Author(s): Little MC, Shrivastava SK, Wheater SM
Abstract: Key concepts of reliable distributed computing developed during the eighties and nineties (e.g., transactions, replication) influenced the standards based middleware such as CORBA and Java EE. This middleware has evolved steadily over the years with message passing facilities to support construction of loosely coupled systems. However, the way networked computing is being used for business and social uses is undergoing rapid changes as new ways of constructing distributed execution environments from varieties of resources, ranging from computational, storage, network to application level services, provided by globally distributed service providers are emerging. In light of these developments, the paper examines what core concepts, components and techniques that will be required in the next-generation middleware for dependable distributed computing. The paper puts forward the case for five topics for further research: better coordination facilities for loosely coupled systems, restructuring of the middleware stack for supporting multi-tenancy, replication in the large, negotiation and enforcement of service agreements, and accountability.
Keywords: Middleware · Dependability · Cloud computing · Large-scale systems
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Dr Mark Little
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Emeritus Professor Santosh Shrivastava
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Dr Stuart Wheater
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