IN5420 ¨C Distributed Blockchain Technologies

Course content

We are witnessing an explosive rise in the popularity of the blockchain paradigm, the technology that enables cooperative economic models without a central administrator. While originally inspired by Bitcoin, Ethereum, and generally cryptocurrency, the paradigm has since found many additional applications and become a hot topic both in industry and research. This research oriented seminar explores state-of-the art advances, principles, and techniques in the area.

Learning outcome

After completing this course, you will have an understanding of:

• research advances related to one of the most popular technological areas today
• reviewing and summarizing research papers and presentations
• participating in research discussions with peers
• programming with selected building blocks of a blockchain system

Admission to the course

The course number is limited to 15 students (IN5420 and IN9420 together).

If the number of enrolled students is higher than 15, they will be ranked as follwed:

1. Phd students who has the course as mandatory
2. Master students at the Department of Informatics who has the course approved in their study plan
3. Master students at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences who has the course approved in their study plan
4. Master students at the Department of Informatics
5. Others

Recommended previous knowledge

IN5020 ¨C Distributed Systems/INF5040 or another course in distributed systems. The most relevant aspects of distributed systems are P2P, data replication, and consensus protocols.

Knowledge in security and applied cryptography and in distributed databases.

Python programming experience for a programming assignment.

Overlapping courses

• 10 credits overlap with IN9420 ¨C Distribuerte blockchains-teknologier.

Teaching

3 hours lectures per week. The following mandatory activities are:

• attending the first lecture
• participation in at least 75% of the discussions
• submission of short summaries for at least 75% of the topics
• everyone will be required to hold a presentation
• everyone will be required to submit a single programming assignment
• active participation in lessons and discussions is required

Being a seminar, the course consists of reading, presenting, and discussing research papers. In the beginning, an overview lecture in the area will be given. In particular, the seminar covers:

• bitcoin and origins of blockchain
• blockchain storage technologies
• scalability of the data update (consensus) protocols
• security and privacy aspects

Examination

Oral exam. All mandatory activities must be approved in order to be admitted to the exam.

It will also be counted as one of?your three?attempts to sit the exam for this course, if you sit the exam for one of the following courses:?IN9420 - Distributed Blockchain Technologies

Examination support material

No examination support material is allowed.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F?is a fail. Read more about?the grading system.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.