Understanding Networked Applications: A First Course

Chapter 16
by David G. Messerschmitt

Layering a computing infrastructure

Applications Application components Middleware Operating system Network
Understanding Networked Applications

A First Course

Spanning layer
Application Distributed object management Windows NT TCP UDP Mac OS TCP UDP Internet protocol Network 1 Network 2 Spanning layers
Understanding Networked Applications

UNIX TCP UDP

A First Course

The new infrastructure: middleware

Layer of software between OS and application
Hides heterogeneity Provides generic common services Increases level of abstraction

By its nature, not single platform, nor bundled with equipment

Microsoft attempts to be an exception
Understanding Networked Applications

A First Course

The new infrastructure

Middleware is
where new capabilities are added by layering where much of the experimentation and innovation happens in the infrastructure where the successful approaches have a chance to become a spanning layer and/or integrated into a distributed OS

Boundary to a distributed OS is fuzzy

Understanding Networked Applications

A First Course

Middleware objectives
Hide heterogeneity Location independence Common functionality needed by many applications Software portability and mobile code Help integrate legacy facilities Aid application interoperability Aid scalability
Understanding Networked Applications

A First Course

Some middleware categories

Transaction processing
Simplify the coordination of complementary resource managers

Message-oriented middleware
Support message and queuing capabilities where resource mangers are not available simultaneously (like workflow)

Understanding Networked Applications

A First Course

Some middleware categories

Distributed object management
Support applications that are distributed across heterogeneous platforms and organizations

Mobile code
Allow application code to be moved and executed on heterogeneous platforms Without prior software installation
Understanding Networked Applications

A First Course

Infrastructure software today

With networks, new emphasis on:
Portability: applications run across multiple platforms (avoid lock-in) Interoperability: pieces of application must work together (benefit from network effects) What are some examples of each?

Understanding Networked Applications

A First Course

Understanding Networked Applications: A First Course

Transaction processing
by David G. Messerschmitt

The transaction

Durable starting state

Collection of resource actions Abort Successful completion

Durable, consistent, ending state

Rollback

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Transaction architecture
Application logic Join

Transaction manager

Resource managers
Understanding Networked Applications

Prepare, commit, abort 12

A First Course

Commit or abort
One or more nos Phase 1 Transaction manager
prepare() yes_or_no

Phase 2 Transaction manager

abort()

Rollback Transaction manager

All yes

commit()

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Atomic series of resource actions

Client_1 Client_2 Server
Starting state

Group of RMIs

Inconsistent state Final state

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Locking to prevent conflicts

Client_1 Client_2 Lock Server
Starting state

Group of RMIs

Refused
Final state

Unlock
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Abort
Client_1 Client_2 Server
Starting state

Group of RMIs

Something goes awry

Inconsistent state Final state

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Rollback
Client_1 Client_2 Server
Starting state

Group of RMIs

Rollback
Something goes awry

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Transaction protocol
Application server Resource manager Transaction manager

request(tp_ID,.)

join(tp_ID)

More requests. Lock

commit?(tp_ID) commit_or_abort(tp_ID)

Commit or rollback
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Understanding Networked Applications: A First Course

Mobile code and Java

by David G. Messerschmitt

Reminder: two key requirements

With networks, new emphasis on:
Portability: applications run across multiple platforms (avoid lock-in) Interoperability: pieces of application must work together (benefit from network effects)

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Dynamic portability: mobile code

Send code (as a message) to a host
MC

Mobile code: Code representing a software program that can be moved to heterogeneous platforms and executed there 21

Execute the program represented by that code

Understanding Networked Applications

A First Course

Portability can aid interoperability

MC

Mobile code originating from a common source can enhance interoperability

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Java
Portability
Write once, run anywhere

Programming productivity
Garbage collection (no memory leaks) Multi-threaded

Scalability
Move execution cycles

Interoperability
Software components come from common repository Understanding Networked Applications 23 A First Course

Mobile code: Code representing a software program

MC

Idea of mobile code

Send as a message to a host

MA

Mobile agent: Code and data representing an object or component

Execute the program

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Some mobile code advantages

Executing program closer to user can enhance interactivity Mobile code originating from a common source can enhance interoperability and bypass network effects MC

MC Shifting location of computation can enhance scalability

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Idea of mobile agents

Agent executes in each host, modifying its state Agent launched MA

Agent returns

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Java virtual machine

Java program Compilation Mobile code

JIT compiler

VM interpreter

Bytecode: low level but machine independent Native machine instructions

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VM as spanning layer
Applications JavaBeans component framework Java virtual machine Operating system

Java VM spanning layer

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SUN/Java strategy
License Java freely, even to rival Microsoft
Why?

License terms give Sun a modicum of control over the standard

Why?

How does Sun expect to make money?

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Understanding Networked Applications: A First Course

Distributed object management

by David G. Messerschmitt

Distributed object management

Emphasis is on interoperability
Allows objects on one host to invoke methods of objects on another host Platform, language independent

CORBA vs DCOM Portability is not the emphasis

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Interoperability
Client Server

Client object can invoke methods of server object, even if they are running on different platforms, written in different languages

What else is needed?

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Interoperability

Client Interoperability also requires: Common structure of data Common interpretation of data Agreement on protocols
Understanding Networked Applications

Server

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Before and after

Distributed application

OS 1

OS 2 IP
Distributed application

OS 3 Potential spanning layer

Spanning layer

Distributed object management middleware

OS 1

OS 2 IP

OS 3

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What is the acronym?

Common Object Request Broker Architecture or Concerned Off-Road Bicyclist Association?

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CORBA architecture
Client objects Server objects

Object adapter Object request broker core Interface repository

Understanding Networked Applications

CORBA services 36
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Protocol layer
Location-independent application Object Management Group CORBA standard
User datagram protocol (UDP)

Application Object request broker

Internet Inter-ORB Protocol (IIOP) Transmission control protocol (TCP)

Internet protocol (IP)

Subnetworks

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Portability not promised

Location-dependent application
Application 1 ORB 1
Internet Inter-ORB Protocol (IIOP)

Interoperability

Application 2 ORB 2

CORBA standard does not insure ORB-to-ORB portability

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OMG process
Identify need Request for proposals Process to
choose best or ask proposal advocates to work together

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Which is most effective?

Industry de facto standard effort (CORBA) or Single vendor integrated solution (DCOM)?

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CORBA vs DCOM
CORBA Integrate best ideas Multi-vendor support Cross-platform and language DCOM Fast, no consensus required No vendor interoperability issues

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Two methods for application interaction

CORBA and DCOM Exchange documents (XML) What are their relative merits?

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CORBA vs XML
CORBA Natural OOP extension No document interpretation Good for back-and-forth protocols Both have need for standardization of data or document interpretation
Understanding Networked Applications

XML Flexible data-sharing Good for document-like objects Natural cross-platform capability No protocol standardization

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What CORBA provides

Java
Language bindings Transportable objects

Inter-galactic software bus

Cross-platform and language Interoperability (but not portability)

High levels of abstraction

Remote method invocation on objects
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What CORBA provides (cont)

Run-time flexibility
Everything self-describing Interface discovery Dynamic data structures and binding

Useful services
Naming Security Many others 45

Understanding Networked Applications

A First Course

Importance of CORBA
Inter-enterprise computing
Platform and language independence Electronic commerce, network management, etc

Reduction of network effects

Another spanning layer Significance of platform reduced

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Are Java and CORBA competitive or complementary?

Both offer interoperability across different platforms Java offers portability and transportability CORBA offers heterogeneous language bindings CORBA offers many services, metadata, etc. Bottom line: they are complementary!
(but some Java proponents may not agree)

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Who favors what?

Would these vendors be in favor of: Interoperability? Portability? Microsoft Intel SUN Novell Iona

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