With the emergence of the Internet as a computing platform, distributed applications are being widely deployed by organizations. Understanding the principles/theory and the technologies underlying distributed computing and systems design is increasingly important. Examples of technologies supporting such deployment include JEE architecture and Web services.

This course has three major objectives. First, it is designed to introduce students to the principles underlying distributed computing and the design of distributed systems. Second, it aims to provide students with the opportunity to exercise these principles in the context of real applications by having the students use technologies such as XML, SOAP, Web services, and JEE-based application servers.  Finally, it seeks to endow students with the capacity to analyze, design, evaluate and recommend distributed computing solutions skills in response to business problems.