How can distributed database systems ensure reliability? This paper presents the reliability mechanisms implemented in SDD-1, a prototype distributed database system, emphasizing the concept of the Reliable Network (RelNet) to ensure data integrity and system availability. The RelNet provides facilities for monitoring site status, timestamping events, managing multiply buffered message delivery, and controlling distributed transactions atomically. These mechanisms are crucial for maintaining database consistency and reliability in the face of potential failures or disruptions within the distributed environment. This paper contributes to the ongoing research on SDD-1, offering insights into the design and implementation of robust distributed database systems. By focusing on reliability, SDD-1 demonstrates the importance of fault tolerance and resilience in ensuring dependable data management across distributed architectures, essential for modern applications requiring high availability.
As a contribution to ACM Transactions on Database Systems, this paper fits squarely within the journal's scope by detailing the reliability mechanisms of the SDD-1 distributed database system. It explores vital aspects of distributed computing, such as fault tolerance and data consistency. The RelNet concept and its implementation are valuable for researchers and practitioners in the field.