Reliable Computing over Mobile Networks

L. Rodrigues, H. Fonseca and P. Veríssimo

Selected sections of this report were published in the Proceedings of the 5th Workshop on Future Trends of Distributed Computing Systems, Cheju Island, Korea, August 1995.

Abstract

Mobile networks and hosts have assumed an increasing importance in recent years and will pervade future distributed computing systems. In order to meet user requirements for reliable operation over mobile networks, protocols that mitigate their current limitations, such as slow and unreliable links, need to be found.

In the paper we discuss the difficulties associated with extending existing services to operate on mobile networks. As case studies, the paper discusses two particular protocols: a total order protocol and a fault-tolerant remote invocation scheme. The paper shows that the experience gained with large-scale systems can be successfully applied in this framework.

Also available as INESC AR/15-95 (gzip postscript).