Method, system and program products for operationally backing out components of a cluster through emulation

• US 6,564,376 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1999
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Froehlich, Steven E., Coffey, Michael K., Moyer, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dam, Tuan Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chavis, John Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/408,915
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 717/11, 717/170, 717/138, 707/203, 703/26-28, 703/23, 712/209
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running

Abstract

A backing out capability backs out a component of a computing environment, while maintaining the availability of the computing environment. In particular, a component of the computing environment which is associated with at least a portion of a unit of work is backed out from one version to another version. In addition, the backed out component is capable of emulating the other version.

Claims

1. A method of backing out executable code components in a computing environment, said method comprising:

determining an executable code component of said computing environment to be backed out from one version to a version different from said one version, wherein said executable code component is capable of emulating another version being executed by at least one other executable code component of said computing environment, and wherein said executable code component and said at least one other executable code component are associated with at least a portion of a unit of work; and

backing said executable code component out from said one version to said version different from said one version.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said executable code component and said at least one other executable code component comprise multiple images of a single program, and said unit of work comprises a single task.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said multiple images are in communication with one another.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said executable code component and said at least one other executable code component process said unit of work on a plurality of nodes of a distributed computing environment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said version different from said one version comprises said another version.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said version different from said one version comprises a version intermediate to said one version and said another version.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said backing out comprises updating a component identifier of said executable code component to correspond to said version different from said one version.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said backing out comprises backing out a plurality of executable code components of said computing environment.

9. A system for backing out executable code components in a computing environment, said system comprising:

means for determining an executable code component of said computing environment to be backed out from one version to a version different from said one version, wherein said executable code component is capable of emulating another version being executed by at least one other executable code component of said computing environment, and wherein said executable code component and said at least one other executable code component are associated with at least a portion of a unit of work; and

means for backing said executable code component out from said one version to said version different from said one version.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said executable code component and said at least one other executable code component comprise multiple images of a single program, and said unit of work comprises a single task.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said multiple images are in communication with one another.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said executable code component and said at least one other executable code component process said unit of work on a plurality of nodes of a distributed computing environment.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said version different from said one version comprises said another version.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein said version different from said one version comprises a version intermediate to said one version and said another version.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for backing out comprises means for updating a component identifier of said executable code component to correspond to said version different from said one version.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for backing out comprises means for backing out a plurality of executable code components of said computing environment.

17. A system for backing out executable code components in a computing environment, said system comprising:

a computing node adapted to determine an executable code component of said computing environment to be backed out from one version to a version different from said one version, wherein said executable code component is capable of emulating another version being executed by at least one other executable code component of said computing environment, and wherein said executable code component and said at least one other executable code component are associated with at least a portion of a unit of work; and

said computing node being further adapted to back said executable code component out from said one version to said version different from said one version.

18. An article of manufacture comprising:

at least one computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for backing out executable code components in a computing environment, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code means for determining an executable code component of said computing environment to be backed out from one version to a version different from said one version, wherein said executable code component is capable of emulating another version being executed by at least one other executable code component of said computing environment, and wherein said executable code component and said at least one other executable code component are associated with at least a portion of a unit of work; and

computer readable program code means for backing said executable code component out from said one version to said version different from said one version.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein said executable code component and said at least one other executable code component comprise multiple images of a single program, and said unit of work comprises a single task.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein said multiple images are in communication with one another.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein said executable code component and said at least one other executable code component process said unit of work on a plurality of nodes of a distributed computing environment.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein said version different from said one version comprises said another version.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein said version different from said one version comprises a version intermediate to said one version and said another version.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein said computer readable program code means for backing out comprises computer readable program code means for updating a component identifier of said executable code component to correspond to said version different from said one version.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein said computer readable program code means for backing out comprises computer readable program code means for backing out a plurality of executable code components of said computing environment.