1 research outputs found
Robust data storage in a network of computer systems
PhD ThesisRobustness of data in this thesis is taken to mean reliable
storage of data and also high availability of data .objects in spite
of the occurrence of faults. Algorithms and data structures which
can be used to provide such robustness in the presence of various
disk, processor and communication network failures are described.
Reliable storage of data at individual nodes in a network of
computer systems is based on the use of a stable storage mechanism
combined with strategies which are used to help ensure crash resis-
tance of file operations in spite of the use of buffering mechan-
isms by operating systems. High availability of data in the net-
work is maintained by replicating data on different computers and
mutual consistency between replicas is ensured in spite of network
partitioning.
A stable storage system which provides atomicity for more complex data structures instead of the usual fixed size page has been
designed and implemented and its performance evaluated. A crash
resistant file system has also been implemented and evaluated.
Many of the techniques presented here are used in the design
of what we call CRES (Crash-resistant, Replicated and Stable)
storage. CRES storage provides fault tolerance facilities for
various disk and processor faults. It also provides fault tolerance facilities for network partitioning through the provision of an algorithm for the update and merge of a partitioned data storage
system