System and method for improved reliability and scalability of java workloads

• US 20040236712A1
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cotner, Curt Lee
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4493 Object persistence

Abstract

An apparatus and a method of clearing a runtime data area where a plurality of software objects store a variable in the runtime data area and each of the plurality of software objects has a finalize method where the invention drives the finalize method of one of the plurality of software objects, clears the runtime area where the one of plurality of software objects variable was stored when the driven finalize method ends, and drives the finalize method of another of the plurality of software objects when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period.

Claims

1. A method of clearing a runtime data area where a plurality of software objects store a variable in the runtime data area and each of the plurality of software objects has a finalize method, comprising the steps of:

a) driving the finalize method of one of the plurality of software objects;

b) clearing the runtime area where the one of plurality of software objects variable was stored when the driven finalize method ends; and

c) driving the finalize method of another of the plurality of software objects when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of marking the one of the plurality of objects as uncollectible when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

d) determining whether the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may be restarted when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period;

e) marking the one of the plurality of objects as uncollectible when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may not be restarted; and

f) re-queuing the one of the plurality of software objects for collection when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may be restarted.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step c) comprises the steps of:

i) generating a finalize exception when the finalize method of one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period; and

ii) driving the finalize method of another of the plurality of software objects when a finalize exception has been generated.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

d) determining whether the finalize method of one of the plurality of software objects may be restarted when a finalize exception has been generated;

e) marking the one of the plurality of objects as uncollectible when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may not be restarted; and

f) re-queuing the one of the plurality of software objects for collection when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may be restarted.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step a) comprises the steps of:

1) determining whether one of the plurality of objects is out of scope; and

2) driving the finalize method of the determined one of the plurality of software objects.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of software objects is a Java™

object.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of software objects is a Java™

object.

8. A method of clearing a runtime data area where a plurality of software objects store a variable in the runtime data area and each of the plurality of software objects has a finalize method, comprising the steps of:

a) driving a garbage collection method, the garbage collection method performing the steps of;

i) driving the finalize method of one of the plurality of software objects;

ii) clearing the runtime area where the one of plurality of software objects variable was stored when the driven finalize method ends; and

iii) driving the finalize method of another of the plurality of software objects when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period; and

b) driving a finalize monitoring method, the finalize monitoring method performing the step of determining when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period.

9. The method of claim 8, the finalize monitoring method further comprising the step of marking the one of the plurality of objects as uncollectible when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period.

10. The method of claim 8, the finalize monitoring method further comprising the steps of:

i) determining whether the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may be restarted when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period;

ii) marking the one of the plurality of objects as uncollectible when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may not be restarted; and

iii) re-queuing the one of the plurality of software objects for collection when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may be restarted.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the finalize monitoring method generates a finalize exception when the finalize method of one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period and the garbage collection method drives the finalize method of another of the plurality of software objects when a finalize exception has been generated.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the garbage collection method step i) includes the steps of:

1) determining whether one of the plurality of objects is out of scope; and

2) driving the finalize method of the determined one of the plurality of software objects.

14. A computer readable medium encoded with data instruction for clearing a runtime data area where a plurality of software objects store a variable in the runtime data area and each of the plurality of software objects has a finalize method, such that when executed by a device, the device is caused to perform processes comprising:

a) driving the finalize method of one of the plurality of software objects;

b) clearing the runtime area where the one of plurality of software objects variable was stored when the driven finalize method ends; and

c) driving the finalize method of another of the plurality of software objects when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period.

15. A computer readable medium encoded with data instruction for clearing a runtime data area where a plurality of software objects store a variable in the runtime data area and each of the plurality of software objects has a finalize method of claim 14, wherein the device is further caused to perform the step of marking the one of the plurality of objects as uncollectible when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period.

16. A computer readable medium encoded with data instruction for clearing a runtime data area where a plurality of software objects store a variable in the runtime data area and each of the plurality of software objects has a finalize method of claim 14, wherein the device is further caused to perform the steps of:

d) determining whether the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may be restarted when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period;

e) marking the one of the plurality of objects as uncollectible when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may not be restarted; and

f) re-queuing the one of the plurality of software objects for collection when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may be restarted.

17. A computer readable medium encoded with data instruction for clearing a runtime data area where a plurality of software objects store a variable in the runtime data area and each of the plurality of software objects has a finalize method of claim 14, wherein step c) comprises the steps of:

i) generating a finalize exception when the finalize method of one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period; and

ii) driving the finalize method of another of the plurality of software objects when a finalize exception has been generated.

18. A computer readable medium encoded with data instruction for clearing a runtime data area where a plurality of software objects store a variable in the runtime data area and each of the plurality of software objects has a finalize method of claim 17, wherein the device is further caused to perform the steps of:

d) determining whether the finalize method of one of the plurality of software objects may be restarted when a finalize exception has been generated;

e) marking the one of the plurality of objects as uncollectible when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may not be restarted; and

f) re-queuing the one of the plurality of software objects for collection when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may be restarted.

19. A computer readable medium encoded with data instruction for clearing a runtime data area where a plurality of software objects store a variable in the runtime data area and each of the plurality of software objects has a finalize method of claim 14, wherein step a) comprises the steps of:

1) determining whether one of the plurality of objects is out of scope; and

2) driving the finalize method of the determined one of the plurality of software objects.

20. A computer readable medium encoded with data instruction for clearing a runtime data area where a plurality of software objects store a variable in the runtime data area and each of the plurality of software objects has a finalize method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of software objects is a Java™

object.

21. An apparatus for clearing a runtime data area where a plurality of software objects store a variable in the runtime data area and each of the plurality of software objects has a finalize method, comprising:

a) means for driving the finalize method of one of the plurality of software objects;

b) means for clearing the runtime area where the one of plurality of software objects variable was stored when the driven finalize method ends; and

c) means for driving the finalize method of another of the plurality of software objects when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for marking the one of the plurality of objects as uncollectible when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

d) means for determining whether the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may be restarted when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period;

e) means for marking the one of the plurality of objects as uncollectible when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may not be restarted; and

f) means for re-queuing the one of the plurality of software objects for collection when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may be restarted.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein means for driving the finalize method of another of the plurality of software objects when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period includes:

i) generating a finalize exception when the finalize method of one of the plurality of software objects has not performed an operation for a predetermined time period; and

ii) driving the finalize method of another of the plurality of software objects when a finalize exception has been generated.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising:

d) means for determining whether the finalize method of one of the plurality of software objects may be restarted when a finalize exception has been generated;

e) means for marking the one of the plurality of objects as uncollectible when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may not be restarted; and

f) means for re-queuing the one of the plurality of software objects for collection when the finalize method of the one of the plurality of software objects may be restarted.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein means for driving the finalize method of one of the plurality of software objects comprises:

1) means for determining whether one of the plurality of objects is out of scope; and

2) means for driving the finalize method of the determined one of the plurality of software objects.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein at least one of the plurality of software objects is a Java™

object.