Introduction to Datacenters and the Cloud

Materials/Resources

• Class Schedule


• Characterizing Cloud Computing Hardware Reliability


• Above the Clouds: A Berkeley View of Cloud Computing


• Virtualization: Blessing or Curse?


• Security in the Cloud


• The Case for RAMClouds: Scalable High-Performance Storage Entirely in DRAM


• The Cost of a Cloud: Research Problems in Data Center Networks

Description

Datacenters contain tens or even hundreds of thousands of individual servers that can be harnessed for large enterprises or even individuals. This class will give an introduction to datacenters and their use in the Cloud as well as Cloud fundamental.

Prerequisites

Familiarity with Unix command line is a plus.

Objectives

• Expose students to the components of an enterprise datacenter.
• Expose students to the basics of the modern Cloud.
• Provide practical experience using and configuring common datacenter components.

Outcomes

• Students will understand Cloud Computing and its' role in the modern Data Center.
• Students will understand Hypervisors and the role they play in Data Center.
• Students will be familiar with High Availability and Reliability in Data Centers.
• Students will be able to describe how datacenter computing components are fundamentally different than desktop computing components.
• Students will be able to locate and use credible sources of additional information on datacenter components.
• Students will be familiar with best practices for maintaining high reliability and high availability computing environments.

Grading

Tentative grade breakdown:

• 30% Article Analysis Papers
• 20% AWS Assignment
• 20% KVM Assignment
• 30% Design Project

Attendance Policy/Late Policy

I expect students to attend each class. We will doing hands-on exercises and labs throughout the semester. If you must miss a class, please make arrangements ahead of time or if the absence is unexpected then make an appointment to discuss it with me as soon as possible.

I do not plan on accepting late work for credit. If you complete an assignment late, you may submit it with a written note explaining the circumstances. If I have not completed the grading, I will grade your work, but the score will be recorded as a zero.

I will however keep a special folder with the explanatory notes you have written and possibly the score that would have been assigned if the work was submitted on time. At the end of the semester, before assigning final grades, I will read through all the notes in the folder one more time and consider reinstating or dropping the score for that assignment if it was an isolated incident and if it would indeed have changed the final grade.

Academic Integrity

All work you submit must be your own individual work unless explictly indicated. In particular, work taken from books, the Internet, other students or any other source may not be submitted as your own. You are always better to err on the side of acknowledging sources and collaborations!!!

Additional information about rights, obligations and procedures related to academic integrity can be found in Section IV of Clarkson's official regulations.