Distributed systems consist of multiple independent components that are connected by a network and provide a common service. Depending on the particular use case, this includes deployments in which a collection of small data sets is distributed among a few nodes, as well as architectures for the massively parallelized processing of large workloads in the context of cloud applications. While on the one hand the distribution of a system offers new opportunities, for example the improvement of fault-tolerance properties through replication of data and computations, on the other hand it also creates additional challenges such as the need for an efficient implementation of services when several geographic sites are involved. A key goal of this group's research activities is the development of concepts and techniques that enable systems to leverage the advantages associated with distribution and at the same time use the available resources as efficiently as possible.