Newsgroups: comp.parallel.pvm
From: pinnacle@onramp.net (Pat Kelly)
Subject: Multihost Shared Disk Locking Supported in PVM?
Organization: Pinnacle Computer Solutions
Date: Sat, 30 Sep 1995 23:18:21 -0600
Message-ID: <pinnacle-3009952318210001@hou03.onramp.net>

If I have several machines that can simultaneously access a common disk
drive, does PVM have any way for coordinating the writing by multiple
hosts to the one drive?  There are (at least) 2 levels to the problem --
1) having multiple instances of an application make sure they are not
clobbering the same storage area and 2) coordinating the file systems so
errors aren't generated.  The first problem must be coordinated by the
application but the second problem seems to be the tougher one.  

So in the case of a shared-disk parallel configuration -- versus a
shared-memory or shared-nothing config -- does PVM have anything to help? 
If so, how would I get started using it?  Please email any responses to
pinnacle@onramp.net.

P.S. Forgive me for not already using PVM and being more familiar with it;
I'm trying to determine if it will solve the problems I'm trying to
address.  Thanks.

