Implicit interprocess communications (IPC) versioning support
First Claim
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1. A method for managing applications in a network node that has a distributed architecture comprising:
- within a network node comprising;
a first independent computer system having a processing unit, an operating system, and a first version of an application;
a second independent computer system having a processing unit, an operating system, and a second version of the application, wherein the first version of the application is different from the second version of the application; and
a switch fabric that provides data paths between the first and second independent computer systems;
associating version compatibility information with interprocess communications (IPC) message structures to generate IPC protocol information that includes an association between the version compatibility information and the IPC message structures such that a particular IPC message structure has a corresponding set of different versions of the application with which the particular IPC message structure is compatible; and
utilizing the IPC protocol information to identify the IPC message structures that are used in communications between the application, wherein the communications are between the first version of the application that resides on the first independent computer system and the second version of the application that resides on the second independent computer system.
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Abstract
Compatibility between applications in a network node with a distributed architecture is maintained after application upgrades by associating version compatibility information with interprocess communications (IPC) message structures and then utilizing the version compatibility information to identify IPC message structures that are used for communications between applications. Once the version compatibility information is associated with the IPC message structures, applications are configured to use only those IPC message structures that are compatible with the currently running version.
202 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for managing applications in a network node that has a distributed architecture comprising:
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within a network node comprising; a first independent computer system having a processing unit, an operating system, and a first version of an application; a second independent computer system having a processing unit, an operating system, and a second version of the application, wherein the first version of the application is different from the second version of the application; and a switch fabric that provides data paths between the first and second independent computer systems; associating version compatibility information with interprocess communications (IPC) message structures to generate IPC protocol information that includes an association between the version compatibility information and the IPC message structures such that a particular IPC message structure has a corresponding set of different versions of the application with which the particular IPC message structure is compatible; and utilizing the IPC protocol information to identify the IPC message structures that are used in communications between the application, wherein the communications are between the first version of the application that resides on the first independent computer system and the second version of the application that resides on the second independent computer system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for managing applications in a network node that has a distributed architecture comprising:
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within a network node comprising; a first independent computer system having a processing unit, an operating system, and a first version of an application; a second independent computer system having a processing unit, an operating system, and a second version of the application, wherein the first version of the application is different from the second version of the application; and a switch fabric that provides data paths between the first and second independent computer systems; associating version compatibility information with interprocess communications (IPC) message structures to generate IPC protocol information that includes an association between the version compatibility information and the IPC message structures such that a particular IPC message structure has a corresponding set of different versions of the application with which the particular IPC message structure is compatible; identifying a highest common version of the application that is supported by the first version of the application that resides on the first independent computer system and the second version of the application that resides on the second independent computer system; and utilizing the IPC message structures that are compatible with the identified highest common version of the application for communications between the first version of the application that resides on the first independent computer system and the second version of the application that resides on the second independent computer system. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A network node for a packet-based communications network comprising:
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within the network node, a first independent computer system having a processing unit, an operating system, and a first version of an application; within the network node, a second independent computer system having a processing unit, an operating system, and a second version of the application, wherein the first version of the application is different from the second version of the application; and within the network node, a switch fabric that provides data paths between the first and second independent computer systems; wherein the applications of the first and second independent computer systems include version managers that are configured to; associate version compatibility information with interprocess communications (IPC) message structures to generate IPC protocol information that includes an association between the version compatibility information and the IPC message structures such that a particular IPC message structure has a corresponding set of different versions of the application with which the particular IPC message structure is compatible; and utilize the IPC protocol information to identify the IPC message structures that are used in communications between the applications of the first and second independent computer systems. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A network node for a packet-based communications network comprising:
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within the network node, a first independent computer system having a processing unit, an operating system, and a first version of an application; within the network node, a second independent computer system having a processing unit, an operating system, and a second version of the application, wherein the first version of the application is different from the second version of the application; and within the network node, a switch fabric that provides data paths between the first and second independent computer systems; wherein the applications of the first and second independent computer systems include version managers that are configured to; associate version compatibility information with interprocess communications (IPC) message structures to generate IPC protocol information that includes an association between the version compatibility information and the IPC message structures such that a particular IPC message structure has a corresponding set of different versions of the application with which the particular IPC message structure is compatible; identify a highest common version of the application that is supported by the first version of the application that resides on the first computer system and the second version of the application that reside on the second computer system; and utilize IPC message structures that are compatible with the identified highest common version of the application for communications between the first version of the application that resides on the first computer system and the second version of the application that resides on the second computer system. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification