Implementing a Distributed Key-Value Store Using Corums

Abstract

Corums is a novel framework made for simplifying the process of building fault-tolerant systems. In this thesis, we investigate whether Corums is suitable for implementing a practical fault-tolerant service by using it to implement a distributed key-value store, which we call Distributed Dictionary. This service uses a Corums-based Multi-Paxos implementation to handle state replication. We assess the usability of Corums in terms of ease of adoption, availability and protection from user errors. We also run experiments to evaluate the performance efficiency of Corums in a system like ours. We discover that the abstractions Corums provides lead to more readable code and an execution flow that is easier to reason about than traditional programming paradigms. We also discover and discuss areas where the Corums framework should be improved.