Distributed computer system and method of applying maintenance thereto

• US 20020029265A1
• Filed: 11/06/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Mizoguchi, Masatoshi
• Granted Patent: US 6,961,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

When maintenance data is transmitted from a management server computer to client computers to be applied thereto, the client computer searches from within the directories for identification information corresponding to the resource group of the maintenance data and applies the maintenance data to the directory under the detected identification information. Also, the client computer performs periodic monitoring of whether a plurality of items of identical identification information are present or not in its own directories. A flexible distributed computer system of high expansibility while guaranteeing application of the maintenance data to the correct directory is thereby provided.

Claims

1. A distributed computer system comprising:

a plurality of client computers in which is stored a file group including files managed in each resource group under a directory constituted by a plurality of layers; and

a server computer that transfers to each of the client computers maintenance data for updating files managed in each of said resource groups;

wherein said client computers comprise;

an application section that, when said maintenance data is transferred from said server computer, detects identification information that identifies said resource group contained in said maintenance data that was transferred from said directory, and applies said maintenance data that has been transferred to a directory under this identification information that has thus been detected; and

a monitoring and notification section that executes monitoring to ascertain whether or not a plurality of items of identical identification information are present in said directories and, if a plurality of items of identical identification information are present, notifies said server computer of abnormality.

2. The distributed computer system of claim 1, wherein said application section searches for the layer, of said directories, that has said identification information, and generates the maintenance target directory for applying said maintenance data by adding a second directory portion which was registered beforehand, under the first directory portion from the topmost layer of said directories as far as the level having the identification information contained in said maintenance data which was transferred, and applies said maintenance data which was transferred to this maintenance target directory.

3. The distributed computer system according to claim 1,

wherein said maintenance data comprises application destination directory information whereby said maintenance data that was registered beforehand is applied;

and

said application section, when said application destination directory is detected from said directory, applies said maintenance data to said application destination directory.

4. The distributed computer system according to claim 1, further comprising a management computer that manages the maintenance data that was generated,

wherein said management computer comprises:

previous update date information for each said resource group of said group of files,

an extraction section that extracts, of said generated maintenance data, maintenance data having an update date more recent than said previous update date; and

a transfer section that transfers this extracted maintenance data to said server computer.

5. The distributed computer system according to claim 1, wherein said application section reads a maintenance protection information file comprising name information of said client computer from said file group and, if the name of the client computer of the maintenance protection information file that has thus been read is its own name, applies to said maintenance target directory said maintenance data that has been transferred.

6. A maintenance data application method in a distributed computer system comprising a plurality of client computers in which is stored a file group including files managed in each prescribed resource group under a directory constituted by a plurality of layers;

and a server computer that transfers to each of the client computers maintenance data for updating files managed in each of said resource groups;

said method comprising;

a step of detecting identification information that identifies said resource group included in said transferred maintenance data from said directory of said client computer when said maintenance data has been transferred from said server computer;

an application step of applying said transferred maintenance data to a directory under said detected identification information;

a monitoring step of monitoring whether or not a plurality of identical items of identification information are present in said directory;

and a notification step of, if a plurality of identical items of identification information are present, notifying said server computer of abnormality.

7. The maintenance data application method according to claim 6, wherein, in said application step, a second directory portion that was registered beforehand is added under the first directory portion from the topmost layer of said directory as far as the layer having the identification information included in said transferred maintenance data, to generate a maintenance target directory for application of said maintenance data, and said transferred maintenance data is applied to this maintenance target directory.

8. The maintenance data application method according to claim 6, wherein said maintenance data comprises application destination directory information as to where said maintenance data that has been registered beforehand is to be applied and

in said detection step, when said application destination directory is detected from said directory, in said application step, said maintenance data is applied to said application destination directory.

9. The maintenance data application method according to claim 6, wherein said distributed computer system comprises a management computer that manages the maintenance data that was generated and the previous update date information for each said resource group of said file group and comprising an extraction step wherein, of said generated maintenance data, maintenance data having an update date more recent than said previous update date is extracted and a transfer step in which this extracted maintenance data is transferred to said server computer from said management computer.

10. The maintenance data application method according to claim 6, wherein, in said application step, a maintenance protection information file having name information of said client computer is read from said file group, and, if the name of the client computer of the maintenance information file that was thus read is its own name, said transferred maintenance data is applied to said maintenance target directory.

11. A recording medium for storing a program for executing a maintenance data application method in a distributed computer system comprising a plurality of client computers that store file groups containing files managed for each prescribed resource group under a directory constituted by a plurality of layers, and a server computer that transfers to the client computers maintenance data for updating files managed for each said resource group, said recording medium being characterized by storing a program for executing:

a step of detecting identification information identifying said resource group contained in said transferred maintenance data from said directory of said client computer, when said maintenance data has been transferred from said server computer;

an application step of applying said transferred maintenance data to a directory under this detected identification information;

a monitoring step that monitors whether or not a plurality of items of identical identification information are present in said directory; and

a notification step that notifies said server computer of abnormality if a plurality of identical items of identification information are present.