Integrating distributed computing environment remote procedure calls with an advisory work load manager

• US 6,067,580 A
• Filed: 03/11/1997
• Issued: 05/23/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Meyer, Christopher, Clark, Carl E., Rosengren, Steven E., Szczgielski, Thomas J., Kahlon, Satwinder S., Schmidt, Donald W., Emmes, David B., Aman, Jeffrey D., Samuel, Frank S. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberley, Alvin E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COURTENAY III, ST JOHN
• Application Number:
  US08/814,872
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 395/684, 395/675, 709/105, 709/304, 709/238-242
• US Class Current: 719/330
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/505 considering the load
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services

Abstract

Distributed computing environment (DCE) remote procedure calls (RPCs) are integrated with an advisory work load manager (WLM) to provide a way to intelligently dispatch RPC requests among the available application server processes. The routing decisions are made dynamically (for each RPC) based on interactions between the location broker and an advisory work load manager. Furthermore, when the system contains multiple coupled processors (tightly coupled within a single frame, or loosely coupled within a computing complex, a local area network (LAN) configuration, a distributed computing environment (DCE) cell, etc.), the invention extends to balance the processing of RPC requests and the associated client sessions across the coupled systems. Once a session is assigned to a given process, the invention also supports performance monitoring and reporting, dynamic system resource allocation for the RPC requests, and potentially any other benefits that may be available through the specific work load manager (WLM).

Claims

1. A method of integrating distributed computing environment (DCE) remote procedure calls (RPCs) with an advisory work load manager (WLM) to intelligently dispatch RPC requests among available server processes, the DCE including a plurality of coupled servers and at least one client which makes RPCs, the method comprising the steps of:

dynamically making routing decisions to one of a plurality of server processes based on interactions between a location broker and the advisory work load manager (WLM) to select a server according to performance and resource load balancing suitable to handle an RPC request and providing addressing information of the selected server to the location broker; and

once an RPC request is assigned to a given server process, thereafter making RPCs directly to the selected server.

2. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the WLM interfaces with the servers through the location broker, the step of dynamically making routing decisions is based on data registered at the WLM comprising the steps of:

collecting data from servers that are running and data related to individual systems and workloads; and

passing relevant data to the WLM by a server when the server is processing an RPC.

3. The method recited in claim 2 wherein the step of passing relevant data comprises the steps of:

receiving an RPC request invoked by a client;

informing the WLM about the RPC invoked by the client and any attributes associated with the RPC;

registering by the WLM attributes of the RPC and returning control to the server;

executing the RPC by the server and informing the WLM that the procedure has been executed; and

returning control the client.

4. The method recited in claim 3 further comprising the step of the server registering itself with the WLM, which step of registering with the WLM comprising the steps of:

inquiring by the server from the WLM as to whether or not the server is managed by the WLM;

if the server is not managed by the WLM, continuing normal registration with the location broker by the server without registration with the WLM; and

if the server is managed by the WLM, registering by the server with the WLM and the location broker.

5. A distributed computing environment (DCE) comprising:

a plurality of coupled application servers;

at least one client which makes remote procedure calls (RPCs);

a location broker interfacing with the plurality of application servers, said application servers being registered with the location broker;

an advisory work load manager (WLM) connected to the location broker for intelligently dispatching RPC requests among available application servers, the location broker accessing the WLM to dynamically make routing decisions to one of the application servers to select an application server according to performance and resource load balancing, to handle an RPC and providing addressing information of the selected application server to the location broker, and once an RPC is assigned to a selected application server, RPCs from a client are made directly to the selected application server.

6. The distributed computing environment recited in claim 5 wherein the application servers are also registered with the WLM.