The basic concepts and vocabulary conventions for Distributed MIL are:
Board-type system. A board-type system consists of a Matrox board (or third-party board that is compatible with MIL), the Host CPU and memory, and any available graphics controller.
Cluster. A cluster is a group of computers interacting in a Distributed MIL setup. In the controlling configuration, a cluster is all the computers that are being used by a single controlling application. In this configuration, a remote computer can belong to one or multiple clusters, depending on how many controlling applications are connected to it. In the monitoring configuration, all connected computers, whether running monitoring or publishing applications, are part of a single cluster.
Cluster manager. A cluster manager is a computer designated to manage application identifiers in a monitoring configuration cluster.
Controlling configuration. A Distributed MIL setup with one controlling application that allocates one or more DMIL remote systems, typically on remote computers. The controlling configuration is used to distribute a single, typically processing heavy, MIL application across multiple computers. The controlling application manages the MIL systems allocated on all the computers in the cluster.
Distributed MIL. Distributed MIL is a MIL feature which allows multiple computers to interact across a network, using a client-server architecture. There are two Distributed MIL configurations: the controlling configuration and the monitoring configuration.
Distributed MIL server. The Distributed MIL server is a program running on a computer that allows the computer to handle requests made by a client application, which is either the controlling application or the monitoring application, depending on the configuration.
DMIL remote system. A DMIL remote system is a MIL system typically allocated on a remote computer. Specifically, a DMIL remote system is a MIL system allocated in the Distributed MIL server's address space, which is separate from the main application's address space.
Host-type system. A Host-type system consists of the Host CPU and memory, and any available graphics controller.
Local computer. The local computer is the computer that is running the controlling application in the controlling configuration, or the monitoring application in the monitoring configuration.
MIL system. A MIL system is a set of hardware components used to execute MIL operations. A MIL system can be either a board-type system or a Host-type system. A board-type system consists of a Matrox board (or third-party board that is compatible with MIL), the Host CPU and memory, and any available graphics controller. A Host-type system consists of the Host CPU and memory, and any available graphics controller. In the controlling configuration, MIL systems on a remote and local computer can collaborate within a MIL application using Distributed MIL.
Monitoring application. A monitoring application is a MIL application which is connected to a publishing application and is able to access the MIL objects the publishing application publishes.
Monitoring configuration. A Distributed MIL setup that involves two or more separate MIL applications, usually on separate computers, where one application, the monitoring application, accesses designated MIL objects from other applications, the publishing applications.
Publishing application. A publishing application is a MIL application which is set up to publish its own MIL objects to a monitoring application.
Remote computer. A remote computer is a computer separate from the local computer. In the controlling configuration, you typically allocate a DMIL remote system on a remote computer. In the monitoring configuration, the monitoring application typically connects to publishing applications on remote computers.