Multiple computer architecture with synchronization

• US 7,707,179 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Waratek Limited (Waratek Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Waratek Pty Limited
• Inventors: Holt, John Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Cottingham; John R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Badawi; Sherief
• Application Number:
  US11/111,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20060020913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 710/200, 711/141, 709/248, 707/1, 707/8, 714/244
• US Class Current: 707/620
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/00 Accessing, addressing or allocating within memory systems or architectures digital input from, or digital output to record carriers, e.g. to disk storage units, G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/75 Structural analysis for program understanding
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45504 Abstract machines for programme code execution, e.g. Java virtual machine [JVM], interpreters, emulators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/46 Multiprogramming arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/52 Program synchronisation; Mutual exclusion, e.g. by means of semaphores

Abstract

The present invention discloses a modified computer architecture (50, 71, 72) which enables an applications program (50) to be run simultaneously on a plurality of computers (M1, . . . Mn). Shared memory at each computer is updated with amendments and/or overwrites so that all memory read requests are satisfied locally. During initial program loading (75), or similar, instructions which result in the application program (50) acquiring (or releasing) a lock on a particular asset (50A, 50X-50Y) (synchronization) are identified. Additional instructions are inserted (162, 163) to result in a modified synchronization routine with which all computers are updated.

Claims

1. A multiple computer system having at least one application program each written to operate on only a single computer but running substantially simultaneously on a plurality of single computers interconnected by a communications network;

the system comprising;

a local independent memory structure defined for each of the plurality of single computers configured to provide execution of application program code of the application program including a plurality of code threads that are written with the intent to execute on and reference a single computer having a single processing unit or symmetric multiple processing units and a single independent local memory with a local memory capacity that is not shared with any other single computer of said plurality of single computers wherein all read requests by each single computer are satisfied from the local memory of the requesting computer;

wherein different portions of said at least one application program executes substantially simultaneously on different ones of said computers and for each portion a like plurality of substantially identical objects are created in each independent local memory of the corresponding single computer and each object having a substantially identical name; and

said multiple computer system including a lock means modified from that required to operate on only a single computer and loaded into each of said plurality of single computers; and

wherein any of said plurality of computers wishing to utilize one of said substantially identically named objects therein acquires an authorizing lock from said lock means which permits said utilization of said named object and which prevents all the other of said single computers from utilizing their corresponding named object until said authorizing lock is relinquished.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lock means includes an acquire lock routine and a release lock routine, and both said routines are included in modifications made to said application program running on all said computers.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said lock means further includes a shared table listing said named objects in use by any said computer, a lock status for each said object, and a queue of any pending lock acquisitions.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said lock means is located within an additional computer not running said application program and connected to said communications network.

5. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein each said application program is modified before, during, or after loading by inserting said acquire lock routine and said release lock routine to modify each instance at which said application program acquires and releases respectively a lock on an object.

6. The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the application program is modified in accordance with a procedure selected from the group of procedures consisting of re-compilation at loading, pre-compilation prior to loading, compilation prior to loading, just-in-time compilation, and re-compilation after loading and before execution of the relevant portion of application program.

7. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said modified application program is transferred to all said computers in accordance with a procedure selected from the group consisting of master/slave transfer, branched transfer and cascaded transfer.

33. The system as in claim 1, further including means for eliminating clock cycle delays associated with one or said plurality of computers reading memory physically located in a different one or ones of the plurality of computers.

34. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the communications network comprises the Internet; and

each said computer includes a distributed run time means with the distributed run time means of each said computer configured to communicate over the Internet with all other computers so that if a portion of said application program(s) running on one of said computers requires the lock of an object in that computer then the need for the lock of the object is propagated by the distributed run time means of said one computer to all the other computers.

8. A plurality of single computers interconnected via a communications link and operating substantially simultaneously at least one application program each written to operate on only a single computer, the application program having application program code including a plurality of code threads all intended to execute on and reference a single computer having a single processing unit or symmetric multiple processing units and a single independent local memory with a local memory capacity that is not shared with any other single computer of said plurality of single computers;

each said single computer substantially simultaneously executes a different portion of said at least one application program; and

wherein each said single computer in operating said at least one application program different portion utilizes an named object only by using a local replica of the named object in independent local memory physically located in each said single computer with a local memory capacity that is not shared with or accessible by any other single computer of said plurality of single computers wherein all read requests by each single computer are satisfied from the local memory of the requesting computer;

the contents of the independent local memory utilized by each said computer is fundamentally similar but not, at each instant, identical; and

every one of said single computers has an acquire lock routine and a release lock routine which permit utilization of the local replica of the named object only by one single computer and each of the remainder of said plurality of computers is locked out of utilization of their corresponding local replica of the named object.

9. The plurality of computers as claimed in claim 8 wherein the local memory capacity allocated to each said application program is substantially identical and the total memory capacity available to each said application program is said allocated memory capacity.

10. The plurality of computers as claimed in claim 8 wherein all said distribution update means communicate via said communications link at a data transfer rate which is substantially less than the local memory read rate.

11. The plurality of computers as claimed in claim 8 wherein at least some of said computers are manufactured by different manufacturers and/or have different operating systems.

12. A method of running substantially simultaneously on a plurality of single computers interconnected via a communications network an application program written to operate only on a single computer, the application program having application program code including a plurality of code threads all intended to execute on and reference a single computer having a single processing unit or symmetric multiple processing units and a single independent local memory with a local memory capacity that is not shared with any other single computer of said plurality of single computers, said method comprising the steps of:

(i) substantially simultaneously executing different portions of said application program on different ones of said plurality of single computers and for each said different portion creating a like plurality of substantially identical objects in each single independent local memory of the corresponding computer with a local memory capacity that is not shared with or accessible by any other single computer of said plurality of single computers such that all read requests by each single computer are satisfied from the local memory of the requesting computer and each object having a substantially identical name; and

(ii) requiring any of said plurality of single computers wishing to utilize a named object stored in its single independent local memory to acquire an authorizing lock of the named object which permits said utilization and which prevents all the other plurality of single computers from utilizing their corresponding named object stored in their own single independent local memory until said authorizing lock of the named object is relinquished.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 including the further step of:

(iii) providing each said computer with a distributed run time means to communicate between said computers via said communications network.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 including the further step of:

(iv) providing a shared table accessible by each said distributed run time means and in which is stored the identity of any computer which currently has to access an object, together with the identity of the object.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 including the further step of:

(v) associating a counter means with said shared table, said counter means storing a count of the number of said computers which seek access to said object.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 including the further step of:

(vi) providing an additional computer on which said shared program does not run and which hosts said shared table and counter, said additional computer being connected to said communications network.

29. A computer program product comprising a set of program instructions stored in a storage medium and operable to permit a plurality of computers to carry out the method as claimed in claim 12 or 17.

30. A plurality of computers interconnected via a communication network and operable to ensure consistent synchronization of an application program written to operate only on a single computer but running substantially simultaneously on said computers, said computers being programmed to carry out the method as claimed in claim 12.

32. A plurality of computers interconnected via a communication network and operable to ensure consistent synchronization of an application program written to operate only on a single computer but running substantially simultaneously on said plurality of computers, said plurality of computers being loaded with the computer program product as claimed in claim 29.

35. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

the communications network comprises the Internet; and

each said computer includes a distributed run time means with the distributed run time means of each said computer configured to communicate over the Internet with all other computers so that if a portion of said application program(s) running on one of said computers requires the lock of an object in that computer then the need for the lock of the object is propagated by the distributed run time means of said one computer to all the other computers.

17. A method of ensuring consistent synchronization of an application program written to operate only on a single computer but different portions of which are to be executed substantially simultaneously each on a different one of a plurality of single computers interconnected via a communications network, the application program having application program code including a plurality of code threads all intended to execute on and reference a single computer having a single processing unit or symmetric multiple processing units and a single independent local memory with a local memory capacity that is not shared with any other single computer of said plurality of single computers, said method comprising the steps of:

(i) scrutinizing said application program at, or prior to, or after loading to detect each application program step defining a synchronization routine referencing an object in the application program, wherein for each said different portion of the application program a like plurality of substantially identical objects being created in each single independent local memory of the corresponding computer with a local memory capacity that is not shared with or accessible by any other single computer of said plurality of single computers such that all read requests by each single computer are satisfied from the local memory of the requesting computer and each object having a substantially identical name; and

(ii) modifying said synchronization routine to ensure utilization of said referenced object by only one of said single computers and preventing all the remaining computers from simultaneously utilizing their corresponding objects.

18. The method claimed in claim 17 wherein step (ii) comprises the steps of:

(iii) loading and executing said synchronization routine on one of said computers,

(iv) modifying said synchronization routine by said one computer, and

(v) transferring said modified synchronization routine to each of the remaining computers.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein said modified synchronization routine is supplied by said one computer direct to each of said remaining computers.

20. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein said modified synchronization routine is supplied in cascade fashion from said one computer sequentially to each of said remaining computers.

21. The method claimed in claim 17 wherein step (ii) comprises the steps of:

(vi) loading and modifying said synchronization routine on one of said computers,

(vii) said one computer sending said unmodified synchronization routine to each of the remaining computers, and

(viii) each of said remaining computers modifying said synchronization routine after receipt of same.

22. The method claimed in claim 21 wherein said unmodified synchronization routine is supplied by said one computer directly to each of said remaining computers.

23. The method claimed in claim 21 wherein said unmodified synchronization routine is supplied in cascade fashion from said one computer sequentially to each of said remaining computers.

24. The method as claimed in claim 17 including the further step of:

(ix) modifying said application program utilizing a procedure selected from the group of procedures consisting of re-compilation at loading, pre-compilation prior to loading, compilation prior to loading, just-in-time compilation, and re-compilation after loading and before execution of the relevant portion of application program.

25. The method as claimed in claim 17 including the further step of:

(x) transferring the modified application program to all said computers utilizing a procedure selected from the group consisting of master/slave transfer, branched transfer and cascaded transfer.

31. A plurality of computers interconnected via a communication network and operable to ensure consistent synchronization of an application program written to operate only on a single computer but running substantially simultaneously on said plurality of computers, said computers being programmed to carry out the method as claimed in claim 17.

36. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

the communications network comprises the Internet; and

each said computer includes a distributed run time means with the distributed run time means of each said computer configured to communicate over the Internet with all other computers so that if a portion of said application program(s) running on one of said computers requires the lock of an object in that computer then the need for the lock of the object is propagated by the distributed run time means of said one computer to all the other computers.

26. In a multiple thread processing computer operation in which different individual threads of different portions of a single application program referencing objects are substantially simultaneously being processed each on a corresponding different one of a plurality of single computers interconnected via a communications link;

a method comprising;

defining a memory structure in which said referenced objects are defined in an independent local memory of said single computer physically associated with the computer processing each said different thread and have corresponding objects in the local independent memory of each other of said plurality of single computers, the single independent local memory having a local memory capacity that is not shared with any other single computer of said plurality of single computers such that all read requests by each single computer are satisfied from the local memory of the requesting computer; and

permitting only one of said computers to utilize said referenced object and preventing all the remaining single computers from simultaneously utilizing their corresponding referenced object.

27. The improvement as claimed in claim 26 wherein an object residing in the memory associated with one said thread and to be utilized has its identity communicated by the computer of said one thread to a shared table accessible by all other said computers.

28. The improvement as claimed in claim 26 wherein an object residing in the memory associated with one said thread and to be utilized has its identity transmitted to the computer associated with another said thread and is transmitted thereby to a shared table accessible by all said other computers.

37. A improvement as claimed in claim 26, wherein:

the communications network comprises the Internet; and

each said computer includes a distributed run time means with the distributed run time means of each said computer configured to communicate over the Internet with all other computers so that if a portion of said application program(s) running on one of said computers requires the lock of an object in that computer then the need for the lock of the object is propagated by the distributed run time means of said one computer to all the other computers.