Method and system for installing program in multiple system

• US 7,062,676 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2004
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Furuya, Hodaka, Shinohara, Tomohiro, Sunada, Yoji
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ehne, Charles
• Application Number:
  US10/795,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20050102562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 714/4, 714 11- 13, 717168-178
• US Class Current: 714/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1433 during software upgrading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2028 eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to allow easy upgrading of the version of the OS in a failover cluster system. When the user mounts a storage medium 4 on the node 1, and gives instructions to install a program, the installation program 12 requests the failover program 11 for the stopping of heartbeat communications. The node 1 voluntarily stops heartbeat communications in a state in which the system of this node is operating normally. When the failover program 21 of the node 2 detects the stopping of heartbeat communications, this program starts failover, and takes over the business service of the node 1. During the execution of failover by the node 2, the program stored in the storage medium 4 is installed in the node 1. When this installation is completed, the node 1 transmits a failback request to the node 2, and restarts the business service.

Claims

1. A failover cluster system which comprises a first computer and second computer that are mutual objects of failover, and which causes failover to be executed on the basis of the state of heartbeat signal communications performed between said first computer and said second computer, wherein

said first computer comprises:

a first failover component which actuates failover by said second computer by voluntarily stopping said heartbeat signal communications on the basis of a heartbeat communications stop request that is issued prior to the installation of an OS construction altering program from an installation program that performs preparations for the installation of said construction altering program; and

an installation control component which starts an installer program and causes said construction altering program to be installed by restarting said OS when a restart signal based on the stopping of said heartbeat signals is received from said second computer;

said first failover component requests said second computer for failback when the installation of said construction altering program is completed;

said second computer comprises;

a second failover component which executes said failover when said heartbeat signal communications with said first computer are stopped; and

a restart request component which transmits said restart signal to said first computer when said heartbeat signal communications with said first computer are stopped; and

said second failover component stops the execution of said failover when said failback is requested from said first computer.

2. A failover cluster system which comprises a first computer and second computer that are mutual objects of failover, wherein

said second computer transmits an installation permission signal to said first computer when a state in which the processing of said first computer is stopped is detected, and

said first computer installs a specified program when said installation permission signal is received from said second computer,

wherein said installation permission signal is associated with the execution of failover by said second computer,

wherein said first computer requests said second computer for failback when the installation of said specified program is completed,

wherein said first computer and said second computer judge whether or not failover execution is possible on the basis of the state of dead-or-alive confirmation signal communications performed between the two computers, and

wherein said first computer causes said state of a stopped process to be realized by voluntarily stopping said dead-or-alive confirmation signal communications prior to the installation of said specified program.

3. The failover cluster system according to claim 2, wherein said first computer causes said state of a stopped process to be realized by voluntarily stopping said dead-or-alive confirmation signal communications, prior to the installation of said specified program, on the basis of a request from an installation preparation part that performs preparations for the purpose of installing said specified program, and

said first computer further installs said specified program by starting an installation execution part when said installation permission signal is transmitted from said second computer on the basis of the stopping of said dead-or-alive confirmation signal communications.

4. The failover cluster system according to claim 3, wherein said specified program and said installation execution part are respectively stored in a program storage medium,

said installation preparation part causes the starting method of said first computer to be altered from the ordinary setting so that this computer is started on the basis of said program storage medium and issues a request so that said dead-or-alive confirmation signal communications are voluntarily stopped,

said installation permission signal that is transmitted from said second computer to said first computer on the basis of the stopping of said dead-or-alive confirmation signal communications is a signal that requests restart of said first computer, and

said installation execution part is a part which installs said specified program in said first computer when being started by the restart of said first computer, and which alters the starting method of said first computer to said ordinary setting when the installation of said specified program is completed.

5. A program installation method using a failover cluster system which installs a specified program in a first computer using a failover cluster system comprising said first computer and a second computer that are mutual objects of failover, wherein

said second computer executes the steps of:

(a) detecting whether or not said first computer is in a state of a stopped process; and

(b) transmitting an installation permission signal to said first computer when said state of a stopped process; and

said first computer executes the steps of;

(c) generating said state in which processing is stopped prior to the installation of said specified program; and

(d) installing said specified program when said installation permission signal is received from said second computer, and

wherein said first computer and said second computer judge whether or not failover execution is possible on the basis of the state of dead-or-alive confirmation signal communications performed between the two computers, and

said step (c) includes the step of voluntarily stopping said dead-or-alive confirmation signal communications prior to the installation of said specified program.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said installation permission signal is associated with the execution of failover by said second computer.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein said first computer requests said second computer for failback when the installation of said specified program in said step (d) is completed.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein said step (a) includes the step of detecting whether or not said first computer is in a state of a stopped process based on the stoppage of the dead-or-alive confirmation signal communications from said first computer.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein said step (d) is carried out by reading in an installation program stored in a program storage medium.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said first computer memorizes a table for storing a startup-method instruction flag instructing a startup-method of said first computer;

wherein the method further comprises the step of registering a first startup-method instruction flag instructing to start said first computer according to said installation program stored in said program storage medium;

wherein said installation permission signal in said step (b) is a signal for requesting a startup of said first computer; and

wherein said step (d) includes the steps of;

in case of receiving said installation permission signal, checking whether or not said startup-method instruction flag in said table is said first flag;

in response to a check result of said step of checking, reading-out said installation program from said program storage medium, re-starting said installation program, and installing said specified program into said first computer; and

in the case where said the installation of said specified program is completed, changing said startup-method instruction flag in said table to a second flag.

11. A program installation method using a failover cluster system which installs a specified program in a first computer using a failover cluster system comprising said first computer and a second computer that are mutual objects of failover, wherein

said second computer executes the steps of:

(a) detecting whether or not said first computer is in a state of a stopped process; and

(b) transmitting an installation permission signal to said first computer when said state of a stopped process; and

said first computer executes the steps of;

(c) generating said state in which processing is stopped prior to the installation of said specified program; and

(d) installing said specified program when said installation permission signal is received from said second computer,

wherein said step (d) is carried out by reading in an installation program stored in a program storage medium;

wherein said first computer memorizes a table for storing a startup-method instruction flag instructing a startup-method of said first computer;

wherein the method further comprises the step of registering a first startup-method instruction flag instructing to start said first computer according to said installation program stored in said program storage medium;

wherein said installation permission signal in said step (b) is a signal for requesting a startup of said first computer; and

wherein said step (d) includes the steps of;

in case of receiving said installation permission signal, checking whether or not said startup-method instruction flag in said table is said first flag;

in response to a check result of said step of checking, reading-out said installation program from said program storage medium, re-starting said installation program, and installing said specified program into said first computer; and

in the case where said the installation of said specified program is completed, changing said startup-method instruction flag in said table to a second flag.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said installation permission signal is associated with the execution of failover by said second computer.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said first computer requests said second computer for failback when the installation of said specified program in said step (d) is completed.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein said step (a) includes the step of detecting whether or not said first computer is in a state of a stopped process based on the stoppage of the dead-or-alive confirmation signal communications from said first computer.