Description

The Introduction explains what distributed systems are, why they developed, and the main challenges involved in building them.

1. What is a distributed system?

A distributed system is a collection of independent computers that work together and appear to users as a single coherent system.

For example, when you use an online banking application, many different computers and servers may work together behind the scenes, even though you experience it as one service.

2. Why did distributed systems develop?

The authors explain that two major technological developments changed computing:

• Powerful, inexpensive microprocessors
• High-speed computer networks

These developments made it possible to connect many computers and have them cooperate rather than operate independently