A framework for middleware supporting real-time wide-area distributed computing

The development of real-time systems that are distributed over a wide area is a significant problem that has challenged researchers for many years. Such systems require precise timing of actions throughout, but wide area networks tend to have variable delays that greatly reduce determinism. The framework described here supports the composition of wide-area real-time distributed virtual computer systems from deterministic components to provide precise timing from end-to-end. The framework use switched optical networks such as those being developed for the OptIPuter project for well-regulated long-distance paths yielding low jitter. Within campus networks, the time-triggered Ethernet technology provide deterministic switching of packets for real-time applications while supporting legacy IP traffic. Finally, at the edges, the time-triggered message-triggered object (TMO) support middleware manage resources to provide realtime operations while supporting an easy-to-program interface and high-level timing specification.