System having arbitrary master computer for selecting server and switching server to another server when selected processor malfunctions based upon priority order in connection request

• US 5,526,492 A
• Filed: 12/23/1994
• Issued: 06/11/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishida, Atsunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEKY, MOUSTAFA M
• Application Number:
  US08/364,402
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200, 395/200.06, 395/200.03, 395/180, 395/375
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2023 Failover techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2025 using centralised failover control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2035 without idle spare hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/14 Handling requests for interconnection or transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/17 using an input/output type connection, e.g. channel, I/O port
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5021 Priority
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5027 the resource being a machine, e.g. CPUs, Servers, Terminals

Abstract

Computer resources of a plurality of computers are managed by a resource manager of a master computer, and allotment of a server for a connection request is determined based on these physical and logical resources managed by the resource manager. A loosely coupled computer system can be regarded as one node when viewed from another system. When one computer in the loosely coupled computer system malfunctions, it is automatically replaced with another computer.

Claims

1. A loosely coupled multiprocessor having a communication function with another computer system, and including a plurality of processors each having its own local memory, comprising:

resource management means for managing computer resources of said plurality of processors included in said loosely coupled multiprocessor;

communication control means for controlling connections between each of said plurality of processors and said another computer system;

server allotment means for, when said communication control means receives a connection request from said another computer system, selecting a processor serving as a server for the connection request from said plurality of processors on the basis of contents of the computer resources; and

means for designating one of said plurality of processors which has been started earliest among said plurality of processors as the master processor,

wherein said server allotment means selects one of a plurality of processors having a priority order as server candidates for the connection request,

wherein, when the server malfunctions, said server allotment means sequentially changes the processor selected as the server according to the priority order,

wherein the priority order of the selected processor is determined according to a connection request,

wherein an arbitrary one of said plurality of processors serves as a master computer, and comprises said resource management means and said server allotment means, and

wherein said master computer comprises means for informing, to the remaining processors, that it is the master computer.

2. The multiprocessor according to claim 1, wherein the processors other than the master computer comprise means for performing local resource management, and informing local resource data to the master computer.