An essential property for reliable systems
PAT HELLAND
The definition of distributed computing can be confusing. Sometimes, it refers to a tightly coupled cluster of computers working together to look like one larger computer. More often, however, it refers to a bunch of loosely related applications chattering together without a lot of system-level support.
http://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=2187821
Related:
A co-Relational Model of Data for Large Shared Data Banks
Testable System Administration