Modern Distributed Systems from edX

Modern IT infrastructure is built as distributed systems, an exciting concept that started with the first computers and evolved rapidly into its present form. From online video meetings to internet services, from social media platforms to online games, we all use and interact with distributed systems on a daily basis and increasingly depend on them. Designing and operating such large-scale distributed systems, however, is complex and typically involves making reasonable compromises. There are fundamental technical barriers as well as economic arguments why we cannot make these systems behave as if they were running on a single, perfectly reliable machine..

In this course, learners will be introduced to the essential functional and non-functional concerns of distributed systems and the common problems encountered while designing them, such as consistency, availability, elasticity, and scalability. A variety of practical solutions that have been established in the leading tech industry in recent years will be reviewed. These provide re-usable building blocks to create new large-scale applications. These recent developments, especially around cloud computing, large-scale data processing, distributed machine learning, and other fields are often not reflected in textbooks and are absent from many traditional curricula but are at the heart of this course.

The course will therefore provide learners with the fundamental understanding (theoretical and practical foundations) of how cloud, edge, and big data processing systems work and how they address common challenges for distributed systems such as performance, resilience, and scalability.

The learning progress is assessed through a variety of different activities including quizzes, design exercises, experiments, and open questions, with peer review of other students’ solutions. In the final project, learners will design a distributed system based on the learners’ own experience and interests and describe the functional and non-functional properties of the system.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Describe the principles of distributed systems.
Contrast distributed systems with other forms of computation (e.g., single machine computation, parallel computing).
Identify applications of distributed systems in science, engineering, business, and home use, and in particular the use of cloud and serverless applications, big data and graph processing applications, interactive and online gaming, etc.

Analyze and design core architectures, components, and techniques in distributed systems.
Solve practical problems related to modern uses of distributed systems.

Describe the principles of distributed systems.
Contrast distributed systems with other forms of computation (e.g., single machine computation, parallel computing).
Identify applications of distributed systems in science, engineering, business, and home use, and in particular the use of cloud and serverless applications, big data and graph processing applications, interactive and online gaming, etc.
Analyze and design core architectures, components, and techniques in distributed systems.
Solve practical problems related to modern uses of distributed systems.

Syllabus

Module 1: Introduction to Distributed Systems

● Parallel vs. Distributed Systems

● Challenges in Distributed Systems

● The CAP Theorem

● Example 1: Online Gaming

● Example 2: Scientific Computing

Module 2: Functional Requirements

● Functional vs. Non–Functional Properties

● Naming

● Replication

● Consistency

● Consensus

Module 3: Non-Functional Requirements

● Importance of Performance

● Measuring NFRs: Metrics

● Scalability and Elasticity

● Amdahl’s Law

● Gustafson’s Law

● Benchmarking

Module 4: Resource Management and Scheduling

● Scheduling in the Small: Processor Scheduling

● Scheduling in the Large: Scheduling for Distributed Systems

● Workloads in DS

● Centralized Schedulers: Kubernetes, etc.

● Decentralized Schedulers: (HTCondor) etc.

● Portfolio Scheduling

Module 5: System Architectures and Programming Models

● Trade-offs between SAs and PMs

● Programming Models

● System Architectures: communication, big data, machine learning

● Layering

Module 6: Distributed Ecosystems

● Introduction to massive processing

● Theory of ecosystems

● Super-distribution principle

● Distributed ecosystems in science and engineering: cloud, edge, big data

● Distributed ecosystems in online gaming

● The future of distributed ecosystems

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Examines distributed systems and how large-scale applications are built in industry

Taught by credible experts who work in the field

Covers topics used in leading tech industries, and not always found in textbooks

The final project is a practical, hands-on experience

May require some prior experience with programming or computer science

May not be suitable for someone with no experience in distributed systems

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Modern Distributed Systems with these activities:

Reading: Distributed Systems for Dummies

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Provides a practical and accessible introduction to distributed systems concepts.

View Cloud Computing For Dummies on Amazon

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Read and summarize key concepts of distributed systems.
Identify and explain different types of distributed systems.
Discuss the challenges and benefits of distributed systems.

Review CAP Theorem

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Reinforces understanding of a critical theory in distributed systems design.

Browse courses on CAP Theorem

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Explain the CAP Theorem and its implications for distributed systems.
Describe how the CAP Theorem affects the design of distributed applications.
Identify scenarios where the CAP Theorem is relevant.

Exploring Cloud Data Processing Services

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Introduces practical aspects of data processing in distributed cloud environments.

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Identify and compare different cloud data processing services.
Create and execute data processing pipelines using these services.
Explore techniques for data transformation, filtering, and aggregation.

Four other activities

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Kubernetes Workload Management

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Provides hands-on experience in managing workloads in a distributed environment.

Browse courses on Kubernetes

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Deploy and manage a simple application on Kubernetes.
Scale and update the application.
Configure and use Kubernetes features such as replica sets and deployments.

Distributed Systems Case Study Discussions

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Fosters critical thinking and collaboration by analyzing real-world distributed systems.

Browse courses on Real-World Applications

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Read and discuss case studies of successful and failed distributed systems.
Identify and analyze the architectural decisions made in these systems.
Discuss the trade-offs and challenges involved in designing and operating distributed systems.

Design a Distributed System Architecture

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Enhances understanding of architectural principles and their application in distributed systems.

Browse courses on System Design

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Identify the requirements and constraints of the distributed system.
Select and justify the appropriate architectural patterns and components.
Design the system's data flow, communication mechanisms, and fault tolerance strategies.
Document the architecture and its design decisions.

Building a Distributed System: Your Own Experience

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Encourages practical implementation and a deeper understanding of distributed systems principles.

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Design and implement a distributed system for a specific purpose or application.
Document the system's architecture, design decisions, and implementation details.
Test and evaluate the system's performance, reliability, and scalability.
Present your project and findings to the class or a wider audience.

Career center

Learners who complete Modern Distributed Systems will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Data Architect

A Data Architect designs and builds data systems. This course may be useful for aspiring Data Architects, as it will teach you all about big data, including its functional and non-functional requirements, as well as its common challenges. By learning about the practical solutions that have been established in the leading tech industry in recent years, you will be well-prepared for a career in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Architect

Big Data Engineer

A Big Data Engineer designs and builds big data systems. This course may be useful for aspiring Big Data Engineers, as it will teach you all about big data, including its functional and non-functional requirements, as well as its common challenges. By learning about the practical solutions that have been established in the leading tech industry in recent years, in particular around big data and graph processing applications, you will be well-prepared for a career in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Big Data Engineer

Game Developer

A Game Developer designs and builds video games. This course may be useful for aspiring Game Developers, as it will teach you all about the functional and non-functional requirements of distributed systems, as well as their common challenges. By learning about the practical solutions that have been established in the leading tech industry in recent years, in particular around interactive and online gaming, you will be well-prepared for a career in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Developer

Cloud Engineer

A Cloud Engineer designs and builds cloud systems. This course may be useful for aspiring Cloud Engineers, as it will teach you all about cloud computing, including its functional and non-functional requirements, as well as its common challenges. By learning about the practical solutions that have been established in the leading tech industry in recent years, you will be well-prepared for a career in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Engineer

Cloud Architect

A Cloud Architect designs and manages cloud computing systems. This course may be useful for aspiring Cloud Architects, as it will teach you all about cloud computing, including its functional and non-functional requirements, as well as its common challenges. By learning about the practical solutions that have been established in the leading tech industry in recent years, in particular around cloud computing, you will be well-prepared for a career in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Architect

Machine Learning Architect

A Machine Learning Architect designs and builds machine learning systems. This course may be useful for aspiring Machine Learning Architects, as it will teach you all about machine learning, including its functional and non-functional requirements, as well as its common challenges. By learning about the practical solutions that have been established in the leading tech industry in recent years, you will be well-prepared for a career in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Machine Learning Architect

Machine Learning Engineer

A Machine Learning Engineer designs and builds machine learning systems. This course may be useful for aspiring Machine Learning Engineers, as it will teach you all about machine learning, including its functional and non-functional requirements, as well as its common challenges. By learning about the practical solutions that have been established in the leading tech industry in recent years, in particular around distributed machine learning, you will be well-prepared for a career in this field.

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Distributed Systems Architect

A Distributed Systems Architect designs and builds distributed systems. This course may be helpful for aspiring Distributed Systems Architects, as it will teach you everything you need to know about modern distributed systems, including their functional and non-functional requirements, as well as their common challenges. By learning about the practical solutions that have been established in the leading tech industry in recent years, you will be well-prepared for a career in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Distributed Systems Architect

Data Scientist

A Data Scientist uses data to solve problems. This course may be useful for aspiring Data Scientists, as it will teach you how large-scale data processing systems work, as well as how they address common challenges such as performance, resilience, and scalability. By learning about the practical solutions that have been established in the leading tech industry in recent years, in particular around large-scale data processing and distributed machine learning, you will be well-prepared for a career in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

DevOps Engineer

A DevOps Engineer automates the process of software development and deployment. This course may be useful for aspiring DevOps Engineers, as it will teach you all about the principles of distributed systems, as well as how to analyze and design core architectures, components, and techniques in distributed systems. By learning about the practical solutions that have been established in the leading tech industry in recent years, you will be well-prepared for a career in this field.

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IT Architect

An IT Architect designs and builds IT systems. This course may be useful for aspiring IT Architects, as it will teach you all about the principles of distributed systems, as well as how to analyze and design core architectures, components, and techniques in distributed systems. By learning about the practical solutions that have been established in the leading tech industry in recent years, you will be well-prepared for a career in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Architect

Software Development Manager

A Software Development Manager leads and manages software development teams. This course may be useful for aspiring Software Development Managers, as it will teach you all about the principles of distributed systems, as well as how to analyze and design core architectures, components, and techniques in distributed systems. By learning about the practical solutions that have been established in the leading tech industry in recent years, you will be well-prepared for a career in this field.

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Computer Systems Analyst

A Computer Systems Analyst analyzes, designs, and implements computer systems. This course may be useful for aspiring Computer Systems Analysts, as it will teach you all about the principles of distributed systems, as well as how to analyze and design core architectures, components, and techniques in distributed systems. By learning about the practical solutions that have been established in the leading tech industry in recent years, you will be well-prepared for a career in this field.

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Information Systems Manager

An Information Systems Manager plans, implements, and manages information systems. This course may be useful for aspiring Information Systems Managers, as it will teach you all about the principles of distributed systems, as well as how to analyze and design core architectures, components, and techniques in distributed systems. By learning about the practical solutions that have been established in the leading tech industry in recent years, you will be well-prepared for a career in this field.

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Software Engineer

A Software Engineer uses their knowledge of programming languages to write computer programs. If you are interested in becoming a Software Engineer, this course may be useful, as it will teach you about the principles of distributed systems, as well as how to analyze and design core architectures, components, and techniques in distributed systems. Additionally, it will help you solve practical problems related to modern uses of distributed systems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer