Q. Explain Distributed Computing System Models?

Distributed Computing System Models

Distributed Computing system models can be broadly classified
into five categories. They are
Minicomputer model
Workstation model
Workstation server model
Processor pool model
Hybrid model
Minicomputer Model
The minicomputer model is a simple etension of the centrali!ed
time"sharing system. # distributed computing system based on
this model consists of a fe$ minicomputers %they may be large
supercomputers as $ell& interconnected by a communication
net$ork. 'ach minicomputer usually has multiple users
simultaneously logged on to it. (or this) several interactive
terminals are connected to each minicomputer. 'ach user is
logged on to one specific minicomputer) $ith remote access to
other minicomputers. The net$ork allo$s a user to access remote
resources that are available on some machine other than the one
on to $hich the user is currently logged. The minicomputer model
may be used $hen resource sharing %such as sharing of
information databases of different types) $ith each type of
database located on a different machine& $ith remote users is
desired. The early #*P#net is an eample of a distributed
computing system based on the minicomputer model.
Workstation Model
# distributed computing system based on the $orkstation model
consists of several $orkstations interconnected by a
communication net$ork. #n organi!ation may have several
$orkstations located throughout a building or campus) each
$orkstation e+uipped $ith its o$n disk and serving as a single"
user computer. ,t has been often found that in such an
environment) at any one time a significant proportion of the
$orkstations are idle %not being used&) resulting in the $aste of
large amounts of CP- time. Therefore) the idea of the
$orkstation model is to interconnect all these $orkstations by a
high"speed .#/ so that idle $orkstations may be used to process
0obs of users $ho are logged onto other $orkstations and do not
have sufficient processing po$er at their o$n $orkstations to get
their 0obs processed efficiently.
Workstation Server Model
The $orkstation model is a net$ork of personal $orkstations)
each $ith its o$n disk and a local file system. # $orkstation $ith
its o$n local disk is usually called a diskful $orkstation and a
$orkstation $ithout a local disk is called a diskless $orkstation.
With the proliferation of high"speed net$orks) diskless
$orkstations have become more popular in net$ork
environments than diskful $orkstations) making the $orkstation"
server model more popular than the $orkstation model for
building distributed computing systems.
# distributed computing system based on the $orkstation"server
model consists of a fe$ minicomputers and several $orkstations
%most of $hich are diskless) but a fe$ of $hich may be diskful&
interconnected by a communication net$ork.
/ote that $hen diskless $orkstations are used on a net$ork) the
file system to be used by these $orkstations must be
implemented either by a diskful $orkstation or by a
minicomputer e+uipped $ith a disk for file storage. 1ne or more
of the minicomputers are used for implementing the file system.
1ther minicomputers may be used for providing other types of
services) such as database service and print service. Therefore)
each minicomputer is used as a server machine to provide one or
more types of services. Therefore in the $orkstation"server
model) in addition to the $orkstations) there are speciali!ed
machines %may be speciali!ed $orkstations& for running server
processes %called servers& for managing and providing access to
shared resources. (or a number of reasons) such as higher
reliability and better scalability) multiple servers are often used
for managing the resources of a particular type in a distributed
computing system. (or eample) there may be multiple file
servers) each running on a separate minicomputer and
cooperating via the net$ork) for managing the files of all the
users in the system. Due to this reason) a distinction is often
made bet$een the services that are provided to clients and the
servers that provide them. That is) a service is an abstract entity
that is provided by one or more servers. (or eample) one or
more file servers may be used in a distributed computing system
to provide file service to the users.
,n this model) a user logs onto a $orkstation called his or her
home $orkstation. /ormal computation activities re+uired by the
user2s processes are performed at the user2s home $orkstation)
but re+uests for services provided by special servers %such as a
file server or a database server& are sent to a server providing
that type of service that performs the user2s re+uested activity
and returns the result of re+uest processing to the user2s
$orkstation. Therefore) in this model) the user2s processes need
not migrated to the server machines for getting the $ork done by
those machines.
Processor Pool Model
The processor"pool model is based on the observation that most
of the time a user does not need any computing po$er but once
in a $hile the user may need a very large amount of computing
po$er for a short time %e.g.) $hen recompiling a program
consisting of a large number of files after changing a basic shared
declaration&. Therefore) unlike the $orkstation"server model in
$hich a processor is allocated to each user) in the processor"pool
model the processors are pooled together to be shared by the
users as needed. The pool of processors consists of a large
number of microcomputers and minicomputers attached to the
net$ork. 'ach processor in the pool has its o$n memory to load
and run a system program or an application program of the
distributed computing system
Hybrid Model
1ut of the four models described above) the $orkstation"server
model) is the most $idely used model for building distributed
computing systems. This is because a large number of computer
users only perform simple interactive tasks such as editing 0obs)
sending electronic mails) and eecuting small programs. The
$orkstation"server model is ideal for such simple usage.
Ho$ever) in a $orking environment that has groups of users $ho
often perform 0obs needing massive computation) the processor"
pool model is more attractive and suitable.