Axon: Application-Oriented Lightweight Transport Protocol Design

This paper describes the application-oriented lightweight transport protocol for object transfer (ALTP-OT) in the Axon host communication architecture for distributed applications. The Axon Project is investigating an integrated design of host architecture, operating systems, and communication protocols to allow the utilization of the high band-width provided by the next generation of communication networks. ALTP-OT provides the end-to-end transport of segment and message objects for interprocess communication across a very high speed internetwork, supporting demanding applications such as scientific visualization and imaging. ALTP-OT uses rate-based flow control specifically oriented to the transfer of objects directly between application memory spaces. This document is intended to present the design of ALTP-OT, rather than serve as a complete specification and implementation report. It should be treated as a request for comments, and will be periodically updated to reflect comments form the research community and progress on Axon design and prototype implementation. Last revision April 5, 1990

An Overview of Segment Streaming for Efficient Pipelined Televisualization

The importance of scientific visualization for both science and engineering endeavors has been well recognized. Televisualization becomes necessary because of the physical distribution of data, computation resources, and users invovled in the visualization process. However, televisualization is not adequately supported by existing communication protocols. We believe that a pielined televisualization model (PTV) is suitable for efficient implementation of most visualization applications. In order to support this model over high speed networks, we are developing a segment streaming interprocess communication (IPC) mechanism within the Axon communication architecture. Important aspects of this development include: the segment streaming paradigm which supports low-overhead communication as well as concurrency between the communication and local computation; a two-level flow control method for distributed pipeline synchronization; and an application-oriented error control method which allows error control to be optimized for different applications. This paper describes a set of ideas that lead to the design of this IPC mechanism

Computing infrastructure issues in distributed communications systems : a survey of operating system transport system architectures

The performance of distributed applications (such as file transfer, remote login, tele-conferencing, full-motion video, and scientific visualization) is influenced by several factors that interact in complex ways. In particular, application performance is significantly affected both by communication infrastructure factors and computing infrastructure factors. Several communication infrastructure factors include channel speed, bit-error rate, and congestion at intermediate switching nodes. Computing infrastructure factors include (among other things) both protocol processing activities (such as connection management, flow control, error detection, and retransmission) and general operating system factors (such as memory latency, CPU speed, interrupt and context switching overhead, process architecture, and message buffering). Due to a several orders of magnitude increase in network channel speed and an increase in application diversity, performance bottlenecks are shifting from the network factors to the transport system factors.This paper defines an abstraction called an "Operating System Transport System Architecture" (OSTSA) that is used to classify the major components and services in the computing infrastructure. End-to-end network protocols such as TCP, TP4, VMTP, XTP, and Delta-t typically run on general-purpose computers, where they utilize various operating system resources such as processors, virtual memory, and network controllers. The OSTSA provides services that integrate these resources to support distributed applications running on local and wide area networks.A taxonomy is presented to evaluate OSTSAs in terms of their support for protocol processing activities. We use this taxonomy to compare and contrast five general-purpose commercial and experimental operating systems including System V UNIX, BSD UNIX, the x-kernel, Choices, and Xinu

Deep Space Network information system architecture study

The purpose of this article is to describe an architecture for the Deep Space Network (DSN) information system in the years 2000-2010 and to provide guidelines for its evolution during the 1990s. The study scope is defined to be from the front-end areas at the antennas to the end users (spacecraft teams, principal investigators, archival storage systems, and non-NASA partners). The architectural vision provides guidance for major DSN implementation efforts during the next decade. A strong motivation for the study is an expected dramatic improvement in information-systems technologies, such as the following: computer processing, automation technology (including knowledge-based systems), networking and data transport, software and hardware engineering, and human-interface technology. The proposed Ground Information System has the following major features: unified architecture from the front-end area to the end user; open-systems standards to achieve interoperability; DSN production of level 0 data; delivery of level 0 data from the Deep Space Communications Complex, if desired; dedicated telemetry processors for each receiver; security against unauthorized access and errors; and highly automated monitor and control

Network emulation focusing on QoS-Oriented satellite communication

This chapter proposes network emulation basics and a complete case study of QoS-oriented Satellite Communication

De-ossifying the Internet Transport Layer : A Survey and Future Perspectives

ACKNOWLEDGMENT The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their useful suggestions and comments.Peer reviewedPublisher PD