Distributed Systems

Lecture Four :
Distributed computing layering
 Distributed computing layering
• This involves organizing distributed system
into a set of layers such that
• Each layer performs a specific function.
• The hardware forms the lowest layer While
application programs forms the highest
layer.
• Each layer gets services from lower layers.
Hardware and software Layers in Distributed
Systems

Applications, services

Middleware

Operating system
Platform

Computer and network hardware

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Platform

• Platform consists of lowest-level hardware and

software layers that are used to host other
application programs running in the system.

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 Platform
• software layer consists of operating systems e.g:
Windows,Linux,Solaris SunOS, MacOS
The hard ware layer consists of clients
machines(workstations), minicomputers(server
machines) and communication channels.

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 Layer0:Hard ware layer
• Hardware layer Forms the lowest layer.
• It provides services to operating systems
layer such as interconnecting
• Various resources

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 Layer0:Hard ware layer models

• This layer can take any of the following

models:
– Minicomputer model
– Workstation model
– Workstation-server model
– Processor-pool model
– Cluster model

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 Minicomputer Model
Mini-
computer

ARPA
Mini- net Mini-
computer computer

• User must log on his/her home minicomputer.

– Thereafter, he/she can log on a remote machine by
telnet.
• Allow Resource sharing e.g Database, High-performance
devices

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 Workstation Model

Workstation

Workstation 100Mbps Workstation

LAN

Workstation Workstation

• Users first log on his/her personal workstation.

• If there are idle remote workstations, a heavy job may
migrate to one of them.

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 Work station model

• Several work stations are supported by a

high speed LAN .
• The model allow users on one workstation
make use of idle workstations if the ‘home’
workstation is not adequate.

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 Workstation-Server Model
• Client workstations are Diskless
– Graphic/interactive applications are processed in
local machines
– All file, print, http and even cycle computation
requests are sent to servers.
• Server minicomputer is dedicated to one or more
different types of services.
• communication is achieved through RPC (Remote
Procedure Call) where A Client process calls a
server process’ function

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Workstation-Server Model

Workstation

Workstation Workstation

100Gbps
LAN

Mini- Mini- Mini-

Computer Computer Computer
file server http server cycle server

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 Processor-Pool Model
• Users log in one of terminals
(diskless workstations) and
Necessary number of
processors are allocated to
each user from the pool.
100Mbps
LAN

Server 1 Server N

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 Cluster Model
• Client send request of
Workstation services to servers
• servers provide
Workstation Workstation services for requests in
parallel.
100Mbps • PC/workstations
LAN
http server2 connected to a high-
http server1 http server N speed network.
Master Slave Slave Slave • The model aims on
node 1 2 N improving system
performance:
1Gbps SAN

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Layer 1. Operating systems layer
 Operating system is a collection of system
programs that Controls and manages
computing resources.
 Os allows competing programs to share
resources of the system
 E.g memory, disk, printers and processing
time.
 The os there fore acts as a host (a
platform) for applications that are running
on the system.
 Types of distributed systems.

System Description Main Goal

Tightly-coupled operating system for multi- Hide and manage

DOS
processors and homogeneous multicomputers hardware resources

Loosely-coupled operating system for Offer local services

NOS
heterogeneous multicomputers (LAN and WAN) to remote clients

Middleware Additional layer atop of NOS implementing Provide distribution

based DS general-purpose services transparency
Distributed operating systems
• This is an operating system that manages
resources in a distributed system
• Such that the system Looks to the user like a
centralized OS- But operates on multiple
independent CPUs
• Provides transparency and Presents users with a
virtual uniprocessor
 1. Distributed operating systems

Presents users (and applications) with an

integrated computing platform that hides the
individual computers.
Has control over all of the nodes (computers) in
the network and allocates their resources to
tasks without user involvement.
 1. Distributed operating systems
In a distributed OS, the user doesn't know (or care) where his
programs are running.
•Examples: V system
 Dos example: V distributed system

• The V distributed system is an operating system

designed for a cluster of computer workstations
connected by a high-performance network.
• The system is structured as a relatively small
“distributed” kernel, a set of service modules,
various run-time libraries and a set of commands,
Dos-v system
1. Distributed-Operating Systems characteristics
 Users not aware of multiplicity of machines
 Access to remote resources similar is to access to
local resources.
• Data Migration – transfer data by transferring entire
file, or transferring only those portions of the file
necessary for the immediate task
 Process Migration – execute an entire process, or
parts of it, at different sites
 Distributed-Operating Systems
 Software preference - process execution may require
specialized processor
 Hardware preference – required software may be
available at only a particular site
 Data access – run process remotely, rather than
transfer all data locally
 Distributed-Operating Systems
 There are two categories of DOS:
 Multiprocessorsystems
 multicomputer systems.
 Multiprocessor Operating Systems
• Manages multiple CPUs transparently to
the user.
• Each processor has its own hardware
cache
• The operating system Maintain
consistency of cached data
•
 Dos: Multiprocessors
• Multiprocessor dimensions
– Memory: could be shared or be private to each CPU
– Interconnect: could be shared (bus-based) or switched

A bus-based multiprocessor.
DOS: Multicomputer Operating Systems

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Dos :Multi-computers operating systems

• The operating system run on more than one

computer
• CPUs do not share memory

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 2. Network operating systems(NOS)

Characteristics
-The system has collection of components each
running their own operating systems.

-components are workstations, servers or LANs.

All the operating systems work together to make
their services and resources available to others
 Network operating systems
Characteristics
• Processors do not share memory; each
processor has its own memory.
• Communication is done by passing messages
across the network that interconnects the
processors
also called Loosely coupled systems
 Network-Operating Systems
 Characteristics
 Users are aware of multiplicity of machines.
 Access to resources of various machines is done
explicitly by:
 Remote logging into the appropriate remote
machine (telnet, ssh)
 Remote Desktop (Microsoft Windows)
 Transferringdata from remote machines to local
machines, via the File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
mechanism
 Network v.s. Distributed
Operating Systems
Features Network OS Distributed OS

SSI NO YES
(Single System Image) no shared memory Process migration, NFS,
DSM (Distr. Shared memory)

Autonomy High Low

Local OS at each computer A single system-wide OS
Global job coordination
No global job coordination
Fault Tolerance availability remains high even
availability reduces as faulty if fault machines increase.
machines increase.

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 3. Middleware-based DS

• A middle ware based distributed system has an additional

layer added on Network OS services to provide distribution
transparency.
 Middle ware
• Refers to a layer of services or softwares
added between those of a network OS and
the actual applications.
• Also known as software in the middle.
• Middleware is the “the software that is used to
tie systems and network systems, together.
 3. Middle ware based ds

• Middleware is a Set of tools that provide a uniform

means and style of access to system resources across all
platforms
• Enable programmers to build applications that look and feel
the same
• Enable programmers to use the same method to access
data

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 Comparison between all Systems

Distributed OS
Middleware-
Item Network OS
based OS
Multiproc. Multicomp.

Degree of transparency Very High High Low High

Same OS on all nodes Yes Yes No No

Number of copies of OS 1 N N N

Shared
Basis for communication Messages Files Model specific
memory

Global, Global,
Resource management Per node Per node
central distributed

Scalability No Moderately Yes Varies

Openness Closed Closed Open Open