Management method for a multiprocessor system

• US 5,692,119 A
• Filed: 04/08/1992
• Issued: 11/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Hayashi, Toyojiro, Koguchi, Yukio, Suzuki, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Kriess, Kevin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Banankhah, Majid A.
• Application Number:
  US07/865,330
• Time in Patent Office: 2,057 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200, 364/132, 364/228.3, 364/228.1, 395/650, 395/700, 395/182.02, 395/183.01, 395/183.17, 395/182.11, 370/85.1
• US Class Current: 714/4.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/202 where processing functionality is redundant redundant communication control functionality G06F11/2005, redundant storage control functionality G06F11/2089
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2025 using centralised failover control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2736 using a dedicated service processor for test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5077 Logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources specific details on emulation or internal functioning of virtual machines G06F9/455

Abstract

The number of instruction processors to be independently allocated to each supervisor is limited to a level at which the performance of the tightly coupled multiprocessor system is not deteriorated. A plurality of independent tightly coupled multiprocessor systems comprising these supervisors and a plurality of instruction processors are provided to improve their processing capacity. Since the existence of a plurality of supervisors complicates the management of these supervisors, a supervisor for a total managing service to which separate instruction processors are independently allocated is provided. This supervisor for a total managing service executes initialization and termination of the supervisors and monitoring of a fault, to thereby integrally manage the plurality of supervisors and the on-line control programs under their control. The supervisor manages the resources such as the main storage, the instruction processor and the input/output processors to utilize or manage the CPU'"'"'s through the management terminals. The supervisor for total managing service, or operation supervisor, manages the status or faults of the supervisor and on-line control programs and provides change-over commands for the on-line control programs.

Claims

1. A multiprocessor control method for controlling a multiprocessor system, wherein said multiprocessor system comprises:

a current multiprocessor system, including;

a plurality of first processors on which a current supervisor and at least one online system are executed, said at least one online system being a program for executing transaction processings under control of said current supervisor, and

at least a second processor on which a current management supervisor is executed, said current management supervisor being a program for controlling start operation of said current supervisor and for detecting a fault in said current supervisor;

a stand-by multiprocessor system including;

a plurality of third processors on which a stand-by supervisor and at least one stand-by online system are executed, said at least one stand-by online system being a program for executing transaction processings under control of said stand-by supervisor, and

at least a fourth processor on which a stand-by management supervisor is executed, said stand-by management supervisor being a program for controlling start operation of said stand-by supervisor and for detecting a fault in said stand-by supervisor, and

a transmission path for connecting said current multiprocessor system with said stand-by multiprocessor system,

wherein said multiprocessor control method comprises the steps of;

detecting, in said stand-by management supervisor, a fault in said current management supervisor;

starting, by said stand-by management supervisor, said stand-by supervisor when said stand-by management supervisor detects a fault in said current management supervisor; and

starting, by said stand-by supervisor, said stand-by online system to execute said transaction processings.

2. A multiprocessor control method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

detecting in said current management supervisor a fault occurring in said current supervisor;

informing said stand-by management supervisor of a fault when said current management supervisor detects said fault occurring in said current supervisor;

causing said stand-by supervisor to start, by said stand-by management supervisor; and

causing said stand-by online system to start, by said stand-by supervisor, thereby starting the processings in said stand-by online system.

3. A multiprocessor control method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

detecting, in said current supervisor, a fault occurring in said current online system;

informing said current management supervisor of a fault when said current supervisor detects said fault occurring in said current online system;

informing said stand-by management supervisor of said fault when said current supervisor detects said fault occurring in said current online system;

causing said stand-by supervisor to start, by said stand-by management supervisor; and

causing said stand-by online system to start, by said stand-by supervisor, thereby starting the processings in said stand-by multiprocessor system.

4. A multiprocessor system comprising:

a current multiprocessor system including;

a plurality of first processors for operating thereon a current supervisor and at least one online system which executes transaction processings under control of said current supervisor, and

at least a second processor for operating thereon a current management supervisor which executes start operation of said current supervisor and detects a fault in said current supervisor,

a stand-by multiprocessor system including;

a plurality of third processors for operating thereon a stand-by supervisor and at least a stand-by online system which executes transaction processings under control of said supervisor, and

at least a fourth processor for operating thereon a stand-by management supervisor which executes start operation of said stand-by supervisor and detects a fault in said stand-by supervisor, and

a transmission path for connecting said current multiprocessor system with said stand-by multiprocessor system.

5. A multiprocessor system according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of first processors and said second processor are loosely coupled.

6. A multiprocessor system according to claim 4, wherein said stand-by management supervisor detects a fault in said current management supervisor and starts said stand-by management supervisor when said stand-by management supervisor detects a fault in said current management supervisor, and wherein said stand-by supervisor starts said stand-by online system to execute said transaction processings.

7. A multiprocessor system according to claim 4, wherein said current management supervisor detects a fault occurring in said current supervisor and informs said stand-by management supervisor when said current management supervisor detects said fault occurred in said current supervisor, and wherein said stand-by management supervisor causes said stand-by supervisor to start and said stand-by supervisor causes said stand-by online system to start.

8. A multiprocessor system according to claim 4, wherein said current supervisor detects a fault in said current online system, informs said current management supervisor when said current supervisor detects a fault occurring in said current online system, wherein said current management supervisor informs said stand-by management supervisor of said fault when said current supervisor detects said fault occurring in said current online system, wherein said stand-by management supervisor causes said stand-by supervisor to start, and wherein said stand-by supervisor causes said stand-by online system to start, thereby starting the processings in said stand-by multiprocessor system.