Week 13 - Distributed Software Engineering

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Questions and Answers

Which method is used to implement procedural communication in distributed systems?

Remote Procedure Call (RPC) (correct)
Inter-Process Communication
Service-Oriented Architecture
Message Queue System

What aspect of scalability ensures that a system can handle growth effectively?

Interruption
Service Quality
Dispersion
Adaptability (correct)

Which of the following attack types involves a hacker intercepting communications?

Modification
Denial of Service
Interception (correct)
Fabrication

What is the primary function of transparency in distributed systems?

Providing a clear view of system processes and services (C) Signup and view all the answers

What defines procedural interaction between components in a distributed system?

One component requests a service and waits for a response (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes denial of service attacks?

Attacks that flood a node with requests to disrupt services (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which security measure involves protecting against unauthorized data creation?

Fabrication (D) Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic of distributed systems allows added resources to increase throughput?

Scalability (A) Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes adaptability in a distributed system?

The capacity to manage growth and changes in resources (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the ability of a distributed system to continue operations despite issues?

Defect tolerance (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a major challenge faced by distributed systems due to the involvement of multiple processors?

Higher complexity (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which design challenge is concerned with making the distributed system appear as one cohesive unit to the user?

Transparency (B) Signup and view all the answers

What term refers to the utilization of various hardware and software from multiple vendors in a distributed system?

Openness (C) Signup and view all the answers

Identifying, containing, and fixing system failures is related to which design challenge?

Failure management (B) Signup and view all the answers

What does concurrency in a distributed system refer to?

Performing tasks in multiple threads to improve performance (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential downside of having a distributed system not controlled by a single entity?

Difficulty in implementing top-down control (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the application processing layer in client-server architecture?

To execute application logic and provide user functionality (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which architecture is best suited for scenarios requiring rapid interaction response times?

Master-slave architecture (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following architectures combines resources from various systems and databases?

Distributed component architecture (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a major disadvantage of the thin client model?

Heavy processing load on the server and network (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which type of architecture is typically used for straightforward client-server systems and has centralized security?

Two-tier client-server architecture (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary characteristic of multi-tenancy in distributed systems?

System's data and operation are completely segregated. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an advantage of distributed systems?

Scalability to handle rising demand. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What design principle should be applied to databases in distributed systems?

Use fine-grained locking to avoid blocking. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What role does middleware play in distributed component systems?

It helps in adding and removing components. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of client-server systems?

Multiple tiers may be distributed among machines. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which design approach should be used to interact with the users without delaying the program?

Asynchronous interaction to avoid wait times. (A) Signup and view all the answers

In a peer-to-peer architecture, what differentiates it from traditional client-server models?

Decentralization of resources. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What describes software as a service (SaaS) in the context of thin client systems?

Clients use web browsers to access services. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes a two-tier client-server architecture using thin clients?

Clients are primarily used for browsing and querying without significant processing. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following situations best describes the use of fat clients?

Applications where heavy computation such as data visualization occurs on the client side. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary advantage of distributed component architectures?

Allows dynamic reconfiguration of services across the network. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes a drawback of distributed component architectures?

They introduce higher design complexity than simpler systems. (D) Signup and view all the answers

In what scenario would a client-server architecture with many tiers be most beneficial?

In applications with high user counts and changing data sources. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of applications using thin clients in a client-server architecture?

They perform data browsing while relying mainly on server-side processes. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best reflects the flexibility of distributed component architectures?

They allow for services to be managed outside the system design phase. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of using fat clients in certain applications?

To enable comprehensive offline processing capabilities. (A) Signup and view all the answers

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Study Notes

Client-Server Architectural Design Principles

A thin client architecture uses lightweight client applications for data-intensive tasks, commonly seen in web browsing.
Fat client architecture involves robust client-side applications, like Microsoft Excel, capable of significant local processing and data management.
Multi-tier client-server architecture supports applications with numerous users and volatile data across diverse sources.

Distributed Component Architectures

Scalability and flexibility are critical, allowing dynamic reconfiguration and resource addition.
Higher complexity is a drawback, making design more challenging compared to traditional client-server systems.

Characteristics of Distributed Systems

Scalability: Increase resources to boost performance.
Concurrency: Multi-thread processing enhances efficiency.
Openness: Integration of varied hardware/software from multiple vendors.
Resource Sharing: Collaborative use of hardware and software assets.
Fault Tolerance: Continued operation in the event of component failures.

Difficulties with Distributed Systems

Increased complexity due to separate maintenance of network and system components.
Lack of centralized control complicates management and oversight.

Design Challenges

Scalability: Designing elements that accommodate growth in user population and geographical dispersion.
Failure Management: Implementing strategies for identifying and managing failures.
Transparency: Ensuring users perceive the distributed system as a cohesive unit.
Security: Establishing robust security policies to mitigate risk.

Attack Types on Distributed Systems

Interruption: Attacks that incapacitate system functionality.
Interception: Unauthorized access to communications, compromising confidentiality.
Denial of Service: Flooding a node with requests to hinder response capability.
Modification: Alteration of data or services to mislead the system.
Fabrication: Creation of false data to infiltrate the system.

Interaction Models

Procedural interaction: One component requests assistance from another and awaits a response.
Message-based interaction: Components communicate by sending messages without needing immediate feedback.

Remote Procedure Calls (RPC)

RPCs facilitate procedural communication in distributed systems, functioning like local procedures for remote components.

Distributed Systems Architecture Patterns

Master-slave architecture: Real-time systems requiring precise response times benefit from this design.
Two-tier architecture: Simplistic client-server systems with centralized security.
Multi-tier architecture: Designed for high transaction volumes with layered server roles.
Distributed component architecture: Combines resources from various systems for multi-tier client services.
Peer-to-peer architecture: Clients exchange information directly, minimizing server dependence.

Client Models

Thin client model: Simplifies legacy system transitions but increases server processing load.
Fat client model: Provides extensive local capabilities at the client side.

Summary of Distributed Systems

Advantages include scalability, fault tolerance, and resource sharing.
Design must consider scalability, openness, transparency, security, fault tolerance, and service quality.
Client-server systems encompass multiple levels, dispersing various layers across machines.
Middleware manages interactions, facilitating component integration and flexibility.
Peer-to-peer models operate without traditional client-server distinctions, distributing computational tasks.
Software as a service (SaaS) is characterized by client access via web browsers to server-hosted applications.

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