Cache Coherence and Storage Management in a Persistent Object System

Abstract

A distributed architecture for the support of programs written in the persistent programming language Napier is described. The architecture consists of a central server containing the stable persistent store and a collection of clients, each executing Napier processes. Since each client has a cache of objects, some of which may be shared with other clients, a protocol is required to ensure that the caches are coherent and that any access of an object will be to the most up-to- date copy. This architecture is explicated by following the lifecycle of an object from its ‘birth’ inside a client, through its life in the persistent store and its migration into other clients. Using this vehicle, the coherency protocol and client/server architecture are illustrated and explained