Understanding distributed systems requires a knowledge of a number of areas including system architecture, networking, transaction processing, security, among others. Oracle7 Server Distributed Systems, Volume I provides you with an introduction to the basic concepts and terminology required to understand distributed systems. It also discusses the components of a distributed system (for example, computers, workstations, networks, and security).
Replication (insuring that the data at all sites in a distributed system reflects any changes made anywhere in the system) is discussed in detail in Oracle7 Server Distributed Systems, Volume II, which covers both basic replication (standard with the distributed option) and the advanced replication option.
In this chapter, the client-server model is discussed first because this model is essential to distributed systems. You will be introduced to the concept of computers that act as clients and/or servers. Subsequently, you will be shown how the client-server model fits into a distributed system and how networks facilitate
Subsequent chapters of Oracle7 Server Distributed Systems, Volume I introduce networking concepts, terminology, and related Oracle networking products. Utilities for both network and database administration are also discussed, as is transaction recovery management (the mechanism that insures that all sites in a distributed system participating in a transaction that updates data do the same thing).
Although developing applications for a distributed system is similar to developing for non-distributed systems, the application development chapter discusses certain issues that can affect an application in a distributed system. It also documents Oracle's support for X/Open's XA Library.
Oracle7 Server Distributed Systems, Volume I does not attempt to instruct you in implementing your distributed system. All of this information already exists in the Oracle7 Server and Oracle Network Products documentation sets. This book does provide pointers, wherever possible, to the manuals that contain instructions specific to completing certain tasks.