HP Labs Technical Reports

So I've Got the Data...What Now?

Pell, Adrian; Goh, Cheh; Mellor, Paul; Moreau, Jean- Jacques; Towers, Simon

HPL-93-24(R.1)

Keyword(s):

Abstract: Recent trends in computer systems have increased, beyond measure, the problems encountered by system administrators. In particular, the move from main- frames to distributed systems has contributed in two significant ways. Firstly, there are simply many more machines to manage, each as complex in its software design as its large predecessors. Secondly, and per- haps of greater concern, the spread of distrubuted systems has led to many client/server applications that are fundamentally more difficult to manage be- cause of their widespread nature. This paper presents a methodology for describing aspects of computer systems, both hardware and soft- ware, in a way that permits a product to be managed through its entire lifetime, from installation to final removal. A description language is introduced, and first experimental results from the Dolphin system are given.

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