Introduction to Distributed Systems for Dummies Course

Module 1: What is a Distributed System?

~1 hour

• Topics: Definitions, motivations, examples, and interactive quiz.

• Hands-on: Build conceptual understanding with quizzes on system properties.

Module 2: Achieving Resilience & Scalability

~2.5 hours

• Topics: Fault tolerance, handling hardware/software failures, availability, load balancing, and maintainability.

• Hands-on: Quizzes and scenario-based tasks addressing reliability and fault considerations.

Module 3: Data Strategies in Distributed Architectures

~3 hours

• Topics: Data replication methods, partitioning tactics, consistency models, caching strategies.

• Hands-on: Interactive quizzes on replication, partitioning, and cache eviction policies.

Module 4: Inter-Node Communication

~1 hour

• Topics: Communication via databases, synchronous and asynchronous messaging mechanisms.

• Hands-on: Quiz-based validation of communication patterns and microservice messaging strategies.

Module 5: Large‑Scale Data Processing

~1 hour

• Topics: Batch and stream processing, MapReduce.

• Hands-on: Exercises and quizzes on data processing workflows.

Module 6: Architectural Pattern Deep Dive

~1 hour

• Topics: Replication services, sharding, Lambda architecture, CQRS.

• Hands-on: Practical quizzes illustrating pattern use cases and optimization tactics.

Module 7: Case Study – Apache Spark

~45 minutes

• Topics: Spark basics, architecture for distributed analytics.

• Hands-on: Real-world scenario walkthrough using Spark cluster design.

Module 8: Case Study – Apache Druid

~45 minutes

• Topics: OLAP vs OLTP, architecture of Druid.

• Hands-on: Examination of Druid’s ingestion, querying, and scalability.

Module 9: Final Wrap-Up & Best Practices

~30 minutes

• Topics: Best practices, practical guidance, and course summary.

• Hands-on: Final quiz consolidating key themes and system design wisdom.

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