Programming a Distributed System Using Shared Objects

Building the hardware for a high-performance distributed computer system is a lot easier than building its software. In this paper we describe a model for programtributed systems based on abstract data types that can be replicated on all machines that need them. Read operations are done locally, without requiring network traffic. Writes can be done using a reliable broadcast algorithm if the hardware supports broadcasting; otherwise, a point-to-point protocol is used. We have built such a system based on the Amoeba microkernel, and implemented a language, Orca, on top of it. For Orca applications that have a high ratio of reads to writes, we have measured good speedups on a system with 16 processors.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1993
• Where: HPDC
• Authors: Andrew S. Tanenbaum, Henri E. Bal, M. Frans Kaashoek
• Keywords: Abstract Data Types, Amoeba Microkernel, Distributed And Parallel Computing, HPDC 1993, Reliable Broadcast Algorithm