Introduction to Distributed
Systems
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Contents at a glance
1. Tightly Coupled vs Loosely Coupled System
2. Multiple CPU Systems
3. Definition of Distributed system
4. Goals of Distributed Systems
5. Examples of Distributed Systems
6. Reasons for Distributed Systems
7. Advantages of distributed systems over
centralized systems
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1. Tightly Coupled vs Loosely Coupled
System
Parallel and
Distributed systems
Tightly Loosely
coupled coupled
Multiprocessors Multicomputers
(Shared memory) (Private memory)
Bus Switched Bus Switched
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2. Multiple CPU Systems
• Continuous need for faster computers
– shared memory model
– message passing multiprocessor
– wide area distributed system
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2.1 Multiprocessors
Definition:
A computer system in which two or more CPUs
share full access to a common RAM.
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2.2 Multi-Computers
• Definition
Tightly-coupled CPUs that do not share
memory
• Also known as
– cluster computers
– clusters of workstations (COWs)
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2.2 Multi-Computer Hardware
Network interface boards in a Multicomputer
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2.3 Distributed Systems
Distributed Systems
Achieving uniformity with middleware
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2.4 Comparison of Multiple CPU
Systems
Comparison of three kinds of multiple CPU systems
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3.0 Distributed System
• Andrew Tanenbaum
– A collection of independent computers that
appear to the users as a single coherent
system.
• Leslie Lamport
– You know you have a distributed system
when the crash of a computer you’ve never
heard of stops you from getting any work
done.
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4.0 Goals of Distributed system
• The main goal of the distributed system is
To make the existence of multiple computers
invisible and provide a single system image to
its users.
• Thus a distributed must be designed in a
such way that a collection of distinct
machines connected by a communication
subsystem appears to its users as a virtual
uni-processor.
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4.0 Goals of Distributed
Systems
• Connecting Users and Resources
• Transparency
• Openness
• Scalability
• Enhanced Availability
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5.0 Examples of Distributed
Systems
• Distributed Multimedia Systems
– Teleconferencing
– Distance learning
• IP Telephony
• Flight management system in an aircraft
• Distributed file systems (NFS, Samba)
• P2P file sharing
• The World Wide Web
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6.0 Reasons for Distributed
Systems
• The need to share data across remote geographies.
• Replication of processing power.
• Use of heterogeneous components.
• Cost of hardware and management.
• Resilience to failures.
• Scalability.
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7.0 Advantages of Distributed Systems
over Centralized Systems
Economics Distributed system offers a better price/performance
than a centralized system
Speed A distributed system may have more total computing
power than a centralized system
Inherent Some applications involve spatially separated machines
distribution
Reliability If one machine crashes, the system as a whole can still
survive
Incremental Computing power can be added in small increments
growth
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