Syllabus

Description: This course explores modern interrupt-driven computer systems. It considers models of computation and complex systems, techniques for communication and synchronization of parallel and concurrent software, and the protocols that make up the Internet.

Textbook: The primary book for this course is:

Bryant, R.E. and D.R. O'Hallaron (2016) Computer Systems: A Programmer's Perspective, Pearson , Boston, MA.
(Order from amazon , order from Barnes and Noble , compare at bigwords , compare at CampusBooks4Less , order from Chegg , or search eFollett )

The other required readings are available on-line (prefixed with one or more letters).

Outline: This course is organized as follows, though specific topics and dates may change. (Readings are listed in the right-most column.)

Part I: Review and Background

1/10

A Review of C , Scope, Duration and Linkage and System Calls

1/12

Files , Unix I/O , File Descriptors , Terminals and The C Calling Convention

10.1-10.3, 10.8-10.11

1/17-1/19

State Models and Implementing State Models

B2 and B3

1/24

Control Flows , Exceptions/Interrupts and Coordination Problems

1.7.1, 8.1, 8.2

Part II: Concurrent Programming with Processes

1/26-1/31

Concurrent Processes without Interprocess Communication and An Aside on Memory Corruption

8.3, 12.1

2/2

An Overview of Interprocess Communication

2/9

Concurrent Processes with Limited Interprocess Communication: Signals

8.4, 8.5

2/14

Exam 1

2/16-2/21

Concurrent Processes with Byte Stream Data Transfer: Pipes and FIFOs

2/23-2/28

Synchronization of Processes with Semaphores and Semaphores for Coordination Problems

Part III: Concurrent Programming with Threads

3/2

Thread Basics

12.3

3/14

University Closed due to Inclement Weather

3/16

Shared Variables

12.4

3/21

Coordination: Ensuring Mutual Exclusion and Notification of State Changes

12.5

3/23-3/28

Reentrancy , Thread-Specific Data , Thread-Local Storage , Thread-Safety and Comparing Multi-Threading and Multi-Processes

12.7

3/30

Exam 2

Part IV: Data Networks

4/4

Communication , A Layered View of Communication Networks , Internet Programming Basics , An Application Layer Protocol: DNS and Using DNS

4/6-4/13

The Transport Layer: Multiplexing , UDP , UDP Sockets , TCP and TCP Sockets

11.4

4/18-4/20

The Network Layer: Routers , IP , ICMP and Routing

11.3

4/25

The Link Layer: Ethernet , ARP and WiFi

11.1, 11.2

Part V: Parallel Programming

4/27

Architectures and Communication Models

L&K

Attendance at lectures is not mandatory but is strongly encouraged. You are expected to come to class prepared to ask and answer questions. Hence, you should complete the readings on a topic before it is discussed in lecture.

Grading: Final grades will be based on your performance on: 1 early exam during the semester (20% total) , 1 later exam during the semester (30% total) , 1 final exam during the exam period (30% total) and several programming assignments (20% total).

Programming Assignments: 10 programming assignments will be assigned during the semester. Note that their due dates are subject to change.

Make sure you read and understand all of the policies related to programming assignments.

Office Hours: You may meet with Prof. Bernstein during his scheduled office hours or you may schedule an appointment with him.