George Mason University
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

CS 475 -- Concurrent & Distributed Software Systems
Spring 2008

T,R 1:30 - 2:45 pm, IN 134

Prerequisites | Description | Readings | Topics | Grading | Lateness | Home Page


Professor Richard Carver
703-993-1550
rcarver@cs.gmu.edu
Course office hours: (before class) T, R 1:00 - 1:30pm
Sci & Tech II Room 343


PREREQUISITES :
CS 471 (Operating Systems)

NOTE: If you haven't already taken CS 471, you cannot take CS 475 without my permission

This is a programming intensive course. You need to be comfortable with programming in Java to be able to do the programming assignments.


DESCRIPTION :
The class focusses on issues that arise in the design and implementation of concurrent and distributed applications. Course work will involve several programming assignments.


Textbook:
Modern Multithreading by R. Carver and K.C. Tai, Wiley Interscience, 2006.


TOPICS:

The following topics will be covered:

  1. Threads, Seamphores, Monitors
  2. Message Passing
  3. Distributed Systems
  4. Client-Server Applications
  5. Middleware technologies
    1. TCP/IP Sockets
    2. RPC/RMI
    3. Web Services (SOAP, XML)

GRADING:

There will be several homeworks and programming assignments. In addition, there will be a project. The software required for these projects is available on the computers in the IT&E Lab and on osf1. You can also do the projects on your own computer. (The programming assignments involve programming in C++ or Java on a Windows/UNIX/Linux platform.) The homeworks, assignments, and class project may be done in groups of 2 or 3. Each member of a group is expected to contribute equally in order to get the same grade.

Tentatively: 55% of the course grade will be based on the programming assignments. In addition, there will be a mid-term exam worth 25% of the grade. The project will account for the remaining 20% of the grade.


LATENESS:

The late submission policy is as follows: submissions will be marked down 10% per day.


HONOR CODE:

You are expected to abide by the University's honor code during the semester. Any violation of the honor code will result in an F for the class.


CLASS HOME PAGE:

CS475 has a home page (http://www.cs.gmu.edu/~rcarver/cs475/)

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