34762 - Concurrent and Distributed Programming (2nd cycle)

Learning outcomes

The course introduces the basic principles of concurrent systems design and programming, including distributed network-based concurrent systems. The main aims of this course are:

• to introduce the basic theoretical and practical concepts concerning concurrency and concurrent systems
• to introduce basic principles for concurrent and distributed programming, including elements concerning modelling, design and verification
• to provide a solid understanding and practice about how to design and build concurrent applications in Java
• to provide a solid understanding about the specific issues concerning distributed systems as specific kind of concurrent systems

Upon completing this course, a student will

• understand the fundamental role of concurrency and of concurrent software systems with respect to computer science and the engineering of (modern and future) software systems
• have a solid understanding of the main conceptual and practical issues concerning concurrent systems modelling, design and engineering
• have a solid understanding and practice about how to design and build concurrent applications in Java
• know the specific problems concerning concurrency in distributed systems and the basic algorithms and architectures / infrastructures that can be used for the purpose
  

Course contents

Part one: Basic Concepts

• Concurrency and concurrent systems: basic concepts
• The critical section problem
  
• Verification of concurrent programs
• Process coordination using semaphores
• Process coordination using monitors

Part three: Design of concurrent programs

• Elements of concurrent programs design
  
• Visual formalisms
• Concurrent machines and languages
• Performance and scalability
• Testing concurrent programs

Part three: Distributed programming

• Basic concepts about distributed programming
  
• Channel-based models
• Space-based models
• Distributed Algorithms
• Service-Oriented Architectures and Web Services
  

Part six: Reactive and real-time systems

• Real-time systems overview
• Real-Time Programming Languages - The RTJS Case

The practice concerns the design and development of concurrent programs using Java as reference language and reference middlewares  (RPC/object oriented, message-oriented, space-based, Web Services) for the distributed computing part.

Readings/Bibliography

Reference textbook:

• "Principles of concurrent and distributed programming", Ben-Ari, Addison-Wesley

For the practice:

• "Java - Concurrency in Practice", Goetz et al., Addison-Wesley

The lectures will include contents also from the following books:

• "Multithreaded, Parallel and Distributed Programming", Andrews, Addison-Wesley
• "Concurrency - State models and Java programs", Jeff Magee and Jeff Kramer. Wiley
• "Distributed Systems: An Algorithmic Approach", Gosh, Chapman & Hall/CRC
• "Patterns for Parallel Programming", Matson et al., Addison-Wesley

Teaching methods

Six credits (about 60 hours) are devoted to theory and exercises in the lecture-hall and three credits (about 30 hours) to practice in laboratory.

Assessment methods

The final assessment is composed by two parts:

• written examination, composed by exercises about the content of the course
• practice (with oral discussion), which concerns the design and development of a programming assignment, to be done at home, possibly in group.
  

Assessment weightings: 50% for the written examination, 50% for the practice

Teaching tools

• Lecture notes projected during the lectures, available on the course web site
• Lab for the practice part
  
• Scientific papers and articles, which can be downloaded by the Faculty network
• e-Learning tools available on the moodle-based course web site

Links to further information

http://www.moodle.unibo.it

Office hours

See the website of Alessandro Ricci

See the website of Stefano Mariani