Multiple machine architecture with overhead reduction

• US 7,958,322 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2006
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Waratek Limited (Waratek Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Waratek Pty Limited
• Inventors: Holt, John Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Gu; Shawn X
• Application Number:
  US11/583,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20070101080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,693 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2038 with a single idle spare processing component
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/52 Program synchronisation; Mutual exclusion, e.g. by means of semaphores

Abstract

A multiple computer environment is disclosed in which an application program executes simultaneously on a plurality of computers (M1, M2, . . . , Mn) interconnected by a communications network (53) and in which the local memory of each computer is not maintained substantially the same by updating in due course. An address table mechanism to permit access to an asset, object, or structure (such as a memory location) for the purpose of updating, for example. Not all computers have the same memory, and it is not necessary for all computers to be updated.

Claims

1. A method of updating replicated memory locations in a multiple computer environment, said method comprising:

(i) executing a different portion of a general purpose application program substantially simultaneously on a corresponding one of a plurality of computers, said general purpose application program as executing being written to execute on only a single computer,

(ii) not providing said computers with a memory shared by said computers but instead providing each of said computers with an independent local memory such that all read requests are satisfied by reading only the independent local memory of a requesting computer issuing a read request and not reading the local memory of any other computer,

(iii) interconnecting each of said computers via a communications network, and

(iv) restricting memory locations so that some memory locations are present in a first plurality of said computers and other memory locations are present in a second, and different, plurality of said computers, and after each occasion at which any one of said some memory locations or said other memory locations has its contents written to, or re-written, with a new content, or is otherwise manipulated, any corresponding memory locations in said computers are in due course updated or manipulated via said communications network, said updating comprising;

(v) maintaining a record of which memory locations are present on which computers, and

(vi) only in due course updating or manipulating those memory locations which correspond in said maintained record to an initially updated or a manipulated memory location.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 comprising the step of:

(vii) maintaining said record as a listing of computers corresponding to each memory location.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

(vii) maintaining said record as a listing of memory locations present in each of said first and second pluralities of computers.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 comprising the step of:

(ix) maintaining said record as a tabulation of all computers and all memory locations.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said some memory locations and said other memory locations include common memory locations.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first plurality of computers and said second plurality of computers include common computers.

7. A plurality of computers operable to ensure carrying out of the method as claimed in claim 1.

8. 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 1.

9. A single computer adapted to co-operate with at least one other computer in order to carry out the method as claimed in claim 1.

10. A computer system comprising:

a plurality of computers without a memory shared by the plurality of computers and wherein each computer has an independent local memory such that all read requests are satisfied by reading only the independent local memory of a requesting computer issuing a read request and by not reading either the local memory of any other computer or any globally accessible memory,

each computer is interconnected via a communications network wherein a different portion of a general purpose application program executes substantially simultaneously on a corresponding one of said plurality of computers, said general purpose application program as executing being written to execute on only a single computer,

some memory locations are present in a first plurality of said computers and other memory locations are present in a second, and different plurality of said computers,

said system further comprising updating means associated with each of said first plurality and said second plurality of computers to, in due course, update said some memory locations and other memory locations via said communications network after each occasion at which any one or more of each memory locations has its content written to, or re-written, with a new content, or is otherwise manipulated,

wherein said updating means includes a record means of which memory locations are present on which computers, and said updating means only, in due course, updating, or manipulating, those memory locations which correspond in said record means to an initially updated or manipulated memory location.

11. The computer system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said record means comprises a listing of computers and corresponding memory locations therein.

12. The computer system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said record means is a listing of memory locations present in each of said first and second pluralities of computers.

13. The computer system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said record means is a tabulation of all computers and all memory locations.

14. The computer system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said some memory locations and said other memory locations include common memory locations.

15. The computer system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said first plurality of computers and said second plurality of computers include common computers.

16. A single computer adapted to co-operate with at least one other computer in order to form the computer system as claimed in claim 10.