Distributed computing at the European laboratory for particle physics

CERN, the European laboratory for particle physics, operates experimental facilities generating terabytes per year of data for 6000 particle physicists. CERN's history of involvement in local and wide area distributed computing is reviewed, and its response to the increasing impact of networked reduced instruction set computer (RISC systems while maintaining high quality services is discussed. These services include a program library, a distributed file, and tape management system, centrally operated RISC) services, data dissemination by satellite, and a distributed hypertext information system. The likely impact of an emerging integrated approach to distributed data analysis for particle physics on the future use of mainframe computers in the discipline is discussed.<
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