The local area network as a window to distributed virtual memory

The progress in local area networking significantly impacts the evolution into distributed computing. In this paper, the author challenges the common approach to local area networking and propose a new view. A logical cluster of workstations interconnected via a local area network is viewed as an integrated system with one single virtual address space. The physical memory of the workstations that are members of this logical cluster represents distributed physical memory resources available for allocation to the distributed virtual address space of an individual application. To meet this objective, the design of a local area network (including LAN controller buffer and protocols) is re-examined. The buffer of the LAN controller is viewed as a caching store for remote memory. The LAN, hence, becomes a window to extended distributed virtual memory