Distribution transparency is a property of distributed systems that hides the distribution of data and resources from the users and application programmers. This means that users can access data and resources as if they were all located in a single system, even though they may be physically distributed across multiple systems.
There are several types of distribution transparency, each of which hides a different aspect of the distribution of data and resources. The following are some of the most common types of distribution transparency:
Access transparency: This type of transparency hides the physical location of data and resources from users and application programmers. This means that users can access data and resources without having to know where they are physically located.
Location transparency: This type of transparency hides the logical location of data and resources from users and application programmers. This means that users can access data and resources without having to know which system they are physically located on.
Replication transparency: This type of transparency hides the fact that data and resources may be replicated across multiple systems. This means that users can access data and resources without having to know how many copies of the data or resources exist.
Failure transparency: This type of transparency hides the failure of individual systems from users and application programmers. This means that users can continue to access data and resources even if one or more systems fail.
Distribution transparency is an important property of distributed systems because it makes it easier for users and application programmers to use the systems. By hiding the distribution of data and resources, distribution transparency makes the systems appear to be a single, centralized system. This can simplify the development and use of applications that access data and resources in distributed systems.
Types of Distribution Transparency
There are five main types of distribution transparency:
Fragmentation transparency: This type of transparency hides the fact that data is fragmented across multiple nodes in a distributed system. This means that users and application programmers can access data as if it were stored in a single location, even though it may be physically distributed across multiple nodes.
Location transparency: This type of transparency hides the physical location of data from users and application programmers. This means that users and application programmers can access data without having to know where it is physically located.
Replication transparency: This type of transparency hides the fact that data is replicated across multiple nodes in a distributed system. This means that users and application programmers can access data as if there was only a single copy of the data, even though there may be multiple copies stored on different nodes.
Local mapping transparency: This type of transparency hides the mapping between logical and physical data objects. This means that users and application programmers can access data without having to know how the data is physically stored.
Naming transparency: This type of transparency hides the names of data objects from users and application programmers. This means that users and application programmers can access data by name, without having to know the physical location of the data or the physical name of the data object.
Each type of distribution transparency can be implemented in different ways, depending on the specific requirements of the distributed system. However, all types of distribution transparency share the same goal of making it easier for users and application programmers to use distributed systems.
Benefits of Distribution Transparency
There are several benefits to using distribution transparency in distributed systems. These benefits include:
Simplified development and use of applications: Distribution transparency can simplify the development and use of applications that access data and resources in distributed systems. This is because distribution transparency hides the distribution of data and resources, making the systems appear to be a single, centralized system.
Improved performance: Distribution transparency can improve the performance of distributed systems by reducing the amount of data that needs to be transferred between nodes. This is because distribution transparency allows users and application programmers to access data that is stored locally, without having to transfer the data from remote nodes.
Increased availability: Distribution transparency can increase the availability of data and resources in distributed systems. This is because distribution transparency allows data and resources to be replicated across multiple nodes. If one node fails, the data and resources can still be accessed from the other nodes.