Task grouping in a distributed processing framework system and methods for implementing the same

• US 7,165,256 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2001
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhang, Weiqiang, Boudnik, Konstantin I.
• Primary Examiner(s): An; Meng-Al T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To; Jennifer N.
• Application Number:
  US10/025,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20030120700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,854 Days
• Field of Search: 718100-108, 709219-226, 709/227, 712/211, 712/242, 714/38, 714/25, 714/31, 717/124, 717/127
• US Class Current: 718/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites

Abstract

A method for executing processing tasks in a distributed processing framework system is provided. The method includes identifying a main task of a tasklist and identifying a subtask of the main task. Also included is allocating computing resources for each of the main task and the subtask. The method further includes deploying the main task to a first computing system that is part of the distributed processing framework system. A code of the main task is executed on the first computing system. The code of the main task has program instructions for requesting loading of code for the subtask to a second computing system. The second computing system is part of the allocated computing resources. The code for the subtask is in client-server communication with the code for the main task, such that the code for the main task receives processing results directly from the code for the subtask.

Claims

1. A method for executing processing tasks in a distributed processing framework system including two or more processing resources, the method comprising:

identifying a main task of a tasklist, with said main task having a plurality of main instructions, said main instructions being executable;

identifying a subtask of the main task, with said sub-task having a plurality of sub-instructions, said sub-instructions being executable;

allocating computing resources for the main task and the subtask before executing said plurality of main instructions and said plurality of sub-instructions, the allocated computing resource including a first computing system and a second computing system; and

deploying the main task to the first computing system, a code of the main task being executed on the first computing system, the code of the main task having program instructions for requesting loading of a code for the subtask to the second computing system, the code forte subtask is in client-server communication with the code for the main task, such that the code for the main task receives processing results directly from the code for the subtask,

wherein the first computing system is configured to be allocated to the main task continuously until each of the plurality of main instructions of the main task is executed or one of said plurality of main instructions of the main task causes an execution of the main task to discontinue, and further wherein the second computing system is configured to be allocated to the subtask continuously until each of the plurality of sub-instructions of the subtask is executed or an one of said plurality of sub-instructions of the subtask causes an execution of the subtask to discontinue.

2. A method for executing processing tasks in a distributed processing framework system as recited in claim 1, wherein the processing results received from the subtask are implemented to create a main task processing results to be communicated to a system controller.

3. A method for executing processing tasks in a distributed processing framework system as recited in claim 2, wherein the system controller releases the allocated computing resources upon receiving the main task processing results from the main task.

4. A method for executing processing tasks in a distributed processing framework system as recited in claim 1, further including,

a plurality of subtasks in addition to the subtask, the plurality of subtasks configured to be controlled by the main task.

5. A method for distributing an execution of a plurality of tasks within a tasklist by a system controller, the plurality of tasks configured to be processed by a plurality of processing resources in a distributed processing framework (DPF) system, the method comprising:

loading the tasklist, the tasklist having a main task, including a plurality of main instructions, and a subtask including a plurality of sub-instructions;

allocating processing resources to execute the main task and the subtask within the tasklist before executing said plurality of main instructions and said plurality of sub-instructions, the allocated processing resources including a first processing resource and a second processing resource, the first processing resource being separate for the second processing resource;

deploying the main task to the first processing resource for execution;

deploying the subtask to the second processing resource once a special request for the subtask is received from the main task; and

enabling communication between the main task and the subtask, the communication configured to provide the main task with a result of a subtask execution,

wherein the first processing resource is configured to be allocated to the main task continuously until each of said plurality of main instructions is executed or one of said plurality of main instructions causes an execution of the main task to discontinue, and further wherein the second computing resource is configured to be allocated to the subtask continuously until each of said plurality of sub instructions is executed or one of said plurality of sub instructions causes an execution of the subtask to discontinue.

6. The method of claim 5, further including,

communicating a result of a main task execution to the system controller, wherein the system controller releases the plurality of processing resources upon receiving the result of main task execution.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein allocating the processing resources to execute the main task and the subtask includes,

loading the tasklist by the system controller;

searching a registry service for the processing resources having a plurality of attributes identical to a plurality of attributes of the main task and the subtask within the tasklist; and

allocating the first and the second processing resources respectively having attributes identical to the main task and the subtask to the execution of the main task and subtask correspondingly having the identical attributes.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein deploying the subtask to the second processing resource once the special request for the subtask is received from the main task includes,

dispatching the special request to the system controller, the special request configured to include the plurality of attributes of the subtask;

searching the tasklist, the searching configured to locate the subtask having the plurality of attributes included in the special request; and

deploying the located subtask to the second processing resource having the plurality of attributes identical to the plurality of attributes of the subtask.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the registry service is a look up service.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the DPF is a distributed test framework (DTF) system.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the main task is operated on a processing resource server.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the subtask is operated on a processing resource client.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the main task is a test harness.

14. A method for distributing an execution of a plurality of tasks by a system controller, the plurality of tasks configured to be processed by a plurality of processing resources in a distributed processing framework (DPF) system, the method comprising:

loading the plurality of tasks, each of which includes instructions to be executed;

allocating a separate processing resource to execute each task of the plurality of tasks before executing said instructions by searching a registry service for the processing resource having a plurality of attributes identical to a plurality of attributes of each task, and allocating each of the processing resources having a plurality of attributes identical to the plurality of each task to the execution of the task having the identical attributes;

deploying each task to a respective processing resource at the same time;

receiving a result task from each respective processing resource upon a conclusion of each task; and

making the plurality of processing resources available for allocation of additional tasks upon receiving the result task from each of the plurality of processing resources.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the DPF system is a distributed test framework system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the processing resources are a test system.

17. A method for distributing an execution of a plurality of tasks by a system controller, the plurality of tasks configured to be processed by a plurality of processing resources in a distributed processing framework (DPF) system, the method comprising:

loading the plurality of tasks, each of which includes instructions, to be executed;

allocating a respective processing resource of the plurality of processing resources to execute each task of the plurality of tasks before executing said instructions by searching a registry service for the processing resource having a plurality of attributes identical to a plurality of attributes of each task, and allocating each of the processing resources having a plurality of attributes identical to the plurality of each task for the execution of the task having the identical attributes;

deploying a first task of the plurality of tasks to a first processing resource of the plurality of processing resources;

deploying a second task of the plurality of tasks to a second processing resource of the plurality of processing resources upon receiving a result of an execution of the first task; and

making the plurality of processing resources available for allocation of additional tasks upon receiving a result of execution for each of the plurality of tasks,

wherein each processing resource is configured to be allocated to a respective task continuously until each of the instructions associated with said respective task is executed or one of the instructions associated with said respective task causes an execution of the task to discontinue.

18. The method of claim 17, further including, caching the result of the execution for each of the plurality of tasks.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the registry service is a look up service.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the DPF is a distributed test framework (DTF) system.