Distributed Systems

In this course, students will learn the fundamentals of distributed systems programming by building on top of the open auction platform we previously created in the Web Development section. Module 1 serves as an intro to this unit, providing a primer for Distributed Systems by reviewing distribution transparency and distributed time. Module 2 introduces students to the idea of "locking", borrowed from database management systems, which ensures that users cannot simultaneously bid on the same auction. In Module 3, students implement a feature that ensures bids are processed in the correct order. Finally, in Module 4 students explore how they can maintain bid "secrecy" in a distributed system through the use of hashing.