QNX operation system network auto configuration

• US 7,051,093 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2001
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Fry, Rick A., Lewis, Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Treat, William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Farooq, Mohammad O.
• Application Number:
  US09/768,716
• Time in Patent Office: 1,945 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/221, 709/223, 709/224, 709/222, 709/228
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A network of computers communicate with each other and with a single system manager computer in accordance with the QNX operating system to perform a series of related tasks. When computers at a number of sites running the operating system boot up, they have resident software that will read a hardware configuration switch that is external to the computer. After reading the switch, the hardware node ID is used as the host ID portion of the IP address. Once a network computer is configured with the correct IP address, communication with other computers on the network can begin. Each QNX node will access the System Manager hard disk to access executables and files using the SMB (Server Message Block) file sharing protocol. If the hardware node ID does not match the current software logic node ID as specified by the QNX system, then the proper QNX files will be retrieved from the System Manager and the QNX node will then reboot itself. At this point, each QNX node will execute the proper software by utilizing the unique logic node ID as a reference to load software to the node.

Claims

1. A method of operating a plurality of networked computers each performing various functions comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first application computer at a first site for performing a first application task, a second computer at a second site for performing a second application task, and additional computers if and as needed for performing third and subsequent tasks at third and additional sites, each computer being coupled to the other computers via a network enabling communication between computers and each computer having a hardware unit for producing a hardware node ID identifying which node site each computer is intending to act as;

(b) providing a system manager means interconnected with the computers for downloading applications software thereto and for updating software therein;

(c) each computer having an application execution program having a logical node ID unique to the application to be executed by each computer at its associated site;

(d) comparing the hardware node ID of the computer for each computer with the logical node ID of the application execution program therein, and should there be a mismatch, inserting a new application execution program into the computer having an appropriate logical node ID equivalent to the hardware node ID;

(e) providing a network mapping means for correlating logical node IDs with appropriate associated physical site node IDs; and

(f) comparing a logical node ID of an applications program in each computer with the logical node ID associated with the physical site node ID of the computer as indicated by the network mapping means, and in the event of a mismatch, inserting into the respective computer a correct applications program having an appropriate logical node ID as indicated by the network mapping means.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

comparing the number of nodes that should be on the network as indicated by a system manager configuration file with the number of nodes actually on the network to ensure that the proper number of nodes are network operative.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of:

setting switches associated with the hardware to effect the producing of said hardware node ID in step (a).

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

setting switches associated with the hardware to effect the producing of said hardware node ID in step (a).

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

restarting any computer in the event of any change in the application execution program or an applications program of that computer and repeating the steps of

(d) comparing the hardware node ID and

(f) comparing a logical node ID.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of:

assuring that a unique network address for each computer is identified in the network mapping means.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of:

downloading network address data from the network mapping means into each computer to support direct network communications between computers.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of:

downloading a hardware node specific software program for execution by each computer.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

implementing network upgrades and changes by making changes in the network mapping means and repeating said step of (f) comparing a logical node ID.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of:

implementing network upgrades and changes by making changes in the network mapping means and repeating said step of f) comparing a logical node ID.

11. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of:

implementing network upgrades and changes by making changes in the network mapping means and repeating said steps of f) comparing a logical node ID.

12. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of:

implementing network upgrades and changes by making changes in the network mapping means and repeating said steps of f) comparing a logical node ID.

13. A method of operating a plurality of networked computers each performing various functions comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first application computer at a first site for performing a first application task, a second computer at a second site for performing a second application task, and additional computers if and as needed for performing third and subsequent tasks at third and additional sites, each computer being coupled to the other computers via a network enabling communication between computers, and each computer having a computer node ID identifying means producing a computer node ID specifying which node site each computer is intending to act as;

(b) providing a system manager means interconnected with the computers for downloading applications software thereto and for updating software therein;

(c) each computer having an application execution program having a software logical node ID unique to the application to be executed by each computer at its associated site; and

(d) comparing the computer node ID of the computer for each computer with the logical node ID of the application execution program therein, and should there be a mismatch, inserting a new application execution program into the computer having an appropriate software logical node ID equivalent to the computer node ID.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

(e) providing a network mapping means for correlating software logical node IDs with appropriate associated physical site node IDs; and

(f) comparing a software logical node ID of an applications program in each computer with the logical node ID associated with the physical site node ID of the computer as indicated by the network mapping means, and in the event of a mismatch, inserting into the respective computer a correct applications program having an appropriate software logical node ID as indicated by the network mapping means.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of:

comparing the number of nodes that should be on the network as indicated by the system manager configuration file with the number of nodes actually on the network to ensure that the proper number of nodes are network.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of:

restarting any computer in the event of any change in the application execution program or an applications program of that computer and repeating said steps of

(d) comparing the hardware node ID and

(f) comparing a logical node ID.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

implementing network upgrades and changes by making changes in the network mapping means and repeating said step of f) comparing a logical node ID.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of:

downloading a computer node specific software program for execution by each computer.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of:

providing identical hardware units associated with each computer at each site, to facilitate flexibility in machine configuration and ease of maintainability.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

comparing the number of nodes that should be on the network as indicated by the system manager configuration file with the number of nodes actually on the network to ensure that the proper number of nodes are network operative.

21. A method of operating a plurality of networked computers each performing various functions comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first application computer at a first site for performing a first application task, a second computer at a second site for performing a second application task, and additional computers if and as needed for performing third and subsequent tasks at third and additional sites, each computer being coupled to the other computers via a network enabling communication between computers and each computer having means for producing a node ID code, identifying which node site each computer is intending to act as;

(b) providing a system manager means interconnected with the computers for downloading applications software thereto and for updating software therein;

(c) each computer having an application execution program having a logical node ID unique to the application to be executed by each computer at its associated site;

(d) comparing the node ID code of the computer for each computer with the logical node ID of the application execution program therein, and should there be a mismatch, inserting a new application execution program into the computer having an appropriate logical node ID equivalent to the node ID code;

(e) providing a network mapping means for correlating said logical node IDs with appropriate associated physical site node IDs; and

(f) comparing a logical node ID of an applications program in each computer with the logical node ID associated with the physical site node ID of the computer as indicated by the network mapping means, and in the event of a mismatch, inserting into the respective computer a correct applications program having an appropriate logical node ID as indicated by the network mapping means.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of:

restarting any computer in the event of any change in the application execution program or an applications program of that computer and repeating said steps of

(d) comparing the hardware node ID and

(f) comparing a logical node ID.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of:

downloading a node ID code specific software program for execution by each computer.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of:

implementing network upgrades and changes by making changes in the network mapping means and repeating said step of (f) comparing a logical node ID.

25. A computer network system adapted to perform a plurality of different functions at respectively separate node site locations, comprising:

a plurality of separate node site computers, each intended to perform a different function at a separate node site location;

a communications network linking said plurality of computers;

separate node site identification means associated with each node site computer and adapted to produce a unique, respective node site identification corresponding to each separate node site location;

a separate execution file stored in each computer and having a logical node identification that is unique to functions to be performed in association with each respective operations file;

first operating instructions associated with each computer and adapted to compare the logical node identification of each execution file with said respective node site identification of each computer to determine a mismatch there between; and

second operating instructions adapted to use said network to insert into each computer having a mismatch, a new execution file having a logical node identification matching said respective node site identification.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising a network mapping means adapted for correlating logical node identifications with said respective node site identifications.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising third operating instructions associated with each computer and adapted to compare logical node identifications of one or more application files located in each computer with said respective node site identification as indicated by the network mapping means, and fourth operating instructions adapted to use said network to the insert into each respective computer, application files having a comparable logical node identification as indicated by said network mapping means.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising fifth operating instructions associated with each computer and adapted to restart each computer in the event of an insertion of a new execution file or a new application file, and further adapted to subsequently re-initiate, said first and third operating instructions adapted to compare.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising a system manager computer coupled to said network, and sixth operating instructions located in said system manager computer and adapted to download node site specific software to said node site computers using said network.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said system is adapted for implementing software upgrades by making changes to said network mapping means and initiating said third operating instructions adapted to compare.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said node site identification means are separate hardware switches connected to each machine.