Book excerpt: Pattern-Oriented Software Architecture (POSA) Volume 4 furnishes significant information about a pattern language for distributed computing. The book walks you through the best practices and introduces you to key areas of building distributed software systems. POSA 4 connects many stand-alone patterns, pattern collections and pattern languages from the existing body of literature found in the POSA series. The panel of experts provides you with a consistent and coherent holistic view on the craft of building distributed systems. · On Patterns and Pattern Languages· On Distributed Systems· On the Pattern Language· Warehouse Management Process Control· Base-line Architecture· Communication Middleware· Warehouse Topology· The Story Behind the Pattern Story· From Mud to Structure· Distribution Infrastructure· Event Demultiplexing and Dispatching· Interface Partitioning· Component Partitioning· Application Control· Concurrency· Synchronization· Object Interaction· Adaptation and Extension· Modal Behavior· Resource Management· Database Access· A Departing Thought