Course Description:
This course will introduce advanced operating systems topics, including virtual machines, distributed systems, cloud computing, based on a collection of seminal and recent technical papers. The specific topics to be covered may be tuned based on students’ interests. It shall help students not only master these important topics, but also appreciate the challenges and opportunities in current operating systems research and development.<o:p>
Paper discussions will be conducted using written reviews, round-table discussions, and debates.
- Paper reviews: Students will submit written paper reviews (one page per paper) before class for the papers that will be discussed (one to two papers per week). Review template will be provided.
- Round-table discussions: Each student will take turn to lead the discussion of a paper in class, while the other students participate in the discussion of the paper (one to two papers per week).
- Debate: After discussing the papers relevant to one particular topic, a debate will be organized based on this topic. Students will be divided into two groups to argue for two different opinions on the topic. Each group will review additional papers in the literature, prepare arguments for their assigned opinion, and defend it in the debate held in class.
This course also includes a term-long research project on topics relevant to operating systems and interesting to the students. It shall help students not only obtain a deep understanding of important operating systems topics, but also learn how to conduct cutting-edge research in this field. Every student needs to propose a project topic, study the relevant materials, develop and implement a research idea, and in the end report and present the results. The instructor will guide students through each step of this entire research process. Selected projects will be supported for conference publications.
- Proposal: Students will submit a two-page proposal describing the research problem, background, proposed solution, and schedule for the course project.
- Phase 1 and 2 reports: Students will give an in-class presentation (up to 30 minutes) reporting their project progress.
- Final presentation and report: Students will give an in-class presentation and submit a six-page report describing the research problem, background, design, implementation, and evaluation of the course project.
Sample Syllabus
Course History
- Fall 2008
- Fall 2009
- Fall 2012