UNIT-1

Introduction to Distributed
Computing System

Distributed Computing System (030090716)

 Syllabus
Unit No. Unit Name % Weightage
1 Introduction to distributed computing system
2 Message passing
3 Remote procedure calls
4 Distributed shared memory
5 Synchronization
6 Resource and Process management

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 2 CGPIT, UTU

 Books
 Text book:
1. Pradip K. Sinha - “Distributed Operating Systems: Concepts and Design” -
Eastern Economy Edition, PHI Learning.

 Reference books:
1. Sunita Mahajan, Seema Shah – “Distributed Computing”- Oxford University
Press.
2. M. L. Liu - “Distributed Computing: Principles and Applications”- Pearson
Education.
3. George Coulouris, Jean Dollimore, Tim Kindberg –“Distributed Systems:
Concepts and Design”, Fourth Edition, Pearson Education.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 3 CGPIT, UTU

 Topics to be covered
1.1 Distributed Computing System
1.2 Evolution of Distributed Computing Systems
1.3 Distributed Computing System Models
1.4 Distributed Computing Systems Gaining Popularity
1.5 Distributed Operating System
1.6 Issues in designing a distributed operating system
1.7 Distributed computing environment

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 4 CGPIT, UTU

 1.1 Distributed Computing System
 Over the past two decades advancements in,
• microelectronic technology have resulted in the availability of fast,
inexpensive processors.
• communication technology have resulted in the availability of cost-effective
and highly efficient computer networks.

 Price performance ratio has now changed to favor the use of

interconnected, multiple processors in place of a single, high-
speed processor.

 Computer architectures consisting of interconnected, multiple

processors are basically of two types:

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 5 CGPIT, UTU

 Tightly coupled system
 Tightly coupled systems (Parallel Processing System): In these
systems, there is a single systemwide primary memory (address
space) that is shared by all the processors.

 Example : Writing value 100 at memory location x.

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 Tightly-Coupled (Shared Memory)
 Shared Memory Machine: The n processors shares physical
address space. Communication can be done through shared
memory.

P P P P

Interconnect (Bus Line)

Shared Memory
Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 7 CGPIT, UTU
 Tightly-Coupled (Shared Memory)
 Shared Memory Machine: The n processors shares physical
address space. Communication can be done through shared
memory.
A=10+10
A=A+10
A=20 Read
A=20A

P P P P

Interconnect (Bus Line)

A=10
A=20
10
Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 8 CGPIT, UTU
 Loosely coupled system
 Loosely coupled systems (Distributed Computing System): In these
systems, the processors do not share memory, and each processor
has its own local memory.

 Example : Writing value 100 at memory location x.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 9 CGPIT, UTU
 Loosely-Coupled (Private Memory)
 Private Memory Machine: Each processors has its own local
memory. Communication can be done through Message passing.

M M M M

P P P P

Interconnect (Bus Line)

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 10 CGPIT, UTU

 Loosely-Coupled (Private Memory)
 Private Memory Machine: Each processors has its own local
memory. Communication can be done through Message passing.

M M M M

A=10A
Read P P P P A=20A
Read

Read
A=20A

Interconnect (Bus Line)

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 11 CGPIT, UTU

 Comparison
BASIS FOR TIGHTLY COUPLED LOOSELY COUPLED
COMPARISON MULTIPROCESSOR SYSTEM MULTIPROCESSOR SYSTEM

Basic Processors have shared memory Each processor has its own
modules. memory module.
Efficient Efficient for high-speed or real- Efficient when tasks running on
time processing. different processors, has minimal
interaction.

Memory conflict It experiences more memory It generally, do not encounter

conflicts. memory conflict.

Interconnections Interconnection networks PMIN, Message transfer system (MTS).

IOPIN, ISIN.

Data rate High. Low.

Expensive More expensive. Less expensive.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 12 CGPIT, UTU

 Distributed Computing System Definition
 Definition : “A distributed computing system is basically a
collection of processors interconnected by a communication
network in which each processor has its own local memory and
other peripherals, and the communication between any two
processors of the system takes place by message passing over the
communication network. “

 For a particular processor, its own resources are local, whereas the
other processors and their resources are remote. Together, a
processor and its resources are usually referred to as a node or site
or machine of the distributed computing system.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 13 CGPIT, UTU

 1.2 Evolution Of Distributed Computing Systems
System Year Basic
Batch Processing 1950-60 Batching together of jobs with similar needs
Off-Line Processing 1950-60 For Improve CPU Utilization run CPU and I/O job on
different machine
Multi Programming 1950-60 Organizing jobs so that the CPU always had something
to execute
Time Sharing 1970 Multiple user can simultaneously execute interactive
jobs. (sharing computer resource to many user and user
can access it from different place)

Mini Computer 1970 Parallel advancements in hardware technology allowed

reduction in the size and increase processing speed
Workstation 1980 Mini Computer + Time Sharing
LAN/WAN/ATM 1960-80 New technologies enhance the network speed
Distributed 1970 Merging of computer and networking technologies gave
Computing System birth to distributed computing system

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 14 CGPIT, UTU

 1.3 Distributed Computing System Models
 Distributed Computing system models can be broadly classified
into five categories.

Minicomputer Model

Workstation Model

Workstation – Server Model

Processor – Pool Model

Hybrid Model
Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 15 CGPIT, UTU
 1. Minicomputer Model
 Extension of Time sharing system
• User must log on his/her home minicomputer.
• Thereafter, he/she can log on a remote machine by telnet.
 Resource sharing
• Database T
Mini-
• High-performance devices Computer
T
 Example:
• ARPAnet
T T
Mini- Communication Mini-
Computer Network Computer
T T

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 16 CGPIT, UTU

 2. Workstation Model
 Process migration
• Users first log on his/her personal workstation.
• If there are idle remote workstations, a heavy job may migrate to
one of them.
 Problems:
1. How to find an idle workstation
2. How to migrate a job Workstation
3. What if a user log on the remote machine

Workstation Communication Workstation

Network

Workstation Workstation
Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 17 CGPIT, UTU
 Distributed Computing System Definition
 Ways to handle the first two issues are described in later chapter.

 Three commonly used approaches for handling the third issue are
as follows:

1. The first approach is to allow the remote process share the resources of
the workstation
2. The second approach is to kill the remote process.
3. The third approach is to migrate the remote process back to its home
workstation, so that its execution can be continued there.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 18 CGPIT, UTU

 3. Workstation-Server Model
Workstation

Workstation Workstation

Communication
Workstation Workstation
Network

Mini Mini
Computer Mini Computer
Used as a Computer Used as a
File Server Used as a Print Server
database
Server
Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 19 CGPIT, UTU
 3. Workstation-Server Model
 Client workstations
• Diskless
• Graphic/interactive applications processed in local.
• All file, Print, http and even cycle computation requests are sent to servers.
 Server minicomputers
• Each minicomputer is dedicated to one or more different types of services.
 Client-Server model of communication
• RPC (Remote Procedure Call)
• RMI (Remote Method Invocation)
• A Client process calls a server process function.
• No process migration invoked

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 20 CGPIT, UTU

 3. Workstation-Server Model
 As compared to the workstation model, the workstation-server model
has several advantages:
1. It is much cheaper to use a few minicomputers equipped with large,
fast disks that are accessed over the network than a large number of
diskful workstations
2. Diskless workstations are also preferred to diskful workstations from
a system maintenance point of view.
3. All files are managed by the file servers, users have the flexibility to
use any workstation and access the files in the same manner
irrespective of which workstation the user is currently logged on.
4. Not need a process migration facility, which is difficult to implement.
5. A user has guaranteed response time because workstations are not
used for executing remote processes.
Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 21 CGPIT, UTU
 4. Processor-Pool Model
Terminals

Terminals Terminals

Communication
Terminals Terminals
Network

Run File
Server ---------- Server

Pool of processors
Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 22 CGPIT, UTU
 4. Processor-Pool Model
 Clients:
• They log in one of terminals (diskless workstations)
• All services are dispatched to servers.
 Servers:
• Necessary number of processors are allocated to each user
from the pool.
 Better utilization of resources.
 Example:
• Web Search Engines

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 23 CGPIT, UTU

 5. Hybrid Model
 Advantages of the workstation-server and processor-pool models
are combined to build a hybrid model.
 It is built on the workstation-server model with a pool of
processors.
 Processors in the pool can be allocated dynamically for large
computations, that cannot be handled by the workstations, and
require several computers running concurrently for efficient
execution.
 This model is more expensive to implement than the hybrid or the
processor-pool model.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 24 CGPIT, UTU

 1.4 Distributed Computing System Gaining Popularity (Advantages)

 Inherently distributed application :

• Computerized banking system
• Employee database of nationwide organization
• Airline reservation system
• Factory automation system

 Information Sharing among distributed users:

• User can easily share information

 Resource Sharing:
• Printer, Hard-disk etc.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 25 CGPIT, UTU

 1.4 Distributed Computing System Gaining Popularity (Advantages)

 Better Price Performance ratio :

• Compare to single large centralized system

 Shorter Response time and higher throughput:

• Because of multiple processor
• Load balancing

 Higher reliability:
• Reliability refers to the degree of tolerance against errors and component failure in a system.
• CPU Fail, Disk Fail
• Availability
Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 26 CGPIT, UTU
 1.4 Distributed Computing System Gaining Popularity (Advantages)

 Extensibility and incremental Growth :

• possible to gradually extend the power and functionality

 Better flexibility in meeting users needs :

• distributed computing system may have a pool of different types of computers, in
which case the most appropriate one can be selected for processing a user's job
depending on the nature of the job

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 27 CGPIT, UTU

 1.5 Distributed Operating System
 “Operating System as a program that controls the resources of a
computer system and provides its users with an interface or
virtual machine that is more convenient to use than the bare
machine”.

 The two primary tasks of an operating system are as follows:

1. To present users with a virtual machine that is easier to program than the
underlying hardware.
2. To manage the various resources of the system.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 28 CGPIT, UTU

 1.5 Distributed Operating System
 The operating systems commonly used for distributed computing
systems can be broadly classified into two types:

• Network Operating Systems (NOS)

• Distributed Operating Systems (DOS)

 To differentiate between these two types of operating systems the

three most important features commonly used:

1. System image
2. Autonomy
3. Fault tolerance capability

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 29 CGPIT, UTU

 1.5 Distributed Operating System
 The operating systems commonly used for distributed computing
systems can be broadly classified into two types:

• Network Operating Systems (NOS)

• Distributed Operating Systems (DOS)

 To differentiate between these two types of operating systems the

three most important features commonly used:

1. System image
2. Autonomy
3. Fault tolerance capability

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 30 CGPIT, UTU

 1. System Image
Network Operating System Distributed Operating System
The users view the distributed DOS hides the existence of multiple
computing system as a collection of computers and provides a single-system
distinct machines connected by a image to its users. That is, it makes a
communication subsystem. That is, the collection of networked machines act as
users are aware of the fact that multiple a virtual uniprocessor.
computers are being used.
NOS Although a user can run a job on DOS dynamically and automatically
any machine of the distributed allocates jobs to the various machines of
computing system, he or she is fully the system for processing. Therefore, a
aware of the machine on which his or user of a distributed operating system
her job is executed. generally has no knowledge of the
machine on which a job is executed.
A user is generally required to know the Need not keep track of the locations of
location of a resource to access be it. various resources for accessing them,

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 31 CGPIT, UTU

 2. Autonomy
Network Operating System Distributed Operating System
Each computer of the distributed There is a single system wide operating
computing system has its own local system and each computer of the
operating system distributed computing system runs a
part of this global operating system.
There is essentially no coordination at They work in close cooperation with
alI among the computers except for the each other for the efficient and effective
rule that when two processes of utilization of the various resources of
different computers communicate with the system.
each other, they must use a mutually
agreed on communication protocol.
Each one makes independent decisions That is, processes and several resources
about the creation and termination of are managed globally.
their own processes and management (some resources are managed locally).

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 32 CGPIT, UTU

 3. Fault tolerance capability
Network Operating System Distributed Operating System
NOS provides little or no fault tolerance DOS provides more fault tolerance
capability in the case of partial failure. capability in the case of partial failure.

If 10% of the machines of the entireMost of the users are normally

distributed computing system are down
unaffected by the failed machines and
at any moment, at least 10% of the can continue to perform their work
users are unable to continue with their
normally, with only a 10% loss in
work. performance of the entire distributed
computing system
A distributed computing system that A distributed computing system that
uses a network operating system is uses a distributed operating system is
usually referred to as a “network usually referred to as a true distributed
system” system or “distributed system”.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 33 CGPIT, UTU

 Distributed Operating System Architecture

 A distributed system organized as Middleware.

 The middleware layer runs on all machines, and offers a uniform
interface to the system.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 34 CGPIT, UTU

 NOS Example

Printer connected to a computer Print

Printer
Server
Print

× Print

Client-1 Client-2 Client-3 Client-4

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 35 CGPIT, UTU

 Distributed Operating System
 “A Distributed system is collection of independent computers
which are connected through network.”
Systems processors
are differ in size and
functions

Communication
Network

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 36 CGPIT, UTU

 Distributed Operating System
 A great example of distributed system is the web page of CGPIT
college.
www. cgpit-bardoli.edu.in
User Internet

Web Server

Mechanical Computer
Department Department

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 37 CGPIT, UTU

 Scenario-1:

Want to process Increase RAM

RAM: 4GB RAM: 8GB
500GB Data size to 8GB

Vertical Scaling

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 38 CGPIT, UTU

 Scenario-2:
Want to process
RAM: 4GB
500GB Data

Add more
Processors/Systems
DOS

RAM: 4GB RAM: 4GB RAM: 4GB

Divide/Distribute the workload

Horizontal Scaling
Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 39 CGPIT, UTU
 Examples of Distributed Systems
 From the definition, Distributed Systems also looks the same as
single system.
 Let us say about Google Web Server, from users perspective while
they submit the searched query, they assume google web server
as a single system.
 Just visit google.com, then search.
 However, under the hood Google builds a lot of servers even
distributes in different geographical area to give you a search
result within few seconds.
 So the Distributed Systems does not make any sense for normal
users.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 40 CGPIT, UTU

 Examples of Distributed Systems
 Web Search Engines:
• Major growth industry in the last decade.
• 10 billion per month for global number of searches.
• e.g. Google distributed infrastructure

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 41 CGPIT, UTU

 Examples of Distributed Systems
 Massively multiplayer online games:
• Large number of people interact through the Internet with a
virtual world.
• Challenges include fast response time, real-time propagation of
events.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 42 CGPIT, UTU

 Why Distributed Operating System?
 Facebook, currently, has 1.5 billion active monthly users.
 Google performs at least 1 trillion searches per year.
 About 48 hours of video is uploaded in Youtube every minute.
 A single system would be unable to handle the processing. Thus,
comes the need for Distributed Systems.
 The main answer is to cope with the extremely higher demand of
users in both processing power and data storage.
 With this extremely demand, single system could not achieve it.
 There are many reasons that make distributed systems is viable
such as high availability, scalability, resistant to failure, etc.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 43 CGPIT, UTU

 1.6 Issues in Designing a Distributed Operating System

Transparency Reliability Flexibility

Performance Scalability Heterogeneity

Security

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 44 CGPIT, UTU

 Transparency
• Main goal of Distributed system is to make the existence of
multiple computers invisible (transparent) and provide single
system image to user.
• A transparency is some aspect of the distributed system that is
hidden from the user (programmer, system developer,
application).
• While users hit search in google.com, They never notice that their
query goes through a complex process before google shows them
a result.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 45 CGPIT, UTU

 Types of Transparency
• Local and remote objects should be accessed in a
uniform way.
• User should not find any difference in accessing local or
Access remote objects.
Transparency • Hide differences in data representation & resource
access (enables interoperability).
• Example : Navigation in the Web

• Objects are referred by logical names which hide the

physical location of the objects.
• Name transparency: Resource should be independent of
Location the physical connectivity or topology of the system or the
Transparency current location of the resources.
• User Mobility : Hide location of resource (can use resource
without knowing its location).
• Example: Pages in the Web
Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 46 CGPIT, UTU
 Types of Transparency
• The provision of create replicas (additional copies) of
files and other resources on different node of the
Replication distributed system.
Transparency • Hide the possibility that multiple copies of the resource
exist (for reliability and/or availability).
• Replica of the files and data are transparent to the user.

• It deals with the masking from the users partial failures

in the system, such as a communication link failure, a
Failure
machine failure, or a storage device crash.
Transparency • Hide failure and recovery of the resource.
• Example: Database Management System.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 47 CGPIT, UTU

 Types of Transparency
• Resource object is to be moved from one place to
another automatically by the system.
Migration • Hide possibility that a system may change location of
Transparency resource (no effect on access).
• Load balancing is one among many reason for
migration of objects.

• Each user has the feeling that he or she is the sole user
of the system and other user do not exists in the
Concurrency system.
Transparency • Hide the possibility that the resource may be shared
concurrently.
• Example: Automatic teller machine network, DBMS

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 48 CGPIT, UTU

 Types of Transparency
• It allow the system to be automatically reconfigured to
Performance improve performance, as load vary dynamically in the
Transparency system.
• One system is overload and other system is ideal.

• It allows the system to expand in scale without

Scaling
disrupting the activities of the users.
Transparency • Example: World-Wide-Web

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 49 CGPIT, UTU

 Reliability
 Distributed systems are expected to be more reliable than
centralized systems due to the existence of multiple instances of
resources.
 System failure are of two types:
• Fail-stop: The system stop functioning after detecting the
failure.
• Byzantine failure: The system continues to function but gives
wrong results.
 The fault-handling mechanism must be designed properly to avoid
faults, to tolerate faults and to detect and recover from faults.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 50 CGPIT, UTU

 Reliability
 Fault avoidance : occurrence of the fault minimize
 Fault tolerance:
• Redundancy technique: To avoid single point of failure.
• Distributed control: To avoid simultaneous functioning of the
servers.
 Fault detection and recovery
• Atomic transaction.
• Stateless server : crash recovery very easy because no client
state information is maintained by the server
• Acknowledgment and timeout-based retransmissions of
messages.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 51 CGPIT, UTU

 Flexibility
 The design of Distributed operating system should be flexible due
to following reasons:
 Ease of Modification: It should be easy to incorporate changes in
the system in a user transparent manner or with minimum
interruption caused to the users.
 Ease of Enhancement: New functionality should be added from
time to time to make it more powerful and easy to use.
 A group of users should be able to add or change the services as
per the comfortability of their use.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 52 CGPIT, UTU

 Flexibility
 The two commonly used models for kernel design in distributed
operating systems are the monolithic kernel and the microkernel.

 Monolithic Kernel model : Most operating system services such as

process management, memory management, device
management, file management, name management, and inter
process communication are provided by the kernel.

 Micro Kernel Model : Services provided by the kernel in this model

are inter process communication, low-level device management, a
limited amount of low-level process management, and some
memory management.
Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 53 CGPIT, UTU
 Flexibility

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 54 CGPIT, UTU

 Performance
 A performance should be better than or at least equal to that of
running the same application on a single-processor system.
 Some design principles considered useful for better performance
are as below:
• Batch if possible: Batching often helps in improving
performance.
• Cache whenever possible: Caching of data at clients side
frequently improves over all system performance.
• Minimize copying of data: Data copying overhead involves a
substantial CPU cost of many operations.
• Minimize network traffic: It can be improved by reducing
internode communication costs.
Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 55 CGPIT, UTU
 Scalability
 Distributed systems must be scalable as the number of user increases.
A system is said to be scalable if it can handle the addition of
users and resources without suffering a noticeable loss of
performance or increase in administrative complexity.

 Scalability has 3 dimensions:

• Size: Number of users and resources to be processed. Problem
associated is overloading.
• Geography: Distance between users and resources. Problem
associated is communication reliability.
• Administration: As the size of distributed systems increases,
many of the system needs to be controlled. Problem associated
is administrative mess.
Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 56 CGPIT, UTU
 Scalability
 Guiding principles for designing scalable distributed systems:
• Avoid centralized entities.
• Avoid centralized algorithms.
• Perform most operations on client workstations.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 57 CGPIT, UTU

 Heterogeneity
 This term means the diversity of the distributed systems in terms
of hardware, software, platform, etc.
 Modern distributed systems will likely span different:
• Hardware devices: computers, tablets, mobile phones,
embedded devices, etc.
• Operating System: Ms Windows, Linux, Mac, Unix, etc.
• Network: Local network, the Internet, wireless network,
satellite links, etc.
• Programming languages: Java, C/C++, Python, PHP, etc.
• Different roles of software developers, designers, system
managers.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 58 CGPIT, UTU

 Security
 System must be protected against destruction and
unauthorized access.
 Enforcement of security in a distributed system has the
following additional requirements as compared to centralized
system:
• Sender of the message should know that message was
received by the intended receiver.
• Receiver of the message should know that the message
was sent by genuine sender.
• Both sender and receiver should be guaranteed that the
content of message were not changed while it is in transfer.
Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 59 CGPIT, UTU
 Brief (Issues in Designing a Distributed System)

Transparency Provide a single system image to its user.

Reliability Degree of Fault tolerance should be low.

Flexibility Ease of Modification and Enhancement.

Performance Performance should be better than Centralized system.

Scalability Capability of a system to adopt increased service load.

Heterogeneity It consist of dissimilar hardware or software systems.

Must be protected against destruction and unauthorized

Security
access.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 60 CGPIT, UTU

 1.7 Distributed Computing Environment (DCE)
 What Is DCE ? :

 A vendor-independent distributed computing environment.

 DCE was defined by the Open Software Foundation (OSF) a consortium

of computer manufacturers, including IBM, DEC, and Hewlett-Packard.

 It is not an operating system, nor is it an application.

 “it is an integrated set of services and tools that can be installed as a

coherent environment on top of existing operating systems and serve
as a platform for building and running distributed applications”.
Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 61 CGPIT, UTU
 1.7 Distributed Computing Environment (DCE)
 A primary goal of DCE is vendor independence. It runs on many
different kinds of computers, operating systems, and networks
produced by different vendors.

 For example, some operating systems to which DCE can be easily

ported include OSF/I, AIX, DOMAIN OS, ULTRIX, HP-UX, SINIX,
SunOS, UNIX System V, VMS, WINDOWS, and OS/2. On the other
hand, it can be used with any network hardware.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 62 CGPIT, UTU

 1.7 Distributed Computing Environment (DCE)
 How Was DCE Created ?
 The OSF did not create DCE from scratch. Instead, it created DCE by taking
advantage of work already done at universities and industries in the area of
distributed computing.

 For this, OSF issued a request for technology (RFT), asking for tools and services
needed to build a coherent distributed computin environment.

 To be a contender, a primary requirement was that actual working code must

ultimately be provided. The submitted bids were carefully evaluated by OSF
employees and a team of outside experts.

 OSF to produce a single integrated package that was made available to the
world as DCE. Version 1.0 of DCE was released by OSF in January 1992.
Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 63 CGPIT, UTU
 1.7 Distributed Computing Environment (DCE)
 DCE Components :

1. Threads package
2. Remote Procedure Call (RPC)facility
3. Distributed Time Service (DTS)
4. Name services
5. Security Service
6. Distributed File Service (DFS)

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 64 CGPIT, UTU

 1.7 Distributed Computing Environment (DCE)
 DCE Cells :
 The DCE system is highly scalable in the sense that a system
running DCE can have thousands of computers and millions of
users spread over a worldwide geographic area.

 To accommodate such large systems, DCE uses the concept of

cells. This concept helps break down a large system into smaller,
manageable units called cells.

 In a DCE system, a cell is a group of users, machines, or other

resources that typically have a common purpose and share
common DCE services.
Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 65 CGPIT, UTU
 1.7 Distributed Computing Environment (DCE)
 An important decision to be made while setting up a DCE system is
to decide the cell boundaries.
 The following four factors should be taken into consideration for
making this decision:

1. Purpose : The machines of users working on a common goal)

should be put in the same cell, as they need easy access to a
common set of system resources.
2. Administration : Each system needs an administrator to register
new users in the system and to decide their access rights to the
system's resources.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 66 CGPIT, UTU

 1.7 Distributed Computing Environment (DCE)
3. Security : Machines of those users who have greater trust in each
other should be put in the same cell. That is, users of machines of
a cell trust each other more than they trust the users of machines
of other cells.

4. Overhead : Several DCE operations, such as name resolution and

user authentication, incur more overhead when they are
performed between cells than when they are performed within
the same cell.

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 67 CGPIT, UTU

 End of Unit-1

Unit 1: Introduction to Distributed Computing System 68 CGPIT, UTU