Hybrid replicated shared memory

• US 7,958,329 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Waratek Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Waratek Pty Limited
• Inventors: Holt, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai; Tuan V.
• Application Number:
  US11/973,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20080133870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 711/100, 711/129, 711/153, 711/154, 711/170, 711/173
• US Class Current: 711/170
• 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 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A multiple computer system with hybrid replicated shared memory is disclosed. The local memory (10, 20, . . . 80) of each of the multiple computers M1, M2, . . . Mn is partitioned into a first part (11, 21, . . . 81) and a second part (12, 22, . . . 82). Each of the first parts are identical and each of the second parts are independent. The total memory available to the system is the first memory part plus n times the second memory part, n being the total number of application running multiple computers.

Claims

1. A method of partitioning an independent local memory of each computer of a multiple computer system comprising a multiplicity of computers each interconnected via a communications system and each executing a different portion of an applications program written to be executed on only a single computer, said method comprising:

(i) for each said computer partitioning the independent local memory into two regions, a first one of said regions having content corresponding to corresponding memory content replicated on at least one other computer, and the second ones of said regions not corresponding to each other

(ii) transmitting via said communications network changes to the replicated content of memory in the first region of the local memory of any one of said multiple computers to the corresponding replicated memory of all the other ones of said multiple computers; and

(iii) changing the partition between said first and second region with time by transmitting via said communications network additions and/or deletions to the memory locations in the first region of the local memory of any one of said multiple computers to the first region of all the other ones of said multiple computers.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

(iv) allocating less than substantially 50% of the local memory of each said multiple computer to said first region.

3. The method as in claim 2, including the step of:

(v) allocating from substantially 5% to substantially 40% of said local memory to said first region.

4. The method as in claim 3, including the step of:

(vi) allocating from substantially 10% to substantially 30% of said local memory to said first region.

5. A computer program product comprising executable computer program instructions stored in a tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium therein, the computer program instructions being adapted for execution by at least one computer operating in a multiple computer system comprising a multiplicity of computers each interconnected via a communications network and each executing a different portion of an applications program written to be executed on only a single computer, to modify the operation of the computer;

the modification of operation including performing a method of partitioning an independent local memory of each computer of a multiple computer system, the method comprising;

(i) for each said computer partitioning the independent local memory into two regions, a first one of said regions having content corresponding to corresponding memory content replicated on at least one other computer, and the second ones of said regions not corresponding to each other;

(ii) transmitting via said communications network changes to the replicated content of memory in the first region of the local memory of any one of said multiple computers to the corresponding replicated memory of all the other ones of said multiple computers; and

(iii) changing the partition between said first and second region with time by transmitting via said communications network additions and/or deletions to the memory locations in the first region of the local memory of any one of said multiple computers to the first region of all the other ones of said multiple computers.

6. A single computer for operation in cooperation with an external multiple computer system with replicated shared memory, said system comprising a multiplicity of single computers each interconnected via a communications network and each executing a different portion of an applications program written to be executed on only a single computer, wherein each said single computer has an independent local memory partitioned into two regions, a first one of said regions having content corresponding to corresponding memory content replicated on at least one other computer, and the second ones of said regions not corresponding to each other;

wherein changes to the replicated content of the memory in the first region of the independent local memory of said single computer are transmitted via said communications network to the corresponding memory of all the other ones of said single computers in said multiple computer system; and

wherein changes to the number of memory locations in the first region of the independent local memory of said single computer are transmitted via said communications network to the first region of all the other ones of said single computers of said multiple computer system, whereby the partition between the first and second regions changes with time.

7. The single computer as in claim 6 wherein said first region occupies less than substantially 50% of the local memory of each said single computer.

8. The single computer as in claim 7, wherein said first region occupies from substantially 5% to substantially 40% of the independent local memory.

9. The single computer as in claim 8, wherein said first region occupies from substantially 10% to substantially 30% of said local memory.

10. A method of partitioning local memory of a single computer operating in cooperation with a multiple computer system comprising a multiplicity of computers each interconnected via a communications network and each executing a different portion of an applications program written to be executed on only a single computer, said method comprising:

(i) partitioning the local memory of said single computer in two regions, a first one of said regions having content corresponding to corresponding memory content replicated on at least one other of said computers in the multiple computer system, and the second ones of said regions not corresponding to each other;

(ii) transmitting via said communications network changes to the content of memory in the first region of the local memory of said single computer to the corresponding memory of all the other ones of said computers; and

(iii) changing the partition between the first and second regions with time by transmitting via said communications network changes to the number of memory locations in the first region of the local memory of said single computer to the first region of all the other ones of said computers in said multiple computer system.

11. The method as in claim 10, further comprising:

(iv) allocating less than substantially 50% of the local memory of each said computer to said first region.

12. The method as in claim 11, including the further step of:

(v) allocating from substantially 5% to substantially 40% of said independent local memory to said first region.

13. The method as in claim 12, including the further step of:

(vi) allocating from substantially 10% to substantially 50% of said independent local memory to said first region.

14. A computer program product comprising executable computer program instructions stored in a tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium therein, the computer program instructions being adapted for execution by at least one computer operating in cooperation with a multiple computer system comprising a multiplicity of computers each interconnected via a communications network and each executing a different portion of an applications program written to be executed on only a single computer, to modify the operation of the computer;

the modification of operation including performing a method of partitioning local memory of a single computer operating in cooperation with said multiple computer system, the method comprising;

(i) partitioning the local memory of said single computer in two regions, a first one of said regions having content corresponding to corresponding memory content replicated on at least one other of said computers in the multiple computer system, and the second of said regions not corresponding to each other;

(ii) transmitting via said communications network changes to the replicated content of memory in the first region of the local memory of any one of said multiple computers to the corresponding replicated memory of all the other ones of said multiple computers; and

(iii) changing the partition between said first and second region with time by transmitting via said communications network additions and/or deletions to the memory locations in the first region of the local memory of any one of said multiple computers to the first region of all the other ones of said multiple computers.