Fields
Distributed Computing
Also Known As Distributed Systems
Field of Study
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Distributed computing is a field of computer science studying systems whose interconnected components run on different networked computers, communicating and coordinating by passing messages to achieve a shared goal. Central challenges include managing concurrency, the absence of a single global clock, and the possibility that any individual component may fail independently of the others.
Facts
Disputed
Core ConcernWhich computational problems can be solved across networks of independent computers, and how efficiently, given that components communicate only by passing messages and may fail independently. 1 The article itself states there is no single agreed definition of a distributed system, and no clear line separates distributed computing from concurrent and parallel computing. Origin Year1982 marks the founding of PODC, the first major dedicated conference, not a single invention date; the field emerged gradually in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Cross-Tradition Connections
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Distributed Computing
Wikimedia FoundationIntroduction sectionQuote, Introduction section
When a component of one system fails, the entire system does not fail.
1. Wikipedia: Distributed Computing
Wikimedia FoundationIntroduction section, on definitionQuote, Introduction section, on definition
Distributed computing is a field of computer science that studies distributed systems, defined as computer systems whose inter-communicating components are located on different networked computers.
1. Wikipedia: Distributed Computing
Wikimedia FoundationHistory sectionQuote, History section
The first widespread distributed systems were local-area networks such as Ethernet, which was invented in the 1970s.
Wikipedia: Erlang (programming language)
Wikipedia: Parallel computing
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Parallel Computing, Lead sectionQuote, Associated With: Parallel Computing, Lead section
The terms 'concurrent computing', 'parallel computing', and 'distributed computing' have a lot of overlap, and no clear distinction exists between them
Wikipedia: Client-server model
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Client-Server Model, Distributed computing sectionQuote, Includes: Client-Server Model, Distributed computing section
In the case of distributed computing projects such as SETI@home and the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search, while the bulk of the operations occur on the client side, the servers are responsible for coordinating the clients, sending them data to analyze, receiving and storing results, providing reporting functionality to project administrators, etc.
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