Backup power source used in indicating that server may leave network

• US 7,958,384 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2009
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dahlen, Dennis J., Crabtree, Donald, Sevigny, Denise M., Carlson, Scott M., Dhondy, Noshir R., Wierbowski, Judith A., Cherniak, Stephen P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzo; Bryce P
• Application Number:
  US12/541,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20100100762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 714/3
• US Class Current: 714/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0641 Change of the master or reference, e.g. take-over or failure of the master
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport

Abstract

A server of a network of servers determines that its power source is failing. In response, the server communicates to one or more other servers of this network that it is leaving the network. This communication is powered by another power source.

Claims

1. A computer program product for managing processing in a network of servers, the computer program product comprising:

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

determining by the server that the server is losing a primary power source of the server;

in response to the determining, providing by the server an indication to one or more other servers coupled to the server that the server may be leaving the network of servers, wherein the server receives backup power for the providing from a supplied secondary power source different from the primary power source;

performing recovery, wherein the recovery is based on at least one of a role of the server and a configuration of the network of servers, wherein the role of the server is an active stratum-1 server, and wherein performing recovery comprises transferring the role as active stratum-1 server from the server to another server of the one or more servers designated as an inactive stratum-1 server, wherein the transferring comprises obtaining by the active stratum-1 server a change indication from the inactive stratum-1 server, the change indication usable in enabling the inactive stratum-1 server to take over as the active stratum-1 server; and

disabling stratum-1 recovery, wherein the disabling the stratum-1 recovery enables the network of servers to maintain time synchronization even when the server is lost due to loss of power.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the server comprises a primary time server for a coordinated timing network, the primary time server providing primary reference time for the coordinated timing network.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the transferring further comprises obtaining by the active stratum-1 server an indication from the inactive stratum-1 server that the active stratum-1 server is to disable stratum-1 recovery for the network of servers prior to modifying a stratum-1 configuration to allow the inactive stratum-1 server to take over as the active stratum-1 server, in response to a determination that a configuration of the network of servers is a dual configuration or a triad configuration of a specific type.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein the performing recovery further comprises modifying by the active stratum-1 server the stratum-1 configuration to indicate the inactive stratum-1 server as the active stratum-1 server.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the disabling comprises performing a coordinated timing network (CTN) update procedure based on a stratum-1 recovery block that includes a current stratum-1 recovery state indicator, a new stratum-1 recovery state indicator and a stratum-1 recovery state update time, wherein the performing comprises issuing message responses to message commands for a minimum period of time equal to a CTN maximum freewheel interval.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises switching to the supplied secondary power source, in response to the determining, wherein the supplied secondary power source is a battery.

7. A computer program product for managing processing in a network of servers, the computer program product comprising:

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

determining by the server that the server is losing a primary power source of the server;

in response to the determining, providing by the server an indication to one or more other servers coupled to the server that the server may be leaving the network of servers, wherein the server receives backup power for the providing from a supplied secondary power source different from the primary power source; and

performing recovery, wherein the recovery is based on at least one of a role of the server and a configuration of the network of servers, wherein the role of the server is an inactive stratum-1 server, and wherein performing recovery comprises disabling by an active stratum-1 server of the network of servers stratum-1 recovery for the network of servers, in response to a determination that a configuration of the network of servers is a dual configuration or a triad configuration of a specific type.

8. A computer system for managing processing in a network of servers, the computer system comprising:

a memory; and

a server in communications with the memory, wherein the computer system is capable of performing a method, said method comprising;

determining by the server that the server is losing a primary power source of the server;

in response to the determining, providing by the server an indication to one or more other servers coupled to the server that the server may be leaving the network of servers, wherein the server receives backup power for the providing from a supplied secondary power source different from the primary power source;

performing recovery, wherein the recovery is based on at least one of a role of the server and a configuration of the network of servers, wherein the role of the server is an active stratum-1 server, and wherein performing recovery comprises transferring the role as active stratum-1 server from the server to another server of the one or more servers designated as an inactive stratum-1 server, wherein the transferring comprises obtaining by the active stratum-1 server a change indication from the inactive stratum-1 server, the change indication usable in enabling the inactive stratum-1 server to take over as the active stratum-1 server; and

disabling stratum-1 recovery, wherein the disabling the stratum-1 recovery enables the network of servers to maintain time synchronization even when the server is lost due to loss of power.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the transferring comprises obtaining by the active stratum-1 server an indication from the inactive stratum-1 server that the active stratum-1 server is to disable stratum-1 recovery for the network of servers prior to modifying a stratum-1 configuration to allow the inactive stratum-1 server to take over as the active stratum-1 server, in response to a determination that a configuration of the network of servers is a dual configuration or a triad configuration of a specific type.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the performing recovery further comprises modifying by the active stratum-1 server the stratum-1 configuration to indicate the inactive stratum-1 server as the active stratum-1 server.

11. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the disabling comprises performing a coordinated timing network (CTN) update procedure based on a stratum-1 recovery block that includes a current stratum-1 recovery state indicator, a new stratum-1 recovery state indicator and a stratum-1 recovery state update time, wherein the performing comprises issuing message responses to message commands for a minimum period of time equal to a CTN maximum freewheel interval.

12. A computer system for managing processing in a network of servers, 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;

determining by a server that the server is losing a primary power source of the server;

in response to the determining, providing by the server an indication to one or more other servers coupled to the server that the server may be leaving the network of servers, wherein the server receives backup power for the providing from a supplied secondary power source different from the primary power source; and

performing recovery, wherein the recovery is based on at least one of a role of the server and a configuration of the network of servers, wherein the role of the server is an inactive stratum-1 server, and wherein performing recovery comprises disabling by an active stratum-1 server of the network of servers stratum-1 recovery for the network of servers, in response to a determination that a configuration of the network of servers is a dual configuration or a triad configuration of a specific type.

13. A method for managing processing in a network of servers, the method comprising:

determining by a server that the server is losing a primary power source of the server;

in response to the determining, providing by the server an indication to one or more other servers coupled to the server that the server may be leaving the network of servers, wherein the server receives backup power for the providing from a supplied secondary power source different from the primary power source;

performing recovery, wherein the recovery is based on at least one of a role of the server and a configuration of the network of servers, wherein the role of the server is an active stratum-1 server, and wherein performing recovery comprises transferring the role as active stratum-1 server from the server to another server of the one or more servers designated as an inactive stratum-1 server, wherein the transferring comprises obtaining by the active stratum-1 server a change indication from the inactive stratum-1 server, the change indication usable in enabling the inactive stratum-1 server to take over as the active stratum-1 server; and

disabling stratum-1 recovery, wherein the disabling the stratum-1 recovery enables the network of servers to maintain time synchronization even when the server is lost due to loss of power.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the transferring further comprises obtaining by the active stratum-1 server an indication from the inactive stratum-1 server that the active stratum-1 server is to disable stratum-1 recovery for the network of servers prior to modifying a stratum-1 configuration to allow the inactive stratum-1 server to take over as the active stratum-1 server, in response to a determination that a configuration of the network of servers is a dual configuration or a triad configuration of a specific type.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the disabling comprises performing a coordinated timing network (CTN) update procedure based on a stratum-1 recovery block that includes a current stratum-1 recovery state indicator, a new stratum-1 recovery state indicator and a stratum-1 recovery state update time, wherein the performing comprises issuing message responses to message commands for a minimum period of time equal to a CTN maximum freewheel interval.