Method and apparatus for manipulating mutexes on network assets
First Claim
1. A method in a computer network system for locking network assets, comprising the steps of:
- formulating, at a client, a network mutex (NM) request, wherein a lock on a network asset is requested;
transmitting said NM request from said client to a server;
determining whether said network asset may be locked in response to said NM request;
locking said network asset in response to the determination; and
wherein the step of determining further comprises the steps of;
determining whether an existing NM software module is of a substantially similar type to a requesting software module and whether a sharable option is enabled for the existing NM; and
incrementing a reference counter if said existing NM software module is of a substantially similar type to said requesting software module and said sharable option is enabled for the existing NM.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and technique enables network level locks, called network mutexes, on network objects such as databases and ports. A remote data server (RDS) element resides on a server for receiving network mutex (NM) request from remote clients. A NM request includes, in part, a network mutex name, a locking priority, identification of the requesting element and client, and an indication as to whether the network mutex may be shared with other equivalent applications or elements. The RDS element grants the NM request when no other application or element has established the network mutex or the network mutex is held by an equivalent application or element and is in a sharable status. Network mutexes are removed when the remote locking client transmits a NM unlock request. Network mutexes enable central control of the locking and unlocking of network objects.
42 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method in a computer network system for locking network assets, comprising the steps of:
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formulating, at a client, a network mutex (NM) request, wherein a lock on a network asset is requested; transmitting said NM request from said client to a server; determining whether said network asset may be locked in response to said NM request; locking said network asset in response to the determination; and wherein the step of determining further comprises the steps of; determining whether an existing NM software module is of a substantially similar type to a requesting software module and whether a sharable option is enabled for the existing NM; and incrementing a reference counter if said existing NM software module is of a substantially similar type to said requesting software module and said sharable option is enabled for the existing NM. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 17, 18, 19)
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8. A method in a computer network system for locking network assets, comprising the steps of:
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formulating, at a client, a network mutex (NM) request, wherein a lock on a network asset is requested; transmitting said NM request from said client to a server; determining whether said network asset may be locked in response to said NM request; locking said network asset in response to the determination; and wherein the step of locking further comprises the steps of; if a first priority of a requesting software module is higher than a second priority of an existing NM software module, unlocking the existing NM of said existing NM software module; creating the NM for said requesting software module; and sending a success message to said client. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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9. A method in a computer network system for locking network assets, comprising the steps of:
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formulating, at a client, a network mutex (NM) request, wherein a lock on a network asset is requested; transmitting said NM request from said client to a server; determining whether said network asset may be locked in response to said NM request; locking said network asset in response to the determination; and further including the step of; sending a failure message to said client if a first priority of said client is not higher than a second priority of an existing NM. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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10. A method in a computer network system for unlocking network assets, comprising the steps of:
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formulating, at a client, a network mutex (NM) unlock request, wherein a lock on a network asset is requested to be relinquished; transmitting said NM unlock request from said client to a server; processing said NM unlock request to determine whether said lock on said network asset may be relinquished; releasing said network asset in response to the determination; wherein the step of processing further includes the step of; determining whether the NM already exists for said network asset and, if so, whether an existing NM software module is of identical or of substantially similar type to a requesting software module; and wherein the step of processing still further includes the step of; sending a failure message to said client if said existing NM software module is neither of identical or of substantially similar type to said requesting software module.
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11. A method in a computer network system for controlling network assets, comprising the steps of:
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formulating, at a client, a network mutex (NM) request, wherein control of a network asset is requested; transmitting said NM request from said client to a server; determining whether said network asset may be controlled in response to said NM request; enabling control of said network asset to said client in response to the determination; and wherein the step of determining further comprises the steps of; comparing an existing NM software module with a requesting software module to determine whether said existing NM software module and said requesting software module are of substantially similar type; checking a sharable option to determine whether the NM may be shared by software modules of substantially similar types; and incrementing a reference counter if said existing NM software module is of a substantially similar type to said requesting software module and the NM may be shared by software modules of substantially similar types. - View Dependent Claims (12, 14, 15)
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13. A method in a computer network system for controlling network assets, comprising the steps of:
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formulating, at a client, a network mutex (NM) request, wherein control of a network asset is requested; transmitting said NM request from said client to a server; determining whether said network as set may be controlled in response to said NM request; enabling control of said network asset to said client in response to the determination; wherein said control further includes the ability to lock said network asset; and wherein the step of determining further comprises the steps of; comparing a first priority of an existing NM software module and a second priority of a requesting software module to determine whether said second priority is greater than said first priority; and withdrawing control of said network asset from said existing NM software module if said second priority is greater than said first priority. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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16. A computer program product comprising at least one electronically-accessible medium having electronically-implementable instructions thereon, said electronically-implementable instructions causing one or more elements of a computer network to implement the steps of:
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formulating, at a client, a network mutex (NM) request, wherein a lock on a network asset is requested; transmitting said NM request from said client to a server; determining whether said network asset may be locked in response to said NM request; locking said network asset in response to the determination; and wherein the step of determining further comprises the steps of; determining whether an existing NM software module is of a substantially similar type to a requesting software module and whether a sharable option is enabled for the existing NM; and incrementing a reference counter if said existing NM software module is of a substantially similar type to said requesting software module and said sharable option is enabled for the existing NM.
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23. A method for manipulating network-level locks in a network having network elements of differing priority levels, comprising the steps of:
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requesting, by a first network element having a first priority, a first lock on a network-level asset; establishing said first lock on said network-level asset responsive to said step of requesting by said first network element; requesting, by a second network element having a second priority, a second lock on said network-level asset, said second priority being higher than said first priority; unlocking said first lock on said network-level asset responsive to said step of requesting by said second network element and to said second priority being higher than said first priority; and establishing said second lock on said network-level asset. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification