Method and architecture for the creation, control and deployment of services within a distributed computer environment

• US 5,790,789 A
• Filed: 08/02/1996
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Larry Suarez
• Original Assignee: Larry Suarez
• Inventors: Suarez, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US08/691,567
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.3, 395/200.31, 395/200.32, 395/200.33, 395/200.5, 395/200.53, 395/200.54, 395/200.55, 395/200.59, 395/610, 395/670, 395/671 , 395/672, 395/684, 395/685, 395/680
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/288 Distributed intermediate devices, i.e. intermediate devices for interaction with other intermediate devices on the same level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A distributed computing system comprising a plurality of computer hosts, a communication network for exchanging information and data between the computer hosts, and a plurality of services, including software-based services, distributed throughout the computing system is disclosed. Each of the services within the present distributed computing system, including some basic system-services are adapted to perform prescribed functions in response to the receipt of an electronic message. The disclosed distributed computing system also includes a plurality of intelligent agents executing on the computer hosts and associated with one or more of the services, wherein an agent exercises control of an associated service by manipulating the electronic messages directed to and originating from the associated service. In addition, the services are adapted to cooperatively perform various tasks by exchanging electronic messages across the communication network via their associated agents.

Claims

1. A distributed computing system comprising:

a plurality of computer hosts;

a communication network for exchanging information and data between said computer hosts;

a plurality of services associated with said computer hosts, each of said services adapted to perform a prescribed function in response to the receipt of an electronic message, said plurality of services further adapted to cooperatively perform one or more tasks; and

a plurality of agents executing on said computers, wherein each of said services are operatively associated with one or more of said agents and said agents are adapted to control said associated services by manipulating said electronic messages directed to and originating from said associated service;

wherein said services cooperatively perform said tasks by exchanging said electronic messages across said communication network via associated agents.

2. The distributed computing system of claim 1 further comprising a repository data store for identifying said agents, said services, said computer hosts, and the associations therebetween.

3. The distributed computing system of claim 1 wherein each host includes a configuration data store for maintaining information about the configuration of the distributed computing system as it relates to said computer host.

4. The distributed computing system of claim 1 further comprising one or more devices adapted for providing a service, said devices connected to the communication network and adapted to exchange information and data throughout said distributed computing system.

5. The distributed computing system of claim 1 wherein said services include software-based services executing on said computer hosts and said distributed computing system further comprises an agent library for providing selected facilities for said software-based services executing on said computer hosts.

6. The distributed computing system of claim 1 wherein said agents include:

host agents operatively executing on each of said computer hosts; and

service agents operatively associated with one more of said services and further operating under the control of one of said host agents;

wherein said host agents exercise control of said associated service agents by further manipulating said electronic messages passing through said service agents.

7. The distributed computing system of claim 6 wherein one of said host agents and one of said associated service agents are executing on separate computer hosts.

8. The distributed computing system of claim 6 wherein one of said host agents and one of said associated service agents are executing on the same computer host.

9. The distributed computing system of claim 6 wherein one of said host agents is associated with more than one of said service agents.

10. The distributed computing system of claim 6 wherein one of said host agents and one or more of said associated service agents are embedded within a software-based service.

11. The distributed computing system of claim 1 wherein one of said agents is associated with more than one of said services.

12. The distributed computing system of claim 1 wherein one of said services is associated with more than one of said agents.

13. The distributed computing system of claim 1 further comprising one or more partitions, each partition including:

a plurality of services associated with said computer hosts; and

a plurality of agents operatively associated with one or more of said services included within said entity, said agents adapted to control said associated services by manipulating said electronic messages directed to and originating from said associated service.

14. The distributed computing system of claim 1 wherein each of said agents further include:

an identification element for identifying said agent;

a means for associating said agent with one or more services; and

one or more auxiliary elements for defining a behavior of said agent with respect to each associated service;

wherein said auxiliary elements govern the manipulation of messages directed to and originating from said associated service.

15. The distributed computing system of claim 14 wherein each of said agents further includes a queue which provides queuing information for said agent.

16. The distributed computing system of claim 1 wherein each of said services further include:

a first identification element for identifying said service;

a second identification element for identifying a type of service embodied by said service;

a means for associating said service with one or more agents; and

a means for receiving and sending electronic messages via said associated agents; and

a means to perform said prescribed function in response to the receipt of said electronic message.

17. The distributed computing system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of services includes a transaction service for governing transactions within the distributed computing system, said transaction service comprises:

means for identifying concurrency behavior;

means for identifying transaction behavior;

means for ensuring accurate semantics are utilized during transactions; and

means for defining the scope of the transactions, wherein said services are able to define the scope of the work to be performed.

18. The distributed computing system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of services includes a queue service for handling messages sent to a destination agent and associated service, said queue service comprises:

means for storing messages sent to said destination agent until said destination agent retrieves said messages; and

means for forwarding messages when said destination agent and associated service are unavailable to retrieve messages.

19. The distributed computing system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of services includes an identity service for uniquely identifying objects throughout the distributed computing system such that said objects can be located.

20. The distributed computing system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of services includes an event service comprising:

means for defining an event within the distributed computing system; and

means for subscribing objects to defined events such that said objects react to certain events in a prescribed manner.

21. The distributed computing system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of services includes a workflow service, said workflow service comprises:

means for defining a process flow, said process flows including one or more activities operating on one or more work items; and

means for initiating a process flow;

wherein said workflow service facilitates the performance of prescribed tasks in a prescribed sequence.

22. The distributed computing system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of services includes a directory service adapted to retrieve information about defined objects contained within the distributed computing system.

23. An agent for controlling services in a service-based distributed computing environment, each service is adapted for performing a prescribed function, said services are further adapted to cooperatively perform various tasks by sending and receiving electronic messages, said agent comprising:

an identification element for uniquely identifying said agent across said distributed computing environment;

a means for associating said agent with one or more services; and

one or more auxiliary elements for defining a behavior of said agent with respect to each associated service;

wherein said agents are adapted to control the execution and operation of said associated service in accordance with said defined behavior through the manipulation of messages directed to and originating from said associated service.

24. The agent for controlling services in a service-based distributed computing environment of claim 23 wherein said auxiliary elements further include a queue which provides queuing information for said agent.

25. The agent for controlling services in a service-based distributed computing environment of claim 23 wherein said auxiliary elements further include a schedule element which identifies scheduling constraints of said associated service.

26. The agent for controlling services in a service-based distributed computing environment of claim 23 wherein said auxiliary elements further include a security element which provides security and access constraints of said agent and associated service.

27. The agent for controlling services in a service-based distributed computing environment of claim 23 wherein said auxiliary elements further include a scripting which provides script information for an agent which represents a general mechanism for programing the behavior of said agent and said associated service.

28. The agent for controlling services in a service-based distributed computing environment of claim 23 wherein said auxiliary elements further includes a rule element which provides rule information for an agent thereby allowing an agent to derive behavior based on the contents of an electronic message.

29. The agent for controlling services in a service-based distributed computing environment of claim 23 wherein said auxiliary elements further includes a behavior element which defines general behaviors associated with said agent and said associated service.

30. A distributed computing system comprising:

a communication network;

a plurality of computer hosts adapted for exchanging information and data across said communication network;

wherein each computer host includes a computer readable memory configured with specific physical properties that represent one or more computer application-based services, each of said services adapted to perform a prescribed function in response to the receipt of an electronic message, said services further adapted to cooperatively perform one or more tasks; and

wherein each of said computer readable memory is further configured with specific physical properties that represent one or more agents operatively associated with said services such that said agents are adapted to control said associated services by manipulating said electronic messages directed to and originating from said associated service;

wherein said services cooperatively perform said tasks by exchanging said electronic messages across said communication network via associated agents.