ECS656U/ECS796P Distributed Systems

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary goal of distributed systems?

To connect only high-end servers together

To minimize the number of machines in a network

To utilize single high-end machines for processing power

To advantageously use multiple interconnected machines to achieve common goals (correct)

What percentage of the final grade does the exam contribute to in this course?

50%

70% (correct)

100%

30%

Which of the following topics is included in the course agenda?

Mobile App Development

Consensus Protocols and Paxos (correct)

Cybersecurity Measures

Machine Learning Algorithms

What is the format of the lab sessions for this course?

2-hour sessions on Wednesdays and Thursdays Signup and view all the answers

What is the total number of labs included in the assessment for this course?

Four Labs Signup and view all the answers

What is one primary function of middleware in a computing environment?

To facilitate interaction between computations on different computers. Signup and view all the answers

How does middleware enhance application development?

By providing uniform and high-level interfaces for application interoperability. Signup and view all the answers

In what way is middleware similar to an operating system?

It supports application programs and facilitates their interactions. Signup and view all the answers

What benefit does middleware provide regarding application compatibility?

It hides the differences in hardware, operating systems, and protocols. Signup and view all the answers

Why is middleware considered failure-prone?

It integrates multiple systems that can individually fail. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of a transparent distributed system?

It makes remote resources appear as local resources. Signup and view all the answers

Which dimension of transparency involves hiding the location of resources?

Location Signup and view all the answers

Why is openness considered beneficial in distributed systems?

It enhances interoperability between different systems. Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of too much emphasis on transparency in a system?

Reduced awareness of system behavior Signup and view all the answers

Which dimension of transparency addresses the potential sharing of resources?

Concurrency Signup and view all the answers

What is a simple definition of a distributed system?

A collection of independent computers that functions as one system. Signup and view all the answers

How does the migration dimension of transparency function?

It hides the fact that a resource may change location. Signup and view all the answers

What does the concept of scalability refer to in distributed systems?

The ability to increase the number of users without performance loss. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT considered a distributed system?

A personal laptop running an isolated application. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following systems exemplifies a distributed system?

The Internet, as it connects various independent networks. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main reason for hiding failure and recovery in a distributed system?

To prevent users from requiring constant vigilance. Signup and view all the answers

What will this course primarily focus on regarding distributed systems?

The algorithms, design, and maintenance of distributed systems. Signup and view all the answers

In how many weeks do students have to submit a lab after it is released?

Two weeks. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a goal of a distributed system?

To create a single point of failure. Signup and view all the answers

Which types of systems could be classified as distributed systems?

BiTorrent and Hadoop. Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the characteristics of a distributed system covered in the course?

Independence of components. Signup and view all the answers

What is a defining characteristic of clusters in distributed computing systems?

They are connected by a high-speed LAN and run the same operating system. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes grid computing from cluster computing?

Grid computing involves processors that are more loosely coupled. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a high-performance cluster application?

Weather modeling. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of distributed systems with regard to resource accessibility?

Resources are shared and enhance overall performance. Signup and view all the answers

In what way does scalability apply to distributed systems?

It involves the system’s ability to handle more users and larger geographic areas. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following accurately describes portability in distributed systems?

The capability to operate across different hardware and software environments. Signup and view all the answers

The World Community Grid is an example of which distributed computing model?

A grid computing system. Signup and view all the answers

Which goal of a distributed system emphasizes user engagement and flexibility?

Transparency. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary objective of cloud computing?

To provide services by sharing resources among a large pool of users Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes a characteristic of Folding@home?

It achieved over 101 petaflops performance Signup and view all the answers

How many computers were utilized by SETI@home as of October 2016?

Approximately 400,000 Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best differentiates grid computing from cloud computing?

Cloud computing is internet-based and uses a shared resource pool Signup and view all the answers

What is a key trade-off in designing distributed systems?

Scalability vs performance Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of cloud computing?

Leveraging Google Cloud Compute Engine Signup and view all the answers

What does the principle of 'Separation of Concerns' encourage in system design?

Modularizing complex problems into manageable parts Signup and view all the answers

What was the performance capability of SETI@home as of October 2016?

0.828 TFLOPS Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Course Information

Course title: ECS656U/ECS796P Distributed Systems
The course covers fundamental concepts and technical challenges of building distributed systems.
Internet interconnects billions of machines, from high-end servers to embedded sensing devices. Distributed systems leverage these interconnected machines to achieve common goals.

Course Structure

Lectures: Thursdays, 4 PM to 6 PM on QMplus; lecturer information included.
Labs: Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4 PM in TB-GF(TB-G02) and TB Lab. Labs begin in week 2.

Course Agenda

Introduction to distributed systems
RPC, RMI, SOAP, Threads
REST
Multiplay game synchronization
Synchronization
Bitcoin
Revision
Consensus protocols (Paxos)
Raft and cloud computing
Peer-to-peer and distributed hash tables
Key-value stores
Recap

Assessment

Exam: 70%
Labs: 30%
Four labs; new labs are released in weeks 2, 3, 5, and 6.
Two-week submission period after lab release.
Lab quizzes submitted to QMplus.

Introduction to Distributed Systems

Definition: A collection of independent computers that appear as a single coherent system.
Alternative definition: A collection of entities; each is autonomous, programmable, asynchronous, failure-prone, communicating through an unreliable communication medium.
An entity is process running on the device (e.g., PC, laptop, tablet).
Each entity is autonomous: works independently.
Each entity is programmable: Has embedded code.
Each entity is asynchronous: Operates at its own speed.
Each entity is failure-prone: Can fail.
Distinguish from parallel systems: Distributed systems rely on a distributed network for communication.
Communication medium: Wireless or wired.

Distributed System Goals and Properties

Resource Accessibility: Access to remote resources (printers, data files, websites, CPU cycles) and fair resource sharing.
Transparency: Systems appear as a single computer to users and applications. Users access remote resources as easily as local resources. Transparency hides details of system distribution.
Openness: Systems can interact with other distributed systems even with different underlying environments. Well-defined interfaces, application portability, interoperability.
Scalability: System performance doesn't degrade when expanding or when geography expands. Systems with respect to size and geographical distribution.

Distributed System Types

Clusters: Similar processors running the same OS, connected by a high-speed LAN, used for parallel computing, often using inexpensive hardware.
Grids: More loosely coupled than clusters; often heterogeneous, located across a network (not centralized).
Clouds: Internet-based computing; applications do not access resources directly; provides services through shared resources from a large pool of users.

Further Topics and Considerations

The importance of distributed systems
Trade-offs: Conflicting requirements (e.g., scalability versus performance or flexibility versus reliability), but useful for problem-solving.
Separation of Concerns: Large problems are broken down into smaller, more manageable concerns.
Communication vs Replication vs. Consistency: Considerations in distributed design.
The middleware and its functions in various distributed systems.
Examples: Netflix (uses distributed database systems), DNS (distributed database and networking).
Decentralization is crucial for scalability in distributed systems.
No single central point of control, failure of one component has minimal impact on overall system.

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Description

This quiz covers the fundamental concepts and technical challenges of distributed systems as outlined in the ECS656U/ECS796P course. Topics include RPC, REST, consensus protocols, and more. Test your understanding of how interconnected machines work together to achieve common goals.