location transparency

location transparency

A fundamental concept in computing, which uses a "logical" unique name to represent a "physical" address. For example, files are accessed by file name, but their data are stored in physical sectors scattered around a disk in either the local computer or in a computer in the network. A service on the Web is accessed by service name over the Internet, and the executable program may be located anywhere in the world. The relationships of names to physical address is maintained by indexes, and there are countless applications of location transparency. See logical vs. physical, file system, DNS and i-broker.

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