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Introduction to Distributed Operating System

A Distributed Operating System (DOS) is an operating system that allows multiple independent computers to work together as a unified computing resource.

  • In a distributed operating system, resources and services are distributed across multiple machines, connected through a network.
  • Internet Technology
  • Distributed Database System
  • Airline Reservation control Sysem
  • Telecommunication Networks
  • Peer to Peer Network System
  • Data Rendering
  • Cluster Computing
  • Grid Computing

1.) Resource Sharing

  • A distributed operating system enables multiple systems to share resources such as hardware (e.g., printers, storage devices), software (e.g., applications, databases), and data. This sharing is done seamlessly to maximize resource utilization.

2.) Communication

  • DOS provides mechanisms for systems and processes to communicate with each other. This can include message passing, Remote Procedure Calls (RPCs), or distributed file systems.

3.) Transparency

  • User and applications are unaware of the physical location of resources. This transparency allows for easy access without concern for the resource`s location.

4.) Fault Tolerance

  • It has ability to continue functioning even in the event of hardware or software failures. Fault tolerance is achieved through redundancy, replication, and error detection mechanisms.

5.) Security

  • DOS must ensure secure access and communication across the network. This involves authentication, encryption, access control, and protection against unauthorized access or malicious attacks.

6.) Scalability

  • A distributed system should efficiently handle increasing workloads and expand by adding more resources (e.g., nodes, processors) without significant performance degradation.

7.) Concurrency and Synchronization

  • DOS supports concurrent execution of processes across multiple nodes. Proper synchronization is required to manage shared resources and ensure consistency.
  • If one node fails, other nodes can take over the tasks.
  • Increased Performance: Tasks can be parallelized and processed across multiple nodes.
  • Resource Accessibility: Resources are accessible from any node within the network, maximizing their utilization.
  • Scalability: The system can grow by adding more nodes to handle more tasks or larger volumes of data.
  • Data Sharing and Collaboration: Useful for environments where multiple users or applications need access to shared resources.
  • Complexity: Managing multiple systems as a single entity can introduce complexity in terms of development, deployment, and maintenance.
  • Security: Distributed systems are more vulnerable to attacks, as data and services are spread across many nodes.
  • Communication Latency: Communication between nodes may introduce delays, especially if the network is slow.
  • Consistency: Ensuring data consistency across distributed nodes can be challenging, especially in real-time scenarios.
  • Client/Server Systems
    • A type of distributed operating system where clients request resources or services, and a centralized server provides the response to them is called as Client-Server Systems.
  • Peer to Peer Systems
    • A distributed operating system where each node, or peer, has equal authority and can act as both client and server is called as Peer-to-Peer System.
  • Middleware Systems
    • Middleware is software that acts as an intermediary layer between the application and the operating system or between different applications in a distributed system.
  • Three-tire System
    • A Three-Tier System is an architecture in which the functionality of a distributed application is divided into three distinct layers or tiers.
  • N-tire System
    • An N-Tier System is an extension of the Three-Tier architecture, where the application is divided into more than three layers (N > 3)

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