Integration of diskless workstations in unix united

This document evaluates the feasibility of diskless UNIX systems connected to a disk-providing machine via a local area network. The diskless UNIX systems are to be used as workstations in a UNIX United

1 UNIX is a trademark of A. T. & T. Bell Laboratories.

environment. Several solutions are presented and estimated to enable booting, file system access and swapping. Implementation techniques, compatible with the UNIX United philosophy, are proposed. Specific topics covered are file servers, swap servers, disk servers, indirect drivers, system call service access from kernel coroutines of UNIX processes, and communication subsystems. It is shown that the modifications to the UNIX system can be limited to one new device driver in the diskless workstation and one in the system providing the secondary storage facility.