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RFC 61 - A Note on Interprocess Communication in a Resource Sharing Computer Network

  • Status: Unknown
  • Published: July 17, 1970
  • Stream: Legacy
  • Errata: No Errata

Document Information​

  • RFC Number: 61
  • Title: A Note on Interprocess Communication in a Resource Sharing Computer Network
  • Authors: Dave Walden (Bolt Beranek and Newman)
  • Date: July 1970
  • Category: Unknown

Abstract​

RFC 61 is a 1970 study of resource sharing between autonomous computer systems. It argues that resources belong to processes, so the fundamental problem of resource sharing is interprocess communication, and it builds a model time-sharing system around a monitor and its processes. A process can ask the monitor for eight operations - START, HALT, RECEIVE, SEND, RECEIVE ANY, SEND FROM ANY, UNIQUE and the matching of a SEND to a RECEIVE - and ports, identified by unique numbers, are the currency of that communication. The note then shows that the model generalises to a network: putting the monitor's functions into a Network Controller solves interprocess communication between remote processes without further change, and the same functions can be distributed over the network sites, each holding a rendezvous table and a share of the unique numbers. A worked example follows two sites through SEND FROM ANY, RECEIVE and SEND, including the case where a port moves. The appendix applies the system to the ARPA network, where the IMPs take over the Network Controller role and add the RFNM.

Table of Contents​

Appendices​