Location transparency in computing allows users to access resources using names without knowing their exact location. It is used in corporate networks to house data in a common server’s memory and allows multiple users to access data simultaneously. It also applies to accessing data via the internet.
In computing, location transparency has to do with the use of names to identify resources, without requiring users to necessarily know the exact location of those resources. Through the use of indexing, the name can be used to access resources, which may be located locally or remotely, and allow those resources to be used by anyone who has permission to access them. Location transparency is considered a staple in the computing world and can be related to something as simple as retrieving data using a specific file name or some type of Internet-based service.
One of the practical applications of location transparency in a corporate networked environment is the housing of data in various sections of a common server’s memory that provides the means to connect multiple computers. The data may be associated with one or more software programs that end users use to retrieve data in real time. Users don’t need to know exactly where the data is on the server, just how to use the correct filename to access the data. Often, the configuration of the systems used allows multiple users to access data simultaneously, without slowing access to any of these users.
Thanks to the idea of location transparency, an employee working in a specific company can access the data whether it is somewhere on a server or the local hard drive using essentially the same process. Depending on how the network is configured, the user may be able to access files residing on another computer connected to the network. This handy application can be particularly useful for business travelers who may use a laptop to connect to the network and access a file residing on their desktop hard drive at the office, using the server connection as a means of reaching the one hosted on remote file.
The concept of location transparency is also seen in the use of data accessed via the Internet. End users can choose to download a program by identifying it by name and going through the download process, without needing to know exactly where in the world that program actually resides. For all practical purposes, the program and associated data are local, although in reality they may be hosted on a server on the other side of the globe. Location transparency effectively makes location a non-issue with users, as the data can be accessed by anyone who can connect to the internet, knows the correct filenames to use, and has adequate security credentials to access the file.
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