A distributed computing system used for controlling a telecommunications
network includes a number of computers interconnected by a data
communications network each computer storing a plurality of data records.
The computers are programmed to access records held on other computers and
are programmed to move the record to another computer. Each computer is
further arranged to store a table of data indicating the computer on which
that record may currently be stored, and to update that table when the
record is moved. Each computer is further programmed to store a log of the
identities of the other computers which have accessed the record, and the
computers are further programmed so that after moving the record, the
computer sends a location updating message to at least one further
computer determined in accordance with the log.
