Method and apparatus for establishing communications sessions in a remote resource control environment

• US 5,652,908 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 07/29/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Douglas, Francis Archibald Brown, Glowny, David Andrew, Mastrangelo, Colette Anne, Mayer, Paul Melvin, Shier, Peter David, Shih, Jenngang, Smith, Robin
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DARBE, VALERIE A
• Application Number:
  US08/474,528
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 395/800, 395/200.01, 395/200.12, 395/182.01, 395/185.01, 364/268, 364/944.61
• US Class Current: 714/4.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/201 between storage system components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

A system for providing distributed control of a resource with centralized configuration management. A network of distributed workstations is provided for controlling a resource such as a large mainframe computer. Server workstations for applying control commands to the resource are attached to each resource, preferably through redundant connections. Remote client consoles are defined which may be connected to the server for control of that resource. Server and resource location and primary and fallback connection paths are maintained by a centralized control server. Upon client console request, the central control server causes the server workstation associated with a particular resource to establish a control session between the server and the client console. A record of each dynamic connection is maintained by the central control server. Upon failure of a client console, the server accesses central server fallback information and establishes a fallback connection with an operational client console. Failure of a server workstation causes the resource to establish a link with a backup server which is then able to recover all sessions with client consoles by accessing the dynamic configuration database of the central controller. Configuration data may be updated dynamically taking effect when the next request for establishment of a session is made. In an alternate embodiment, interprocess security is optionally implemented in control servers and hardware resource servers.

Claims

1. A method for recovering from a failure in a remote resource control environment wherein a resource is controlled by a resource server directed by a remote client, said remote client and said resource server being interconnected by a communications network, said method comprising the steps of:

maintaining fallback configuration data by specifying a fallback client from a control server, said fallback client and said control server being connected to said resource server via said network;

controlling and maintaining administration programs and other related data in a central control facility having direct access to said configuration data, said control facility being connected to said remote client and said fallback client and servers via said network;

detecting from said resource server the failure of a communications session between said resource server and said remote client;

in response to the detection of said session failure, transmitting a request for fallback configuration data specifying said fallback client from said resource server via said network to said control server;

accessing said fallback configuration data specifying said fallback client from said control server and transmitting said fallback configuration data via said network to said resource server; and

establishing a new communications session over said network with said fallback client from said resource server using said fallback configuration data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting an acknowledgment of said new communications session from said fallback client to said control server.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of updating said configuration data from said control server with information on said new communications session.

4. A method for recovering from a failure in a remote resource control environment wherein a resource is controlled by a primary resource server having a communications session with a client, said client and said primary resource server being interconnected by a communications network, said method comprising the steps of:

maintaining fallback configuration data from a control server, for a fallback resource server for said resource, said fallback resource server being connected to said client via said network and said control server being connected to said fallback resource server also via said network, said resource being controllable by said fallback resource server in the event of a failure in said primary resource server;

controlling and maintaining administration programs and other related data in a central control facility having control direct access to said configuration data, said control facility being connected to said remote client and said fallback client and servers via said network;

detecting from said resource a failure in said primary resource server;

in response to the detection of said failure in said primary resource server, transmitting a notification of said failure from said resource to said fallback resource server;

in response to receiving said notification, transmitting a request for fallback configuration data from said fallback resource server via said network to said control server;

accessing said fallback configuration data from said control server and transmitting said fallback configuration data via said network to said fallback resource server; and

initiating a new communications session over said network with said client from said fallback server using said fallback configuration data.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of transmitting an acknowledgment of said new communications session from said client to said control server.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of updating said configuration data from said control server with information on said new communications session.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein said primary resource server has communications sessions with a plurality of clients and wherein said fallback resource server initiates new communications sessions with each of said clients.

8. Apparatus for recovering from a failure in a remote resource control environment, said apparatus comprising:

at least one resource, said resource being controlled by a resource server directed by a remote client;

said remote client and said resource server being interconnected by a communications network;

a control server having means for maintaining fallback configuration data specifying a fallback client, said fallback client and control server being connected to said resource server via said network;

a central control facility for controlling and maintaining all administration programs and other related data pertaining to the operation of said environment, said central control facility having direct access to all configuration data;

said control facility being connected to said remote client, fallback client and said servers via said network;

means at said resource server for detecting the failure of a communications session between said resource server and said remote client;

means at said resource server responsive to the detection of said session failure for transmitting a request for fallback configuration data specifying said fallback client via said network to said control server;

means at said control server for accessing said fallback configuration data specifying said fallback client from and transmitting said fallback configuration data via said network to said resource server; and

means at said resource server for establishing a new communications session with said fallback client using said fallback configuration data.

9. Apparatus for recovering from a failure in a remote resource control environment wherein a resource is controlled by a primary resource server having a communications session with a client, said client and said primary resource server being interconnected by a communications network, said apparatus comprising:

a control server having means for maintaining fallback configuration data for a fallback resource server for said resource, said fallback resource server being connected to said client via said network and said control server also being connected to said fallback resource server via said network, said resource being controllable by said fallback resource server in the event of a failure in said primary resource server;

a central control facility for controlling and maintaining all administration programs and other related data directed pertaining to the operation of said environment, said central control facility having direct access to all configuration data;

said control facility being connected to said remote client, fallback client and said servers via said network;

means at said resource for detecting a failure in said primary resource server;

means at said resource responsive to the detection of said failure in said primary resource server for transmitting a notification of said failure from said resource to said fallback resource server;

means at said fallback resource server responsive to receiving said notification and transmitting a request for fallback configuration data via said network to said control server;

means at said control server for accessing said fallback configuration data and transmitting said fallback configuration data via said network to said fallback resource server; and

means at said fallback server for initiating a new communications session over said network with said client using said fallback configuration data.