Dependable communication using multiple network paths on fast long-distance networks

For mission critical jobs in distributed computing, a network with a low packet loss rate and no failures is required. The multiple paths method has been studied as a means to achieve dependable communication with tolerable failures. It recovers from failures on a network using the same packet on another path. Since the speed of a long-distance network becomes faster, dependable communication that tolerates network latency becomes more important. We built a prototype system of a multiple paths method supporting Gigabit Ethernet speed using GtrcNET-1, a gigabit network testbed. We evaluated it and confirmed that it can continuously communicate even if a path fails, and it achieved a packet loss rate as low as the product of packet loss rates on both paths. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 38(12): 46–54, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (). DOI 10.1002-scj.20807