Distributed architecture

As architecturally resilient a system may be, redundancy at component level will not protect the system from catastrophic failure. For example a fire, earthquake or terrorist attack could quickly render an entire data centre useless. Whilst these scenarios are less frequent than component failure the stakes are higher in that recovery from these situations is challenging and the potential for permanent data loss a genuine possibility. A common solution to this is the use of a distributed architecture to achieve geographical diversity. 

Even at the level of catastrophic failure redundancy plays role. Many organisations choose to host their systems in not one but two or more data centres in geographically disparate locations. The chances of both data centres being affected by a single causative factor is very unlikely indeed. However this architecture introduces some new challenges. For example, designers need to consider how the two data centres will maintain synchronisation such that the active site can be seamlessly swapped 

In a minority of cases systems are deliberately engineered to have a truly distributed architecture. These services operate across globally disparate physical hardware and provide very high levels of redundancy. Only a minority of applications make use of this technology and generally software has to be specifically crafted to operate in this kind of environment. 

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Distributive Control System (DCS) is a digital control system that has a distributive architecture where different control functions are implemented in specialized controllers. 

Several levels of control are generally used with several levels of hierarchy in a distributed architecture. Each level serves its own purpose, but all levels are interconnected, similar to the operating structure of a corporation. 

The data highway (which is the main artery of communication) connects the various DCCS components to the host and operator stations. Figure 7.105 demonstrates the distributed architecture of a typical DCCS. 

Scalability SPINLINE 3 fits various sizes of I C systems. It can be used for highly distributed architectures such as a reactor protection system, distributed processing for acquisition, function processing and vote. 

We have developed a prototype of an innovative voting system and addressed the major problem of denial-of-service attacks in a distributed architecture. 

One String with Block Sequence Distribution Architecture... 

The data display and processing (plant computer) system is implemented in a distributed architecture. The working elements of the distributed computer system are graphics workstations, although their graphics capability is secondary to their computing performance. The distributed computer system obtains its input from the real-time data network and delivers its output over the network to other users. 

Distributed architecture Tight control— Distributed— More autonomy—... 

The distributed architecture of the IPS is such that most of the predictable changes can be incorporated only through very easy software modifications. 

Distributed architecture the IPS architecture is designed to allow a distributed layout for those cabinets, such as the component interposing logic, that have a heavy interconnection to the field. This distributed layout reduces connection length, reducing directly... 

Figure 2. Computer technology of the decade of the 1990s. By the end of the decade we can anticipate that all significant chemical information systems will possess a distributed architecture. Desktop workstations will supplement the central hosts of the 1980s, freeing these host computers for tasks for which they are best suited...

Let us take the example of the distributed architecture seen earlier and imagine it hosting an electronic locking feature for the steering column (see Figure 9.28). 

Safety integrated makes it possible to fuse the process control part and the safety management part within a single global control system with distributed architecture. 

We can see from the above examples that a distributed architecture is acceptable for a safety PLC system provided the components are all rated for the safety duty and provided the communications network is dedicated to the safety task. It s in order to have remote I/O units with their own diagnostics linked by a safety certified network to the CPU the network having its own diagnostics and fail to safety response. 

Autonomous vehicles are typically controlled from a control system that is composed of sensor units, actuators, and a processing center. Sensors and actuators can be connected to a single processing system forming a centralized architecture or related to different processing units interconnected to each other forming a distributed architecture. 

The implemented CAN network provided a good position to evaluate performance. It was possible to see the advantages that are obtained by using a distributed architecture such as robustness, reliability, speed, and expandability to new control points. As observed, the implementation of... 

LLNL s miniature fuel cell product incorporates integrated microfluidic fuel distribution architecture within a miniature fuel cell package. This feature enables the fuel cell to operate from highly concentrated... 

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