System and method for allowing disparate naming service providers to dynamically join a naming federation

• US 5,745,683 A
• Filed: 07/05/1995
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Rosanna K., Vasudevan, Rangaswamy
• Primary Examiner(s): AN, MENG AI T
• Application Number:
  US08/498,155
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 395/800, 395/200.16, 395/619, 395/200.01, 395/200.03, 395/200.09, 395/200.2, 395/200.3, 395/200.31, 395/200.33, 395/200.47, 395/200.48, 395/200.49, 395/200.55, 395/200.75, 395/200.8
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers

Abstract

The present invention provides an improved Federated Naming Framework System which includes a Federated Naming Service Provider Interface ("FN SPI") for four (4) kinds of Name Services (Atomic Name, Compound Name, Partial Composite Name and Composite Name) along with a mechanism, designated the "FN Framework", which sits between the Client application and these Name Services and supports the translation and administration of calls for resolution of composite names to allow Client applications to make appropriate use of the available FN SPIs (there may be more than one FN SPI in any given system). The improved Federated Naming Framework System provides mechanisms to define and process strong and weak separation in the determination of naming system boundaries. Moreover, the present invention allows system implementors to install new naming services either statically or dynamically without disruption of the Client applications.

Claims

1. A Federated Naming Framework System for use in a distributed computer system, having at least one computer having a central processing unit, a memory, a display and an input/output mechanism, to provide an interface system between a client application configured to use a composite name spanning two or more naming systems and at least one naming service mechanism for use in resolving the composite name, said Federated Naming Framework System comprising:

a federated naming framework mechanism in a computer memory, coupled to said client application and configured to resolve a composite name, received from a client application, of an object by use of a naming service mechanism; and

one or more naming service mechanisms configured to conform to a federated naming service provider interface type and coupled to the federated naming framework mechanism;

the one or more naming service mechanism configured to indicate support for strong or weak separation in said one or more respective naming systems,

in which additional naming service mechanisms can be made available to a client application without interruption of service provided by the federated naming framework mechanisms.

2. The Federated Naming Framework System of claim 1 wherein said naming service mechanism is located by the federated naming framework mechanism by use of a constructor mechanism.

3. The Federated Naming Framework System of claim 1 wherein the federated naming framework mechanism uses a context handle provided by the client application to identify a related context implementation and to determine which federated naming service provider interface this context implementation supports.

4. The Federated Naming Framework System of claim 1 wherein said naming service provider interface type is configured to communicate with an atomic naming service provider.

5. The Federated Naming Framework System of claim 1 wherein said naming service provider interface type is configured to communicate with a compound naming service provider.

6. The Federated Naming Framework System of claim 1 wherein said naming service provider interface type is configured to communicate with a partial composite naming service provider.

7. The Federated Naming Framework System of claim 1 wherein said naming service provider interface type is configured to communicate with a composite naming service provider.

8. The Federated Naming Framework System of claim 1 wherein said naming service provider interface type is configured to communicate with a compound naming service provider and an atomic naming service provider.

9. The Federated Naming Framework System of claim 1 wherein said naming service provider interface type is configured to communicate with a partial composite naming service provider and a compound naming service provider.

10. The Federated Naming Framework System of claim 1 wherein said naming service provider interface type is configured to communicate with a partial composite naming service provider and a compound naming service provider and an atomic naming service provider.

11. An improved method for resolving a composite name of an object, the composite name used by a client application in a distributed computer system, having at least one computer having a central processing unit, a memory, a display and an input/output mechanism, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a federated naming framework mechanism in a computer memory, configured to be callable by the client application and configured to resolve the composite name of the object by use of a naming service mechanism, the naming service mechanism comprising a context implementation conforming to a designated federated naming service provider interface;

under computer control, the client application calling the federated naming framework mechanism, the client application supplying inputs comprising a context handle, a composite name, a designated operation to be performed and one or more arguments required by the operation;

the federated naming framework mechanism using the context handle to load a context implementation pointed to by the context handle and determining which federated naming service provider interface the context implementation supports;

the federated naming framework mechanism invoking a first operation appropriate to a naming service provider interface supported by the context implementation and appropriate to the designated operation called by the client application, the first operation invoked on the context implementation,

the context implementation returning results of the invoked first operation and returning a status value to the federated naming framework mechanism;

if the status value indicates that the first operation either succeeded, thereby having resolved the composite name, or could not be continued, the federated naming framework mechanism returning the results of the first operation to the client application; and

if the status value indicates that the operation should be continued, the federated naming framework mechanism continues to process a remainder of the composite name based on the status information returned.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the federated naming framework mechanism using the context handle to load a context implementation pointed to by the context handle and determining which federated naming service provider interface the context implementation supports comprises the additional steps of:

determining that the federated naming service provider interface supported is a Compound Name service provider interface;

determining which part of the composite name supplied by the client application is to be processed by a context implementation related to the Compound Name service provider interface by the following steps;

if the context implementation related to the Compound Name service provider interface supports strong separation then using a first component of the composite name as a designated part of the composite name supplied by the client application is to be processed;

if the context implementation related to the Compound Name service provider interface supports static weak separation then using a parse-component mechanism supplied by the context implementation related to the Compound Name service provider interface to extract initial components of the composite name that belong to a naming system supported by the context implementation related to the Compound Name service provider interface, which initial components are to be used as the designated part of the composite name supplied by the client application is to be processed; and

if the context implementation related to the Compound Name service provider interface supports dynamic weak separation then using the entire composite name as the designated part of the composite name supplied by the client application is to be processed.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the federated naming framework mechanism using the context handle to load a context implementation pointed to by the context handle and determining which federated naming service provider interface the context implementation supports comprises the additional steps of:

determining that the federated naming service provider interface supported is a Composite Name service provider interface; and

using the entire composite name as the designated part of the composite name supplied by the client application which is to be processed by the context implementation.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the federated naming framework mechanism using the context handle to load a context implementation pointed to by the context handle and determining which federated naming service provider interface the context implementation supports comprises the additional steps of:

determining that the federated naming service provider interface supported is a Partial Name service provider interface; and

using the entire composite name as the designated part of the composite name supplied by the client application which is to be processed by the context implementation.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the federated naming framework mechanism using the context handle to load a context implementation pointed to by the context handle and determining which federated naming service provider interface the context implementation supports comprises the additional steps of:

determining that the federated naming service provider interface supported is an Atomic Name service provider interface;

determining which part of the composite name supplied by the client application is to be processed by a context implementation related to the Atomic Name service provider interface by the following steps;

if the context implementation related to the Atomic Name service provider interface supports strong separation then using a parse-atomic-component mechanism supplied by the context implementation related to the Atomic Name service provider interface to extract a first atomic component (head) from a first component of the composite name as a designated part of the composite name supplied by the client application which is to be processed;

if the context implementation related to the Atomic Name service provider interface supports static weak separation then using a parse-component mechanism supplied by the context implementation related to the Atomic Name service provider interface to extract an ordered list of initial components of the composite name that belong to a naming system supported by the context implementation related to the Atomic Name service provider interface, and from this ordered list of initial components, extract a first component to be used as the designated part of the composite name supplied by the client application which is to be processed; and

if the context implementation related to the Atomic Name service provider interface supports dynamic weak separation then using the entire composite name as the designated part of the composite name supplied by the client application which is to be processed.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein said naming service provider interface mechanism is further configured to communicate with one or more naming services.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein said naming service provider interface mechanism is further configured to communicate with a compound naming service provider and an atomic naming service provider.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein said naming service provider interface mechanism is further configured to communicate with a partial composite naming service provider and a compound naming service provider.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein said naming service provider interface mechanism is further configured to communicate with a partial composite naming service provider and a compound naming service provider and an atomic naming service provider.

20. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code mechanisms embodied therein configured to resolve a composite name of an object called by a client application, the composite name spanning two or more naming systems, the computer readable program code mechanisms in said computer program product comprising;

computer readable code mechanisms configured to accept a call from the client application to resolve the composite name by a federated naming framework mechanism, configured to further use a naming service mechanism to perform a name resolution;

computer readable code mechanisms configured to contain one or more naming service mechanism which conform to a federated naming service provider interface wherein the one or more naming service mechanisms have no direct connection to the client application; and

computer readable code mechanisms configured to cause the one or more naming service mechanisms to indicate support for strong or weak separation in said one or more their respective naming systems.

21. The computer program product of claim 20 wherein the naming service mechanism to be connected to the federated naming framework mechanism is located by the federated naming framework mechanism by use of a constructor mechanism.

22. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code mechanisms embodied therein configured to resolve a composite name of an object called by a client application, the computer readable program code mechanisms in said computer program product comprising;

computer readable code mechanisms configured to accept a call from the client application to resolve the composite name by a federated naming framework mechanism, configured to further use one or more naming service mechanisms to perform a name resolution, said one or more naming service mechanisms located by use of a constructor mechanism; and

computer readable code mechanisms configured to cause the one or more naming service mechanisms each of which provides a naming service, to be configured to conform to a federated naming service provider interface and to indicate support for strong or weak separation in said one or more respective naming systems;

in which additional naming service mechanism can be made available to a client application without interruption of service provided by the federal naming framework mechanisms.

23. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code mechanisms embodied therein configured to resolve a composite name of an object called by a client application, the computer readable program code mechanisms in said computer program product comprising;

computer readable code mechanisms configured to accept a call from the client application to resolve the composite name by a federated naming framework mechanism, configured to further use one or more naming service mechanisms to perform a name resolution, said one or more naming service mechanisms located by use of a constructor mechanism; and

computer readable code mechanisms configured to cause the naming service mechanisms to be connected to the federated naming framework mechanism in accordance with a federated naming service provider interface wherein a new naming service mechanism can be connected to the federated naming framework mechanism without impact to the client application.

24. The computer program product in claim 23 wherein the federated naming framework mechanism locates the one or more naming service mechanisms to perform a name resolution by use of a constructor mechanism.

25. A method for resolving a composite name of an object, the composite name used by a client application in a distributed computer system, having at least one computer having a central processing unit, a memory, a display and an input/output mechanism, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a federated naming framework mechanism in the computer memory, configured to be callable by the client application and configured to resolve the composite name of the object by use of a naming service mechanism, the naming service mechanism comprising a context implementation conforming to a designated federated naming service provider interface;

providing a process to allow the client application to call the federated naming framework mechanism, the client application supplying inputs comprising a context handle, a composite name, a designated operation to be performed and one or more arguments required by the operation;

providing a process to allow the federated naming framework mechanism to use the context handle to load a context implementation pointed to by the context handle and to determine which federated naming service provider interface the context implementation supports;

providing a process to allow the federated naming framework mechanism to invoke a first operation appropriate to a naming service provider interface supported by the context implementation and appropriate to the designated operation called by the client application, the first operation to be invoked on the context implementation,

providing a process to allow the context implementation to return the results of the invoked first operation and to return a status value to the federated naming framework mechanism;

if the status value indicates that the first operation either succeeded, thereby having resolved the composite name, or could not be continued, providing a process to allow the federated naming framework mechanism to return the results of the first operation to the client application, and

if the status value indicates that the first operation should be continued, providing a process to allow the federated naming framework mechanism to continue processing a remainder of the composite name.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of providing a process to allow the federated naming framework mechanism to use the context handle to load a context implementation pointed to by the context handle and to determine which federated naming service provider interface the context implementation supports comprises the additional steps of:

providing a process to determine that the federated naming service provider interface supported is a Composite Name service provider interface; and

providing a process to use the entire composite name as the designated part of the composite name supplied by the client application to be processed.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of providing a process to allow the federated naming framework mechanism to use the context handle to load a context implementation pointed to by the context handle and to determine which federated naming service provider interface the context implementation supports comprises the additional steps of:

providing a process to determine that the federated naming service provider interface supported is a Partial Composite Name service provider interface;

providing a process to use the entire composite name as the designated part of the composite name supplied by the client application to be processed.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of providing a process to allow the federated naming framework mechanism to use the context handle to load a context implementation pointed to by the context handle and to determine which federated naming service provider interface the context implementation supports comprises the additional steps of:

providing a process to determine that the federated naming service provider interface supported is a Compound Name service provider interface;

providing a mechanism to determine which part of the composite name supplied by the client application is to be processed by a context implementation related to the Compound Name service provider interface by the following steps;

if the context implementation related to the Compound Name service provider interface supports strong separation then using a first component of the composite name as a designated part of the composite name supplied by the client application to be processed;

if the context implementation related to the Compound Name service provider interface supports static weak separation then using a parse-component mechanism supplied by the context implementation related to the Compound Name service provider interface to extract initial components of the composite name that belong to a naming system supported by the context implementation related to the Compound Name service provider interface, which initial components are to be used as the designated part of the composite name supplied by the client application to be processed; and

if the context implementation related to the Compound Name service provider interface supports dynamic weak separation then using the entire composite name as the designated part of the composite name supplied by the client application to be processed.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of providing a process to allow the federated naming framework mechanism to use the context handle to load a context implementation pointed to by the context handle and to determine which federated naming service provider interface the context implementation supports comprises the additional steps of:

providing a process to determine that the federated naming service provider interface supported is a Atomic Name service provider interface;

providing a mechanism to determine which part of the composite name supplied by the client application is to be processed by a context implementation related to the Atomic Name service provider interface by the following steps;

if the context implementation related to the Atomic Name service provider interface supports strong separation then using a parse-atomic-component mechanism supplied by the context implementation related to the Atomic Name service provider interface to extract a first atomic component (head) from a first component of the composite name as a designated part of the composite name supplied by the client application which is to be processed;

if the context implementation related to the Atomic Name service provider interface supports static weak separation then using a parse-component mechanism supplied by the context implementation related to the Atomic Name service provider interface to extract an ordered list of initial components of the composite name that belong to a naming system supported by the context implementation related to the Atomic Name service provider interface, and from this ordered list of initial components, extract a first component to be used as the designated part of the composite name supplied by the client application which is to be processed; and

if the context implementation related to the Atomic Name service provider interface supports dynamic weak separation then using a first component from the entire composite name as the designated part of the composite name supplied by the client application which is to be processed.