Large Systems

Course manual 2024/2025

Objectives

• Understand the architecture and design principles behind distributed systems.
• Comprehend various virtualization technologies and their implications in large systems, including hardware, software, and network virtualization.
• Apply skills in configuring and managing virtual environments and perform virtual machine migrations to optimize resource utilization.
• Use tools like Ansible, Puppet, or Chef to provision and manage infrastructure, demonstrating the practical application of Infrastructure as Code.
• Analyze and troubleshoot common issues in distributed systems, including challenges related to consistency, fault tolerance, and system failures.

Teaching methods

• Seminar
• Lecture
• Computer lab session/practical training

Learning activities

Attendance

Requirements of the programme concerning attendance (TER-B):

1. All parts and activities of the curriculum are obligatory (presence and participation). This includes lectures, seminars, practical work, colloquia and site visits.
2. Exemptions for activities have to be granted in advance by the examiner.
3. If no exemption has been granted and the conditions as stated in paragraph 1 were not met, the component has to be taken again.

Assessment

Assignments

There will be five assignments to be conducted in 6 weeks. 

1) Virtualization

2) VM migration

3) Infrastructure as code

4) Public cloud/AWS

5) Scientific measurements

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. Zhiming Zhao

Contact: Teacher:  dr, Shashikant Ilager

                  TA:  Paul Daniëlse