From Distributed Object Features to Architectural Styles

Distributed object oriented software is gaining interest. Nevertheless, developing distributed systems is inherently more difficult than creating single-machine applications. Middleware solutions and distributed object frameworks are intended to help developers in building distributed software. Deciding on which distributed technology to deploy, however, is not straightforward. In this paper, we will introduce three architectural styles to classify distributed OO software. The styles differ in the dimensions of data location and object migration. In addition to a description of the styles we will give examples, discuss guidelines for their usage, and indicate which technologies can be deployed to implement the styles. Thus, by classifying and cataloging distributed OO software in architectural styles and providing guidelines for their usage, we are trying to give some guidance for the development of distributed software.