Methods, Systems and Computer Program Products for Scheduling Executions of Programs

• US 20090094541A1
• Filed: 12/10/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DataCloud Technologies, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Archeron Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Foulger, Michael G., Cooper, Jeremy S., Chipperfield, Thomas R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,156,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4881 Scheduling strategies for dispatcher, e.g. round robin, multi-level priority queues
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5044 considering hardware capabilities

Abstract

A distributed computing system includes at least first and second distinct computers each having a different operating system. First processes are compatible with the first operating system and second processes are compatible with the second operating system. A third scheduling computer, coupled to the first and second computer via a communication network, includes a scheduler for scheduling the first processes and the second processes to execute respectively on the first and second computers. The scheduler accesses a master schedule that defines an executing sequence of the first processes and the second processes. The master schedule can define conditional inter-relationships between the first processes and the second processes.

Claims

1. A method for scheduling executions of programs, comprising:

requesting a first computer to cause an execution of a first program, wherein the first computer has a first operating system;

receiving a result from the first computer, wherein the result is based upon the execution of the first program; and

requesting a second computer to cause an execution of a second program if the result meets a criterion, wherein the second computer has a second operating system and the second operating system is different from the first operating system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the result indicates that the execution of the first program was a success.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the result indicates the execution of the first program has occurred for a measure of time.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication that the first computer is ready to be scheduled for the execution of the first program.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the indication includes an identification of the first program.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the indication includes an identification of the first operating system.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising assigning an identification of the first program.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising displaying the indication.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising entering information to define the criterion.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting the second computer to cause the execution of the second program if the result meets the criterion comprises requesting the second computer to cause the execution of the second program if the result meets the criterion and if a priority of the second program is higher than a priority of a third program.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting the second computer to cause the execution of the second program if the result meets the criterion comprises requesting the second computer to cause the execution of the second program if the result meets the criterion and if a load of the second computer is less than a load of a third computer.

12. A system for scheduling executions of programs, comprising:

a memory configured to store a result from a first computer, wherein the result is based upon an execution of a first program, wherein the memory is independent of the first computer and a second computer; and

a processor configured to request the first computer to cause the execution of the first program and to request the second computer to cause an execution of a second program if the result meets a criterion, wherein the processor is independent of the first computer and the second computer, the first computer has a first operating system, the second computer has a second operating system, and the second operating system is different from the first operating system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the memory is further configured to store an indication that the first computer is ready to be scheduled for the execution of the first program.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to assign an identification of the first program.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a display configured to display the indication.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a user interface configured to allow a user to enter information to define the criterion.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to request the second computer to cause the execution of the second program if the result meets the criterion and if a priority of the second program is higher than a priority of a third program.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to request the second computer to cause the execution of the second program if the result meets the criterion and if a load of the second computer is less than a load of a third computer.

19. A system for scheduling executions of programs, comprising:

a memory configured to store a result from a first computer, wherein the result is based upon an execution of a first program, wherein the memory is independent of the first computer; and

a processor configured to request the first computer to cause the execution of the first program and to request the second computer to cause an execution of a second program if the result meets a criterion, wherein the processor is independent of the first computer, the first computer has a first operating system, the second computer has a second operating system, and the second operating system is different from the first operating system.

20. A system for scheduling executions of programs, comprising:

a memory configured to store a result from a first computer, wherein the result is based upon an execution of a first program, wherein the memory is independent of a second computer; and

a processor configured to request the first computer to cause the execution of the first program and to request the second computer to cause an execution of a second program if the result meets a criterion, wherein the processor is independent of the second computer, the first computer has a first operating system, the second computer has a second operating system, and the second operating system is different from the first operating system.

21. A system for scheduling executions of programs, comprising:

means for requesting a first computer to cause an execution of a first program, wherein the first computer has a first operating system;

means for receiving a result from the first computer, wherein the result is based upon the execution of the first program; and

means for requesting a second computer to cause an execution of a second program if the result meets a criterion, wherein the second computer has a second operating system and the second operating system is different from the first operating system.

22. A computer program product for scheduling executions of programs, the computer program product having a computer program code embodied in a computer-readable medium, the computer program code comprising:

a first program code for causing a processor to request a first computer to cause an execution of a first program, wherein the first computer has a first operating system;

a second program code for causing the processor to receive a result from the first computer, wherein the result is based upon the execution of the first program; and

a third program code for causing the processor to request a second computer to cause an execution of a second program if the result meets a criterion, wherein the second computer has a second operating system and the second operating system is different from the first operating system.