Abstract:
Distributed computing applications for the 21st century are network centric, operating in a dynamic environment where clients, servers, and the network itself all have the potential to change drastically over time. A distributed application, a system of systems, must be constructed, consisting of legacy, commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS), database, and new client/server applications that must interact to communicate and exchange information between users, and allow users to accomplish their tasks in a productive manner. The issue is to promote the use of existing applications in new and innovative ways in a distributed environment that adds value. To adequately support this process, the network and its software infrastructure must be an active participant in the interoperation of distributed applications.
Ideally, we are interested in distributed applications that plug-and-play, allowing us to plug in (and subtract) new “components” as needs, requirements, and even network topologies change over time. The Jini-based Service-oriented Architecture is presented, the functionality of the system is described, and the main services and components of the system are discussed.
