Network System, Management Computer, Cluster Management Method, and Computer Program

• US 20080320138A1
• Filed: 08/01/2005
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wada, Shinya
• Granted Patent: US 8,775,622 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/505 Clust
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing

Abstract

There is provided a network system capable of effectively executing a process of submitted jobs, the size, the type, and the number of which are expected to change every moment. A management computer manages connection enabled/disabled information indicating whether a computer under its control can be connected to another computer and easiness information indicating the easiness of the connection with the another computer. The management computer searches for a computer whose latest connection enabled/disabled information managed by a local and another management computer indicates the connection enabled state and according to the easiness information on the computer specified, forms a cluster including the specified computer. The management computer updates the connection enabled/disabled information on the computer clustered, to the connection disabled state and upon completion of execution of the job, returns the connection enabled/disabled information on all the computers belonging to the cluster to the state before formation of the cluster.

Claims

1. A network system, which can be freely joined and left by a plurality of computers each of which is capable of being clustered with another computer, the network system comprising:

a first table for storing clustering enabled/disabled information indicating whether a state of each computer is a clustering enabled state; and

a second table for storing addition easiness information indicating a degree of easiness in adding another computer to a cluster which has already been formed by one or a plurality of computers,

wherein one of the computers includes cluster forming means for forming a cluster including the computer itself and another computer indicated as being under the clustering enabled state by the clustering enabled/disabled information on the first table, and updating the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer included in the formed cluster to information indicating a clustering disabled state, and storing the addition easiness information on the formed cluster on the second table, and

wherein the computer that formed the cluster includes cluster growing means for, when a candidate computer that is a candidate for addition to the cluster exists, determining whether the candidate computer is to be added to the cluster according to the addition easiness information recorded on the second table.

2. A network system according to claim 1, wherein the computer that formed the cluster further includes cluster erasing means for, upon completion of execution of a job by the cluster, erasing the cluster and returning the addition easiness information recorded on the second table and the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer, which belonged to the erased cluster, recorded on the first table to states before the formation of the cluster.

3. A network system according to claim 1,

wherein the addition easiness information is a numeric value obtained by quantifying a degree of easiness of the addition, and

wherein the cluster growing means increases the easiness degree of the addition of the candidate computer to the cluster as the numeric value increases.

4. A network system according to claim 3, wherein the cluster growing means maintains the numeric value at a constant value regardless of the addition of the candidate computer.

5. A network system according to claim 3, wherein the cluster growing means sets the numeric value variable after the numeric value has been recorded on the second table.

6. A network system according to claim 5, wherein the cluster growing means causes the numeric value to vary with the addition of the candidate computer to the cluster as a trigger.

7. A network system, which can be freely joined and left by a plurality of management computers each of which controls one or a plurality of computers, each capable of being clustered with another computer, as a computer or computers which belong to the management computer, the network system comprising:

a first table for storing clustering enabled/disabled information indicating whether a state of each computer is a clustering enabled state; and

a second table for storing addition easiness information indicating a degree of easiness in adding another computer to a cluster which has already been formed by one or a plurality of computers,

wherein at least one management computer includes cluster forming means for forming a cluster including a computer under its control and a computer controlled by another management computer indicated as being under the clustering enabled state by the clustering enabled/disabled information on the first table, and updating the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer included in the formed cluster to information indicating a clustering disabled state, and

wherein the management computer that formed the cluster includes cluster growing means for, when a candidate computer that is a candidate for addition exists, determining whether the candidate computer is to be added to the cluster according to the addition easiness information recorded on the second table.

8. A network system according to claim 7, wherein the management computer that formed the cluster further includes cluster erasing means for, upon completion of execution of a job by the cluster, erasing the cluster and returning the addition easiness information recorded on the second table and the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer, which belonged to the erased cluster, recorded on the first table to states before the formation of the cluster.

9. A network system according to claim 8, wherein one of the management computers holds at least one second table, the maximum number of which is the number of computers under its control.

10. A network system according to claim 9,

wherein each second table includes at least one of a master table and a slave table, the master table being, when a management computer holding the second table forms a first cluster including a first computer under its control, generated for the first computer, and the slave table being, when the management computer holding the second table supervises and controls an operation of a second computer under its control added to a second cluster formed by another management computer, generated for the second computer,

wherein the addition easiness information is recorded on the master table, and

wherein the management computer holding the master table acts as a master management computer for initiatively performing information processing concerning the formation of the first cluster, changing of a number of computers in the first cluster, and erasing of the first cluster, while the management computer holding the slave table acts as a slave management computer with respect to the second cluster.

11. A network system according to claim 10, wherein the master management computer includes search means for searching for a candidate computer for addition to the first cluster by inquiring of a management computer whether a computer under a clustering enabled state exists.

12. A network system according to claim 10, wherein one of the management computers determines, according to the addition easiness information on the first cluster formed by the master management computer, whether a candidate computer under its control is to be added to the first cluster.

13. A network system according to claim 10,

wherein the addition easiness information is a numeric value obtained by quantifying a degree of easiness of the addition of the candidate computer to the first cluster, and

wherein the cluster growing means of the master management computer increases the easiness degree of the addition of the candidate computer to the first cluster as the numeric value increases.

14. A network system according to claim 13, wherein the cluster growing means maintains the numeric value at a constant value regardless of the addition of the candidate computer.

15. A network system according to claim 13, wherein the cluster growing means sets the numeric value variable after the numeric value has been recorded on the second table.

16. A network system according to claim 15, wherein the cluster growing means causes the numeric value to vary with the addition of the candidate computer to the first cluster as a trigger.

17. A network system, which can be freely joined and left by a plurality of computers each of which is capable of being clustered with another computer, the network system comprising a table on which, for each cluster that has already been formed by one or a plurality of computers, identification information of another cluster associated with a computer belonging to the cluster has been listed up, wherein one of the computers that formed a cluster includes cluster growing means for, when a candidate computer that is a candidate for addition exists, determining whether the candidate computer is to be added to another cluster associated with the formed cluster according to the identification information listed up on the table.

18. A network system according to claim 17, wherein an associated cluster having higher relationship with processing that the formed cluster executes is listed up on the table with a higher priority for the addition of the candidate computer.

19. A network system according to claim 17, further comprising a first table for storing clustering enabled/disabled information indicating whether a state of each computer is a clustering enabled state, wherein one of the computers includes cluster forming means for forming a cluster including the computer itself and another computer indicated as being under the clustering enabled state by the clustering enabled/disabled information on the first table and updating the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer included in the formed cluster to information indicating a clustering disabled state.

20. A management computer, which controls one or a plurality of computers, each capable of being clustered with another computer, as a computer or computers which belong to the management computer, the management computer comprising:

network connecting means for establishing connection to a computer network that the management computer is capable of freely joining and leaving together with another management computer having the same type of function;

table managing means for enabling access to a first table for storing clustering enabled/disabled information indicating whether a state of each computer is a clustering enabled state and a second table for storing addition easiness information indicating a degree of easiness in adding another computer to a cluster which has already been formed by one or a plurality of computers;

cluster forming means for forming a cluster including one of the computers under its control and one of the computers controlled by another management computer indicated as being under the clustering enabled state by the clustering enabled/disabled information on the first table, updating the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer included in the formed cluster to information indicating a clustering disabled state, and storing the addition easiness information on the cluster on the second table; and

cluster growing means for, when a candidate computer that is a candidate for addition exists, determining whether the candidate computer is to be added to the cluster according to the addition easiness information recorded on the second table.

21. A management computer according to claim 20, further comprising cluster erasing means for, upon completion of execution of a job by the formed cluster, erasing the cluster and returning the addition easiness information recorded on the second table and the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer, which belonged to the erased cluster, recorded on the first table to states before the formation of the cluster.

22. A cluster management method for use in a network system which can be freely joined and left by a plurality of computers each of which is capable of being clustered with another computer, the cluster management method comprising the steps of:

storing, by each computer, on a first table, clustering enabled/disabled information indicating whether its state is a clustering enabled state;

forming, by one of the computers, a cluster including the computer and another computer indicated as being under the clustering enabled state by the clustering enabled/disabled information on the first table;

updating, by the computer, the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer included in the formed cluster to information indicating a clustering disabled state;

storing, by the computer, addition easiness information indicating a degree of easiness in adding another computer to the cluster on a second table; and

determining, when a candidate computer that is a candidate for addition exists, whether the candidate computer is to be added to the cluster according to the addition easiness information recorded on the second table.

23. A cluster management method according to claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

erasing, by the computer that formed the cluster, the cluster upon completion of execution of a job by the cluster; and

returning, by the computer, the addition easiness information recorded on the second table and the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer, which belonged to the erased cluster, recorded on the first table to states before the formation of the cluster.

24. A cluster management method for use in a network system which can be freely joined and left by a plurality of computers each of which is capable of being clustered with another computer, the cluster management method comprising the steps of:

listing up, by a computer that formed a cluster alone or together with another computer, on a predetermined table, identification information of another cluster associated with a computer belonging to the cluster; and

determining, by the computer that formed the cluster, when a candidate computer that is a candidate for addition exists, whether the candidate computer is to be added to another cluster associated with the cluster according to the identification information recorded on the table.

25. A computer program, which is read and executed by a computer included in a network system which can be freely joined and left by a plurality of computers each of which is capable of being clustered with another computer, the computer program causing the computer to function as:

table managing means for enabling access to a first table for storing clustering enabled/disabled information indicating whether a state of each computer is a clustering enabled state and a second table for storing addition easiness information indicating a degree of easiness in adding another computer to a cluster which has already been formed by one or a plurality of computers;

cluster forming means for forming a cluster including the computer itself and another computer indicated as being under the clustering enabled state by the clustering enabled/disabled information on the first table, updating the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer included in the formed cluster on the first table to information indicating a clustering disabled state, and storing the addition easiness information on the cluster on the second table; and

cluster growing means for, when a candidate computer that is a candidate for addition exists, determining whether the candidate computer is to be added to the cluster according to the addition easiness information recorded on the second table.

26. A computer program, which is read and executed by a management computer that controls one or a plurality of computers, each capable of being clustered with another computer, as a computer or computers which belong to the management computer, the computer program causing the management computer to function as:

network connecting means for establishing connection to a computer network that the management computer is capable of freely joining and leaving together with another management computer having the same type of function;

table managing means for enabling access to a first table for storing clustering enabled/disabled information indicating whether a state of each computer is a clustering enabled state and a second table for storing addition easiness information indicating a degree of easiness in adding another computer to a cluster which has already been formed by one or a plurality of computers;

cluster forming means for forming a cluster including the computer under its control and the computer controlled by another management computer indicated as being under the clustering enabled state by the clustering enabled/disabled information on the first table, updating the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer included in the formed cluster to information indicating a clustering disabled state, and storing the addition easiness information on the cluster on the second table; and

cluster growing means for, when a candidate computer that is a candidate for addition exists, determining whether the candidate computer is to be added to the cluster according to the addition easiness information recorded on the second table.

27. A computer program, which is read and executed by a computer included in a network system which can be freely joined and left by a plurality of computers each of which is capable of being clustered with another computer, the computer program causing the computer to function as:

cluster managing means for, when a cluster has already been formed by one or a plurality of computers, listing up identification information of another cluster associated with a computer belonging to the cluster on a predetermined table; and

cluster growing means for, when a candidate computer that is a candidate for addition exists, determining whether the candidate computer is to be added to another cluster associated with the formed cluster according to the identification information listed up on the table.