Monash University Handbook 2011 Undergraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Synopsis

Modern computer systems rely increasingly on distributed computing mechanisms, implemented often as clusters, web services, grids and clouds. Distributed computing systems can provide seamless (or web-like) access to a variety of networked resources, e.g. processing cores, large data stores and information repositories, expensive instruments, high-speed links, sensor networks, and multimedia services for a wide range of applications. This unit provides foundation knowledge and understanding of the basic mechanisms required to implement distributed computing systems, especially grids, web services and clusters. Topics covered include: Introduction to parallel and distributed computing mechanisms, concurrency and synchronisation, monitors, deadlocks, concurrent program analysis - Deadlock, Safety & Liveness properties, computational and service-oriented grids. LVS and Beowulf Clusters. Gridservices, Webservices, WSDL, HPC Portals, Home Grids, and Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networks. Distributed applications, and their performance and reliability in relation to processor and network performance constraints.

Objectives

At the completion of this unit students will be able to:

• understand basic problems in distributed computing, especially in relation to concurrency, parallelism, synchronisation, deadlocks, safety and liveness properties;
• understand differences between various distributed computing models and widely used distributed computing schemes;
• understand the systematic approach to the design, analysis and implementation of concurrent programs, using both state models and Java programs (FSP/Java/LTSA);
• understand basic performance concepts in grids and identify frequent causes of performance problems in grid applications;
• understand basic software and hardware reliability concepts in grids and identify frequent causes of reliability problems in grid applications;
• discuss some of the enabling technologies e.g. high-speed links and storage area networks for building computer grids;
• explain the use of some of the grid computing and clustering middleware used to implement virtual super computers, including security mechanisms;
• explain programming toolkits such as Parallel Virtual Machine (PVM) for writing parallel computer applications;
• explain HPC Portals, peer-to-peer (P2P) networking and semantic grids;
• elaborate some of the significant grid computing areas of application e.g. Bio-Technology, eHealth and eMedicine, Finance, and Computer Networks;
• install and configure a small computer grid using Globus toolkit middleware;
• gain basic familiarity with commonly used grid application tools and middleware interfaces; extend the grid and test these applications.

Assessment

Examination (3 hours): 60%; In-semester assessment: 40%

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Carlo Kopp

Contact hours

2 hrs lectures/wk, 2 hr laboratory/wk, 1 hr tutorial/wk

Prerequisites

FIT3141 or (FIT1005/FIT2008 and FIT2022)

Prohibitions

FIT3010