MEERUT INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, MEERUT

DISTRIBUTED SYSTEMS (KCS-077)

DEPARTMENT: - COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

QUESTION BANK

DISTRIBUTED SYSTEMS

UNIT - 1
Q1.) What are the web challenges involved in a distributed system. [2018-2019][ODD SEM]
Q2.) What are Lamport Logical clocks? List the important conditions to be satisfied by
Lamport’s Logical clocks. Discuss the limitations of Lamport logical clocks.
[2018-2019][ODD SEM]
Q3.) Why would you design a system as a distributed system? List some advantages of the
distributed systems. [2017-2018][ODD SEM]
Q4.) List out the main challenges of distributed systems. [2016-2017][ODD SEM]
Q5.) What are logical clocks? Why does a logical clock need to be implemented in distributed
systems? [2016-2017][ODD SEM]
Q6.) List the goals of distributed systems? [2015-2016][ODD SEM]
Q7.) Why there is no Global clock in distributed system? Give reason.
[2016-2017][EVEN SEM]
Q8.) Discuss the inherent limitations of distributed system.
[(2013-2014) / (2016-2017)][EVEN SEM]
Q9.) What is Lamport’s Logical clock? For Lamport’s clock system, prove that for any two
events ‘a’ and ‘b’ if a→b, then, C (a) < C (b), but vice versa is not true.
[2016-2017][EVEN SEM]
Q10.) Define distributed systems with its examples. [2015-2016][EVEN SEM]
Q11.) How resource sharing is done in distributed systems? [2014-2015][EVEN SEM]
Q12.) How does Vector clock overcome the disadvantages of Lamport’s clock? Explain with an
example. [2014-2015][EVEN SEM]
Q13.) What do you mean by casual ordering of messages? If process P sends two messages m1
& m2 to another process Q, what problems may arise if the two messages are not received by
PREPARED BY: AYUSH SINGHAL
DEPARTMENT: CSE 1
the recipient Q, in the order they were sent by the process P. Develop an algorithm which
guarantees the casual ordering of the message in distributed system.
[2015-2016][ODD SEM],[2014-2015][EVEN SEM]
Q14.) Define the term transparency. Explain the important types of transparencies in distributed
system. [2013-2014][ODD SEM],[2015-2016][EVEN SEM]
Q15.) How the distributed computing system is better than parallel processing system? Explain
Q16.) What is termination detection in distributed system? Explain any algorithm for termination
detection. [2013-2014][EVEN SEM],[2015-2016][ODD SEM]
Q17.) Calculate the time stamp for each event in given scenario using Lamport’s Logical Clock
& Vector clock.
P1 has 5 events (e11, e12, e13, e14, e15), P2 has 3 events (e21, e22, e23) and P3 has 3 events
(e31, e32, e33) and the dependencies between the events are as follows:-
“e12 -> e32”, “e22-> e14”, “e23-> e33”
Q18.) What do you mean by global state? Differentiate between consistent and strongly
consistent global state? Also write the Chandy Lamport’s global state recording algorithm.
[2014-2015][EVEN SEM],[2015-2016][ODD SEM]
Q19.) Discuss the following with the help of suitable example:- (i) Total order (ii) Casual order
[2012-2013][EVEN SEM]
Q20.) Explain the following distributed computing models:- [2013-2014][ODD SEM]
(i) Mini Computer Model
(ii) Work Station Model
(iii) Work Station Server Model
Q21.) Why would you design a system as a distributed system? List some advantages of
distributed systems. List three properties of distributed systems. [2017-2018][ODD SEM]
Q22.) Explain desirable features of a good message passing system. [2015-2016][ODD SEM]
Q23.) Discuss the architectural, fundamental and security models of distributed systems in detail.
Q24.) Differentiate between a local call and a remote call.

PREPARED BY: AYUSH SINGHAL

DEPARTMENT: CSE 2
 UNIT – 2

Q1.) Differentiate between:-

(i) Process and Threads
(ii) Resource Deadlocks and Communication Deadlocks
(iii) Token Based and Non-Token Based Algorithms
(iv) Centralized and Distributed deadlock detection strategies
(v) Data Migration, Computation Migration and Distributed Scheduling
Q2.) Name Distributed Deadlock Detection Algorithms.
Q3.) What is the importance of different types of graph in deciding deadlock?
Q4.) Explain Ricart-Agrawala Algorithm for Mutual Exclusion.
Q5.) Write in detail about the characteristics of Inter-process communication.
Q6.) Explain how mutual exclusion is implemented in distributed systems. Explain the requirements and
performance measures used for evaluating Mutual Exclusion Algorithm.
Q7.) What is meant by distributed garbage collection?
Q9.) Briefly discuss the salient features of path pushing algorithm and explain how wait for
dependencies are propagated in the form of paths.
Q10.) Explain Edge Chasing Algorithm of deadlock detection in detail.
Q11.) With reference to the token based algorithm, explain how Raymond Tree based algorithm works?
Q12.) Suppose all the processes in the system are assigned priorities that can be used to totally order the
processes. Modify edge chasing algorithm so that when a process detects a deadlock, it also
knows the lowest priority deadlock process.
Q13.) Explain the term Phantom Deadlock.
Q14.) What is a process? Explain the various states of a process through state transition diagram?
Q15.) Explain the various hierarchical deadlock detection algorithms with the help of suitable examples.
Also compare the performance of the various algorithms?
Q16.) Explain the Shared Address Space Architecture with their requirements and working
methodology.
Q17.) What are deadlock handling strategies in distributed systems? What are the differences in
centralized, distributed and hierarchical control organizations for distributed deadlock detection?
Q18.) What are semaphores, monitors and serializers? Also give the advantages, disadvantages and

PREPARED BY: AYUSH SINGHAL

DEPARTMENT: CSE 3
 limitations for the same.
Q19.) Discuss an algorithm which can remove a phantom deadlocks?
Q20.) Approaches based on shared variable (like semaphore) are not applicable to achieve mutual
exclusion in distributed system. State whether this statement is correct or not and give the reasons
behind it.
Q21.) What is deadlock? What are the necessary conditions for the occurrence of deadlock in
distributed system?
Q22.) What is Mutual Exclusion? State the classification of distributed mutual exclusion. Is mutual
exclusion problem more complex in distributed system than single computer system? Justify
your answer.
Q23.) Differentiate between the various versions of Ho-Ramamoorthy algorithms.
Q24.) Discuss the various issues that are being faced during deadlock detection and resolution.

UNIT – 3
Q1.) What do you understand by agreement protocols? List all the agreement protocols and the
differences between them.
Q2.) (i) Show that Byzantine agreement cannot be reached among four processors when two
are faulty.
(ii) Show how a solution to the consensus problem can be used to solve the interactive
consistency problem.
Q3.) Explain Lamport Shostak Pease algorithm. Solve it for when the number of processors is
five and the number of faulty processors is one.
Q4.) Discuss impossibility results for Byzantine agreement.
Q5.) Discuss the general system model used for agreement protocols. Give the applications of
agreement problem.
Q6.) Caching is one of the techniques used to improve access to naming data. What are the
benefits of caching and what assumptions must hold for it to be useful?
Q7.) In the context of distributed file system, explain the following:-
(i) Mounting (ii) Caching (iii) Bulk Data Transfer (iv) Hints
Q8.) Explain the Read Replication and Full Replication algorithm for implementing distributed
shared memory.
PREPARED BY: AYUSH SINGHAL
DEPARTMENT: CSE 4
Q9.) Discuss how the efficiency of distributed shared memory system depends on the size of
granularity and protocol used for page replacement.
Q10.) Discuss the architecture, design and implementation issues of distributed shared memory
and its advantages.
Q11.) Write short notes on the following:-
(i) Atomic commit in Distributed DBMS (ii) Memory Coherence
Q12.) Explain the typical architecture and mechanism of distributed file system. Explain data
access actions in distributed file system.
Q13.) What is Cache? Discuss read operation with cache and write operation with cache.
Q14.) Explain the concept of naming in distributed system. What is flat naming and structured
naming?
Q15.) Describe memory coherence. Briefly explain the write invalidate and write update
protocols.

UNIT – 4
Q1.) With reference to the backward error recovery, explain the operation-based approach and state
based approach.
Q2.) What do you mean by Atomic committing Distributed Database system? Also explain the two
phases commit protocol used for realizing atomicity in distributed system.
Q3.) Write short notes on the following:-
a) Dynamic voting Protocols
b) Method to obtain consistent set of checkpoint
c) Backward and Forward Recovery
Q4.) Fault Tolerance can be achieved by Error Processing? Explain.
Q5.) Differentiate between:-
(a) Fault and Failure (b) Orphan Messages and Lost Messages
(c) Consistent set of checkpoints and Strongly consistent set of checkpoints
(d) Livelock and Deadlock
Q6.) How check pointing is used in fault tolerance in distributed systems? Explain independent check
pointing and coordinated check pointing?

PREPARED BY: AYUSH SINGHAL

DEPARTMENT: CSE 5
Q7.) Explain the two phases in the two-phase commit protocol with the help of suitable diagram. How
the protocol handles the site failure?
Q8.) What is global state? Explain different types of global states?
Q9.) Explain the concept of Orphan Message and Domino Effect with the help of suitable examples.
Q10.) What is Checkpoint? Explain one Checkpoint algorithm in detail.
Q11.) What do you mean by failure? Give the classification of failure with illustrating the examples?
Q12.) How check point is useful in the recovery procedure in distributed systems? Explain with an
example.
Q13.) Describe three phase commit protocol? How three phase commit protocol is different than two
phase commit protocol?
Q14.) What do you mean understand by dynamic voting? Explain Dynamic Voting protocol in brief?

UNIT – 5

Q1.) Discuss the following: -

a.) “An approach to Concurrency Control based on Time Stamping is inherently superior to an
approach based on Locking”. Give argument either in favor of or against the statement.
b.) Explain why Time Stamping cannot lead to Deadlock and Locking can.
Q2.) What are the different validation conditions for the optimistic concurrency control? How it effects
the transactions in distributed system.
Q3.) Explain Distributed Transactions. Discuss the functionality of Flat and Nested distributed
transactions with example.
Q4.) How will you execute the transaction when data is replicated among several sites and data
consistency is highest criteria? Also discuss the case when data availability is highest criteria.
Q5.) Write short notes on the following:
(a) Transaction with replicated data.
(b) Group Communication.
Q6.) Draw a schematic diagram of the distributed transaction management model. Explain each
component in brief.

PREPARED BY: AYUSH SINGHAL

DEPARTMENT: CSE 6
Q7.) Discuss the following terms in context of distributed systems:
(a) Highly available services.
(b) Wait for graph with the example of distributed transaction.
(c) Highly available services.
Q8.) Describe the architecture of Replicated Transactions.
Q9.) What do you mean by Global State? Differentiate between consistent and strongly consistent
global state?
Q10.) Write short notes on the following:
(a) Flat and Nested Transaction.
(b) 2PL and Strict 2PL

PREPARED BY: AYUSH SINGHAL

DEPARTMENT: CSE 7