Method of performing self-diagnosing and self-repairing at a client node in a client/server system

• US 6,178,452 B1
• Filed: 01/05/1999
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Miyamoto, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Viet D.
• Application Number:
  US09/227,109
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 709/102, 709/203, 709/208, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 709/319, 714/4, 714/5, 714/6, 714/25
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1466 to make the backup process non-disruptive

Abstract

A client/server system wherein a file which has been repeatedly repaired for time equal to or more than certain times, a file which has been repeatedly repaired with frequency equal to or higher than a certain degree of frequency and a file having a file size equal to or larger than a certain size are backup-stored in the local backup file 24 of the client unit 2 itself and wherein when a file backed up in the local backup file 24 needs to be repaired, not repair by the server unit 1 but self-repair within the client unit 2 itself is effected. In such client/server system, when the number of client units increases, there is no need to review the capability of the server unit and of the transmission paths and then to redesign them and the addition of a client unit can be optionally made.

Claims

1. A client/server system including a server computer and a client computer connected to a network, wherein

said server computer comprises first storing means for storing files of software which can be installed into said client computer;

and

said client computer comprises;

second storing means for storing files of software installed into said client computer itself;

third storing means for storing at least one of the files stored in said second storing means;

self-diagnosing means for diagnosing whether or not a file stored in said second storing means needs to be repaired;

repair source selecting means for selecting one of reading and repairing the file which is diagnosed as requiring repair processing by said self-diagnosing means from said first storing means of said server computer, and reading and repairing the same from said third storing means of said client computer;

file repairing means for repairing the file which is diagnosed as requiring repairing processing by said self-diagnosing means, by reading said file from the repair source selected by said repair source selecting means and storing the file in said second storing means of said client computer itself;

judging means for judging whether or not the file read from said first storing means of said server computer and repaired by said file repairing means satisfies predetermined conditions for storing the file in said third storing means of said client computer itself; and

backup means for backing up the file which is judged to satisfy said predetermined conditions by said judging means, by reading said file from said second storing means of said client computer itself, and by storing said file in said third storing means of said client computer itself.

2. The client/server system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said client computer further comprises fourth storing means for storing, as said predetermined conditions, at least one of the number of repairs, the frequency of repairs, a file size of each file, and remaining capacity of said third storing means.

3. A computer which can read files of software from first storing means connected through a network, comprising:

second storing means for storing files of the software installed in said computer itself;

third storing means for storing at least one of the files stored in said second storing means;

self-diagnosing means for diagnosing whether or not a file stored in said second storing means needs to be repaired;

repair source selecting means for selecting one of reading and repairing the file which is diagnosed as requiring repair processing by said self-diagnosing means from said first storing means through said network, and reading and repairing the same from said third storing means of said computer itself;

file repairing means for repairing the file which is diagnosed as requiring repair processing by said self-diagnosing means, by reading said file from the repair source selected by said repair source selecting means and storing said file in said second storing means of said computer itself;

judging means for judging whether or not the file read from said first storing means through said network and repaired by said file repairing means satisfies predetermined conditions for storing the file in said third storing means of said computer itself; and

backup means for backing up the file which is judged to satisfy said predetermined conditions by said judging means, by reading said file from said second storing means of said computer itself, and by storing said file in said third storing means of said computer itself.

4. The computer as set forth in claim 3, further comprising fourth storing means for storing, as said predetermined conditions, at least one of the number of repairs, the frequency of repairs, a file size of each file, and remaining capacity of said third storing means.

5. A recording medium which records computer program for causing a computer to execute self-maintenance, said computer capable of reading files of software from first storing means connected through a network, and comprising computer readable second storing means for storing files of software installed into said computer itself and computer readable third storing means for storing at least one of the files stored in said second storing means, said computer program including:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to diagnosis whether or not a file stored in said second storing means needs to be repaired;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to select one of reading and repairing the file which is diagnosed as requiring repair processing from said first storing means through said network, and reading and repairing the same from said third storing means;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to read the file which is diagnosed as requiring repair processing from said selected repair source and to store said file in said second storing means;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to judge whether or not the file read from said first storing means through said network and repaired satisfies predetermined conditions for storing the file in said third storing means; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to back up the file which is judged to satisfy said predetermined conditions, by reading said file from said second storing means, and to store said file in said third storing means.

6. The recording medium as set forth in claim 5, wherein said computer program further including computer readable program code means for causing a computer to read from computer readable fourth storing means provided to said computer, as said predetermined conditions, at least one of the number of repairs, the frequency of repairs, a file size of each file and remaining capacity of said third storing means.