The testability of distributed real-time systems [Book Reviews]

Abstract

of Distributed Real-Time Systems by Werner Schutz 144 pages 874 Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston 1993 ISBN 0-7923-9386-4 Dewire treats analysis and top-level design in one chapter, as is appropriate, deferring the discussion of detailed design to a separate chapter on “Construction.” I find it difficult to understand, however, why the integration issues such as transaction management ended up in a chapter under the heading “Operations” and not in the chapter on detailed design. Also, the book discusses numerous techniques, methods, and tools without providing any references. I think this is a serious omission in a survey that covers such an important and relatively new area of computing. Even though Dewire’s text does not give an adequate description of the newest developments in distributed computing, it does provide the reader with an exhaustive overview of major issues, methods, and tools. It is informative and well written. I would not hesitate to recommend it as a practical source of technical information on modern distributed systems.