Transparency (computer system)
In connection with computer and network technology, transparency is understood to mean that a certain part of a system is present and in operation, but otherwise "invisible" and is therefore not perceived as being present by the user. However, in the context of IT security and data protection, the term is sometimes used in exactly the opposite way. According to this understanding, a transparent system is one in which the user can find out exactly which operation is being carried out, how, by whom and where (e.g. abroad).
One speaks z. B. from a transparent proxy server , if this does not have to be specified explicitly by the user, but performs its tasks without his intervention and thus without being recognizable. Also z. As the transport of telephone calls largely transparent through the global data and telephone networks for end users, because it can not find a rule and it is not important for him if his conversation via satellite , submarine cable , microwave or conventional telephone cables routed is.
The opposite of transparency in middleware is awareness .
One differentiates:
- Location transparency (position transparency )
- The location of a service or resource is not known to the user. Access is via a specific name that does not contain any location information.
- Access transparency
- The resource is always accessed in the same way, regardless of whether it is located locally or remotely in the network.
- Persistence Transparency
- The user does not need to distinguish between persistent and transient data. Explicit saving or opening of files is not necessary.
- Concurrency transparency
- Several users can access the services and resources at the same time. The system ensures that exclusive access is possible and that data is synchronized or replicated if necessary.
- Scaling transparency
- The system should be flexible when expanding or exchanging components. System maintenance or expansion should be possible without failure.
- Migration transparency
- Moving objects in the distributed system should go unnoticed by the user and the applications.
- Process transparency
- Programs can be moved anywhere between the nodes of the distributed system. Ideally, the system itself takes care of moving processes to less busy nodes. The name and execution status of a program must not change.
- Performance transparency
- The full performance of the overall system is available to users. The system itself ensures that the tasks are optimally distributed among the various nodes.
- Replication transparency
- There can be multiple copies of the same resource for performance reasons. The system ensures the transparent replication of the changes made in it.
- Fragmentation transparency
- The component parts of a resource can be stored in different locations.
- Error and failure transparency
- If a system or a network connection fails, the user should be able to continue working, albeit with reduced performance.
- Language transparency
- Communication between the components is independent of the programming language used.
- Parallelism transparency
- Activities can run in parallel without disturbing each other.
See also
Individual evidence
- ^ Taube, Christian (2000) Computer Fachlexikon Fachwörterbuch, p. 709.