Course Description
EECS 584 will cover a number of advanced topics in development of database management systems (DBMS) and the application of DBMSs in modern applications.
Topics to be discussed include advanced concurrency control and recovery techniques, query processing and optimization strategies for relational database systems, advanced access methods, database resource management, parallel and distributed database systems, extensible database systems, data analysis on large databases, and application of DBMS techniques in XML-based applications, mobile applications and bioinformatics.
The course material will be drawn from a number of papers in the database literature. We will cover 2-3 papers per week, and all students attending the class are expected to read the papers before coming to the lecture. Before each class you will be required to hand in a brief summary (~10 sentences total) of the paper that will be discussed in the class. The summary should not a facsimile of the abstract of the paper, but should be your assessment of the key contributions and limitations of the paper. The reviews will be graded on a scale of 0-4, with 4 being the highest grade.
Course Project
A big component of this course is a class project. For the project, you pick a research project topic in the area of database systems, an explore it in detail. I will provide a list of suggested project topics, though you are free to select a project outside of this list provided you get prior approval. I require that you meet with me periodically throughout the semester updating me on the progress of your project. I will help with the direction, but unless you take the initiative to actively explore the topic you choose, you are unlikely to accomplish much in the project (which will adversely affect your project grade).
For the projects you should work in a group. I recommend groups of size 2-3. Since the projects will start soon, you need to start looking for project partners right away.
Lecture Time and Place
MW 1:30-3:00 3427 EECS
F 2.30-3.30 slot will be used for make-up lectures when needed.
Office Hours
MW 3:00-4:00 4601 CSE, or by prior appointment.
Text
There is no formal textbook for this course. The reading list is a collection of papers, which is posted on the course web page.
Reference text: Most of the readings, and some commentary can conveniently be found in the "red book." Any sound database textbook, such as the one you used for your previous database course, will be very useful as well. You can use any that you like, but I will refer to the "cow book," which is used for 484 at Michigan.
Red Book: Readings in Database Systems (4th edition) - edited by Michael Stonebraker and Joe Hellerstein, Morgan Kaufmann Publisher, 2005.
Cow Book: Database Management Systems (3rd edition) - by Raghu Ramakrishnan and Johannes Gehrke, McGraw Hill, 2003.
Grading
| Two midterms: 48% (24% each) | Both exams will be 80 minutes, in-class, open-book exams. Dates: TBA, 1:30-3:00. Room: The usual class room. |
| Course Project: 40% |
Two project updates: 8% Project presentation: 4% Final Project Report and Demo: 28%
The course project is a wonderful opportunity for you to explore an research topic in some depth. The course project will start early in the semester. To ensure sufficient progress throughout the semester, you will turn in two short project updates (dates: TBA). These updates provide an opportunity for me to provide you feedback on your progress and the direction of your project.
In the last weeks of class, you will present your project to the entire class.
At the end of the semester, you need to make an appointment with me for a project demo. You will also turn in a project report, which should be at the level of a non-trivial research paper in a database conference/workshop. |
| Paper Summaries and Class Participation: 12% |
Assigned In-depth Paper Reading: 3% Written reviews each class: 4% In-class questions: 5%
For each paper that we cover in-class 1-2 students will be assigned as reviewers for that paper. As questions are raised in the class, these reviewers will be called upon to answer the questions. The reviewers will also take note of the questions asked during the lecture and post the answers to the questions raised during the lecture.
Every one in class is expected to read the paper(s) before the lecture and summarize the paper(s). To encourage questions and participation in the lecture, 5% of your grade is assigned for class participation, which includes questions that you ask during the class. This part of the grade will be determined using a qualitative assessment, which will be primarily based on how much value your class participation adds to the lecture. |
Course Web Page