next up previous
Next: 2.2 Device Operation Up: 2 The Design of Previous: 2 The Design of

2.1 Server and Client Workstations

The workstations that participate in the Network RamDisk by letting a certain amount of their memory be used, are known as NRD servers, while the workstation that can access the Network RamDisk and the filesystems on it, is called the NRD client. Any workstation in a NOW may act as a server, making a selectable amount of its memory available for the Network RamDisk, depending on its workload and memory capacity. The client machine must have the NRD device driver linked into its operating system, and must be connected over an interconnection network with the server workstations. The Network RamDisk functions then as a normal disk mounted on the client host, and any computer on the network can access the NRD by mapping it (e.g. by NFS) from the client. It is possible that a machine can function both as a client and a server.



Mike Flouris
Thu Sep 17 18:12:15 EET DST 1998