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Simulation-based architectural design and implementation of a real-time collaborative editing system

Published: 25 March 2007 Publication History

Abstract

Real-time collaborative editing systems allow multiple users to synchronously edit a shared document in a geographically-distributed environment. In order to maintain high responsiveness, a distributed copy model is used wherein each user maintains a local copy of the shared document; as a result, techniques such as Operation Transformation (OT) are employed to ensure consistency among the copies; but OT is costly with regard to computation and communication. We have previously developed a distributed architecture and associated algorithms that dynamically lock sections of a document such that users are able to retain a high level of responsiveness within the system while reducing the computation and communication costs. However, a key limitation has been locking out all contending users except one for the smallest indivisible subsection, resulting in scenarios with significant lock request failures. This study expands our work by examining how OT may be integrated into our dynamic locking algorithms such that all users are always able to edit their copy of the document while avoiding costly global messaging. We present an overview of our updated architecture and algorithms, show how they have been simulated using the DEVSJAVA package at the client and server, and then demonstrate the efficiencies achieved by our approach relative to existing OT algorithms. In scenarios featuring clustered editing, large document, and a large number of users, our system incurs up to 80% less communication cost than existing pure OT systems. Additionally, we discuss how our simulation design process has allowed us to first simulate both client and server and then begin progress to a functional implementation of both client and server technologies - better achieving an efficient implementation of our algorithms and ideas based upon our empirical simulation results.

References

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Sun, C., Jia, X., Zhang, Y., and Yang, Y. A Generic Operational Transformation Scheme for Consistency Maintenance in Real-time Cooperative Editing Systems, In Procs. of Intl. ACM SIGGROUP Conf. on Supporting Group Work, pp. 425--434, Phoenix, Nov., 1997.
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Preston, J. A. and Prasad, S. K. "A Deadlock-Free Multi-Granular, Hierarchical Locking Scheme for Real-time Collaborative Editing", 7th Intl. Workshop on Collaborative Editing Systems. Sanibel Island, FL, 2005.
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Preston, J. A. and Prasad, S. K. "Achieving CCI Efficiently by Combining OT and Dynamic Locking with Lazy Consistency in a Peer-to-Peer CES", 8th Intl. Workshop on Collaborative Editing Systems. Banff, Canada, 2006.
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Oster, G., et al. "Tombstone Transformation Functions for Ensuring Consistency in Collaborative Editing Systems", In Procs. 2nd Intl. Conf. on Collaborative Computing: Networking, Appln. and Worksharing, Atlanta, Nov., 2006.
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Ignat, C. and Norrie, M, "Handling Conflicts through Multi-level Editing in Peer-to-peer Environments", In 8th International Workshop on Collaborative Editing Systems, Banff, Canada, November, 2006.
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Cited By

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  • (2007)P2P document tree management in a real-time collaborative editing systemProceedings of the 14th international conference on High performance computing10.5555/1782174.1782222(418-431)Online publication date: 18-Dec-2007

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cover image ACM Conferences
SpringSim '07: Proceedings of the 2007 spring simulation multiconference - Volume 2
March 2007
405 pages
ISBN:1565553136

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Society for Computer Simulation International

San Diego, CA, United States

Publication History

Published: 25 March 2007

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Author Tags

  1. DEVS
  2. OT
  3. communication costs
  4. dynamic locking
  5. real-time collaborative editing

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  • (2007)P2P document tree management in a real-time collaborative editing systemProceedings of the 14th international conference on High performance computing10.5555/1782174.1782222(418-431)Online publication date: 18-Dec-2007

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