Coda is a file system for a large-scale distributed computing environment composed of Unix workstations. It provides resiliency to server and network failures through the use of two distinct but complementary mechanisms. One mechanism, server replication, involves storing copies of a file at multiple servers. The other mechanism, disconnected operation, is a mode of execution in which a caching site temporarily assumes the role of a replication site. Disconnected operation is particularly useful for supporting portable workstations. The design of Coda optimizes for availability and performance, but provides the highest degree of consistency attainable in the light of those objectives. Measurements from a prototype show that the performance cost of providing high availability in Coda is reasonable.
The Coda file system REF ) provides resiliency to server and network failures using of replication and supports disconnected operations at the cost of consistency.
Coda: A Highly Available File System for a Distributed Workstation Environment
IEEE Transactions on Computers
Computer Science