Articles Analysis Essay on Computer Networking

September 10, 2018

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The most interesting thing about this article is the fact that in the earlier years, the computers needed a mini-processor for the sake of creating a computer network that was effective. While the mini-processors were required at that time for effective communication in a network, I thought that it would be easier to create an operating system that would make it easier to enable a loop-kind of network, instead of having to include another piece of hardware. In that case, I would like to learn more about these mini-processors that were being added to computers for the sake of eliminating the need of having all computers interconnected, and instead create a series loop network. Again, did these pieces of hardware offer data security, considering that when a computer sends information, depending on where the receiving computer is located in the network, the data packets pass through different computers before getting to the source destination. In that case, how did they manage security of data packets as they were on transit? Were there internet protocols at that time that were being followed with regards to data transfer? There is also the issue of distributed and remote sharing that has fascinated me, considering that despite the issue of networking being at its infancy at that time, the systems created were capable of sharing functions. In fact, what I find interesting in this is that the processing capabilities within the central processing unit with the communicational functionalities. I would also like to know more about this, considering that it is confusing to me.

September 12, 2018

This article is interesting in the sense that it is about the first operating system that was more than just about command lines and simple menus. Personally, the most interesting bit of the article is the fact that whatever that Douglas Engelbart was presenting was not there at the presentation hall, but rather 30 miles away from there. That was an implication that he had created a way through which he was teleconferencing or teleworking. In that case, my question here is how was he doing the teleconference while there was no networking infrastructure at that time? In fact, from the same it was clear that the computer system was intelligent and that people could interact with the same easily. Does that imply that the issue of artificial intelligence started there and then? It is a bit confusing since companies like Apple and Microsoft developed their operating systems after that while basing on the work of Engelbart, yet that computer system by the latter is not known. What happened to it? Did these two companies buy it off to create the interactive operating systems that they are offering currently? It is more interesting that his system was very mature in the sense that it was evolving, and could do calculations that are adaptive depending on the problem at hand. If at that time the technology allowed for such to happen, does that mean that as humans in this 21st century are technologically lagged and that we would have been more steps ahead than where we are in technology?

September 17, 2018

In this article about a personal computer called Alto, it is clear that it was one of the first computers that were meant for personal use. Interestingly, it was a computer that had the capability of doing multiple tasks at the same time, something that had rarely happened before for any computers that were meant for personal use. It was also interesting to note that the processor of Alto was designed in such a way that it had the control part, the arithmetic and logic unit (ALU), and the main memory. How did they design the main memory in that manner when memory size was an issue? What I am confused about is with regards to the input and output systems, and in particular the display. I am not sure whether the display was a screen or a sheet of paper where content was being displayed. There is mention of paper and ink, and that is probably used in a printer for printing purposes, and on the screen. It is amazing that the Alto computer had an Ethernet controller which provided the capability of networking the computers so as to allow the sharing of resources. However, considering that it was a very simple computer, how could it do several tasks in a simultaneous manner, including communicating with other computers in a network? In addition to that, considering that it had serious issues with memory, how did they create a buffer memory for some input and output devices, including the keyboard and the printer?

September 1, 2018

In the first article on Multics (Multiplexed Information and Computing Service), one of the most interesting facts is that there was an operating system that would help in time-sharing for the users using computers that have such systems installed. While it is interesting, there is also a problem where it was designed to be shared, yet the memory level that it was running on was single. It is probably one of the major reasons as to why the Multics failed miserably and did not develop to the heights that Unix attained. Therefore, why was it that they could not design memory that would be suitable for the operating systems considering that it was going to be used in networking?

In the other article Unix Time-sharing system, the interesting bit is that Unix as a time-sharing operating system was developed basing upon the Multics, but the developers did not make the same mistakes that the Multics developers made. They developed an operating system that was simple, yet at the same time enabled the sharing of many devices within a network in a manner that is safe. However, from the readings, there is no clarity on the issue of security and operation for various reasons. First and foremost, it is stated that the access control of the system is simple. Does that mean that the security of this system is not as robust as it is expected? Secondly, there is no mention of the kernel, yet that is the central and core part of an operating system. Is it that it does not have one or have the authors failed to mention the same?

September 24, 2018

The first thing that I have learnt from reading the article The LOCUS distributed operating system is that it was one of the first system programs to allow for the distributed access to data in the form of files. This is interesting considering that accomplishing the same at that time was very difficult to achieve. Another second interesting fact is that the operating system was designed in such a way that it allowed for the distribution of permissions such that different users were allowed different level of file access. However, I would like to learn more about the same to get a clear understanding of how the permission operation was achieved. Besides that, there was the replication of files which allowed for the shared access. With regards to this, would this be something that would be costly since it requires more physical storage?

From the article The Sprite Network Operating System, the first thing that caught my attention is the fact that the program was developed with an aim of taking advantage of the presence of an increased physical storage and memory, the need for distributed processing, and having different processors as a single unit. What is interesting about this reading is that Sprite enabled total file transparency while ensuring that the files were safe as they are being accessed. In that case, I would like to learn more about the management of simultaneous process that was enabled in the kernel of the system. I would also like to learn more about how the program offered security for the files.

September 26, 2018

In the articles The V distributed System, what I have learnt most is the fact that the system was developed with an aim of covering up the loop holes that were present in the previous networking operating systems. Interestingly, this program included many functions that are present up to date, indicative of the fact that it formed the basis of present distributed operating systems. I would however like to learn more about the naming in the system, especially when dealing with the character-string names. I have an issue with the naming especially in cases when the file is inaccessible.

From the article titled Amoeba, what I find interesting is the fact that the system is one that is more complicated and better functioning as there is an interconnection of computers in a way such that they appear as one, yet it is a connection of many devices. Something that I want to know more about is with regards to the gateways that are used in the interconnection of the amoeba systems. How secure are they in terms of passing information from one system to another? Besides that, how do the servers authenticate a user based on their credentials in terms of file access?

The final article called The Clouds Distributed System, the interesting bit is the fact that programming started coming in on a large scale, with the introduction of object-oriented models. I would therefore like to ask that we learn more on the difference between the Amoeba system and this Cloud system, considering that they have a similar architecture. In that case, what is the difference between the two systems, and which one is better?

October 1, 2018

When looking at the article on the sun network file system, the most interesting bit is the fact that the system utilized the stateless protocol of data transfer. What I am concerned about is in the issue of requests crashing, where it recovers within a short time. How is that so if the same system does not keep record of past request? Would that imply that the system will keep on replicating crashes since it has no record?

In the article on scale and performance in a distributed system, the most interesting bit is the fact that a file checking system which assesses the performance of a distributed files system. In that case, is it meant to do an assessment and also make corrections, or it is only meant to report? However, I have also learned that this system was useful in the development of the file system checkers that are used presently.

The next articles talk about literature reviews, and it mainly talks about how to deal with analyzing different pieces of literature. One thing that I have learned from reading this is the fact that literature reviews are meant to an appraisal of a reading, and at the same time get information from the particular reading. It is essential to note that it also involves doing a comparison of various readings for the sake of getting what is missing, or the information that may be erroneous. The manner in which it is written needs to be argumentative, while also ensuring that there are no personal opinions.

October 3, 2018

In the article regarding Farsite, I find it interesting when files are distributed in such a way that they are physically located in computers that are not trusted. If the point is to ensure that the files are safe, what is the point of putting the same files in a workstation which appears to be insecure? Most amazing is that the system is meant to run in computers meant for access by many people, including in a university or a large company.

From the development of the Farsite project, one of the most interesting facts is concerned with the implementations of the system whereby there are three. In most cases before then, implementations of the file systems were only one, and in some cases, they would be two. In that case, I would like to ask that we learn more regarding the replicated-state-machines substrates, as information from that bit is confusing.

The article on Oceanstore is interesting from the fact that it is about the access of information in a persistent manner from servers that are insecure. From one of the basic goals of the system, it is meant to support the use of data that is nomadic. What does it mean by nom...