rlb@rtpark.rtp.ge.COM (Bob Boyd,8*565-3627 24-Jun-1987 0153) (06/24/87)
Terms(glossary)
File System hardware+software defining the file system
System a single security domain
CPU a processing entity (compute engine)
Processor a component of a CPU
Channel communication path/facility
Storage media and drives providing bulk data storage on-line or
off-line
Memory CPU resident data storage
With respect to "Large" computer systems The following topics seem to me to
be important:
- A file system which provides high speed access to most often
requested information about many files -- possibly by providing a
larger quantity of information about files in the directories
themselves in addition to or instead of the file headers. Eliminate
requirements to "open" or "connect" to a file to get size, security,
dates, and other selected information.
- I/O structures to accomodate a high rate of transactions. Areas to
investigate include multi-arm disk drives, file system co-processors,
higher speed "channels" from disk to processor(s), caching at the
controller level, configurable semi-automatic or automatic disk
optimization, parallel multi-channel data paths to eliminate
contention. Focus on file system(s) and architecture(s) and allow
for 3rd party contributions to storage technologies.
- Provide very high speed inter-CPU communication channels, especially
important for large, fast, cluster-like systems.
- Accomodate mixed asynchronous & block mode terminal I/O with very
intelligent terminals/front ends -- implement more screen controls at
the front end -- field attribute checking, refresh, etc. The
objective here is provide the ability to free up the main cpu for
more computationally intense tasks. (This sounds strangely like IBM
327x style terminals! Did I really say this?)
- Reduce the incremental costs of adding disk storage in terms of
associated controller costs as the size of the system grows.
- Provide high-speed, high-density, easy to use backup/archival
system/media which ties into DEC or 3rd party offline storage
management system(s). The system and media must be capable of
retaining material for at least 10 years, which means changes must
provide compatibility and/or upgrade of database(s) so that
backups/archives from years gone by are still manageable with new
version/product.
- Provide T1+ network interconnect capabilities.
- Make it possible for the user submitting "batch" jobs to tell the
system something about how much resource is to be used and how fast
they want it back as an alternative to precise controls a la VMS
SUBMIT command.
- Provide batch stream dependency networking (even as far as across
system boudaries)
- Separate dump, swap, and page files from boot device(s). Larger
disks are not sufficient to improve the manageability of these
resources. Provide configuration controls to specify more about disk
configuration at boot time.
- Provide configurable scheduling algorithms providing a mix of class,
resource, capability based and other algorithms. With a mix of
multiprocessing and uni-processing this becomes critical. Large
systems will be required by user community to provide certain
"guaranteed" levels of service.
- Provide change control and notification capabilities for system
software and hardware for online checking and regression testing.
- Provide system capabilities for coping well with disk failures --
e.g. disk drive with a paging file open croaks -- after timeout kill
or attempt to re-map processes to other paging file(s) and finish
dismount of disk.
- Provide callable interface to environmental monito(s) --
particularyly temperature, humidity, 1 external power tap per cpu
cabinet. Provide a skeleton environmental monitor program. This
will enable sites to do observe their own policies/quirks for
deciding when to batten down hatches and try to save the ship.
- Provide a configurable security monitor -- back end to security alarm
facilities.
- Provide configurable resource requirement and conflict scheduling and
notification capabilities. This capability is tapped by the
following: Develop human engineered operator and system manager
interfaces for interrogating and controlling resources and the
system.
- Eliminate requirements for standalone backup -- a capability is
needed for backup of files held open by the system.
- Provide "directory service(s)" for inter-user communication--
especially important for large corporate networks.
Bob Boyd Usenet: rlb@rtpark.rtp.ge.com
DECUS VAX SIG DECUS Large Systems SIG
Commercial W/G Chair Special Project Coordinator
GE Microelectronics Ctr. Voice: (919)549-3627
POB 13049, MS 7T3-01 GE DIALCOMM: 8*565-3627
RTP, NC 27709-3049 GE DECnet: RTPARK::RLB
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Some of these ideas might be my own, and then some of them might
be yours. And if they make you $1 Billion then I ask that you
promptly forward me 0.1% of your profit -- I'll take a personal
Cray equivalent system as a substitute.
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