Establishing a logical path between servers in a coordinated timing network

• US 7,797,414 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dahlen, Dennis J., Carlson, Scott M., Errickson, Richard K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jacobs; Lashonda T
• Application Number:
  US11/876,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20080183877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/224, 709/203, 709/219, 370/395.62
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/12 Synchronisation of different clock signals provided by a plurality of clock generators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/14 Time supervision arrangements, e.g. real time clock
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols

Abstract

A technique for establishing a logical path between two servers in a coordinated timing network of a processing environment is provided. The technique includes the exchange of command and response message pairs by a server and an attached server, via a physical link. The server transmits a command message to an attached server to establish a server-time-protocol (STP) logical path and receives a response from the attached server. The technique also includes the server receiving a request transmitted by the attached server to establish an STP logical path to the server and transmitting a response to the attached server'"'"'s request. A logical path between the server and the attached server is established if the attached server'"'"'s response indicates that the server'"'"'s request was accepted by the attached server and if the server'"'"'s response indicates that the attached server'"'"'s request was accepted by the server.

Claims

1. A computer program product for establishing a Server Time Protocol (STP) logical path between two processing systems in a coordinated timing network of a processing environment, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium readable by a processor and storing instructions for execution by the processor for performing a method comprising;

transmitting, by a processing system to an attached processing system, a request to establish a server time protocol logical path between the processing system and the attached processing system, the server time protocol logical path facilitating time synchronization of the processing system and the attached processing system;

receiving, by the processing system, a response from the attached processing system indicating whether the attached processing system accepted the request transmitted by the processing system;

receiving, by the processing system, another request transmitted by the attached processing system, the another request requesting to establish the server time protocol logical path between the processing system and the attached processing system;

transmitting, by the processing system to the attached processing system, another response indicating whether the processing system accepted the another request transmitted by the attached processing; and

establishing the server time protocol logical path between the processing system and the attached processing system, responsive to the response indicating that the request was accepted by the attached processing system and the another response indicating that the another request was accepted by the processing system.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the processing system comprises a server, and wherein the attached processing system comprises an attached server.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting whether a data communication link has been reconfigured since the server time protocol logical path was established on the data communication link; and

re-initiating the transmitting, by the processing system to the attached processing system, of the request to establish the server time protocol logical path, responsive to the data communication link having been reconfigured.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises

determining whether the attached processing system has failed to respond to a command to exchange time parameters with the processing system within a pre-determined period of time;

and

initiating the transmitting, by the processing system to the attached processing system, of the request to establish the server time protocol logical path, responsive to the attached processing system having failed to respond to the command to exchange time parameters.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

comparing a coordinated timing network (CTN) identification (ID) parameter value of the processing system and a CTN ID parameter value of the attached processing system; and

refusing to accept the another request transmitted by the attached processing system to establish the server time protocol logical path, responsive to the CTN ID parameter value of the processing system being different from the CTN ID parameter value of the attached processing system.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

comparing a system identification parameter value of the processing system and a system identification parameter value of the attached processing system; and

refusing to accept the another request transmitted by the attached processing system to establish the server time protocol logical path, responsive to the system identification parameter value of the processing system is being identical to the system identification parameter value of the attached processing system.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

comparing a version number parameter value of a time protocol facility of the processing system and a version number parameter value of a time protocol facility of the attached processing system; and

refusing to accept the another request transmitted by the attached processing system to establish the server time protocol logical path, responsive to the comparing indicating that the processing system'"'"'s time protocol facility is not compatible with the attached processing system'"'"'s time protocol facility.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

comparing a configuration block of a time protocol facility of the processing system and a configuration block of a time protocol facility of the attached processing system; and

refusing to accept the another request transmitted by the attached processing system to establish the server time protocol logical path, responsive to the comparing indicating that the processing system'"'"'s time protocol facility is not compatible with the attached processing system'"'"'s time protocol facility.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the configuration block comprises a stratum-1 configuration block.

10. A computer system for establishing a Server Time Protocol (STP) logical path between two processing systems in a coordinated timing network of a processing environment, the computer system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor in communications with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, said method comprising;

transmitting, by a processing system to an attached processing system, a request to establish a server time protocol logical path between the processing system and the attached processing system, the server time protocol logical path facilitating time synchronization of the processing system and the attached processing system;

receiving, by the processing system, a response from the attached processing system indicating whether the attached processing system accepted the request transmitted by the processing system;

receiving, by the processing system, another request transmitted by the attached processing system, the another request requesting to establish the server time protocol logical path between the processing system and the attached processing system;

transmitting, by the processing system to the attached processing system, another response indicating whether the processing system accepted the another request transmitted by the attached processing; and

establishing the server time protocol logical path between the processing system and the attached processing system, responsive to the response indicating that the request was accepted by the attached processing system and the another response indicating that the another request was accepted by the processing system.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting whether a data communication link has been reconfigured since the server time protocol logical path was established on the data communication link; and

re-initiating the transmitting, by the processing system to the attached processing system, of the request to establish the server time protocol logical path, responsive to the data communication link having been reconfigured.

12. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether the attached processing system has failed to respond to a command to exchange time parameters with the processing system within a pre-determined period of time; and

initiating the transmitting, by the processing system to the attached processing system, of the request to establish the server time protocol logical path, responsive to the attached processing system having failed to respond to the command to exchange time parameters.

13. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

comparing a coordinated timing network (CTN) identification (ID) parameter value of the processing system and a CTN ID parameter value of the attached processing system; and

refusing to accept the another request transmitted by the attached processing system to establish the server time protocol logical path, responsive to the CTN ID parameter value of the processing system being different from the CTN ID parameter value of the attached processing system.

14. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

comparing a system identification parameter value of the processing system and a system identification parameter value of the attached processing system; and

refusing to accept the another request transmitted by the attached processing system to establish the server time protocol logical path, responsive to the system identification parameter value of the processing system is being identical to the system identification parameter value of the attached processing system.

15. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

comparing a version number parameter value of a time protocol facility of the processing system and a version number parameter value of a time protocol facility of the attached processing system; and

refusing to accept the another request transmitted by the attached processing system to establish the server time protocol logical path, responsive to the comparing indicating that the processing system'"'"'s time protocol facility is not compatible with the attached processing system'"'"'s time protocol facility.

16. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

comparing a configuration block of a time protocol facility of the processing system and a configuration block of a time protocol facility of the attached processing system; and

refusing to accept the another request transmitted by the attached processing system to establish the server time protocol logical path, responsive to the comparing indicates that the processing system'"'"'s time protocol facility is not compatible with the attached processing system'"'"'s time protocol facility.

17. A method for establishing a Server Time Protocol (STP) logical path between two processing systems in a coordinated timing network of a processing environment, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a processing system to an attached processing system, a request to establish a server time protocol logical path between the processing system and the attached processing system, the server time protocol logical path facilitating time synchronization of the processing system and the attached processing system;

receiving, by the processing system, a response from the attached processing system indicating whether the attached processing system accepted the request transmitted by the processing system;

receiving, by the processing system, another request transmitted by the attached processing system, the another request requesting to establish the server time protocol logical path between the processing system and the attached processing system;

transmitting, by the processing system to the attached processing system, another response indicating whether the processing system accepted the another request transmitted by the attached processing; and

establishing the server time protocol logical path between the processing system and the attached processing system responsive to the response indicating that the request was accepted by the attached processing system and the another response indicating that the another request was accepted by the processing system.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

detecting whether a data communication link has been reconfigured since the server time protocol logical path was established on the data communication link; and

re-initiating the transmitting, by the processing system to the attached processing system, of the request to establish the server time protocol logical path, responsive to the data communication link having been reconfigured.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining whether the attached processing system has failed to respond to a command to exchange time parameters with the processing system within a pre-determined period of time; and

initiating the transmitting, by the processing system to the attached processing system, of the request to establish the server time protocol logical path, responsive to the attached processing system having failed to respond to the command to exchange time parameters.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

comparing a coordinated timing network (CTN) identification (ID) parameter value of the processing system and a CTN ID parameter value of the attached processing system; and

refusing to accept the another request transmitted by the attached processing system to establish the server time protocol logical path, responsive to the CTN ID parameter value of the processing system being different from the CTN ID parameter value of the attached processing system.