This repository contains materials for the CS5600 Computer Systems course at Northeastern University for the Spring 2023 term. The course is instructed by Prof. Schedlbauer.
The course studies the structure, components, design, implementation, and internal operation of computer systems, focusing mainly on the operating system level. It covers computer hardware and architecture, current operating system components and construction techniques, and introduces distributed operating systems. The course also discusses concurrency and distribution issues, with examples from real operating systems. Students are exposed to system concepts through programming exercises.
While there are no specific course prerequisites, students are expected to have reasonably strong programming experience and a working knowledge of C. Some understanding of key concepts in computer science at the undergraduate level is presumed.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Trace the operation of context switching and program loading
- Read part of an OS kernel and demonstrate an applied understanding of how abstract concepts apply to implementations and user programs
- Use synchronization primitives (mutexes, semaphores, condition variables) to synchronize threads as demonstrated in a programming assignment
- Describe the operation of page tables and OS page faulting mechanisms for implementing demand allocation, demand loading, and copy-on-write
- Understand performance characteristics of hard drives; optionally demonstrate knowledge of RAID configurations via a programming assignment
- Understand permissions and access control lists as implemented in Linux and Windows; optionally describe common software exploits
The learning outcomes will be assessed and graded through:
- Homework Assignments (40%)
- Practicums (40%)
- Practicum Presentations (5%)
- Final Exam (15%)
Please refer to the course syllabus for more information on assignment policies and grading.
The professor has reported that for last term's grades, 86% (45 out of 52) of the students received an A.
And 79% (60 out of 76) of the students received an A in this term. (A A- B+ B- F) -> (60 8 4 2 2).
There are some pros.
- Using teams
- Interesting Practicums
- Professor is trying to have some humor
- Grading is very high, most students will receive an A
- Workload is Okay
Please note that the following feedback represents my personal perspective and experiences in the CS5600 Computer Systems course, and there might be some biases in my observations. I learned a lot. But I do have some issues. ......
I would like to express my gratitude to Prof. Schedlbauer for his dedication to teaching and for providing invaluable insights and guidance throughout the CS5600 Computer Systems course. I also want to extend my appreciation to the teaching assistants and tutors for their support and assistance during office and tutoring hours.
Lastly, I would like to thank my fellow students for their collaboration, sharing ideas, and engaging in insightful discussions throughout the course. It has been a pleasure learning alongside all of you.