Most eligible server in a common work queue environment

• US 20030187969A1
• Filed: 03/29/2002
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wilcock, Glenn Randle
• Granted Patent: US 7,454,501 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1029 using data related to the state of servers by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1038 Load balancing arrangements to avoid a single path through a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method for managing servers. The system comprises a plurality of servers for processing messages, at least one client for transmitting messages to and receiving messages from the servers, and processor means for maintaining a list indicating whether at least one of the servers is eligible to process messages. Preferably, the servers are adapted to process messages of different types; and the processor means includes means to indicate on said list whether, for each of the different types of messages, at least one of the servers is eligible to process each of the different types of messages. Also, in the preferred embodiment, each of the clients includes means to read the list, before the client transmits a message of a given type to one of the servers, to determine whether at least one of the servers is eligible to process messages of the given type. In addition, the processor means may notify the clients when changes are made to the list, and each of the clients may include means for removing messages from the servers in case there is no longer a server eligible to process the messages.

Claims

1. A server management system comprising:

a plurality of servers for processing messages;

at least one client for transmitting messages to and receiving messages from the servers; and

processor means for maintaining a list indicating whether at least one of the servers is eligible to process messages.

2. A server management system according to claim 1, wherein:

the servers are adapted to process messages of different types; and

said processor means includes means to indicate on said list whether, for each of the different types of messages, at least one of the servers is eligible to process said each of the different types of messages.

3. A server management system according to claim 1, wherein each of the clients includes means to read said list, before the client transmits a message of a given type to one of the servers, to determine whether at least one of the servers is eligible to process messages of the given type.

4. A server management system according to claim 1, wherein the processor means notifies the clients when changes are made to said list.

5. A server management system according to claim 1, wherein each of the clients includes means for removing messages from the servers in case there is no longer a server eligible to process the messages.

6. A method of managing servers comprising:

providing a plurality of servers for processing messages;

using at least one client to transmit messages to and to receive messages from the servers; and

providing a processor for maintaining a list indicating whether at least one of the servers is eligible to process messages.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein:

the servers are adapted to process messages of different types; and

said list indicates whether, for each of the different types of messages, at least one of the servers is eligible to process said each of the different types of messages.

8. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of, each of the clients reading said list, before the client transmits a message of a given type to one of the servers, to determine whether at least one of the servers is eligible to process messages of the given type.

9. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of using the processor to notify the clients when changes are made to said list.

10. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of, each of the clients removing messages from the servers in case there is no longer a server eligible to process the messages.

11. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for managing a plurality of servers, said method steps comprising:

transmitting messages from at least one client to the servers, and transmitting messages from the servers to the at least one client; and

using a processor for maintaining a list indicating whether at least one of the servers is eligible to process messages.

12. A program storage device according to claim 11, wherein:

the servers are adapted to process messages of different types; and

said list indicates whether, for each of the different types of messages, at least one of the servers is eligible to process said each of the different types of messages.

13. A program storage device according to claim 11, wherein said method comprises the further step of, each of the clients reading said list, before the client transmits a message of a given type to one of the servers, to determine whether at least one of the servers is eligible to process messages of the given type.

14. A program storage device according to claim 11, wherein said method comprises the further step of using the processor to notify the clients when changes are made to said list

15. A program storage device according to claim 11, wherein said method comprises the further step of, each of the clients removing messages from the servers in case there is no longer a server eligible to process the messages.

16. A data processing system comprising:

a plurality of servers for processing messages of different types;

at least one client for transmitting messages to and receiving messages from the servers; and

processor means for maintaining a list indicating whether, for each of the different types of messages, at least one of the servers is eligible to process said each of the different types of messages.

17. A data processing system according to claim 16, wherein each of the clients includes means to read said list, before the client transmits a message of a given type to one of the servers, to determine whether at least one of the servers is eligible to process messages of the given type.

18. A data processing system according to claim 16, wherein each of the clients includes means for removing messages from the servers in case there is no longer a server eligible to process the messages.