Interprocess message passing method in a distributed digital data system

• US 5,261,096 A
• Filed: 03/01/1991
• Issued: 11/09/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bull HN Information Systems Incorporated (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Bull HN Information Systems Incorporated (Atos SE)
• Inventors: Howarth, David I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Heckler, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US07/662,855
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 364/DIG. 1, 371/8.2, 371/11.2, 371/11.3, 395/200, 395/325, 395/575, 395/650
• US Class Current: 709/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/042 comprising distributed management centres cooperatively managing the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass networks security protocols H04L9/40; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

In a distributed data system serving a large geographical area and having several network management systems, each for managing system components in a portion of the geographical area, the system including a number of workstations at which administrative commands for configuring or monitoring the network may be entered, each network management system and each workstation hosting a number of software processes, a method is provided of routing messages to processes as a function of the process name and the portion of the geographical area in which it has effect. This method facilitates reconfiguring network management systems to take over the functions of a failed network management system in a manner transparent to operators and administrators at workstations.

Claims

1. In a distributed digital data system including

a communication network;

a plurality of data terminals geographically distributed throughout the area served by said system and operatively connected to the communication network;

a plurality of control computers geographically distributed throughout the area served by said system and operatively connected to the communication network;

a plurality of software processes running in each control computer for monitoring the system or controlling parameters of the system;

a method of passing messages among the processes comprising the steps of;

providing a routing table in each control computer specifying the addresses of processes in terms of an identification of the control computer at which a process resides;

propagating said routing table address of each process to all the routing tables;

forwarding a message originated by any process to another process at the address specified in the routing table in the control computer where an originating process resides; and

in the event that a system monitoring process running in a first of said control computers detects that a second of said control computers has become inoperative;

in the routing table of one of said remaining operative control computers, altering the addresses of processes resident in said second control computer to identify said one remaining operative control computer, and

propagating said altered routing table addresses to the other routing tables.

2. In a distributed digital data system including

a communication network;

a plurality of data terminals geographically distributed throughout the area served by said system and operatively connected to the communication network;

a plurality of control computers geographically distributed throughout the area served by said system and operatively connected to the communication network;

a plurality of software processes running in each control computer for monitoring the system or controlling parameters of the system;

a plurality of workstations coupled to each control computer,

a plurality of software processes running in each workstation for monitoring the system or controlling parameters of the system;

a method of passing messages among the processes comprising the steps of;

providing a routing table in each control computer and each workstation specifying the addresses of processes in terms of an identification of the control computer at which a process resides;

propagating said routing table address of each process to all the routing tables;

forwarding a message originated by any process to another process at the address specified in the routing table in the control computer or workstation where an originating process resides; and

in the event that a system monitoring process running in a first of said control computers detects that a workstation coupled thereto or that a second of said control computers has become inoperative;

in the routing table of one of said remaining operative workstations or control computers, altering the addresses of processes resident in said inoperative workstation or second control computer to identify said one remaining operative workstation or control computer, and

propagating said altered routing table addresses to the other routing tables.

3. In a distributed digital data system including

a communication network;

a plurality of data terminals geographically distributed throughout the area served by said system and operatively connected to the communication network;

a plurality of control computers geographically distributed throughout the area served by said system and operatively connected to the communication network;

a plurality of software processes running in each control computer for monitoring the system or controlling parameters of the system;

a method of passing messages among the processes comprising the steps of;

providing a distributed interprocess message service (IPMS) program in each of said control computers, each IPMS program including a routing table specifying the addresses of processes in terms of an identification of the control computer at which a process resides;

propagating said routing table address of each process to be routing table of all IPMS programs;

forwarding a message originated by any process to another process at the address specified in the routing table in the control computer where an originating process resides; and

in the event that a system monitoring process running in a first of said control computers detects that a second of said control computers has become inoperative;

in the routing table of one of said remaining operative control computers, altering the addresses of processes resident in said second control computer to identify said one remaining operative control computer, and

propagating said altered routing table addresses to the other routing tables.