This course is no longer offered

22901 Mathematical Models of Parallel Systems

Credits: 4 graduate credits in Computer Science

Prerequisite: Admission to the graduate program in Computer Science 1

The course focuses on discrete systems in which many operations can be performed concurrently. These systems can be viewed as having several components (serial or parallel) communicating between them in some form. The course presents mathematical models of systems and develops a theory used to describe, analyze and present formal proof techniques of various properties of complex discrete systems. The course deals with the question of how the theory can be applied to solve practical problems.

The course has two parts. The first part focuses on the Petri networks model and its uses in describing, analyzing and verifying large parallel systems. The second part presents two additional models, CSP and CCS, which have received growing attention in recent years.

The course is based on chapters from R. Milner, Communication and Concurrency (Prentice-Hall, 1989) and C. A. R. Hoare, Communicating Sequential Processes (Prentice-Hall, 1985); and on the following articles: T. Murata, “Petri Nets: Properties, Analysis and Applications,” Proc. IEEE 77 (4), 541-580, 1989; S. Porat & M. Yoeli, “Towards a Hierarchy of Nets,” J. Comput. Syst. Sci. 29 (2), 198-206, 1984; F. Commoner, A. W. Holt, S. Even, & A. Pnueli, “Marked Directed Graphs,” J. Comput. Syst. Sci. 5 (5), 511-523, 1971.


1Students who have not fulfilled this requirement may, under certain circumstances, enroll in this course.