Roe is a network-wide file system being developed for a heterogeneous local network. The system has been designed for two purposes: to serve as a testbed for experimenting with various policies for file migration and distribution strategies and to provide users with a logically coherent file system that takes advantage of distributed and diverse resources. The system is a synthesis of solutions to the problems of ensuring consistency of replicated data, allowing transparent reconfiguration, and providing adequate file accessibility. This report describes what has been accomplished so far in the Roe project. We outline the assumed environment, the basic structure of Roe, and the functions provided. Mechanisms are presented that allow migration, replication of file objects, and replication of access information to work together. Finally, the state of the implementation to date is described.
