Concepts inPaxos for System Builders: an overview

Paxos (computer science)

Paxos is a family of protocols for solving consensus in a network of unreliable processors. Consensus is the process of agreeing on one result among a group of participants. This problem becomes difficult when the participants or their communication medium may experience failures. Consensus protocols are the basis for the state machine approach to distributed computing, as suggested by Leslie Lamport and surveyed by Fred Schneider.  more from Wikipedia

Homebuilt computer

A homebuilt computer is a computer assembled from available components, usually commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components, rather than purchased as a complete system from a computer system supplier.  more from Wikipedia

Communications protocol

A communications protocol is a system of digital message formats and rules for exchanging those messages in or between computing systems and in telecommunications. A protocol may have a formal description. Protocols may include signaling, authentication and error detection and correction capabilities. A protocol definition defines the syntax, semantics, and synchronization of communication; the specified behavior is typically independent of how it is to be implemented.  more from Wikipedia