..::LoDN Introduction::..
LoDN
The Logistical Distribution Network (LoDN) is
an experimental content distribution tool. LoDN allows users to store content
on the Logistical Network, and manage or retrieve that stored content without
installing anything or learning to use any complicated software. LoDN is comprised
of three elements: Upload and Download clients (powered by Java Web Start) for
storing and retrieving data, and a web interface for managing stored data and
browsing public content. LoDN uses the Logistical Networking infrastructure
provided by the Internet Backplane Protocol (IBP) and the Logistical Backbone
(L-Bone) to store file content on IBP storage "depots" registered
with the L-Bone directory. Content publishers can use LoDN's web interface to
manage stored data in an environment similar to a familiar IMAP email interface.
Content distributors can make LoDN data files available by including an active
LoDN link on a webpage, in an email, or through the LoDN content directory.
Users access a file by clicking a LoDN link, thereby starting the LoDN Download
Client, and then using the download client to retrieve the file content directly
from IBP storage.
Further information about IBP and the L-Bone can
be found at http://loci.cs.utk.edu/ibp/
and http://loci.cs.utk.edu/lbone/
.
For complete instructions on using LoDN, see
the LoDN documentation.
Logistical Networking
The "working" storage offered by Logistical
Networking differs from other network storage schemes because it follows the
same scalable design paradigm as the Internet: a highly generic, best effort
service provides the common foundation on which all higher-level services are
built. The foundational service underpinning Logistical Networking is IBP, a
best-effort service for managing allocations on storage "depots."
In order to maximize scalability and sharability, IBP storage allocations are
time-limited by default. All stronger services, such as extended storage duration,
reliability, and fault tolerance, are provided "end-to-end" by layers
of middleware implemented on top of IBP. Using this scalable approach, Logistical
Networking has been able to create a testbed that offers unbrokered access via
the Internet to 39+ terabytes of storage space, on over 331 locally maintained
IBP storage depots spread across the US and 22 other countries around the world
(current figures at time of publication). The L-Bone is a directory and resource
discovery service cataloguing these IBP storage depots. When storing data, clients
may query the L-Bone for depots with specific characteristics, including minimum
storage capacity, duration policy, proximity, etc.
This work is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Next Generation
Software Program under grant # EIA-9975015, the Department of Energy Scientific
Discovery through Advanced Computing Program under grant # DE-FC02-01ER25465,
the NSF Internet Technologies Program under grant # ANI-9980203, and by the
Center for Information Technology Research (CITR) at the University of Tennessee.
The infrastructure used in this work was supported by the NSF-CISE Research
Infrastructure program under grant # EIA-9972889 and the NSF-CISE Research Resources
program under grant # EIA-0224441.
For further information about Logistical Networking,
please visit http://loci.cs.utk.edu/ .
If you have any questions or suggestions for LoDN,please subscribe to the
LoCI interest
mailing list or send us an email at 
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