Multiple computer system with redundancy architecture

• US 20080133692A1
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John M. Holt
• Original Assignee: John M. Holt
• Inventors: Holt, John M.
• Application Number:
  US11/973,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20080133692A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/212
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2023 Failover techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

An architecture for multiple computer systems which incorporates redundancy is disclosed. For each group of “n” first computers M1/1, M2/1, . . . Mn/1, a second “mirror” group of computers M1/2, M2/2 . . . Mn/2 is provided. Changes to the memory locations of each computer of the first group are communicated to the corresponding computers of the second group to update a replicated memory. Both distributed shared memory (DSM) and replicated shared memory (RSM) are disclosed.

Claims

1. A single computer adapted to operate in a multiple computer system that includes a first plurality of computers each interconnected via a communications network and a second like plurality of computers interconnected therewith, at least one memory location in each said second computer being a replica of a corresponding memory location in the corresponding first computer, and first updating means for transmitting changes to the contents or values of said memory locations in said first computers to the corresponding memory locations of said second computers;

said single computer comprising;

an independent local memory able to be updated via a communications port which is able to be connected to the communications network of said multiple computer system; and

second updating means connected to said communication port so that changes to the contents or values of said memory locations of said single computer are able to be transmitted to the communications port of a like computer comprising a corresponding second computer of the multiple computer system.

2. In a single computer adapted to operate in a multiple computer system that includes a first plurality of computers each interconnected via a communications network and a second like plurality of computers interconnected therewith, at least one memory location in each said second computer being a replica of a corresponding memory location in the corresponding first computer, a method comprising:

identifying changes or updates to the contents or values of said memory locations in said first computers;

transmitting said changes or updates in said first computers to the corresponding memory locations of said second computers; and

updating an independent local memory via a communications port which is able to be connected to the communications network of said multiple computer system; and

transmitting changes to the contents or values of said memory locations of said single computer to a another one of said plurality of computers.

3. A multiple computer system comprising:

a first plurality of computers each of which is connected to each other by means of a communications network;

a second like plurality of computers each of which is connected to each other by means of said communications network; and

a substantially direct communications link between each of said first computers and the corresponding second computer.

5. The multiple computer system as in claim 3, and comprising a replicated memory system.

6. The multiple computer system as in claim 3, and comprising a partial or hybrid replicated memory system.

4. The multiple computer system as in claim 8, wherein at least some memory locations in each of said first computers, are replicated in the corresponding one of said second computers.