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Principles of Distributed Computing
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:29:52
Abstract
We study the fundamental issues underlying the design of distributed systems: communication, coordination, fault-tolerance, locality, parallelism, symmetry breaking, synchronization, uncertainty. We explore essential algorithmic ideas and lower bound techniques.
Objective
In the last two decades, we have experienced an unprecedented growth in the area of distributed systems and networks; distributed computing now encompasses many of the activities occurring in today's computer and communications world. This course introduces the principles of distributed computing, highlighting common themes and techniques. We study the fundamental issues underlying the design of distributed systems: communication, coordination, fault-tolerance, locality, parallelism, symmetry breaking, synchronization, uncertainty. We explore essential algorithmic ideas and lower bound techniques, basically the “pearls” of distributed computing. We will cover a fresh topic every week.
Content
• distributed computing models, e.g. message passing, shared memory, synchronous and asynchronous systems, altruistic/selfish/faulty/malicious behavior • distributed network algorithms such as leader election, coloring, covering, packing, decomposition, spanning tree computation, and lower bounds • shared memory algorithms such as agreement or snapshot, shared objects and variables • peer-to-peer systems, small-world networks, sorting networks, self-organizing systems
Resources
Lecture Notes
Available
Literature
Distributed Computing: Fundamentals, Simulations and Advanced Topics Hagit Attiya, Jennifer Welch. McGraw-Hill Publishing, 1998, ISBN 0-07-709352 6 Introduction to Algorithms Thomas Cormen, Charles Leiserson, Ronald Rivest. The MIT Press, 1998, ISBN 0-262-53091-0 oder 0-262-03141-8 Disseminatin of Information in Communication Networks Juraj Hromkovic, Ralf Klasing, Andrzej Pelc, Peter Ruzicka, Walter Unger. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg, 2005, ISBN 3-540-00846-2 Introduction to Parallel Algorithms and Architectures: Arrays, Trees, Hypercubes Frank Thomson Leighton. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers Inc., San Francisco, CA, 1991, ISBN 1-55860-117-1 Distributed Computing: A Locality-Sensitive Approach David Peleg. Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), 2000, ISBN 0-89871-464-8
Learning Materials (Links)
- Main link
- Information
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- BSC , DR , DS , MSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- session examination
- Mode
- written 120 minutes
- Aids
- Alles!
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture | Principles of Distributed Computing |
|
2 h weekly |
| exercise |
Principles of Distributed Computing
In Gruppen
|
|
2 h weekly |