Method and system for optimizing file table usage
First Claim
1. A method for optimizing file table usage comprising:
- storing file descriptors which reference a first socket pair within a file table associated with a dispatcher process to reduce a number of file descriptors simultaneously stored within said file table associated with said dispatcher process, wherein said first socket pair stores a plurality of file descriptors associated with an agent process, and each of said plurality of file descriptors references a corresponding closed file within a context of said agent process,transferring said file descriptors which reference said first socket pair to said agent process via an inter-process communication (IPC) mechanism,receiving said file descriptors which reference first socket pair from said agent process via the IPC mechanism, wherein said IPC mechanism comprises a second socket pair, wherein said second socket pair comprises a shared socket pair, andobtaining said shared socket pair from a pool of shared socket pairs prior to a transfer of said file descriptors which reference said first socket pair to said agent process.
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Abstract
An operating system directed to using special properties of a common inter-process communications mechanism (IPC), namely UNIX domain socket-pairs or stream-pipes alternatively as a storage medium for file-descriptors of UNIX processes. When a file-descriptor is written into a socket-pair, and closed in the UNIX process, the file remains open, but occupies no space in the process'"'"' file-table. The file-descriptor may later be read out of the socket-pair to reestablish it in the file-table, and access it. This property is implemented in an IPC mechanism of UNIX operating system whereby a process such as a dispatcher may manage more connections and processes than its file-table size allow. This provides scalability improvements of the UNIX operating system.
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Citations
3 Claims
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1. A method for optimizing file table usage comprising:
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storing file descriptors which reference a first socket pair within a file table associated with a dispatcher process to reduce a number of file descriptors simultaneously stored within said file table associated with said dispatcher process, wherein said first socket pair stores a plurality of file descriptors associated with an agent process, and each of said plurality of file descriptors references a corresponding closed file within a context of said agent process, transferring said file descriptors which reference said first socket pair to said agent process via an inter-process communication (IPC) mechanism, receiving said file descriptors which reference first socket pair from said agent process via the IPC mechanism, wherein said IPC mechanism comprises a second socket pair, wherein said second socket pair comprises a shared socket pair, and obtaining said shared socket pair from a pool of shared socket pairs prior to a transfer of said file descriptors which reference said first socket pair to said agent process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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Specification