17.1 Distributed systems
As I discussed in the introduction to this chapter, distributed systems are more complex than systems that run on a single processor. This complexity arises because it is practically impossible to have a top-down model of control of these systems. The nodes in the system that deliver functionality are often independent systems that are managed and controlled by their owners. There is no single authority in charge of the entire distributed system. The network connecting these nodes is also a separately managed system. It is a complex system in its own right and cannot be controlled by the owners of systems using the network. There is, therefore, an inherent unpredictability in the operation of distributed systems that ...
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