PostPC Summary

1
Post-PC Summary

• Prof. Eric A. Brewer
• brewer_at_cs.berkeley.edu

2
Original Goals

• Basics web, e-mail access, search engine
• Groupware whiteboard, web-based calendar
• Wireless and cradle access
• Document conversion PostScript, PDF, class
  notes, PowerPoint
• WorkPad as smart card for authentication

3
Phase 1 Complete

• Basic development infrastructure in place
• Pilots used in one class, and in several
  grad-level projects
• Significant progress on security, network
  HotSync, and service infrastructure
• Key applications emerging notes, e-mail, group
  calendar

4
Some Lessons

• Virtual Environment really is a good thing
• Network HotSync, groupware, centralized e-mail
• WorkPad is too slow
• adaptation is a trade of cycles for bandwidth and
  interoperability

5
Lessons

• Development effort is the limiting factor
• OSKI 1 person for infrastructure, 2 for WorkPad
• Debugging is particularly hard (need better
  simulation environment)
• User Service is fundamental
• not just profile and customization info
• routing point for security

6
Phase 2 Real Users

• Deploy some real WorkPad services
• Secure e-mail
• Network HotSync
• Group Calendar
• Widespread use of at least one service
• more than 50 users?
• highly available/reliable

7
Backup Slides
8
Computing in the Infrastructure

• Legacy server compatibility
• Partition functionality for small clients
• Amortize resources across many clients
• Can combine with distributed caching
• Enable groupware (via shared state)
• Enable consistent virtual environment

9
Thin Clients Top Gun Wingman

• Worlds only graphical browser for PalmPilot
• 10,000 users worldwide
• Richest feature set of any Pilot browser, many
  uniquely enabled by proxy
• 9 out of 100 in Peoples Choice awards

10
Groupware Top Gun MediaBoard

• Group whiteboard comes to the Pilot
• Combines MASH tools with proxy
• Enables future MASH collaboration
• Inherits proxy robustness scalability
• Interoperates with laptops, workstations

Superiority of proxy-based approach to enabling
thin clients successfully demonstrated.
11
Distillation Proxy Architecture
Proxy front-end
Servers
fast LAN or SAN
Image
Audio
Datatype- specific Distillers
Video
Text
12
Datatype-Specific Distillation

• Lossy compression that preserves semantic content
• Tailor content for each client

6.8x
1.2 The Remote Queue Model We introduce Remote
Queues (RQ), .
65x

13
Refinement

• Retrieve part of distilled object at higher
  quality

Zoom in to original resolution
Distilled image (by 60X)

14
Scalable Proxy Architecture

• Component replication for scaling and FT
• NOW with scalable interconnect
• Incremental scaling commodity building blocks