ftp:unix.hensa.ac.ukpubmiscukc.reportscomp.sciabstracts1-92

13-95 : An occam style communications system for UNIX networks
        (Kevin J. Vella)

This document describes the design of a communications system
which provides occam style communications primitives under a Unix
environment, using TCPIP protocols, and any number of other
protocols deemed suitable as underlying transport layers.  The
system will integrate with a low overhead schedulerkernel without
incurring significant costs to the execution of processes within
the run time environment. A survey of relevant occam and occam3
features and related research is followed by a look at the Unix
and TCPIP facilities which determine our working constraints, and
a description of the T9000 transputer's Virtual Channel
Processor, which was instrumental in our formulation. Drawing
from the information presented here, a design for the
communications system is subsequently proposed. Finally, a
preliminary investigation of methods for lightweight access
control to shared resources in an environment which does not
provide support for critical sections, semaphores, or busy
waiting, is made.  This is presentd with relevance to mutual
exclusion problems which arise within the proposed design. Future
directions for the evolution of this project are discussed in
conclusion.