Syllabus

Computer Systems discusses computers as an integrated whole, including: hardware resources (e.g., CPU cores, CPU cache, memory management unit (MMU), RAM); the operating system; and systems languages (assembly language, C (the low-level high-level language), POSIX threads, the shell (the original UNIX scripting language), and Python (the de facto scripting language today)). This course will review the topics above (but including only an abridged "reading knowledge" of assembly). It will then apply this background to a real-world case study of importance today: Docker-style containers, the Cloud, and orchestration frameworks for clusters of servers.

Schedule

This is an approximate plan. I reserve the right to update it based on the interests and background of the class and/or time constraints. The reading list will be updated as we progress in the semester. Please check back regularly for the assigned readings for the quiz.

Week	Topics	Chapter/Assigned Reading
Jan. 8	Intro to process model; system calls; cpu/memory state; MIPS assembly and CPU layout	class lecture, xv6:syscall.c, xv6:sysproc The UNIX Time-Sharing System
Jan. 15	University holiday: Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday -- no class.
Jan. 22	UNIX shell, fork/exec/wait; signals; linking and loading; env vars; file descriptors, I/O re-direction	Ch. 4--6, Ch. 2 (code), Ch. 5 (code); xv6: file.c, sysfile.c, pipe.c, proc.[ch]
Jan. 29	POSIX Threads, Concurrency; a first look at Locks	Ch. 28--31, xv6:spinlock.c Required readings: Solution of a Problem in Concurrent Programming Control Fuss, Futexes and Furwocks: Fast Userlevel Locking in Linux Optional readings: Mostly lock-free Malloc Experience with Processes and Monitors in Mesa Futexes are tricky
Feb. 5	Virtual Memory, clock algo.; Cache/MMU/TLB	class lecture; Ch. 13--15, Ch. 17--19, xv6: memlayout.h, exec.c, kalloc.c, mmu.h, and vm.c Required reading: Virtual memory, processes, and sharing in multics Optional suggested reading: What Every Programmer Should Know About Memory
Feb. 12	CPU Caches; Device I/O;	class lecture
Feb. 19	University holiday: President's Day -- no class.
Feb. 26	Exam 1
Mar. 5	Spring break -- no class
Mar. 12	Scheduling	get/setcontext, and xv6:swtch.S xv6:fs.c Ch. 7, Ch. 8, Ch. 10 Readings: Scheduling Techniques for Concurrent Systems Lottery Scheduling: Flexible Proportional-Share Resource Management FlexSC: Flexible System Call Scheduling with Exception-Less System Calls
Mar. 19	Filesystems	Class lecture; Ch. 37 - 43 xv6: fs.c,file.c,sysfile.c,exec.c Readings: A Fast File System for UNIX The Design and Implementation of a Log-Structured File System
Mar. 26	Virtual Machines	class lecture ostep.org: App B Xen and the Art of Virtualization Cellular Disco: resource management using virtual clusters on shared-memory multiprocessors Memory Resource Management in VMware ESX Server
Apr. 3	Linux Containers, Docker, Cloud, Orchestration	class lecture
Apr. 9	TBD
Apr. 16	University holiday: Patriot's Day -- no class
Apr. 23	Project presentations	Final Projects Due