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The newcastle connection or UNIXes of the world unite!
Author(s) -
Brownbridge D. R.,
Marshall L. F.,
Randell B.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
software: practice and experience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Book series
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1097-024X
pISSN - 0038-0644
ISBN - 0-387-95113-X
DOI - 10.1002/spe.4380121206
Subject(s) - unix , computer science , unix filesystem , unix architecture , construct (python library) , variety (cybernetics) , scheme (mathematics) , operating system , set (abstract data type) , distributed computing , software , programming language , artificial intelligence , mathematical analysis , mathematics
In this paper we describe a software subsystem that can be added to each of a set of physically interconnected UNIX or UNIX look‐alike systems, so as to construct a distributed system which is functionally indistinguishable at both the user and the program level from a conventional single‐processor UNIX system. The techniques used are applicable to a variety and multiplicity of both local and wide area networks, and enable all issues of inter‐processor communication, network protocols, etc., to be hidden. A brief account is given of experience with such a distributed system, which is currently operational on a set of PDPlls connected by a Cambridge Ring. The final sections compare our scheme to various precursor schemes and discuss its potential relevance to other operating systems.