Parallel and Distributed Computer Systems

·         Relevance for the industry

Parallel and distributed approaches are vital today to respond to the increasingly large number and type of applications processing high-volume, high-velocity data and simulating complex processes. Moreover, rapid technological advancements in the field of parallel and distributed systems (and related areas) have already led to cheap and widely accessible off-the-shelf solutions. A natural consequence is the increasing need for specialists in parallel and distributed computer systems. This MSc Program aims to train high-quality, deeply profiled experts who seek to pursue leading careers in the high-tech industry or in academic/industrial research centers. Prominent companies in this field include the US-headquartered Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, and IBM, and the Chinese companies Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent, plus numerous European-based companies of smaller but still sizable scale.

·         Requirements

Basic (BSc-level) knowledge and practical skills related to Computer Programming, Algorithms, Operating Systems, Computer Networking, Computer Organization and Architecture.

·         Skills acquired through this program

Students will gain knowledge and practical skills related to Parallel and Distributed Architectures (including grid, cloud, edge, and peer-to-peer computing) as well as provable expertise in the design, development, deployment, evaluation, analysis, and modern applications of parallel and distributed systems. They will also learn about the current and emerging challenges in the field, the state-of-the-art solutions, including key aspects of performance, scalability, elasticity, fault tolerance, and security of parallel and distributed systems.

·         Programming languages and technologies

Java, C, C++, MPI, OpenMP, TBB, Cuda, OpenCL, MapReduce, Hadoop, Spark, Flink, Android.

·         Research subjects (examples)

Distributed systems monitoring, data gathering, filtering, cleaning, aggregation and storage. Batch and real-time processing, predictions, and decision making, task scheduling and resource management, and performance analysis; Design of systems, architectures, mechanisms, and protocols for parallel and distributed computer systems. Design of experimental methods, procedures, and instruments for parallel and distributed computer systems. Security, anonymity, and privacy.

Short track: for the second year, the students can apply to study at VU Amsterdam. The students will defend their Master thesis at both VU and POLITEHNICA Bucharest and will receive diplomas from both sides.

Teaching language: English