Method and system for memory resident transient storage of data associated with a plurality of collaborating computer processes

• US 6,658,450 B1
• Filed: 01/29/1999
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Bunyan, Peter, Balakrishnan, Govind
• Primary Examiner(s): VOELTZ, EMANUEL T
• Application Number:
  US09/240,207
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 709/100, 709/106, 709/310, 709/313, 709/315, 709/318, 709/330-332, 709/238, 709/240, 709/243, 709/244
• US Class Current: 718/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/544 Remote
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/544 Buffers; Shared memory; Pipes

Abstract

A memory-resident stored system for storing data associated with a plurality of collaborating computer processes, wherein selected ones of the computer processes collaborate with other ones of the collaborating computer processes. Included instructions for dynamically establishing a hierarchical organization relating to a plurality of nodes. Each of the nodes establishes a path with at least selected ones of the plurality of collaborating computer processes. Instructions operate to describe a plurality of the paths according to the hierarchical organization for generating a plurality of hierarchical path descriptions between selected ones of the plurality of nodes and the at least selected ones of the plurality of collaborating computer processes. Instructions also accommodate communicating with the communications network server, the plurality of hierarchical paths descriptions for permitting transient storage of data in describing the path between the nodes and the plurality of collaborating computer processes.

Claims

1. A memory-resident transient data storage system for storing data associated with a plurality of collaborating computer processes, wherein selected ones of said computer processes collaborate with other ones of said collaborating computer processes, comprising:

instructions for dynamically establishing a hierarchical organization relating to a plurality of nodes, each one of said plurality of nodes for establishing a path with at least selected ones of said plurality of collaborating computer processes;

instructions for describing a plurality of said paths according to said hierarchical organization for generating a plurality of hierarchical path descriptions between selected ones of said plurality of nodes and said at least selected ones of said plurality of collaborating computer processes;

instructions for communicating with a communications network server said plurality of hierarchical path descriptions for permitting transient storage of data for describing said paths between said nodes and said plurality of collaborating computer processes.

2. The storage system of claim 1, wherein said hierarchical path descriptions comprise descriptions and locations of individual ones of said plurality of nodes and individual ones of said plurality of collaborating computer processes.

3. The storage system of claim 2, wherein said hierarchical path descriptions further comprise descriptions of selected operations occurring between individual ones of said plurality of nodes and individual ones of said plurality of computer processes.

4. The storage system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said processes comprises a node employing TCP/IP protocols.

5. The storage system of claim 1, wherein said instructions for communicating with the communications network server further comprise instructions for transmitting said hierarchical path descriptions asynchronously upward said hierarchical organization.

6. The storage system of claim 1, wherein said instructions for communicating with the communications network server further comprise instructions for receiving asynchronously said hierarchical path descriptions from downward said hierarchical organizations.

7. The storage system of claim 1, wherein said instructions for communicating with a communications server, further comprise instructions for listening to a hierarchically designated set of said plurality of nodes.

8. The storage system of claim 7, wherein said hierarchically designated set of said plurality of nodes comprises the set of all nodes having a lower position on said hierarchical organization than said a predetermined one of said nodes.

9. The storage system of claim 8, further comprising instructions for communicating with at least one of said processes for instantiating transient data from data stored persistently in a persistent storage location.

10. The storage system of claim 1, wherein said instructions for describing a plurality of said paths according to said hierarchical organization further comprise instructions for generating a hierarchical path description for each of said plurality of nodes and each of said plurality of computer processes actively collaborating with one another.

11. The storage system of claim 10, wherein said instructions for communicating with a communications server, further comprise instructions for telling a hierarchically designated set of said plurality of nodes events relating to a single one of said plurality of nodes.

12. The storage system of claim 10, wherein said hierarchically designated set of said plurality of nodes comprises the set of all nodes having a higher position on said hierarchical organization than said single one of said plurality of nodes.

13. The storage system of claim 10, wherein said hierarchically designated set of said plurality of nodes comprises the set of all nodes actively listening to said single one of said plurality of nodes.

14. The storage system of claim 1, wherein said instructions for describing a plurality of said paths further comprise instructions for dynamically adding hierarchical path descriptions between said plurality of nodes and said plurality of computer processes in the event that computer processes are added dynamically to said plurality of collaborating computer processes.

15. The storage system of claim 1, wherein said instructions for describing a plurality of said paths further comprise instructions for removing hierarchical path descriptions between said plurality of nodes and said plurality of computer processes upon the termination of collaboration of at least one of said plurality of computer processes with other ones of said plurality of computer processes.

16. The storage system of claim 1, wherein said instructions for dynamically establishing a hierarchical organization further comprise instructions for removing hierarchical path descriptions between said plurality of nodes and said plurality of computer processes upon the termination of collaboration of a computer process with said plurality of computer processes.

17. The storage system of claim 1, wherein said instructions for dynamically establishing a hierarchical organization further comprise instructions for potentially establishing a node upon said communicating instructions attempting to communicate with said node.

18. The storage system of claim 1, wherein said instructions for dynamically establishing a hierarchical organization, said instructions for describing a plurality of said paths and said instructions for communicating with the communications network server employ a single predetermined protocol.

19. The storage system of claim 1, wherein said instructions for dynamically establishing a hierarchical organization, said instructions for describing a plurality of said paths and said instructions for communicating with the communications network server employ a single protocol using a minimal socket set for said plurality of collaborating computer processes.

20. The storage system of claim 19, wherein said minimal socket set comprises a single socket.

21. The storage system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of collaborating computer processes operate on a single computer.

22. The storage system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of collaborating computer processes operate on a plurality of associated computers.

23. A method for storing data associated with a plurality of collaborating computer processes, wherein selected ones of said computer processes collaborate with other ones of said collaborating computer processes, comprising the steps of:

dynamically establishing a hierarchical organization relating to a plurality of nodes, each one of said plurality of nodes establishing a path with at least selected ones of said plurality of computer processes;

describing a plurality of said paths according to said hierarchical organization for generating a plurality of hierarchical path descriptions between selected ones of said plurality of nodes and said at least selected ones of said plurality of computer processes;

communicating with a communications network server said plurality of hierarchical path descriptions for permitting the transient storage of data associated with at least one of said paths.

24. The data storage method of claim 23, wherein said hierarchical path describing step further comprises the step of describing and locating individual ones of said plurality of nodes and individual ones of said plurality of computer processes.

25. The data storage method of claim 23, wherein said hierarchical path describing step further comprises the step of describing selected operations occurring between individual ones of said plurality of nodes and individual ones of said plurality of computer processes.

26. The data storage method of claim 23, wherein at least one of said processes comprises a node employing a TCP/IP protocol.

27. The data storage method of claim 23, wherein said communicating step further comprises the step of transmitting said hierarchical path descriptions asynchronously upward said hierarchical organization.

28. The data storage method of claim 23, wherein said communicating step further comprises the step of receiving asynchronously said hierarchical path descriptions from downward said hierarchical organizations.

29. The data storage method of claim 23, wherein said communicating step further comprises the step of listening to a hierarchically designated set of said plurality of nodes.

30. The data storage method of claim 29, wherein said hierarchically designated set of said plurality of nodes comprises the set of all nodes having a lower position on said hierarchical organization.

31. The data storage method of claim 30, further comprising communicating step further comprises the step instantiating said transiently stored data with data stored persistently in a persistent storage location.

32. The data storage method of claim 23, wherein said describing step further comprises the step of generating a hierarchical path description for each of said plurality of nodes and each of said plurality of computer processes actively collaborating with one another.

33. The data storage method of claim 23, wherein said communicating step further comprises the step of telling a hierarchically designated set of said plurality of nodes events relating to a single one of said plurality of nodes.

34. The data storage method of claim 33, wherein said hierarchically designated set of said plurality of nodes comprises the set of all nodes having a higher position on said hierarchical organization.

35. The data storage method of claim 33, wherein said hierarchically designated set of said plurality of nodes comprises the set of all nodes actively listening to said single one of said plurality of nodes.

36. The data storage method of claim 23, wherein said describing step further comprises the step of dynamically adding hierarchical path descriptions between said plurality of nodes and said plurality of computer processes in the event that computer processes are added dynamically to said plurality of computer processes.

37. The data storage method of claim 23, wherein said describing step further comprises the step of removing hierarchical path descriptions between said plurality of nodes and said plurality of computer processes upon the termination of collaboration of at least one of said plurality of computer processes with other ones of said plurality of computer processes.

38. The data storage method of claim 23, wherein said dynamically establishing step further comprises the step of removing hierarchical path descriptions between said plurality of nodes and said plurality of computer processes upon the termination of collaboration of a computer process with said plurality of computer processes.

39. The data storage method of claim 23, wherein said dynamically establishing step further comprises the step of potentially establishing a node upon said instructions for communicating with the communications network server said plurality of hierarchical path descriptions attempting to communicate with said node.

40. The data storage method of claim 23, wherein said dynamically establishing step further comprises the step of describing a plurality of said paths and communicating with the communications network server employ a single predetermined protocol.

41. The data storage method of claim 23, wherein said dynamically establishing step further comprises the step of describing a plurality of said paths and communicating with the communications network server employ a single protocol employing a single socket for said plurality of collaborating computer processes.

42. The data storage method of claim 23, wherein said plurality of collaborating computer processes operate on a single computer.

43. The data storage method of claim 23, wherein said plurality of collaborating computer processes operate on a plurality of computers.

44. A collaborating system of memory-resident transient data storage instructions for storing data associated with a plurality of collaborating computer processes, wherein selected ones of said computer processes collaborate with other ones of said collaborating computer processes, comprising:

instructions for dynamically establishing a hierarchical organization relating to a plurality of nodes, each one of said plurality of nodes establishing a path with at least selected ones of said plurality of collaborating computer processes, said hierarchical organization establishing instructions residing at a first location;

instructions for describing a plurality of said paths according to said hierarchical organization for generating a plurality of hierarchical path descriptions between selected ones of said plurality of nodes and said at least selected ones of said plurality of collaborating computer processes, said path describing instructions residing at a second location different from said first location; and

instructions for communicating with a communications network server said plurality of hierarchical path descriptions for permitting transient storage of data that describes the paths between said nodes and said plurality of collaborating computer processes.

45. The collaborating system of claim 44, wherein said communicating instructions reside at a third location different from said first location and second location.

46. The collaborating system of claim 44, wherein said hierarchical path descriptions comprise descriptions and locations of individual ones of said plurality of nodes and individual ones of said plurality of computer processes.

47. The collaborating system of claim 44, wherein said hierarchical path descriptions further comprise descriptions of selected operations occurring between individual ones of said plurality of nodes and individual ones of said plurality of computer processes.

48. The collaborating system of claim 44, wherein at least one of said processes comprises a node employing TCP/IP protocols.

49. The collaborating system of claim 44, wherein said instructions for communicating with the communications network server further comprise instructions for transmitting said hierarchical path descriptions asynchronously upward said hierarchical organization.

50. The collaborating system of claim 44, wherein said instructions for communicating with the communications network server further comprise instructions for receiving asynchronously said hierarchical path descriptions from downward said hierarchical organizations.

51. The collaborating system of claim 44, wherein said instructions for communicating with a communications server, further comprise instructions for listening to a hierarchically designated set of said plurality of nodes.

52. The collaborating system of claim 51, wherein said hierarchically designated set of said plurality of nodes comprises the set of all nodes having a lower position on said hierarchical organization.

53. The collaborating system of claim 51, further comprising instructions for communicating with at least one of said processes for instantiating transient data from data stored persistently in a persistent storage location.

54. The collaborating system of claim 44, wherein said instructions for describing a plurality of said paths according to said hierarchical organization further comprise instructions for generating a hierarchical path description for each of said plurality of nodes and each of said plurality of computer processes actively collaborating with one another.

55. The collaborating system of claim 44, wherein said instructions for communicating with a communications server, further comprise instructions for telling a hierarchically designated set of said plurality of nodes events relating to a single one of said plurality of nodes.

56. The collaborating system of claim 55, wherein said hierarchically designated set of said plurality of nodes comprises the set of all nodes having a higher position on said hierarchical organization.

57. The collaborating system of claim 55, wherein said hierarchically designated set of said plurality of nodes comprises the set of all nodes actively listening to said single one of said plurality of nodes.

58. The collaborating system of claim 44, wherein said instructions for describing a plurality of said paths further comprise instructions for dynamically adding hierarchical path descriptions between said plurality of nodes and said plurality of computer processes in the event that computer processes are added dynamically to said plurality of computer processes.

59. The collaborating system of claim 44, wherein said instructions for describing a plurality of said paths further comprise instructions for removing hierarchical path descriptions between said plurality of nodes and said plurality of computer processes upon the termination of collaboration of at least one of said plurality of computer processes with other ones of said plurality of computer processes.

60. The collaborating system of claim 44, wherein said instructions for dynamically establishing a hierarchical organization further comprise instructions for removing hierarchical path descriptions between said plurality of nodes and said plurality of computer processes upon the termination of collaboration of a computer process with said plurality of computer processes.

61. The collaborating system of claim 44, wherein said instructions for dynamically establishing a hierarchical organization further comprise instructions for potentially establishing a node upon said instructions for communicating with the communications network server said plurality of hierarchical path descriptions attempting to communicate with said node.

62. The collaborating system of claim 44, wherein said instructions for dynamically establishing a hierarchical organization, said instructions for describing a plurality of said paths and said instructions for communicating with the communications network server employ a single predetermined protocol.

63. The collaborating system of claim 44, wherein said instructions for dynamically establishing a hierarchical organization, said instructions for describing a plurality of said paths and said instructions for communicating with the communications network server employ a single protocol employing a single socket for said plurality of collaborating computer processes.

64. The collaborating system of claim 44, wherein said plurality of collaborating computer processes operate on a single computer.

65. The collaborating system of claim 44, wherein said plurality of collaborating computer processes operate on a plurality of computers.