N   ParProg; Algo2 (C) Understand the idea of how quickly to increase problem size with number of processes/threads to keep efficiency the same

 

Algorithm Topics

 

Table 3: Algorithms

Note: Recall that the numbers of hours in this table reflect just the coverage within the Algorithms portion of the curriculum. (See the explanatory note in Section 8.1)

Topics

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 Where Covered Learning Outcome
Parallel and Distributed Models and Complexity   7.41   Be exposed to the models and to the intrinsic degree of parallelism of some elementary key algorithms (e.g., maximum-finding, summation)
Costs of computation:   1.66   Follow arguments for parallel time and space complexity given by instructor
Asymptotics C 1 DS/A Understand upper (big-O) and lower bounds (big- Omega,); follow elementary big-O analyses, e.g., the O(log n) tree-depth argument for mergesort with unbounded parallelism.
Time C 0.33 DS/A Recognize time as a fundamental computational resource that can be influenced by parallelism
Space/Memory C 0.33 DS/A Recognize space/memory in the same manner as time
Cost reduction:   1   Be exposed to a variety of computational costs other than time that can benefit from parallelism (a more advanced extension of “speedup”)
Speedup C 1 DS/A Recognize the use of parallelism either to solve a given problem instance faster or to solve larger instance in the same time (strong and weak scaling)
Space compression N 0.33   Be exposed to ways in which the computational resource “space” behaves the same as “time” and to ways in which the two cost measures differ
Cost tradeoffs:   0.75   Recognize the inter-influence of various cost measures
Time vs. space N 0.5 DS/A Observe several examples of this prime cost tradeoff; lazy vs. eager evaluation supplies many examples
Power vs. time N 0.25 DS/A Observe at least one example of this prime cost tradeoff (the literature on “VLSI computation” --- e.g., the footnoted books 4 5 --- yield many examples)
Scalability in algorithms and architectures C/K 0.5 DS/A Comprehend via several examples that having access more processors does not guarantee faster execution --- the notion of inherent sequentiality (e.g., the seminal paper by Brent)
Model-based notions:   4   Recognize that architectural features can influence amenability to parallel cost reduction and the amount of reduction achievable
Notions from complexity-theory:   2   Understand (via examples) that some computational notions transcend the details of any specific model
● PRAM K 1 DS/A Recognize the PRAM as embodying the simplest forms of parallel computation: Embarrassingly parallel problems can be sped up easily just by employing many processors.
● BSP/CILK K 1 DS/A Be exposed to higher-level algorithmic abstractions that encapsulate more aspects of real architectures. Either BSP or CILK would be a good option to introduce a higher level programming model and higher-level notions. Remark that both of these abstractions have led to programming models.
● Simulation/emulation N 1 Algo 2 See simple examples of this abstract, formal analogue of the virtual machines that are discussed under programming topics. It is important to stress that (different aspects of the same) central notions of PDC can be observed in all four of our main topic areas.
● P-completeness and #P-completeness N 1 Algo 2 Recognize these two notions as the parallel analogues of NP-completeness. They are the quintessential model-independent complexity-theoretic notions.
● Cellular automata N 1 Algo 2 Be exposed to this important model that introduces new aspects of parallelism/distributed computing --- possibly via games (such as Life)
Notions from scheduling:   2   Understand how to decompose a problem into tasks
● Dependencies A 0.5 CS1/CS2, DS/A Observe how dependencies constrain the execution order of sub-computations --- thereby lifting one from the limited domain of “embarrassing parallelism” to more complex computational structures.
● Task graphs C 0.5 DS/A;SwEngg See multiple examples of this concrete algorithmic abstraction as a mechanism for exposing inter-task dependencies. These graphs, which are used also in compiler analyses, form the level at which parallelism is exposed and exploited.
● Work K 0.5 DS/A Observe the impact of computational work (e.g., the total number of tasks executed) on complexity measures such as power consumption.
● (Make)span K 0.5 DS/A Observe analyses in which makespan is identified with parallel time (basically, time to completion)
Algorithmic Paradigms   4.5    
Divide & conquer (parallel aspects) C 1 CS2, DS/A, Algo 2 Observe, via tree-structured examples such as mergesort or numerical integration (trapezoid rule, Simpson’s rule) or (at a more advanced level) Strassen's matrix-multiply, how the same structure that enables divide and conquer (sequential) algorithms exposes opportunities for parallel computation.
Recursion (parallel aspects) C 0.5 CS2, DS/A Recognize algorithms that, via unfolding, yield tree structures whose subtrees can be computed independently, in parallel
Scan (parallel-prefix) N 0.5 ParAlgo,Architecture Observe, via several examples6 7 this "high-level" algorithmic tool
Reduction (map-reduce) K/C 1 DS/A Recognize, and use, the tree structure implicit in scalar product or mergesort or histogram (equivalent apps)
Stencil-based iteration N 0.5 ParAlgo Observe illustrations of mapping and load balancing via stenciling
Dependencies: K 0.5 Systems Understand the impacts of dependencies
"Oblivious” algorithms N 0.5 ParAlgo Observe examples of these “model-independent” algorithms that ignore the details of the platform on which they are executed. Recognize obliviousness as an important avenue toward portability.
Blocking N 0.5 ParAlgo See examples of this algorithmic manifestation of memory hierarchies
Striping N 0.5 ParAlgo See examples of this algorithmic manifestation of memory hierarchies
“Out-of-core” algorithms N 0.5 ParAlgo Observe ways of accommodating a memory/storage hierarchy by dealing with issues such as locality and acknowledging the changes in cost measures at the various levels of the hierarchy.
Series-parallel composition C 1 CS2(K), Systems(C) Understand how “barrier synchronizations” can be used to enable a simple thread-based abstraction for parallel programming. Understand the possible penalties (in parallelism) that this transformation incurs
Graph embedding as an algorithmic tool N 1 ParAlgo Recognize this key algorithmic tool for crafting simulations/emulations.
Algorithmic problems   8.5   The important thing here is to emphasize the parallel/distributed aspects of the topic
Communication C/A 2   Understand --- via hands-on experience --- that inter-processor communication is one of the most challenging aspects of PDC.
Broadcast C/A 1 DS/A Use this important mode of global communication; observe enabling algorithms for various platforms (e.g., recursive doubling)
Multicast K/C 0.5 DS/A Recognize other modalities of global communication on a variety of platforms: e.g., rings, 2D-meshes, hypercubes, trees
Scatter/gather C/A 0.5 DS/A Recognize these informational analogues of Map and reduce
Gossip N 0.5 Dist Systems, Networking Recognize how all-to-all communication simplifies certain computations
Asynchrony K 0.5 CS2 Understand asynchrony as exhibited on a distributed platform, its strengths (no need for synchs) and pitfalls (the danger of race conditions)
Synchronization K 1 CS2, DS/A Be aware of methods for controlling race conditions
Sorting C 1.5 CS2, DS/A Observe several sorting algorithms for varied platforms --- together with analyses. Parallel merge sort is the simplest example, but equally simple alternatives for rings and meshes might be covered also; more sophisticated algorithms might be covered in more advanced courses
Selection K 0.5 CS2, DS/A Observe algorithms for finding order statistics, notably min and max. Understand that selection can always be accomplished by sorting but that direct algorithms may be simpler.
Graph algorithms:   1    
Search C 1 DS/A Know how to carry out BFS- and DFS-like parallel search in a graph or solution space
Path selection N 1    
Specialized computations A 2 CS2, DS/A Master one or two from among computations such as: matrix product, transposition, convolution, and linear systems; recognize how algorithm design reflects the structure of the computational problems.
Convolutions Optional 1   Be exposed to block or cyclic mappings; understand trade-offs with communication costs
Matrix computations Optional 1   Understand the mapping and load balancing problems on various platforms for significant concrete instances of computational challenges that are discussed at a higher level elsewhere
● Matrix product Optional 1   Observe a sample “real” parallel algorithm, such as Cannon’s algorithm 8
● Linear systems Optional 1   Observe load-balancing problems in a concrete setting
● Matrix arithmetic Optional 1   Observe the challenges in implementing even “simple” arithmetic
● Matrix transpose Optional 1   Observe a challenging concrete data permutation problem
Termination detection N/K 1 ParAlgo See examples that suggest the difficulty of proving that algorithms from various classes actually terminate. For more advanced courses, observe proofs of termination, to understand the conceptual tools needed.
Leader election/symmetry breaking N/K 2 ParAlgo Observe simple symmetry-breaking algorithms, say for a PRAM

 

Cross Cutting and Advanced Topics

 

Table 4: Cross Cutting
Topics

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 Where Covered Learning Outcome
High level themes:        
Why and what is parallel/distributed computing? K 0.5 CS1, CS2 Know the common issues and differences between parallel and distributed computing; history and applications. Microscopic level to macroscopic level parallelism in current architectures.
Cross-Cutting topics       know these underlying themes
Locality C 1 DS/A, Systems Understand this as a dominant factor impacting performance - minimizing cache/memory access latency or inter-processor communication.
Concurrency K 0.5 CS2, DS/A The degree of inherent parallelism in an algorithm, independent of how it is executed on a machine
Non-determinism K 0.5 DS/A, Systems Different execution sequences can lead to different results hence algorithm design either be tolerant to such phenomena or be able to take advantage of this.
Power Consumption K 0.5 Systems, DS/A Know that power consumption is a metric of growing importance, its impact on architectural evolution, and design of algorithms and software.
Fault tolerance K 0.5 Systems Large-scale parallel/distributed hardware/software systems are prone to components failing but system as a whole needs to work.
Performance modeling N 0.5 Arch 2, Networking, Adv OS Be able to describe basic performance measures and relationships between them for both individual resources and systems of resources.
Current/Advanced Topics        
Cluster Computing K 0.25 CS2, DS/A, System Be able to describe a cluster as a popular local-memory architecture with commodity compute nodes and a high-performance interconnection network.
Cloud/grid Computing K 0.25 CS2, DS/A, System Recognize cloud and grid as shared distributed resources - cloud is distinguished by on-demand, virtualized, service-oriented software and hardware resources.
Peer to Peer Computing K 0.25 CS1, CS2 Be able to describe a peer to peer system and the roles of server and client nodes with distributed data. Recognize existing peer to peer systems.
Consistency in Distributed Transactions K 0.25 CS1,CS2, Systems Recognize classic consistency problems. Know that consistency maintenance is a primary issue in transactions issued concurrently by multiple agents.
Web search K 0.25 CS1, CS2 Recognize popular search engines as large distributed processing systems for information gathering that employ distributed hardware to support efficient response to user searches.
Security in Distributed Systems K 0.5 Systems Know that distributed systems are more vulnerable to privacy and security threats; distributed attacks modes; inherent tension between privacy and security.
Social Networking/Context N 0.5 AI, Distributed Systems, Networking, Know that the rise of social networking provides new opportunities for enriching distributed computing with human & social context.
Collaborative Computing N 0.25 HCI, Dist Systems, OS Know that collaboration between multiple users or devices is a form of distributed computing with application specific requirements.
Performance modeling N 0.5 Arch 2, Networking Be able to describe basic performance measures and relationships between them for both individual resources and systems of resources.
Web services N 0.5 Web Programming, Dist Systems, Adv OS, Know that web service technology forms the basis of all online user interactions via browser.
Pervasive and Mobile computing N 0.5 Mobile Computing, Networking, Dist System Know that the emerging pervasive and mobile computing is another form of distributed computing where context plays a central role.

4 F.T. Leighton (1992): Introduction to Parallel Algorithms and Architectures: Arrays, Trees, Hypercubes. Morgan Kaufmann, San Mateo, Cal.

5 J.D. Ullman (1984): Computational Aspects of VLSI. Computer Science Press, Rockville, Md.

6 G.E. Blelloch (1989): Scans as primitive parallel operations. IEEE Transactions on Computers 38, pp. 1526—1538

7 F.T. Leighton (1992): Introduction to Parallel Algorithms and Architectures: Arrays, Trees, Hypercubes. Morgan Kaufmann, San Mateo, Cal.

8H. Gupta, P. Sadayappan (1996): Communication Efficient Matrix-Multiplication on Hypercubes. Parallel Computing 22 , pp. 75-99.