Abstract: A system for a distributed database implementing a dynamic mastership strategy. The system includes a multiple data centers, each having a storage unit to store a set of records. Each data center stores its own replica of the set of records and each record includes a field that indicates which data center is assigned to be the master for that record. Since each of the data centers can he geographically distributed, one record may be more efficiently edited with the master being one geographic region while another record, possibly belonging to a different user, may be more efficiently edited with the master being located in another geographic region.

Abstract: A system for storing a distributed hash table. The system includes a storage unit, a tablet controller, a router, and a transaction bank. The storage unit has a plurality of tablets forming a hash table and each of the tablets includes multiple records. The tablet controller maintains a relationship between each tablet and the storage unit. The router hashes a record's key to determine the tablet associated with each record. Further, the router distributes messages from clients to the storage units based on the tablet-storage unit relationship thereby serving as a layer of indirection. The transaction bank propagates updates made in one record to all other replicas of the record.

Abstract: A system for maintaining a database. The system includes a storage unit for storing many tablets each tablet including multiple records. The tablet controller is configured to maintain the relationship between the tablet and the storage unit. The tablet controller tracks failures to access the storage unit and designates a new storage unit for each tablet based on a storage unit failure. A router is in communication with the tablet controller and configured to distribute messages from clients to the storage units thereby serving as a layer of indirection.

Abstract: The invention provides a travelling wave tube having a directly heated cathode. Cathode material is applied in a depression in one U-shaped member of a high resistance alloy material and the return path for heater current is provided by another U-shaped strip member beneath the first. The configurations of the two strip members are similar so that stray magnetic fields generated by the equal but opposite currents flowing therein, tend to neutralize one another. In another embodiment the two strip members are replaced by generally cylindrical members, one member being within the other. The surface of the member providing the return path for heater current is polished where it faces the member carrying the cathode material so as to reflect back heat radiated by the last-mentioned member.

Abstract: A millimeter coupled cavity travelling wave tube has each of its slow wave structures formed of at least one longitudinally extending member having holes made therethrough by a hobbing process, which holes constitute at least in part the cavities of the slow wave structure. In a preferred embodiment a one and one only such longitudinally extending member is provided, the holes therein each a whole cavity. The hobbing is such that a buttress is left outstanding from each cavity facing surface of a cavity separating wall and the beam hole is bored axially through said member from end to end through said buttresses. After machining of the cavity coupling holes in the cavity separating walls (e.g. by spark erosion) the cavities are closed by plates brazed to opposite faces of the member.

Abstract: A millimeter coupled cavity travelling wave tube has its slow wave structures formed by a hobbing process. In a preferred construction, each slow wave structure is made of two individual halves each extending for the length of the structure. Each half contains one half of each cavity and one half of each beam hole and all of the portions of cavity and portions of beam hole in each half are formed in one hobbing operating. Coupling holes between cavities are formed where required by a process (e.g. spark erosion) separate from hobbing and if ferrules or drift tubes are required to extend out of the cavity separating walls in the finished tube, the beam coupling holes are made oversized and individual ferrules are brazed into position. The two halves of the slow wave structure are united by furnace brazing.