Course Details
16:198:547 - The Security and Dependability of Distributed Systems
- Course Number: 16:198:547
- Course Type: Graduate
- Semester 1: Spring
- Credits: 3
- Description:
This course will cover the twin issues of security and dependability of distributed systems. Here are some of the questions we will explore:
(1) How can the actors of a multi-agent system collaborate effectively, without having any trust in each other?
(2) How can one create an effective social network without a Facebook like central mediator?
(3) Can one protect large organization (like Rutgers, or like a defense establishment) from DDoS attacks?
- M.S. Course Category: Systems/Networks
- Category: B (M.S.), B (Ph.D.)
- Prerequisite Information:
No specific courses are required. But undergraduate level exposure to distributed computing, discrete mathematics and theory of algorithms is expected.
- Topics:
. What are distributed systems and how they differ from centralized ones.• The study of various types of distributed systems—including P2P systems,multi-agents systems, virtual organizations, and systems based on serviceoriented architecture (SOA).• Basic crypto tools: encryption, digital signature, etc—as well as public key infrastructure (PKI)---the first of two pillars of distributed system security.• Interaction between distributed actors, and the role and structure of middleware.• Access control (server-centric, and global)—the other pillar of the security and dependability of distributed systems.• The architecture and framework of distributed systems• Fault tolerance and self healing---at the application level of systems.• Assorted topics: Bolstering SOA architecture via trustworthy promises; blocking spam at its source; new defense against DDoS attacks; decentralizing social networks; modularization in distributed systems.
- Expected Work: Bi-weekly homework; and term project.
- Exams: midterm and final
