Front Cover -- Mechanisms for Reliable Distributed Real-Time Operating Systems: The Alpha Kernel -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- Chapter 1. Introduction -- 1.1 Background -- 1.2 Problem Statement -- 1.3 Technical Approach -- 1.4 Status -- 1.5 Outline of the Book -- Chapter 2. Programming Abstractions -- 2.1 Basic Abstractions -- 2.2 Additional Abstractions -- Chapter 3. Kernel Interface -- 3.1 Support for Basic Abstractions -- 3.2 Support for Additional Abstractions -- 3.3 Supplementary Programming Constructs -- Chapter 4. Kernel Functional Design -- 4.1 Basic Mechanisms -- 4.2 Additional Mechanisms -- 4.3 Major Facilities -- 4.4 Optimizations -- Chapter 5. Kernel Detailed Design -- 5.1 Implementation Structure -- 5.2 Internal Data Structures -- 5.3 Details of Major Facilities -- 5.4 Details of Kernel Facilities -- 5.5 Resource Management Daemons -- Chapter 6. Hardware -- 6.1 System Level Structure -- 6.2 Individual Node Structure -- 6.3 Processing Element Structure -- 6.4 Hardware Implications -- Chapter 7. Comparisons with Systems of Interest -- 7.1 Hydra -- 7.2 StarOS -- 7.3 Cronus -- 7.4 Eden -- 7.5 Argus -- 7.6 Accent -- 7.7 Locus -- Appendix A. Programming Language Extensions -- A.1 Keywords -- A.2 Syntax -- A.3 Example -- References.

Mechanisms for Reliable Distributed Real-Time Operating Systems: The Alpha Kernel deals with the Alpha kernel, a set of mechanisms that support the construction of reliable, modular, decentralized operating systems for real-time control applications. An initial snapshot of the kernel design and implementation is provided. Comprised of seven chapters, this volume begins with a background on the Alpha operating system kernel and its implementation, followed by a description of the programming abstractions created for the Alpha kernel. The third chapter defines the client interface provided by the kernel in support of the given programming abstractions, while the fourth chapter focuses on the functional design of the kernel. The hardware on which the kernel was constructed, as well as the implications of this hardware on the design and implementation of the kernel, is also examined. The final chapter compares Alpha with other relevant operating systems such as Hydra, Cronus, Eden, Argus, Accent, and Locus. This book will appeal to computer scientists, systems designers, and undergraduate and graduate students of computer science.

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