Distributed Operating Systems

The paper aims at providing a complete survey of contemporary distributed systems of that time. The authors define a distributed operating system distinguishing it from networked systems. The paper endeavours to also explain in detail the key design issues involved in the building of such systems. A few examples of research projects are considered in light of the issues discussed. A distributed system is defined to be one that looks to its users like an ordinary centralized operating system but runs on multiple, independent CPUs. In other words, a distributed operating system appears to users as a single coherent system. In a networked system, users are aware that they are using a specific system for a given service, with each computer running its own private operating system, with little fault tolerance. The distinguishing characteristic is hence that of transparency.It can be argued as to how transparent the system needs to be. A utility, to display information of where processes are getting executed, or where files are stored, does not necessarily have to be enough to brand the system as non-transparent.