Cluster lock server: ability to support multiple standard and proprietary locking protocols

• US 7,043,580 B1
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: Heideman, Michael J., Cooper, Thomas P., Smith, Ronald Q.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perveen, Rehana
• Assistant Examiner(s): DALEY, CHRISTOPHER ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US10/346,458
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 710/200
• US Class Current: 710/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2343 Locking methods, e.g. distributed locking or locking implementation details

Abstract

An apparatus for and method of implementing a cluster lock processing system having a relatively large number of commodity cluster instruction processors which are managed by a highly scalable, off the shelf communication processor. Because the commodity processors have virtually no system viability features such as memory protection, failure recovery, etc., the communication processor assumes the responsibility for providing these functions. The low cost of the commodity cluster instruction processors makes the system almost linearly scalable. Furthermore, having a fully scalable communication processor ensures a completely scalable system. The cluster/locking, caching, and mass storage accessing functions are fully integrated into a single hardware platform. The architecture may be implemented using any of a wide variety of proprietary or non-proprietary operating system environments.

Claims

1. In a data processing system having a data base, the improvement comprising:

a. a plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors;

b. a master cluster lock server responsively coupled to each of said plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors which requests execution of data processing functions by each of said plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors; and

c. a first non-proprietary operating system located within said master cluster lock server which maintains control over modifications to said data base by said plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors.

2. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said first non-proprietary operating system further comprises a commercially available operating system.

3. The improvement according to claim 2 further comprising a slave cluster lock server responsively coupled to said master cluster lock server and to each of said plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors.

4. The improvement according to claim 3 wherein said slave cluster lock server further comprises a second non-proprietary operating system.

5. The improvement according to claim 4 wherein said first non-proprietary operating system and said second non-proprietary operating system are the same non-proprietary operating system.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a. a plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors;

b. a master cluster lock server responsively coupled to each of said plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors which requests each of said plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors to perform data processing system functions; and

c. a first non-proprietary operating system located within said master cluster lock server.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a slave cluster lock server responsively coupled to each of said plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors and to said master cluster lock server.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said slave lock processor further comprises a second non-proprietary operating system.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a first host computer responsively coupled to said master cluster lock server which requests performance of said data processing system functions from said master cluster lock server.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a second host computer responsively coupled to said master cluster lock server.

11. A method of executing a computer program comprising:

a. accessing a first computer program with a cluster lock server via an internal cache memory directly from mass storage;

b. preparing said first computer program for assignment by said cluster lock server to a selected one of a plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors;

c. assigning said first computer program to said selected one of said plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors for execution by said cluster lock server in response to a request by one of a plurality of host processors; and

d. controlling said accessing, preparing, and assigning steps by a non-proprietary operating system.

12. A method according to claim 11 further comprising protecting said first computer program from interference by said unselected ones of said plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors by said non-proprietary operating system.

13. A method according to claim 12 further comprising recovering from a failure of said selected one of said plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors by said cluster lock server assigning said first computer program to a second selected one of said plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors for completion of execution.

14. A method according to claim 13 further comprising:

a. accessing a second computer program with said cluster lock server; and

b. assigning said second computer program for execution to a second selected one of said plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors by said cluster lock server.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein a second cluster lock server assumes the functions of said cluster lock server upon failure of said cluster lock server.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a. describing means for describing a computer program in computer language;

b. a plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors;

c. managing means responsively coupled to each of said plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors for managing said plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors including a non-proprietary operating system; and

d. permitting means responsively coupled to said managing means for permitting said managing means to assign said describing means to a selected one of said plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors for execution.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said non-proprietary operating system further comprises Windows operating system.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17 further comprising second means for managing responsively coupled to each of said plurality of commodity cluster instruction processors.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18 further comprising a first host computer responsively coupled to said managing means.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19 further comprising a second host computer responsively coupled to said managing means.