Computer Systems

Recommended Prerequisites

Programming courses, Internet Technologies.

Teaching Methods

Theoretical classes (lectures) for the explanation of concepts and presentation of the technologies, using abundantly the discussion of examples that help the students to map the concepts with the computer technology that surrounds them in the day to day. Laboratory classes for the development of a database project during the semester, which allows students to acquire specific competences in this important topic, while promoting the contact of students with many of the technological elements studied in the theoretical classes.

Learning Outcomes

Provide students with a broad vision of computer systems, focused on the foundations and integrating concepts and skills already acquired, in order to give a solid culture in information technology; understand the essential elements of computer systems, from the physical aspects of systems architecture to the current cloud services types; understand the quality attributes of computer systems and software, particularly performance and security, in different contexts and perspectives; knowledge of the fundamentals of databases, developing in a more in-depth way the capacity to design and develop small scale database projects in client-server environment with Web interface.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

General background in computer technology

− Architecture of computer systems

− Processor architectures

− Storage technologies, hierarchy and caches

− Operating systems, resource management, processes and threads, scheduling and concurrency control, virtual memory and file systems

− Computer systems communication, computer networks, notion of communication protocols and Internet.

− Abstractions, representation and manipulation of information, relationship with programming languages, compilation, linkers, loaders, replacement and execution of programs.

− Interaction and communication between programs, network programming, distributed systems, client-server model, sockets, Web servers, Web services.

− Virtualization, hypervisors, virtual machines, cloud, service models and types of clouds. 

Fundamentals of databases and elements of database design

− Relational Model

− Standardization

− Entity-Relational models and design of data schemas

− Transactions

− Design of databases

Head Lecturer(s)

Carlos Nuno Bizarro e Silva Laranjeiro

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Exam: 50.0%
Project: 50.0%

Bibliography

- Documentos selecionados pelo docente e fornecidos aos estudantes para aprendizagem dos conceitos e das tecnologias (e.g., capítulos de livros, artigos e notas e apontamentos coligidos especificamente pelo docente)

- "Computer Architecture, A Quantitative Approach", 5th Edition, David A. Patterson, Morgan Kaufmann, 2011, ISBN 9780123838728

- “Database Systems: The Complete Book” Hector Garcia-Molina, Jeffrey D. Ullman, Jennifer Widom, Prentice Hall, 2009, ISBN-13: 978-0131873254