Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A model implementation for protective domains

  • Published:
International Journal of Computer & Information Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A combination hardware/software mechanism is presented which supports very general capabilities for the protection of and controlled access to sharable information structures. It is defined through symbolic algorithms in terms of the dedicated model hardware. The model centers on two key concepts, that of thetenant, who is a “storage holding” entity, and that of thedomain, which is an “information accessing” entity. The domain, defined as “a capsular collection of mutually accessible information structures having a single common external protective interface,” is an integral part of the hardware logic. It is contended that the definition of a mechanism to enforce access authorizations must include an underlying philosophy specifying the conditions under which such access authorizations may be granted. Such a philosophy is suggested. It is based on theprinciple of ownership according to which any area of storage is at all times held by a single tenant who has the exclusive right to grant/revoke access privileges to his proprietary information structures, i.e., information residing in proprietary storage.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. A. Bensoussanet al., “The Multics virtual memory,” CACM1972 (May):308–318.

  2. J. B. Dennis and E. C. Van Horn, “Programming semantics for multiprogrammed computations,”CACM 1966 (March):143–155.

  3. J. B. Dennis, “A position paper on computing and communications,” in1st ACM SOSP, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, 1967.

  4. E. W. Dijkstra, “Synchronizing primitives,” Appendix to “The structure of the THE multiprogramming system,”CACM 1968 (May): 341–346.

  5. E. W. Dijkstra, “Structured programming,” in1969 NATO Conference Report, Buxton and Randell, eds. (NATO Scientific Affairs Division, Brussels, Belgium), pp. 84–88.

  6. D. C. Evans and J. Y. Leclerc, “Address mapping and the control of access in an interactive computer,” inProc. 1967 SJCC, pp. 143–155.

  7. R. M. Fano, “The computer utility and the community,” inIEEE Int. Convention Record (1967), Part 12, pp. 30–37.

  8. E. A. Feustel, “On the advantages of tagged architecture,” inIEEE Transactions on Computers C-22 (7): 644–656 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  9. E. A. Feustel, “The Rice research computer—A tagged architecture,” inProc. 1972 SJCC, May 1972, Atlantic City, N.J.

  10. R. M. Graham, “Protection in an information processing utility,”CACM 1968 (May):365–369.

  11. B. W. Lampson, “Protection,” inProc. 5th Princeton Conf. on Information Sciences and Systems, March 1971, pp. 437–443.

  12. PDP-11/45Processor Handbook, The Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard Massachusetts.

  13. M. J. Spier and E. I. Organick, “The Multics interprocess communication facility,” inProc. 2nd ACM SOSP, Princeton, October 1969, pp. 83–91.

  14. M. J. Spier, “A computer system model for controlled sharing of information,” inProc. ONLINE72, Brunel University, Uxbridge, England, September 1972, pp. 243–263.

  15. M. J. Spier, T. N. Hastings, and D. N. Cutler, “An experimental implementation of the kernel/domain architecture,” inProc. 4th ACM SOSP, Yorktown Heights, October 1973.

  16. M. J. Spier, “Process communication prerequisites, or the IPC-setup revisited,” inProc. 1973 Sagamore Conf. on Parallel Processing, Syracuse University, August 1973 (IEEE Special Publication catalog #73 CH0812-8C).

  17. C. R. Spooner, “A software architecture for the 70's: Part I—The general approach,”Software—Practice & Experience 1(1):5–37 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  18. D. H. Vanderbilt, “Controlled information sharing in a computer utility,” MIT Ph.D. Thesis, Project MAC TR-67, October 1969.

  19. W. T. Wilner, “Design of the Burroughs B1700,” inProc. 1972 FJCC, pp. 489–497.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, Massachusetts

    Michael J. Spier

Authors
  1. Michael J. Spier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This is an extensively revised version of a paper presented under the title “A Computer System Model for Controlled Sharing of Information” at ONLINE72, September 1972, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, England. Republished by permission of ONLINE72.

Work reported in this paper is of a theoretical nature and may not be construed to imply any product commitment by the Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, Massachusetts.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Spier, M.J. A model implementation for protective domains. International Journal of Computer and Information Sciences 2, 201–229 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00986123

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00986123

Keywords

Search

Navigation