Distributed shared memory on loosely coupled systems

The distributed shared memory model (DSMM) is considered a feasible alternative to the traditional communication model (CM), especially in loosely coupled distributed systems. While the CM is usually considered a low-level model, the DSMM provides a shared address space that can be used in the same way as local memory. This paper provides a taxonomy of distributed shared memory systems, focusing on different implementations and the factors which affect the behavior of those implementations.