From: ken@cs.cornell.edu (Ken Birman)
Newsgroups: comp.os.research
Subject: ISIS V2.2.6/V3.0.6 available
Date: 21 Jul 92 00:02:18 GMT
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept, Ithaca NY 14853
NNTP-Posting-Host: ftp.cse.ucsc.edu
Originator: osr@ftp

We used to have a fair number of Isis users on this newsgroup; I don't
know if that remains the case, but here goes:

Isis V3.0.6/V2.2.6 has just been completed and is available from
Isis Distributed Systems Inc.  The dual numbering is because we have
a commercial and an academic price structure; the latter is as cheap
as we could possibly make it.  Our goal is to make it easy  for
academic groups to use Isis, especially in instructional settings,
without actually losing large amounts of money on this.

Isis is a system for building distributed programs, with features that
make it easy to achieve fault-tolerance, to replicate data and
computation efficiently, and to react to events in the environment.
It has been used quite widely, and reaction has been quite favorable
(at least the reaction we hear about).  There are a lot of papers
and an extensive tutorial, and a number of higher-level systems
built over Isis, including RNFS (a highly reliable NFS compatible
file system -- requires no change to anything, performs as well as
the typical NFS despite replication), NMGR (network resource scheduler
and manager), and NEWS (a local/wide-area "backplane" for posting 
messages on topics of your choice; very fast).

There is also a version of the META system, developed by Mark Wood and
Keith Marzullo, which runs over V3.0.6/V2.2.6., and other software
is being developed all the time (PARALEX, a virtual reality system from
SICS in Sweden, etc).  We maintain a news group, comp.sys.isis, which
is a source of intermittent information about the system.

Our technology is unusual in providing strong guarantees of consistent
behavior and reliability despite all the nasty things that can happen
in a network, and without any single point of failure.  The system has
both a local-area and a wide-area architecture, and has been applied to
a wide range of applications.

Relative to previous versions of Isis, Vx.0.6 scales better, is
faster, and is more flexible.  The system has been used by quite a number
of Universities in advanced undergraduate or masters-level courses,
with good success.  The system is supported and is compatible with
essentially every UNIX-like system we know of, and most languages that
run over UNIX.  Relative to our last release, V3.0.5, there have been
a number of changes stemming from intensive testing, but not a lot of
new features.  The system is essentially stable these days.

For detailed information, send mail to Sue Allen: sla@isis.com.  She
can provide papers, descriptions of the software, and even coffee mugs
(limited supply on the latter).

I should probably also point out that there is a free version of Isis
around (V2.1 -- it works, although it is slow), and that there will
be another free version sometime in the next year or so, when we
finish development of our new system at Cornell.  We'll let you know
when this becomes available.

A recent bibliography of Isis and related papers follows.  Most
are available from a public archive maintained by Cornell.  The
best overview paper is TR 1216.  Where a paper has appeared in print,
we recommend that you consult the published version, since these TR's
are not updated after they are initially released even if a publication
contains significant extensions or changes.

-- Ken Birman


(Directions on obtaining copies are at the end)

%%
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%% run off using "latex pubs.tex"
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\documentstyle[fullpage]{article}
\pagestyle{empty}
\begin{document}

\begin{minipage}{\textwidth}
\begin{center}
{\bf ISIS PUBLICATIONS LIST}
\end{center}

\begin{tabular}{ll}

92-1289* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Using the ISIS Resource Manager for
Distributed, Fault-Tolerant Computing.  Timothy Clark and Kenneth
Birman.  June 1992}.\\
\\
92-1287* &\parbox[t]{5in}{How to Securely Replicate Services.  Michael
Reiter and Kenneth Birman.  June 1992.}\\
\\
92-1281* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Fault-Tolerant Wait-Free Shared Objects.
Prasad Jayanti, Tushar D. Chandra and Sam Toueg.  April 1992}.\\
\\
92-1277* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Using Consistent Subcuts for Detecting
Stable Properties (replaces TR 91-1205).  Keith Marzullo, Laura Sabel.
April 1992.}\\
\\
92-1269* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Integrating Security in a Group Oriented
Distributed System (replaces 1239).  Michael Reiter, Kenneth Birman,
and Li Gong.  February 1992}.\\
\\
92-1265* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Primary-Backup Protocols:  Lower Bounds and
Optimal Implementations.  Navin Budhiraja, Keith Marzullo, Fred B.
Schneider and Sam Toueg.  January 1992.}\\
\\
91-1257* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Design Alternatives for Process Group
Membership \& Multicast (replaces TR 91-1185).  Kenneth Birman, Robert
Cooper, and Barry Gleeson.  December 1991.  Submitted to {\em IEEE
Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems.}}\\
\\
91-1252* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Fault-Tolerant Management of Distributed
Applications Using the Reactive System Architecture.  PhD Thesis.
Mark Wood.  December 1991.}\\
\\
91-1249* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Tools and Techniques for Adding Fault
Tolerance to Distributed and Parallel Programs.  Ozalp Babaoglu.
December 1991.}\\
\\
91-xxxx &\parbox[t]{5in}{Lower Bounds for Primary-Backup
Implementations of Bofo Services.  Navin Budhiraja, Keith Marzullo,
Fred B. Schneider and Sam Toueg.  {\em Proceedings ONR 2nd Annual
Workshop on Ultradependable Multicomputers and Electronic Systems},
Washington, DC, (November 1991), 81-86.}\\
\\
91-1240* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Maintaining Consistency in Distributed
Systems.  Kenneth Birman.  October 1991.  Submitted to Journal of Parallel
and Distributed Computing.}\\
\\
91-1238* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Putting Time into Proof Outlines.  Fred B.
Schneider, Bard Bloom and Keith Marzullo.  September 1991.}\\
\\
91-1233* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Practical Utility of Knowledge-Based
Analyses:  Optimizations and Optimality for an Implementation of
Asynchronous, Fail-Stop Processes.  Aleta M. Ricciardi.  September
1991.  To appear in the {\em Proceedings of the Fourth Conference on
the Theoretical Aspects of Reasoning About Knowledge}, (1992).}\\
\\
91-1225* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Unreliable Failure Detectors for
Asynchronous Systems.  Tushar Deepak Chandra and Sam Toueg.  August 1991.}\\

\end{tabular}
\end{minipage}
\clearpage

\subsubsection*{ISIS PUBLICATIONS LIST Continued}

\begin{tabular}{ll}

91-1221* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Detection of Global State Predicates.  Keith
Marzullo and Gil Neiger.  November 1991.  To appear in {\em
Proceedings of the Fifth Workshop on Distributed Algorithms and
Graphs}, (Springer-Verlag), Delphi, Greece, October 1991.}\\
\\
91-1217* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Derivation of Sequential, Real-Time,
Process-Control Programs.  Navin Budhiraja, Keith Marzullo and Fred B.
Schneider.  July 1991.  In {\em Foundations of Real-Time Computing:
Formal Specifications and Methods}, Kluwer Academic Publishers 1991,
pp. 39-54.  Navin Budhiraja, Keith Marzullo and Fred B. Schneider.  
July 1991.}\\
\\
91-1216* &\parbox[t]{5in}{The Process Group Approach to Reliable
Distributed Computing.  Kenneth P. Birman.  July 1991.  Submitted to
Communications of the ACM.}\\
\\
91-1205* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Using Consistent Subcuts for Detecting
Stable Properties.  Keith Marzullo and Laura Sabel.  May 1991.  To
appear in {\em Proceedings of the Fifth
Workshop on Distributed Algorithms and Graphs}, (Springer-Verlag),
Delphi, Greece, October 1991).}\\
\\
91-1200* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Consistent Detection of Global Predicates.
Robert Cooper and Keith Marzullo.  April 1991.}\\
\\
91-1193* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Tools for Constructing Distributed Reactive
Systems.  Keith Marzullo and Mark Wood.  February 1991.  {\em ACM/ONR
Workshop on Parallel and Distributed Debugging}, 163-173 (1991).}\\
\\
91-1192* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Lightweight Causal and Atomic Group
Multicast.  Kenneth Birman, Andre Schiper and Pat Stephenson.
February 1991.  {\em ACM Transactions on Computer Systems}, {\bf 9}, 3, (August
1991), 272-314.}\\
\\
91-1190* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Masking Failures of Multidimensional
Sensors. Paul Chew and Keith Marzullo.  February 1991.  {\em
Proceedings of the Tenth Symposium on Reliable Distributed Systems},
Pisa, Italy, (October 1991), 32-41.}\\
\\
91-1188* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Using Process Groups to Implement Failure
Detection in Asynchronous Environments.  Aleta Ricciardi and Kenneth
Birman.  {\em ACM Symposium on
Principles of Distributed Computing}, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, (August
19-21, 1991), 341-353.  {\em Principles of Distributed Computing}
(1991), 341-353.}\\
\\
91-1187* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Tools for Monitoring and Controlling
Distributed Applications.  Keith Marzullo and Mark Wood.  February
1991. {\em IEEE Computer},{\bf 24}, 8 (August 1991), 42-51.}\\
\\
91-1185* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Programming with Process Groups:  Group and
Multicast Semantics.  Kenneth Birman, Robert Cooper and Barry Gleeson.
January 1991.  Revised version TR91-1257.}\\
\\
90-1165* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Designing Application Software in Wide Area
Network Settings.  Mesaac Makpangou, Kenneth Birman.  October 1990.}\\
\\
90-1156* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Tolerating Failures of Continuous-Valued
Sensors.  Keith Marzullo.  September 1990.  {\em ACM Transactions on
Computer Systems}, {\bf 8}, 4, (1990), 284-304.}\\
\\
90-1155* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Making Real-Time Reactive Systems Reliable.
Keith Marzullo and Mark Wood.  September 1990.  {\em Proceedings of
the Fourth ACM SIGOPS European Workshop}, (1990), 1-4.}\\

\end{tabular}

\subsubsection*{ISIS PUBLICATIONS LIST Continued}

\begin{tabular}{ll}

90-1141* &\parbox[t]{5in}{MTP:  An Atomic Multicast Transport Protocol.
Alan O. Freier and Keith Marzullo.  July 1990.}\\
\\
90-1138* &\parbox[t]{5in}{The ISIS Project:  Real Experience with a
Fault Tolerant Programming System. Kenneth Birman and Robert Cooper.  {\em
Operating Systems Review}, (April 1991), 103-107.  {\em ACM/SIGOPS
European Workshop on
Fault-Tolerance Techniques in Operating Systems}, Bologna, Italy,
1990.}\\
\\
90-1136* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Tools for Distributed Application Management.
Keith Marzullo, Robert Cooper, Mark Wood and Kenneth Birman.{\em IEEE
Computer}, {\bf 24}, 8, (August 1991), 42-51.}\\
\\
90-1105R* &\parbox[t]{5in}{Fast Causal Multicast.  {\em Operating
Systems Review} (April 1991), 75-79.  Kenneth Birman, Andre
Schiper and Pat Stephenson.  March 1990.  Revised February 1991.  
New TR 91-1192.  New title:  Lightweight Causal and Atomic Group
Multicast.  To appear in {\em ACM TOCS}.}\\
\\
90-1103 &\parbox[t]{5in}{ISIS and Meta Projects:  Progress Report.
Kenneth Birman, Robert Cooper and Keith Marzullo.  February 1990.}\\
\\
89-1067 &\parbox[t]{5in}{Log-Based Recovery in Asynchronous
Distributed Systems.  Kenneth Kane.  December 1989.}\\
\\
89-1042 &\parbox[t]{5in}{Deceit: A Flexible Distributed File System.
Alex Siegel, Kenneth Birman and Keith Marzullo.  November 1989.}\\
\\
89-xxxx &\parbox[t]{5in}{Supporting Large Scale Applications on Networks of
Workstations. Robert Cooper and Kenneth Birman.  April 1989. {\em
Second Workshop on Workstation Operating Systems}, Asilomar, CA,
September 1989.}\\
\\
89-1014 &\parbox[t]{5in}{How Robust are Distributed Systems.  Kenneth
Birman.  June 1989. {\em An Advanced Course on Distributed
Systems - lecture notes from Artic '88}, Addison-Wesley, 1989.  To
be published.}\\
\\
89-1001 &\parbox[t]{5in}{The Role of Order in Distributed Programs.
Kenneth Birman and Keith Marzullo.  March 1989.  Submitted for
publication.}\\
\\
89-xxxx &\parbox[t]{5in}{The ISIS Distributed Programming Toolkit and The
Meta Distributed Operating System. Ken Birman and Keith Marzullo.  {\em SUN
Technology} {\bf 2}, 1, (Summer 1989).} \\
\\
89-997 &\parbox[t]{5in}{Implementing Fault-Tolerant Sensors.
Keith Marzullo.  May 1989.  Submitted for publication.}\\
\\
89-996 &\parbox[t]{5in}{Concurrency Control for Transactions with
Priorities.  Keith Marzullo.  May 1989.}\\
\\
88-949 &\parbox[t]{5in}{Causally Consistent Recovery of Partially
Replicated Logs.  Kenneth Birman and Kenneth Kane.  November 1988.
Submitted for publication.}\\
\\
88-928 &\parbox[t]{5in}{The Use of Efficient Broadcast Protocols in
Asynchronous Distributed Systems.  Frank Schmuck.  (Ph.D. Thesis).  August
1988.}\\
\\
88-918 &\parbox[t]{5in}{Reliable Broadcast Protocols.  Chapter 14 in
{\em Distributed Systems}, Thomas Joseph and
Kenneth Birman.  June 1988.  Sape J. Mullender, ed., Addison-Wesley/ACM
Press Series (1989).}\\
\\
88-917 &\parbox[t]{5in}{Exploiting Replication.  Chapter 15 in
{\em Distributed Systems}, Thomas Joseph and
Kenneth Birman.  June 1988.  Sape J. Mullender, ed., Addison-Wesley/ACM
Press Series (1989).}\\

\end{tabular}
\clearpage

\subsubsection*{ISIS PUBLICATIONS LIST Continued}

\begin{tabular}{ll}

87-849 &\parbox[t]{5in}{ISIS - A Distributed Programming
Environment, Version 2.1 - User's Guide and Reference Manual. Kenneth Birman,
Thomas Joseph and Frank Schmuck.  July 1987.}\\
\\
87-811 &\parbox[t]{5in}{Exploiting Virtual Synchrony in Distributed
Systems.  Kenneth Birman and Thomas Joseph.  February 1987.  {\em 11th
ACM Symposium on Operating
Systems Principles}, December 1987.  Also appearing in  {\em
Operating Systems Review}, {\bf 22}, 1, (December 1987), 123-138.}\\
\\
86-781 &\parbox[t]{5in}{Efficient Concurrency Control for Libraries of
Typed Objects.  T. Raeuchle.  (Ph.D. Thesis).  September 1986.}\\
\\
86-772 &\parbox[t]{5in}{Programming with Shared Bulletin Boards in
Asynchronous Distributed Systems.  Kenneth Birman, Thomas Joseph and Pat
Stephenson. August 1986.  (Revised December 1986).}\\
\\
86-753 &\parbox[t]{5in}{Communication Support for Reliable Distributed
Computing. Kenneth Birman and Thomas Joseph.  {\em Lecture Notes in
Computer Science} (1990), 124-137.
{\em Proc. Asilomar Workshop on Fault Tolerant Distributed Computing},
March 1986.}\\
\\
86-744 &\parbox[t]{5in}{ISIS:  A System for Fault-Tolerance in
Distributed Systems.  Kenneth Birman.  April 1986.}\\
\\
85-712 &\parbox[t]{5in}{Low Cost Management of Replicated Data.
Thomas Joseph.  (Ph.D. Thesis).  November 1985.}\\
\\
85-694 &\parbox[t]{5in}{Reliable Communication in the Presence of
Failures.  Kenneth Birman and Thomas Joseph.  July 1985.  (Revised August 1986). 
{\em ACM Transactions on Computer Systems}, {\bf 5}, 1, (February 1987), 
47-76.}\\
\\
85-668  &\parbox[t]{5in}{Replication and Fault-Tolerance in the ISIS
System.  Kenneth Birman.  March 1985 (Revised September 1985).  {\em 10th ACM
Symposium on Operating Systems Principles}, (December 1985), 79-86.
{\em Operating Systems Review}, {\bf 19}, 5, (December 1985).}\\
\\
84-644  &\parbox[t]{5in}{Low-Cost Management of Replicated Data in
Fault-Tolerant Distributed Systems.  Kenneth Birman and Thomas Joseph.
October 1984.  {\em ACM Transactions on Computer Systems}, {\bf 4}, 1,
(February 1986), 54-70.}\\
\\
84-642 &\parbox[t]{5in}{An Overview of the ISIS Project. Kenneth
Birman, A. El
Abbadi, W. C. Dietrich, Thomas Joseph and T. Raeuchle. October
1984. {\em IEEE Distributed Processing Technical Committee
Newsletter}.  January 1985.}\\
\\
84-594 &\parbox[t]{5in}{Implementing Fault-Tolerant Distributed
Objects.  Kenneth Birman, Thomas Joseph, T. Raeuchle, and A. El Abbadi.
 {\em 4th Symposium
on Reliability in Distributed Systems and Database Systems,} Silver
Springs, MD, October 1984.  {\em IEEE Transactions
on Software Engineering}, {\bf SE-11}, 6, (June 1985), 502-508.}\\
\\
83-552 &\parbox[t]{5in}{ISIS:  An Environment for Constructing 
Fault-Tolerant Distributed Systems.  Kenneth Birman, D. Skeen, A. El Abbadi,
W. C. Dietrich and T. Raeuchle.  May 1983.}\\

\end{tabular}

\noindent Technical reports marked with a `*' can be copied from
ftp.cs.cornell.edu using anonymous, binary ftp.  The reports are
in the ``pub'' subdirectory.\\

\end{document}
-- 
Kenneth P. Birman                              E-mail:  ken@cs.cornell.edu
4105 Upson Hall, Dept. of Computer Science     TEL:     607 255-9199 (office)
Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853 (USA)      FAX:     607 255-4428