The implementation of a multi-backend database system (MDBS) Part II: The first prototype MDBS and the software engineering experience

Abstract

The Multi -Backend Database System, MDBS, uses one microcomputer as the master or controller, and a varying number of microcomputers as slaves or backends. No special hardware is required. The backends are configured in a parallel manner. A new backend may be added by replicating the existing software on an addition minicomputer. A prototype MDBS is being implemented in order to carry out design verification and performance evaluation studies. This report is the second in a series which describe the MDBS implementation. First, the overall design and implementation of MDBS is given. Then, the controller and the backends functions are described in detail. In order to facilitate performance evaluation experiments, a program to generate test data and a program to generate test requests are required. The former program was described in the first report. The latter program is described in this report. Our goal is not limited to the production of a prototype MDBS, but is also aimed toward the application of software engineering techniques to the development of the system. Thus, the software engineering techniques being used are also discussed. The appendicies contain the detailed designs for the controller subsystem, one of the two modules in the backends subsystem (the other module, the directory management, was contained in the first report) and the test request generation module.