System and method for resource recovery in a distributed system

• US 6,728,895 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2000
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Silicon Graphics Incorporated (Graphics Properties Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nelson, Michael N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHU, GABRIEL L
• Application Number:
  US09/547,702
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 714/4, 714/47, 714/48, 714/57, 709/226, 707/206
• US Class Current: 714/4.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3006 where the computing system is distributed, e.g. networked systems, clusters, multiprocessor systems multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46; allocation of resources G06F9/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3055 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the status of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring if the computing system is on, off, available, not available error or fault processing without redundancy G06F11/0703; error detection or correction by redundancy in data representation G06F11/08; error detection or correction by redundancy in operation G06F11/14; error detection or correction by redundancy in hardware G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5627 Fault tolerance and recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5631 Resource management and allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0654 using network fault recovery ring fault isolation or reconfiguration in loop networks without recovery actions by a network management system H04L12/437
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2404 Monitoring of server processing errors or hardware failure error or fault detection G06F11/07; monitoring in general G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17327 with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

A system and method for resource recovery in a distributed system uses a resource audit service to monitor the status of a client that receives a resource from a service that allocates the resource. The allocating service registers a callback with the resource audit service identifying the client. The resource audit service subsequently monitors the status of the client. When the resource audit service determines that the client has failed, the resource audit service performs the callback to the allocating service indicating the failure of the client. Upon receiving the callback, the allocating service is able to recover the resource from the client.

Claims

1. In a system having an allocating service that provides resources to clients, a method for recovering a resource from a client after the client fails, the method comprising the steps of:

registering a first callback with a resource audit service, wherein said first callback identifies the client, said step of registering performed by the allocating service;

determining whether the client has failed, said step of determining performed by said resource audit service; and

performing said first callback when the client has failed thereby notifying the allocating service that the client has failed and allowing said resource to be recovered, said step of performing performed by said resource audit service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the client is a local client, and wherein said step of determining comprises the steps of:

registering a second callback with a service controller, said step of registering said second callback performed by said resource audit service; and

performing said second callback when said service controller becomes aware that the client has failed thereby notifying said resource audit service that the client has failed, said step of performing said second callback performed by said service controller.

3. A system for recovering a resource in a distributed system, the system comprising:

an allocating service for providing the resource to a client; and

a resource audit service that notifies said allocating service when said client fails thereby allowing said allocating service to recover the resource,

wherein said allocating service registers a callback with said resource audit service, said callback identifying said client as a recipient of the resource.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said resource audit service notifies said allocating service that said client failed by performing said callback to said allocating service.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said resource audit service maintains a status of said client, said status including unknown, alive, and failed.

6. The system of claim 3, further comprising a service controller, wherein said service controller is aware of whether said client has failed by being a creator of said client.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said resource audit service registers a second callback with said service controller, and wherein said service controller performs said second callback to said resource audit service when said client fails.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein said client is a non-local client, and wherein said resource audit service polls a second resource audit service to determine a status of said non-local client, said second resource audit service local to said non-local client.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein said client is a foreign client, and wherein said resource audit service queries a status service to determine a status of said foreign client, said status service associated with and aware of said status of said foreign client.

10. A computer program product for use in a computer system having an allocating service that allocates a resource to a client, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for recovering the resource from the client when the client fails, said computer readable program code means comprising;

computer readable means for causing the allocating service to register a first callback with a resource audit service, wherein said first callback identifies the client;

computer readable means for causing said resource audit service to determine whether the client has failed; and

computer readable means for causing said resource audit service to perform said first callback to the allocating service when the client has failed thereby allowing the resource to be recovered.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the client is a local client, and wherein said computer readable means for causing said resource audit service to determine further comprises:

computer readable means for causing said resource audit service to register a second callback with a service controller, said service controller operating on said computer; and

computer readable means for causing said service controller to perform said second callback to said resource audit service when said service controller becomes aware that said local client has failed.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the client is a non-local client, and wherein said computer readable means for causing said resource audit service to determine further comprises:

computer readable means for causing said resource audit service to poll a second resource audit service, said second resource audit service local to said non-local client; and

computer readable means for causing said resource audit service to receive a status of said non-local client from said second resource audit service.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said client is a foreign client, and wherein said computer readable means for causing said resource audit service to determine further comprises:

computer readable means for causing said resource audit service to query a status service that is associated with and aware of a status of said foreign client; and

computer readable means for causing said resource audit service to receive said status from said status service.

14. In an interactive television system, a system for recovering a resource, the system comprising:

a server having an allocating service for allocating the resource;

a client connected to said server and receiving the resource from said allocating service; and

a resource audit service, operating on said server, comprising;

means for receiving a registration from said allocating service, said registration identifying said client,

means for determining whether said client has failed, and

means for notifying said allocating service when said client has failed thereby allowing said allocating service to recover the resource.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said client is a settop connected to said server via a network, and wherein said means for determining further comprises:

means for querying a settop manager about a status of said settop, said settop manager being aware of said status of said settop; and

means for receiving said status of said settop from said settop manager.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said client is operating on said server, and wherein said means for determining further comprises:

means for registering a callback with a service controller operating on said server, said service controller aware of a status of said local client; and

means for receiving said callback from said service controller when said service controller determines that said local client has failed.

17. A system for recovering a resource in a distributed system, the system comprising:

an allocating service that provides the resource to a client;

a service controller that creates the client; and

a resource audit service that is notified by the service controller when the client has failed and that notifies said allocating service when said client fails, thereby allowing said allocating service to recover the resource.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said allocating service registers a callback with said resource audit service, said callback identifies said client as a recipient of the resource.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said resource audit service notifies said allocating service that said client failed by performing said callback to said allocating service.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said resource audit service maintains a status of said client, said status including unknown, alive, and failed.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein said resource audit service registers a second callback with said service controller, and wherein said service controller performs said second callback to said resource audit service when said client fails.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein said client is a non-local client, and wherein said resource audit service polls a second resource audit service to determine a status of said non-local client, said second resource audit service local to said non-local client.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein said client is a foreign client, and wherein said resource audit service queries a status service to determine a status of said foreign client, said status service associated with and aware of said status of said foreign client.