Method and system for process queue communications routing

• US 6,192,413 B1
• Filed: 07/30/1992
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Madrid, Richard J., Gursahaney, Suresh K., Lee, Dana R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee, John A.
• Application Number:
  US07/922,273
• Time in Patent Office: 3,127 Days
• Field of Search: 395/800, 395/200, 395/325, 395/650, 370/60, 370/60.1, 364/284.3, 364/281.3, 709/223, 709/238
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/544 Buffers; Shared memory; Pipes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for receiving messages at a communications node from a communications network, which are directed to selected process queues within the communications node. The method makes use of a router table stored in the communications node, to direct incoming messages to selected process queues. The method provides flexibility in changing the configuration of a node or the configuration of a network, without altering communications management software which manages the exchange of messages between a communications node and the network.

Claims

1. A method of routing messages received from a communications network at a communications node to selected computer programs within the communications node, comprising the steps of:

receiving at said communications node, a message from said communications network addressed to said communication node, which includes a message type designation and data;

searching a router table stored at said communications node, using said message type designation as a query term, to get a process queue name for a process queue in said communications node, each process queue associated with a computer program in said communications node;

writing said data to said process queue having the process queue name;

processing said data by said computer program associated with said process queue.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said router table includes a plurality of message type designations and a corresponding plurality of process queue names, each process queue name identifying a process queue in said communications node, each process queue associated with a computer program in said communication node for processing said data written to said process queue.

3. A method for receiving messages at a communications node from a communications network, which are directed to selected computer programs residing said communications node, comprising the steps of:

loading a router table into said communications node, for association with a communications control program therein;

said router table including at least one entry relating a message type to a process queue name, each process queue name identifying a process queue in said communications node, each process queue having an associated computer program;

receiving at said communications node, a message from said communications network, which includes a message type designation and data;

searching said router table stored at said communications node, using said message type designation from said message as a query term, to get said process queue name for a process queue in said communications node;

writing said data to said process queue, identified by said process queue name

processing said data by said computer program associated with said process queue.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said router table includes a plurality of message type designations and a corresponding plurality of process queue names, each process queue name identifying a process queue in said communications node, each process queue associated with a computer program in said communication node for processing said data written to said process queue.

5. A communications network including a plurality of communications nodes, with at least two of said communications nodes each comprising:

a communications management program for receiving messages from said communications network;

a router table for using a message type designation in messages received from said communications network, said message type designation being used as a query term for accessing said router table, to get a process queue name;

a plurality of process queues each process queue having a process queue name, each process queue associated with a computer program;

said router table directing said message received from said communications network to said process queue for processing by the computer program associated with said process queue.

6. A communications network including at least two communications nodes, comprising:

a first copy of a communications management program at a first communications node, for receiving messages from said communications network;

a first router table at said first communications node, for using a message type designation in messages received from said communication network, said message type designation being used as a query term for accessing said first router table, to get a first process queue name;

said first router table having a first entry relating a first message type to a first process queue name and having a second entry relating a second message type to a second process queue name;

a first process queue in said first communications node having said first process queue name;

a first computer program in said first communication node associated with said first process queue for processing of messages of said first type;

a second process queue in said first communications node having said second process queue name;

a second computer program in said first communications node associated with said second process queue for processing of messages of said second type;

said first router table directing a first message received from said communications network designating said first message type, to said first process queue for processing by said first computer program;

said first router table directing a second message received from said communications network designating said second message type, to said second process queue for processing by said second computer program.

7. The communications network of claim 6, which further comprises:

a second copy of said communications management program at a second communications node, for receiving messages from said communications network;

a second router table at said second communications node, for using a message type designation in messages received from said communications network, said message type designation being used as a query term for accessing said second router table, to get a process queue name;

said second router table having an entry relating a third message type to a third process queue name;

a third process queue in said second communications node having said third process queue name;

a third computer program in said second communications node associated with said third process queue for processing of messages of said third type;

said second router table directing a third message received from said network designating said third message type, to said third process queue for processing by said third computer program.

8. An article of manufacture for use in a communications node connected to a communications network, said article of manufacture comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program embodied in said medium, wherein the computer readable program when executed on the communications node causes the communications node to;

receive a message having a message type designation and data;

search a router table using said message type designation as a query term, to obtain a process queue name for a process queue, each process queue associated with a separate computer program; and

write said data to said process queue having the obtained process queue name such that said separate computer program associated with said process queue processes said data.