Distributed System Programming Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is the main function of the transport layer in layered protocols?

It serves to prepare data for presentation to the user.

It establishes the routing of packets across networks.

It encodes and decodes the bits for transmission.

It provides the communication facilities for distributed systems. (correct)

Which of the following layers directly manages error and flow control?

Application layer

Transport layer

Data link layer (correct)

Network layer

What is a significant drawback of focusing solely on message-passing in layered protocols?

It enhances access transparency.

It complicates the transport of large files.

It may include unnecessary functionalities. (correct)

It simplifies network routing.

At which layer of the networking model would you find the specification of how bits are transmitted?

Physical layer Signup and view all the answers

Which protocol layer is responsible for session management in distributed systems?

Session protocol Signup and view all the answers

What does the network layer primarily describe?

The routing of packets in a network of computers. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the application layer in the context of layered protocols?

It defines how applications interact with the transport layer. Signup and view all the answers

Which layer's primary responsibility involves the framing of bits for error and flow control?

Data link layer Signup and view all the answers

What occurs in transient communication?

Messages are discarded if not delivered immediately. Signup and view all the answers

Which synchronization point involves the client submitting a request?

At request submission Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant drawback of synchronous communication in client/server models?

The client must wait for replies before proceeding. Signup and view all the answers

What should be done to handle failures in a synchronous communication model?

Failures should be resolved immediately. Signup and view all the answers

When does synchronization occur at request delivery?

As soon as the server receives the request. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the client/server computing model highlighted?

Clients block until they receive a reply after sending a request. Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes persistent communication compared to transient communication?

Messages remain stored until delivery is ensured. Signup and view all the answers

Which communication model is typically not suitable for email service?

Transient synchronous communication Signup and view all the answers

What describes the process that occurs during deferred synchronous RPCs after a client calls a remote procedure?

The client waits for acceptance before returning from the call. Signup and view all the answers

In a typical Remote Procedure Call setup, which component is responsible for generating unique identifiers?

Uuidgen Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following represents the compilation order in a typical RPC implementation?

Interface definition file, Client code, Client stub, Server code Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the linker in the RPC architecture?

To generate client and server binaries from source files. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the function of the client stub in RPC?

It prepares the client-side code for communication with the server. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following can a client do to check the availability of results from the server in a deferred synchronous RPC?

Perform a non-blocking poll at the server. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of the IDL compiler in the context of RPC?

To define the interface between client and server. Signup and view all the answers

Which component connects the client and server implementations in a Remote Procedure Call architecture?

Client and server stubs Signup and view all the answers

What is the first step a client must take to establish a remote procedure call in the client-to-server binding process?

Register endpoint Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes message-oriented middleware?

Asynchronous persistent communication using queues. Signup and view all the answers

In the Berkeley socket interface, what function is used to announce a server's willingness to accept connections?

LISTEN Signup and view all the answers

Which component is responsible for helping clients locate the server machine in a remote procedure call?

Directory server Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the SEND command in the Berkeley socket interface?

To send data over an established connection. Signup and view all the answers

What type of communication system uses message brokers and is exemplified by IBM Websphere?

Message-queuing system Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following functions is NOT part of the Berkeley socket interface?

TRANSFORM Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of transient messaging?

Client-server interactive communication without a persistent state. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary advantage of using application-level multicasting in a distributed system?

It helps in efficient data dissemination among nodes. Signup and view all the answers

In the multicast communication process described, which node becomes the root of the multicast tree?

The node responsible for the multicast identifier. Signup and view all the answers

During the join process in a multicast communication, what does node Q do if it has already seen a join request?

It stops forwarding join requests to other nodes. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of multiplexer and demultiplexer in stream-oriented communication?

They combine multiple data streams into one and separate them at the receiver. Signup and view all the answers

What happens when a new participant P wants to join a multicast session?

P sends a join request to the root of the multicast tree. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of using buffers in stream-oriented communication?

To reduce jitter and manage packet arrival times Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant factor in enforcing Quality of Service (QoS) for streaming data?

Reducing the effects of packet loss when multiple samples are combined Signup and view all the answers

In stream synchronization, what is the acceptable difference in time between different substreams to ensure synchronization?

Less than 20–30 microseconds Signup and view all the answers

Considering the graph of packet arrivals and departures, what does a gap in playback indicate?

A loss of packets during transmission Signup and view all the answers

When packets are lost during transmission, what is a common outcome observed in the playback?

Gaps appear in the stream depending on the frequency of packet loss Signup and view all the answers

How does buffering help with variations in packet arrival times?

By storing packets until they can be delivered in a more controlled manner Signup and view all the answers

What indicates a 'gap of lost frames' in a stream-oriented communication scenario?

The absence of sound in a stereo channel Signup and view all the answers

What can be concluded about packet delivery when comparing sent packets against delivered packets in a streaming context?

Delivery discrepancies likely indicate packet loss or delays Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Overview of Topics

Five topics for distributed system programming are presented: layered protocols, remote procedure call (RPC), message-oriented communication, stream-oriented communication, and multicast communication.

Layered Protocols

Low-level layers include the physical and data link layers, responsible for bit transmission and framing, respectively.
Transport layer facilitates actual communication.
Application layer provides application-specific services.
Middleware handles common services and protocols for different applications.
Drawbacks of layered protocols include focusing only on message passing, often having unneeded functionality, and violating access transparency.
A basic networking model depicts the seven layers.

Remote Procedure Call (RPC)

Basic RPC operations involve a client making a remote procedure call to a server.
Parameter passing is essential for data transfer between machines with varying data representations.
Variations in RPC schemes include how they handle data or messages, or how the request is handled.
Communication between caller and callee is hidden.
Several steps are involved in a basic RPC operation.
Considerations include parameter marshaling and client/server interactions.

Message-Oriented Communication

Transient messaging relies on sockets, utilizing the Berkeley socket interface for communication end-points.
Message queuing systems (MQ systems), in use in this kind of communication, buffer messages.
Message brokers handle application heterogeneity.
IBM WebSphere MQ is an example of such a system.
Queues are managed by queue managers.

Stream-Oriented Communication

This communication supports continuous media, streams in distributed systems, and stream management.
Continuous media, such as audio, video, or sensor data, require time-dependent value processing.
Transmission modes, such as asynchronous, synchronous, and isochronous, differ in their timing guarantees.
Data streams are unidirectional.
Simple streams consist of one flow, and complex streams consist of multiple flows.
Quality of Service (QoS) elements control bit rate, delay, and jitter in communication streams.
Buffers are used to handle packet loss.

Multicast Communication

Application-level multicasting arranges the distributed system's nodes into an overlay network.
Chord-based tree building utilizes an initiator, lookup, and request processes.
Principles and considerations involve epidemic algorithms for managing updates among replicas through either anti-entropy or gossiping methods.
Algorithm costs include link stress and stretch, considering how often messages cross the same physical link and the ratio of delays respectively.

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Description

This quiz covers essential topics in distributed system programming, including layered protocols, remote procedure calls (RPC), and different types of communication such as message-oriented and stream-oriented approaches. Understanding these concepts is crucial for effectively designing and implementing distributed applications. Test your knowledge on these fundamental ideas.