JIMMA UNIVERSITY

JIMMA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

FACULTY OF COMPUTING

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY

YEAR-III GROUP -1

INTRODUCTION TO DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM

ASSIGNMENT

DONE BY:ROOBSAN FEYISA…………RU0806/10

1) Differentiate state full and stateless server
Answer: State full file servers:
 A state full server maintains client's state information from
one remote procedure call to the next.
 These clients state information is subsequently used at the
time of executing the second call.
Stateless file server:
 A stateless file server does not maintain any client state
information.
The difference between state full and stateless server are:
 The key difference between state full and stateless
applications is that stateless applications don’t “store’’ data
whereas state full applications require backing storage.
State full:
 A state full server remember client data (state) from one
request to the next.
 state full server is harder to code.
 The client can send less data with each request.
Stateless:
 A stateless server does not remember state information.
 Stateless server is straightforward to code.
 The client must specify complete file names in each request.
2) What is an operating system?
Answer:
 An operating system (OS) is system software that manages
common services for computer programs.
 Operating system is a system software that manages
computer hardware, software resources and provides
common services for computer programs.
 An OS is the most important software that runs on a
computer.
 It is an interface between a computer user and computer
hardware.
 It is a software that communicate with the hardware and
allows other programs to run
 It is comprised of system software, or the fundamental files
your computer needs to boot up and function.
 Every desktop computer, tablet, and smartphone includes an
operating system that provides basic functionality for the
device.
 Common desktop operating systems include windows, OS X
and Linux.
3) What is RPC?
Answer:
 Remote procedure call(RPC) is a protocol that one program
can use to request a service from a program located in
another computer on a network without having to understand
the network's details.
 A procedure call is also sometimes known as a function call
or a subroutine call.
 RPC uses the client-server model. The requesting program is
a client, and the service-providing program is the server.
 Like a regular or local procedure call, an RPC is a
synchronous operating requiring the requesting program to
be suspended until the results of the remote procedure are
returned.
 When program statements that use the RPC framework are
compiled into an executable program, a stub is included in
the compiled code that acts as the representative of the
remote procedure code.

4) What is distributed system?

Answer:
 A distributed system is defined as one in which components
at networked computers communicate and coordinate their
actions only by passing messages.
 A distributed system is connection of independent computers
which are connected through network.
 A distributed system, also known as distributed computing,
is a system with multiple components located on different
machines that communicate and coordinate actions in order
to appear as a single coherent system to the end-user.
 Although distributed systems can sometimes be obscure,
they usually have three primary characteristics: all
 components run concurrently, there is no global clock, and
all components fail independently of each other.
5) Explain the difference between network and distributed
operating systems?
Answer:
Network operating system:
 A network operating system is made up of software and
associated protocols that allow a set of computer network to
be used together.
 Environment users are aware of multiplicity of machines.
 Control over file placement is done manually by the user.
 No implicit sharing of loads.
 Performance is badly affected if certain part of the hardware
starts malfunctioning.
 Remote resources are accessed by either logging into the
desired remote machine or transferring data from the remote
machine to user's own machines.
Distributed operating system:
 A distributed operating system is an ordinary centralized
operating system but runs on multiple independent CPUs.
 Environment users are not aware of multiplicity of machines.
 It can be done automatically by the system itself.
 Sharing of loads between nodes (load balancing) .
 It is more reliable or fault tolerant i.e distributed operating
system performations even if certain part of the hardware
starts malfunctioning.
 Users access remote resources in the same manner as they
access local resources.
6) What is synchronization? Explain in detial.
Answer:
 The central issue in the communication structure is the
synchronization.
 Communication between two processes takes place through
calls to send() and receive() primitives.
 In computer science, synchronization refers to one of two
distinct but related concepts: synchronization of processes,
and synchronization of data.
 Process synchronization refers to the idea that multiple
processes are to join up or handshake at a certain point, in
order to reach an agreement or commit to a certain sequence
of action.
 Data synchronization refers to the idea of keeping multiple
copies of a dataset in coherence with one another, or to
maintain data integrity. Process synchronization primitives
are commonly used to implement data synchronization.
 Synchronization, in the context of .NET, is a process that
involves coordinating the execution of multiple threads to
ensure a desired outcome without corrupting the shared data
and preventing any occurrence of deadlocks and race
conditions.

7) Explain what middleware is and its role.

Answer:
 Middleware(MW) is a software that manages and supports
the different components of a distributed system. In essence,
it sits in the middle of the system.
 It enables multiple systems to communicate with each other
across different platforms.
Examples:
- Transaction processing monitors.
- Data converters.
- Communication controllers.
Role of Middleware(MW):
~ In some early systems:
 middleware tried to provide the illusion that a collection of
separate machines was a single computer.
~ Today:
 Clustering software allows independent computers to work
together closely.
 Middleware also supports seamless access to remote
services, doesn't try to look like a general-purpose OS.
8) Explain the goals of distributed system.
Answer:
The main goals of distributed systems:
~ The relative simplicity of the software - each processor has a
dedicated function.
~ Incremental growth - If we need 10 percent more computing
power we just add 10 percent more processors.
~ Reliability and availability - A few parts of the system can
be down without disturbing people using the other parts.
~ Openness - multiple computers of different types, operating
systems and manufactures can interact together in a simple
system.
9) Discuss desirable features of good message passing
systems.
Answer: The desirable feature of good message passing systems
are:
~ Simplicity - A message passing system should be simple and
easy to use. It should be possible to communicate with old and
new applications, with different modules without the need to
worry about the system and network aspects.
~ Uniform semantics :
- local communication
- Remote communication
- Semantics of Remote communication should be as close as
possible to those of local communications.
~ Efficiency - less number of message exchanges, as far as.
~ Reliability - Reliable IPC protocol can cope with failure
problem and guarantees the delivery of messages.
- Handling of lost messages.
- Handling of duplicate messages.
~ Correctness - Required for group communication.
- Atomicity
- Ordered delivery
- Survivability
~ Flexibility - It must have flexibility to permit any kind of
control flow between the cooperating processes, including
synchronous and asynchronous send/receive.
~ Security - capable of providing a secure end-to-end
communication.
- Authentication of the receiver(s) of message by the sender.
- Authentication of the sender of a message by its receiver(s).
- Encryption of a message before sending it over the network.
~ Portability - It should be possible to easily construct a new
IPC facility on another system by reusing the basic design of the
existing message passing system.
10) What is computer network?
Answer:
 A computer network or data network is a
telecommunications network which allows computers to
exchange data.
 Computer network, two or more computers that are
connected with one another for the purpose of
communicating data electronically.
 Computer networking refers to connected computing
devices(such as laptops, desktops, servers, smartphones, and
tablets) and an ever-expanding array of IOT devices (such as
cameras, door locks, doorbells, refrigerators, audio/visual
systems, thermostats, and various sensors) that communicate
with one another.
 In computer networks, networked computing devices
exchange data with each other using a data link.
 Computer networks are the basis of communication in IT.
 They are used in a huge variety of ways and can include
many different types of network.
 A computer network is a set of computers that are connected
together so that they can share information.
 Computer networks are used to carry out a large computer of
tasks through the sharing of information.
Some of the things that networks are used for include:
 Communicating using email, video, instant messaging and
other methods.
 Sharing devices such as printers, scanners and photocopiers.
 Sharing files.
 Sharing software and operating programs on remote systems.
 Allowing network users to easily access and maintain
information.