Decentralized Replication Mechanisms in Deno
Peter J. Keleher · University Libraries (University of Maryland) · 1998
Introduction We are currently finalizing the design of Deno, a new shared-object system intended for use with replicated mobile or wide-area data. The broad aim of this project is to develop a framework for decentralized protocols that support replicated shared-object systems. Such systems are used to maintain data coherency for applications used in mobile and other highly dynamic environments. The distinguishing feature of such environments is that timely connectivity to specific hosts is rarely a given. Internet connections can be either slow or non-existent for a variety of reasons, including slow connections (via a modem, for example), unexpected network partitions, and periodic problems such as the data storms that occur daily at noon and 5 p.m. when office workers surf the web. Mobile systems have even more problematic connectivity. Laptops and PDAs are often disconnected the majority of the time, relying on brief periodic connections to synchronize application data on t