Method and system for executing batch jobs by delegating work to independent service providers

• US 7,197,749 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2000
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Thornton, James D., Burton, Richard R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZHEN, LI B
• Application Number:
  US09/740,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20020078130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,289 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/101, 709100-108, 718/101, 718/104
• US Class Current: 718/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/509 Offload
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine

Abstract

A job management apparatus for use in a batch job execution system is provided. The job management apparatus includes a client communications part which receives a batch job from a client, an extracting part which extracts a task from the batch job, and an assigning part which receives signals from the service providers and delegates a task to a service provider who is capable of performing such task. The job management apparatus is in communication with a job database which stores the batch job after it is received from the client. At least one provider manager is in communication with the job management apparatus and in communication with the service providers which monitors the tasks as they are being performed on a service provider and provides status information about the task to the job management apparatus. The service providers are configured to output signals to the job management apparatus requesting work.

Claims

1. A job management apparatus for use in a batch job execution system including a plurality of service providers in communication with the job management apparatus, job management the apparatus implemented using one or more processor, and the job management apparatus comprising:

a client communications part which receives a batch job from a client;

an extracting part which extracts one or more task from the batch job; and

,

an assigning part which receives a request work signal from each of the plurality of service providers that is available to perform work for the batch job execution system, each request work signal informing the assigning part of one or more function or service that the service provider can perform;

wherein the assigning part delegates each task to one of the service providers that can perform the function or service required to perform the task;

wherein the assigning part sends an idle assignment signal to each service provider from which the request work signal is received but for which there is not a task available from the job management apparatus, the idle assignment signal informing the service provider to not send further request work signals to the assigning part until the service provider receives a work available signal from the assigning part, thereby freeing up resources of each service provider for which there is not a task available from the job management apparatus to perform other tasks not delegated by the job management apparatus; and

wherein the assigning part sends a work available signal to each service provider that was previously sent the idle assignment signal but for which a task is available from the job management apparatus, to thereby inform each service provider that had stopped sending request work signals to the assigning part to thereafter send a work request signal when the service provider is available to perform work.

2. The job management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of service providers are operating on a plurality of machines.

3. The job management apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one contact part which receives a status report signal from the service providers, which updates the status of the task being performed by the service provider.

4. The job management apparatus of claim 3, wherein the work request signal specifies a minimum frequency at which the status report signal will be sent to the contact part.

5. The job management apparatus of claim 3, wherein the status report signal informs the contact part of completion of the task.

6. The job management apparatus of claim 1, further being in communication with a job database which stores the batch job upon receipt from the client;

and

the job database being regularly updated as jobs are executed by batch job execution system.

7. The job management apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a retrieving part which retrieves the batch job from the job database when the batch job is to be executed.

8. A computer implemented method for preparing and executing a batch job by a batch job execution system, comprising the steps of:

submitting a batch job with processing parameters to a job management apparatus;

storing the batch job in a job database;

receiving a work request signal from each of a plurality of service providers that is available to perform work for the batch job execution system, each work request signal informing the job management apparatus of one or more function or service that the service provider can perform;

determining whether the batch job execution system is able to process the batch job;

extracting at least one task from the batch job;

delegating each task to one of the service providers that can perform the function or service required to perform the task; and

sending an idle assignment signal to each service provider from which the request work signal is received but for which there is not a task available from the job management apparatus, the idle assignment signal informing the service provider to not send further request work signals to the job management apparatus until the service provider receives a work available signal from the job management apparatus, thereby freeing up resources of each service provider for which there is not a task available from the job management apparatus to perform other tasks not delegated by the job management apparatus; and

sending a work available signal to each service provider that was previously sent the idle assignment signal but for which a task is available from the job management apparatus, to thereby inform each service provider that had stopped sending request work signals to thereafter send a work request signal when the service provider is available to perform work.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of retrieving the batch job from the batch job database prior to the step of extracting at least one task.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of delegating further comprises delegating a plurality of tasks to the plurality of service providers to be performed in parallel.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of performing, further includes receiving a status report signal from the service provider performing the task which updates the status of the task being performed.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining whether the batch job execution system is able to process the batch job;

wherein the step of determining further includes assigning additional service providers to perform tasks for the job management apparatus if it is determined that the batch job execution system is unable to process the job.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

communicating with the service provider performing the task after a predetermined time;

informing the job management apparatus of the tasks status; and

,

the job management apparatus determining whether to re-assign the task or wait for task completion in response to the step of updating the task status.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of terminating the step of performing the task in response to receiving a signal from the job management apparatus, prior to the step of completing the task.

15. An article of manufacture including an information storage medium wherein is stored information comprising;

a client communications software component which receives a batch job from a client;

an extracting software component which extracts one or more task from the batch job; and

,

an assigning software component which receives a request work signal from each of a plurality of service providers that is available to perform work, each request work signal informing the assigning part of the function or service that the service provider performs;

wherein the assigning software component delegates each task to one of the service providers that can perform the function or service required to perform the task;

wherein the assigning software component sends an idle assignment signal to each service provider that sent a request work signal but for which there is not a task available from the assigning software component, the idle assignment signal instructing the service provider to not send further request work signals until the service provider receives a work available signal from the assigning software component, thereby freeing up resources of each service provider for which there is not a task available from the assigning software component to perform other tasks not delegated by the assigning software component; and

wherein the assigning software component sends a work available signal to each service provider that was previously sent the idle assignment signal but for which a task is available from the job management apparatus, to thereby inform each service provider that had stopped sending request work signals to the assigning software component to thereafter send a work request signal when the service provider is available to perform work.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the assigning software component monitors which service providers are able to perform a task.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15, further comprising a contact software component which receives a status report signal from the plurality of service providers which informs the contact software component of the status of the task being performed.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein the work request signal specifies a minimum frequency at which the status report signal will be sent to the contact software component.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15, further comprising a job database software component which stores the batch job upon receipt from the client, wherein the client communications software component is in communication with the job database software component.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19, further comprising a retrieving software component which retrieves the batch job from the job database software component when the batch job is to be executed.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 15, further comprising at least one provider manager software component in communication with the plurality of service providers which monitors the tasks being performed on the service providers and provides status information to the job management software component.