REGENERATION WITH VIRTUAL COPIES FOR DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING SYSTEMS

We consider the consistency control problem for replicated data in a d istributed computing system (DCS) and propose a new algorithm to dynam ically regenerate copies of data objects in response to node failures and network partitioning in the system. The DCS is assumed to have str ict consistency constraints for data object copies. The new algorithm combines the advantages of voting based algorithms and regeneration me chanisms to maintain mutual consistency of replicated data objects in the case of node failures and network partitioning. Our algorithm exte nds the feasibility of regeneration to DCS on wide area networks, and is able to satisfy user queries as long as there is one current partit ion in the system. A stochastic availability analysis of our algorithm shows that it provides improved availability as compared to previousl y proposed dynamic voting algorithms.