Customer information control system application programming interface with transient data functions, in a loosely coupled data processing environment

• US 6,442,568 B1
• Filed: 12/11/1998
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Velasco, David G., McDonald, Geoffrey A., Hotea, Andreas E., Redd, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): JUNG, DAVID YIUK
• Application Number:
  US09/210,512
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-206, 709/100-332
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/544 Buffers; Shared memory; Pipes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A customer information control system (CICS) application programming interface (API), with transient data queue functions, in a loosely coupled data processing environment. In accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention is directed to a method, system and computer readable medium including program instructions (hereafter collectively referred to as the “invention”). In particular, the invention includes implementing a loosely coupled CICS region in a data processing environment, the loosely coupled CICS region including at least two of a plurality of address spaces each of which being associated with a machine. The invention further includes providing at least one CICS-API operating system server (COSS) within the loosely coupled CICS region, each COSS operating in one of the at least two address spaces within the loosely coupled CICS region. The invention additionally includes providing an information resource within the loosely coupled CICS region, the information resource including a file for holding a transient data queue. Furthermore, the invention includes providing a suite of functions including the transient data queue functions in each COSS. Each COSS is capable of coordinated interaction with any other COSS within the loosely coupled CICS region. Notably, each COSS is also capable to directly access the transient data queue from anywhere in the loosely coupled CICS region irrespective of which address space the COSS is operating in. In one aspect of the invention, this COSS capability is achieved by way of implementing a caching scheme and a transient data process which is invoked by the respective COSS. Consequently, there is no affinity between the address space in which each COSS is operating and the address space being occupied by the transient data queue. Moreover, the information resource is shared by each COSS.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a customer information control system (CICS) application programming interface (API), with transient data queue functions, in a data processing environment, the method comprising the steps of:

implementing a loosely coupled CICS region in the data processing environment, the loosely coupled CICS region including at least two of a plurality of machines and their respective address spaces;

providing at least one CICS-API operating system server (COSS) within the loosely coupled CICS region, each COSS operating in one of the at least two address spaces within the loosely coupled CICS region;

providing an information resource within the loosely coupled CICS region, the information resource including a file for holding a transient data queue; and

providing a suite of functions including the transient data queue functions in each COSS, each COSS being capable of coordinated interaction with any other COSS within the loosely coupled CICS region, and each COSS being able to directly access the transient data queue from anywhere in the loosely coupled CICS region irrespective of which address space the COSS is operating in,

wherein there is no affinity between the address space in which each COSS is operating and the address space being occupied by the transient data queue, and wherein the information resource is shared by each COSS.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein each COSS utilizes cached tables to directly access the transient data queue from anywhere in the loosely coupled CICS region, the cached tables for holding information such as a set of transient data queue parameters, a maximum size of the cached tables, and a plurality of records each of which being associated with a queue-identification.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein each COSS invokes at least one transient data process that handles the transient data queue utilizing a scheme to facilitates the direct access to the information resource from anywhere in the loosely coupled CICS region.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the scheme is a caching scheme, and wherein each transient data process utilizes cached tables including a first table for maintaining a set of transient data queue parameters which are instrumental in locating the transient data queue from anywhere in the loosely coupled CICS region.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the first table is a transient data queue cached table.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein the cached tables include a second table containing a maximum size of the cached tables which dictates a maximum space allocated for each of the cached tables.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the second table is a system initialization table.

8. A method according to claim 4, wherein the cached tables include a second table containing records each including fields such as a header, a queue-identification, a file name and a time-stamp, and wherein for a plurality of queue-identifications the second table has a record for each queue-identification.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the second table is a destination control table.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the records further includes a timer value for timed events count-down.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data processing environment comprises a loosely coupled data processing system environment.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data processing environment comprises a loosely coupled parallel processing system environment.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the coordinated interaction is asynchronous.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of machines are loosely coupled.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the functionality of each machine is managed by a processor.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein the functionality of each machine includes a multithreaded operating system capable of supporting a plurality of applications including customer information control applications.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein each COSS operates under the respective multithreaded operating system and is, itself, a multithreaded operating system capable of supporting the plurality of customer information control applications.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein the transient data queue functions are prompted by transaction requests issued during customer information control applications runtime, and wherein the transient data queue functions include read, write and delete.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein each transient data process is invoked for handling the transient data queue functions in response to the respective transaction requests.

20. A method according to claim 1, wherein the file comprises a transient data file.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein the file is set up to include at least one transient data queue each of which being associated with a set of queue parameters.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein each transient data queue comprises a group of sequentially grouped commonly named record entries containing customer information, the common name being a unique key such as the queue-identification defined by a corresponding customer information control application.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein each of the at least one transient data queues is created when a first record with the unique key is written to the file, and is removed when the transient data queue becomes empty.

24. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method further includes the step of:

initializing the loosely coupled CICS region.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein at least one COSS is a proxy-COSS, and wherein the initializing step further includes the steps of:

initializing the proxy-COSS; and

initializing each remaining COSS.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the loosely coupled CICS region includes a configuration file which contains an access key, and tables of parameters which set the metes and bounds of the loosely coupled CICS region such as a destination control table and a system initialization table.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the proxy-COSS initializing step further includes the steps of:

creating each file named in the destination control table;

allocating a space in its internal cache memory for cached tables; and

creating a copy of the system initialization table and the destination control table in a second and third of the cached tables, respectively, a first table receiving a header and otherwise being initially empty.

28. A method according to claim 26, wherein the initializing of each remaining COSS, further includes the steps of:

allocating a space in its internal cache memory for cached tables;

obtaining the access key from the proxy-COSS; and

using the access key to gain access to the configuration file and copy therefrom the contents of the system initialization table and the destination control table into a second and third of the cached tables, respectively, a first table receiving a header and otherwise being initially empty.

29. A method for implementing a customer information control system (CICS) application programming interface (API), with transient data queue functions, in a data processing environment, the method comprising the steps of:

allocating an address region in the data processing environment, the address region being divided among a plurality of machines each of which defining an address space;

implementing a loosely coupled CICS region in the data processing environment, the loosely coupled CICS region including at least two of the plurality of machines and their respective address spaces;

providing at least one CICS-API operating system server (COSS) within the loosely coupled CICS region, each COSS operating in one of the plurality of address spaces within the loosely coupled CICS region;

providing an information resource within the loosely coupled CICS region, the information resource including a file for holding a transient data queue;

providing a suite of functions including the transient data queue functions in each COSS, each COSS being capable of coordinated interaction with any other COSS within the loosely coupled CICS region, each COSS being capable of carrying out a caching scheme utilizing cached tables by activating at least one transient data process for handling the transient data queue functions via the cached tables; and

initializing the loosely coupled CICS region in which each COSS is able to directly access the transient data queue from anywhere irrespective of which address space the COSS is operating in,

wherein there is no affinity between the address space in which each COSS is operating and the address space being occupied by the transient data queue, and wherein the information resource is shared by each COSS.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the caching scheme includes:

allocating a space for the cached tables, the cached tables including a first, a second and a third table, the first table for receiving transient data queue parameters, the second table for receiving system initialization table parameters and the third table for receiving destination control table parameters, the maximum size of each of the cached tables being stored in the second table;

responding to transient data function calls by;

performing a first table look-up for finding an element having a matching queue-identification;

validation information in the element if found, including a time-stamp for verifying that a file handle is current and can be used to access the transient data queue in that file;

building a new element in the first table, if an element with the matching queue identification is not found, by fetching the file information from a record in the third table which has a matching queue identification, obtaining the file handle, and storing the file handle and related information in the new element;

performing one of a read, write and delete functions on the transient queue within the file; and

commencing error handling based on occurrence of a failure in one of the foregoing 1-4 steps; and

returning to a corresponding application which runs under the particular COSS.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the error handling is a result of failures such as one of a file not found, a file cannot be opened, a queue identification not found, and queue parameters invalid.

32. A method according to claim 30, wherein the first table includes at least one linked list each of which being set up to contain a plurality of elements, each element including queue parameters such as a particular queue identification, time-stamp and file handle, and wherein the first table look-up step includes:

an indexing for locating one of the linked lists; and

a linked list search for finding an element with the particular queue identification that matches a queue identification passed with the transient data function call.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein the indexing utilizes the passed queue identification and a CICS region identification for locating a selected linked list in the first table.

34. A system for providing a customer information control system (CICS) application programming interface (API), with transient data queue functions in, a data processing environment, the system comprising:

a loosely coupled CICS region, the loosely coupled CICS region including at least two of a plurality of machines and their respective address spaces;

at least one CICS-API operating system server (COSS) within the loosely coupled CICS region, each COSS operating in one of the at least two address spaces within the loosely coupled CICS region;

an information resource within the loosely coupled CICS region, the information resource including a file for holding a transient data queue; and

a suite of functions including the transient data queue functions provided in each COSS, each COSS being capable of coordinated interaction with any other COSS within the loosely coupled CICS region, and each COSS being able to directly access the transient data queue from anywhere in the loosely coupled CICS region irrespective of which address space the COSS is operating in,

wherein there is no affinity between the address space in which each COSS is operating and the address space being occupied by the transient data queue, and wherein the information resource is shared by each COSS.

35. A system according to claim 34, in which each COSS being configured to utilizes cached tables for directly accessing the transient data queue from anywhere in the loosely coupled CICS region, the cached tables for holding information such as a set of transient data queue parameters, a maximum size of the cached tables, and a plurality of records each of which being associated with a queue-identification.

36. A system according to claim 34, in which each COSS being configured to invokes at least one transient data process that handles the transient data queue utilizing a scheme to facilitates the direct access to the information resource from anywhere in the loosely coupled CICS region.

37. A system according to claim 36, wherein the scheme is a caching scheme such that each transient data process utilizes cached tables including a first table for maintaining a set of transient data queue parameters that are instrumental in locating the transient data queue from anywhere in the loosely coupled CICS region.

38. A system according to claim 37, in which the cached tables include a second table containing a maximum cached table size which dictates a maximum space allocated for each cached table.

39. A system according to claim 37, in which the cached tables include a second table containing records each including fields such as a header, a queue-identification, a file name and a time-stamp, the third table having a record for each queue-identification.

40. A system according to claim 39, wherein at least one of the records further includes a timer value for timed events count-down.

41. A system according to claim 34, wherein the data processing environment comprises a loosely coupled data processing system environment.

42. A system according to claim 34, wherein the data processing environment comprises a loosely coupled parallel processing system environment.

43. A system according to claim 34, wherein the coordinated interaction is asynchronous.

44. A system according to claim 34, in which the plurality of machines are loosely coupled.

45. A system according to claim 34, in which the functionality of each machine is managed by a processor.

46. A system according to claim 34, in which the functionality of each machine includes a multithreaded operating system capable of supporting a plurality of applications including customer information control applications.

47. A system according to claim 34, in which each COSS operates under a respective multithreaded operating system and is, itself, a multithreaded operating system capable of supporting a plurality of customer information control applications.

48. A system according to claim 34, in which the transient data queue functions are prompted by transaction requests issued during the customer information control applications runtime, and wherein the transient data queue functions include read, write and delete.

49. A system according to claim 34, in which the file comprises a transient data file.

50. A system according to claim 49, in which the file is set up to include a plurality of transient data queues each of which being associated with a set of queue parameters.

51. A system according to claim 50, in which each transient data queue comprises a group of sequentially grouped commonly named record entries containing customer information, the common name being a unique key such as the queue-identification defined by a corresponding customer information control application.

52. A system according to claim 51, wherein each of the at least one transient data queues is created when a first record with the unique key is written to the file, and is removed when the transient data queue becomes empty.

53. A system according to claim 34, in which the loosely coupled CICS region is being initialized.

54. A system according to claim 34, in which at least one COSS is a proxy-COSS including cached tables such that the proxy-COSS loads its cached tables with parameters setting the metes and bound of the loosely coupled CICS region, the proxy-COSS further providing to each remaining COSS an access key for obtaining the parameters and storing them in their respective cached tables and for subsequently using them in a caching scheme.

55. A system according to claim 54, in which the proxy-COSS is a COSS pair including a primary proxy-COSS and a backup proxy-COSS which takes over when the primary proxy-COSS fails.

56. A system according to claim 54, in which the parameters are included in a configuration file, and wherein the parameters include parameter tables such as a destination control table and a system initialization table.

57. A system according to claim 56, in which the proxy-COSS is further capable of:

creating each file named in the destination control table;

allocating a space in its internal cache memory for the cached tables based on a size value specified in the system initialization table; and

creating a copy of the system initialization table and the destination control table in a first and second of its cached tables, respectively.

58. A system according to claim 56, in which each remaining COSS is further capable of:

allocating a space in its internal cache memory for the cached tables;

obtaining the access key from the proxy-COSS; and

using the access key to gain access to the configuration file and copy therefrom the contents of the system initialization table and the destination control table into a first and second of its cached tables, respectively, a third table receiving a header and otherwise being initially empty.

59. A computer readable medium including program instructions executed in a data processing system environment for providing a customer information control system (CICS) application programming interface (API), with transient data queue functions, the program instructions for:

implementing a loosely coupled CICS region in a data processing environment, the loosely coupled CICS region including at least two of a plurality of address spaces, each associated with a machine;

providing at least one CICS-API operating system server (COSS) within the loosely coupled CICS region, each COSS operating in one of the at least two address spaces within the loosely coupled CICS region;

providing an information resource within the loosely coupled CICS region, the information resource including a file for holding a transient data queue; and

providing a suite of functions including the transient data queue functions in each COSS, each COSS being capable of coordinated interaction with any other COSS within the loosely coupled CICS region, and each COSS being able to directly access the transient data queue from anywhere in the loosely coupled CICS region irrespective of which address space the COSS is operating in,

wherein there is no affinity between the address space in which each COSS is operating and the address space being occupied by the transient data queue, and wherein the information resource is shared by each COSS.

60. A computer readable medium including program instructions executed in a data processing system environment for providing a customer information control system (CICS) application programming interface (API), with transient data queue functions, the program instructions for:

allocating an address region in the data processing system environment, the address region being divided among a plurality of machines each of which defining an address space;

implementing a loosely coupled CICS region in the data processing system environment, the loosely coupled CICS region including at least two of the plurality of machines and their respective address spaces;

providing at least one CICS-API operating system server (COSS) within the loosely coupled CICS region, each COSS operating in one of the plurality of address spaces within the loosely coupled CICS region;

providing an information resource within the loosely coupled CICS region, the information resource including a file for holding a transient data queue;

providing a suite of functions including the transient data queue functions in each COSS, each COSS being capable of coordinated interaction with any other COSS within the loosely coupled CICS region, each COSS being capable of carrying out a caching scheme utilizing cached tables by activating at least one transient data process for handling the transient data queue functions via the cached tables; and

initializing the loosely coupled CICS region in which each COSS is able to directly access the transient data queue from anywhere irrespective of which address space the COSS is operating in,

wherein there is no affinity between the address space in which each COSS is operating and the address space being occupied by the transient data queue, and wherein the information resource is shared by each COSS.

61. A computer readable medium according to claim 60, wherein the caching scheme includes:

allocating space for the cached tables, the cached tables including a first, a second and a third table, the first table for receiving transient data queue parameters, the second table for receiving system initialization table parameters and the third table for receiving destination control table parameters, the maximum size of each of the cached tables being stored in the second table;

responding to transient data function calls by;

performing a first table look-up for finding an element having a matching queue-identification;

validation information in the element if found, including a time-stamp for verifying that a corresponding file handle is current and can be used to access the transient data queue in that file;

building a new element in the first table, if an element with the matching queue identification is not found, by fetching the file information from a record in the third table which has a matching queue identification, obtaining the file handle, and storing the file handle and related information in the new element;

performing one of a read, write and delete functions on the transient queue within the file;

commencing error handling based on occurrence of a failure in one of the foregoing 1-4 steps; and

returning to a corresponding application which runs under the particular COSS.