Method for managing multiple versions of multiple subsystems in a distributed computing environment

• US 5,956,515 A
• Filed: 07/22/1997
• Issued: 09/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Briskey, Kenneth C., Russell, Richard C., Beals, Stephanie A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Application Number:
  US08/898,609
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.31, 395/712, 709/201
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/00 Arrangements for software engineering testing or debugging G06F11/36; administrative, planning or organisation aspects of software project management G06Q10/06

Abstract

A method for use in a parallel distributed computing system having a plurality of processors connected in a network of nodes, each node having software installed thereon, and a control workstation controlling the nodes in the network. A list of the levels of the software installed at each node is stored at the control workstation. A list of software subsystems affected by a command to be executed is stored at the nodes of the network, including the control workstation. In addition, a control script for each of said software subsystems is stored at the nodes, including the control workstation. Each control script provides a routine to be followed for the associated subsystem on the associated node or control workstation during the execution of the command. Since the control scripts are compatible with the level of software installed on the target node, the command will be performed such as to be compatible with the software installed on the target node.

Claims

1. In a computing system having a plurality of processors connected in a network of nodes and a control workstation for managing application software to be run on said nodes, a method of executing a command comprising the steps of:

a) sending a command from the control workstation to at least one node for execution by said the processor at said node, said command including a flag indicating the function to be performed by said command;

b) receiving said command at said one node;

c) locating a control script at said one node to perform the function indicated by said flag in said received command, said control script dependent on the level of the application software installed on said one node; and

d) executing the control script by the processor at said one node, thereby performing the function indicated by the flag included in the received command at said one node for the level of application software installed at said one node.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing at said control workstation, a list of the levels of the application software installed at each of said nodes, and wherein step a) includes determining the flag to be included in said command dependent on the level of application software installed on the node to which the command is sent.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said control script performs a no operation for any function that is not supported by the application software installed at said one node.

4. In a computing system having a plurality of processors connected in a network of nodes, each node having software installed thereon, a method of executing a command at one of the nodes comprising:

storing at said one node, a list of software subsystems affected by the command to be executed;

storing at said one node, a control script for each of said software subsystems, said control script providing a routine to be followed during the execution of the command, said control scripts being compatible with the level of software installed at said one node; and

executing the command at said one node, said command comprising;

locating in said list of software subsystems those software subsystems affected by said command,

locating the control script for each subsystem affected by said command, and

executing the located control script for each subsystem affected by said command, whereby the execution is performed in a manner which is compatible with the level of software installed at said one node.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of including in said command to be executed, a flag specifying a task to be performed during the execution of said command.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said control script performs a no operation when the task specified by said flag is not supported by the level of software installed at said one node.

7. In a computing system having a plurality of processors connected in a network of nodes and application software installed on each of said nodes, said application software installed on said nodes being at differing levels, a method of executing a command at one or more nodes comprising:

providing a common interface to the software levels in said network of nodes;

providing at least one control script at each node, said control script being compatible with the level of software on its associated node; and

performing a task through said common interface at one of said nodes, said task being performed via the control script at said one node whereby said task is performed in a manner compatible with the level of software installed at said one node.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said interface is a command having a flag which indicates the function to be performed by the command, said method further comprising:

executing said command with a flag at said one node; and

performing the function of said flag at said one node in accordance with said control script at said one node, whereby said execution of said command is compatible with the level of software installed at said one node.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein a list of software subsystems affected by said command is recorded at said one node, each of said listed subsystems being linked to a control script, said method further comprising selecting at least one of said software subsystems dependent on said flag, and executing the control script for the selected software subsystem.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said control script of the selected software subsystem executes a no operation when the function indicated by said flag is not supported by the level of software installed at said one node.

11. In a parallel distributed computing system having a plurality of processors connected in a network of nodes, each node having software installed thereon, and a control workstation controlling the nodes in said network, a method of executing a command at one of the nodes comprising:

storing at said control workstation, a list of the level of the software installed at each node;

sending to said one node, a command to be executed by said one node;

storing at said one node, a list of software subsystems affected by the command to be executed;

storing at said one node, a control script for each of said software subsystems, said control script providing a routine to be followed during the execution of the command, said control scripts being compatible with the level of software installed at said one node; and

executing the command at said one node, said command comprising;

locating in said list of software subsystems those software subsystems affected by said command,

locating the control script for each subsystem affected by said command, and

executing the located control script for each subsystem affected by said command, whereby the execution is performed in a manner which is compatible with the level of software installed at said one node.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising displaying said list of the level of software installed at each node as stored at said control node.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said displaying comprises one of;

displaying the software level for a particular node, displaying the earliest software level for a group of nodes, and displaying the latest software level for a group of nodes.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the nodes in computing system are arranged in at least one partition, and said displaying the earliest and latest software levels of a group of nodes comprises displaying the earliest and latest software levels of a system partition.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of including in said command to be executed, a flag specifying a task to be performed during the execution of said command, said task selected to be compatible with the level of software installed at said one node as determined by said workstation from its list of levels.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

updating the level of the software stored in said list of software levels for said one node; and

sending a command to the other nodes in the network with an appropriate flag notifying said other nodes that the level of said software of said one node is to be changed.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said control script performs a no operation when the task specified by said flag is not supported by the level of software installed at said one node.

18. In a parallel distributed computing system having a plurality of processors connected in a network of nodes, application software installed on each of said nodes, said application software installed on said nodes being at differing levels, and a control workstation connected to said network for controlling said nodes, a method of executing a command at one or more nodes comprising:

providing a common interface to the software levels in said network of nodes;

providing at least one control script at each node, said control script being compatible with the level of software on its associated node and

sending a task from the control workstation to said one node; and

performing said task through said common interface at one of said nodes, said task being performed via the control script at said one node whereby said task is performed in a manner compatible with the level of software installed at said one node.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein a list is stored at said control workstation listing the level of the software installed at each of the nodes in said network, and said interface is a command having a flag which indicates the function to be performed by the command, said method further comprising:

selecting said flag to be compatible with the software installed at said one node;

executing said command with said flag at said one node; and

performing the function of said flag at said one node in accordance with said control script at said one node, whereby said execution of said command is compatible with the level of software installed at said one node.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising displaying said list of the level of software installed at each node as stored at said control node.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said displaying comprises one of;

displaying the software level for a particular node, displaying the earliest software level for a group of nodes, and displaying the latest software level for a group of nodes.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein nodes are arranged in at least one partition and said displaying the earliest and latest software levels of a group of nodes comprises displaying the earliest and latest software levels of a system partition.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

updating the level of the software stored in said list of software levels for said one node; and

sending a command to the other nodes in the network with an appropriate flag notifying said other nodes that the level said software of said one node is to be changed.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein a list of software subsystems affected by said command is recorded at said one node, each of said listed subsystems being linked to a control script, said method further comprising selecting at least one of said software subsystems dependent on said flag, and executing the control script for the selected software subsystem.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said control script of the selected software subsystem executes a no operation when the function indicated by said flag is not supported by the level of software installed at said one node.