Data sharing utilizing virtual memory having a shared paging space

• US 8,019,966 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2008
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Patwari, Veena, Rosales, Jacob J., Rosas, Morgan J., Nevarez, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Chery; Mardochee
• Application Number:
  US12/135,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20090307460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 711/203, 711/147, 711/E12.016
• US Class Current: 711/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2092 Techniques of failing over between control units

Abstract

A method for sharing memory locations in a virtual memory system is disclosed. The method can include processing instructions and accessing data utilizing a virtual memory system with a paging device that is accessible by multiple clients. The method can also include configuring a first client to access the paging device, configuring a second client to access the paging device and allowing the first and second client to access the paging device via a virtual input output server. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

processing instructions as part of an application workload;

accessing data utilizing a virtual memory system, the virtual memory system having at least one paging device accessible to more than one client;

configuring a first client to access the paging device;

accessing, by the first client, shared paged data on the paging device using a first virtual input output server;

determining second client has access to the paging device;

responsive to the second client failing to have access to the paging device, locating an intermediate paging device to facilitate access to the paging device;

configuring a second client to access the intermediate paging device; and

accessing, by the second client, the shared paged data on the paging device using a second virtual input output server, wherein the second client accesses the shared paged data on the paging device via a intermediate client that is granted access to the paging device and access to the intermediate paging device such that the intermediate client copies the shared paged data from the paging device to the intermediate paging device whereby the first client and second client share the shared paged data in a same paging space of the virtual memory system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

controlling access to the paging device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dividing the workload into at least a first task and a second task;

executing the first task of the application at the first client and executing the second task at the second client;

storing, by the first client, first results from the execution of the first task in the paging device;

retrieving the first results by the second client, wherein the second client retrieves the first results via the intermediate client such that the intermediate client copies the first results from the paging device to the intermediate paging device and the second client retrieves the first results from the intermediate paging device;

utilizing, by the second client, the first results by the second client to produce second results; and

storing, by the second client, the second results in the paging device, wherein the second client stores the second results via the intermediate client such that the second client stores the second first results on the intermediate paging device and the intermediate client copies the second results from the intermediate paging device to the paging device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to the determination that the second client cannot access the paging device:

controlling the first client to page out contents of a virtual real memory (VRM) stack of the first client to the paging device; and

moving the paged out contents of the VRM stack from the paging device to the intermediate paging device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, in response to the determination that the second client cannot access the paging device directly:

paging in the paged out contents of the VRM stack from the intermediate paging device to a destination paging space of the second client.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the paged out contents of the VRM stack that are paged out comprise only results of a parsed task of the application executed by the first client.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring the shared paged data from the intermediate paging device to one or more second intermediate paging device of one or more second intermediate clients prior to providing the shared paged data to the second client.

8. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed by a computing device, cause computing device to:

process instructions as part of an application workload;

access data utilizing a virtual memory system, the virtual memory system having at least one paging device accessible to more than one client;

configure a first client to access the paging device;

grant access to the first client to shared paged data on the paging device using a first virtual input output server;

determine whether the second client has access to the paging device;

responsive to the second client failing to have access to the paging device, locate an intermediate paging device to facilitate access to the paging device;

configure a second client to access the intermediate paging device; and

access, by the second client, the shared paged data on the paging device using a second virtual input output server, wherein the second client accesses the shared paged data on the paging device via a intermediate client that is granted access to the paging device and access to the intermediate paging device such that the intermediate client copies the shared paged date from the paging device to the intermediate paging device whereby the first client and second client share the shared paged data in a same paging pace of the virtual memory system.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

control access to the paging device.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

divide the workload into at least a first task and a second task;

execute the first task of the application at the first client and executing the second task at the second client;

store, by the first client, first results from the execution of the first task in the paging device;

retrieve, by the second client, the first results, wherein the second client retrieves the first results via the intermediate client such that the intermediate client copies the first results from the paging device to the intermediate paging device and the second client retrieves the first results from the intermediate paging device;

utilize, by the second client, the first results by the second client to produce second results; and

store, by the second client, the second results in the paging device, wherein the second client stores the second results via the intermediate client such that the second client stores the second first results on the intermediate paging device and the intermediate client copies the second results from the intermediate paging device to the paging device.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

in response to the determination that the second client cannot access the paging device, control the first client to page out contents of a virtual real memory (VRM) stack of the first client to the paging device; and

move the paged out contents of the VRM stack from the paging device to the intermediate paging device.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

in response to the determination that the second client cannot access the paging device directly, page in the paged out contents of the VRM stack from the intermediate paging device to a destination paging space of the second client.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the paged out contents of the VRM stack that are paged out comprise only results of a parsed task of the application executed by the first client.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

transfer the shared paged data from the intermediate paging device to one or more second intermediate paging device of one or more second intermediate clients prior to providing the shared paged data to the second client.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

process instructions as part of an application workload;

access data utilizing a virtual memory system, the virtual memory system having at least one paging device accessible to more than one client;

configure a first client to access the paging device;

grant access to the first client to shared paged data on the paging device using a first virtual input output server;

determine whether the second client has access to the paging device;

responsive to the second client failing to have access to the paging device, locate an intermediate paging device to facilitate access to the paging device;

configure a second client to access the intermediate paging device; and

access, by the second client, the shared paged data on the paging device using a second virtual input output server, wherein the second client accesses the shared paged data on the paging device via a intermediate client that is granted access to the paging device and access to the intermediate paging device such that the intermediate client copies the shared paged data from the paging device to the intermediate paging device whereby the first client and second client share the shared paged data in a same paging space of the virtual memory system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

control access to the paging device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

divide the workload into at least a first task and a second task;

execute the first task of the application at the first client and executing the second task at the second client;

store, by the first client, first results from the execution of the first task in the paging device;

retrieve, by the second client, the first results, wherein the second client retrieves the first results via the intermediate client such that the intermediate client copies the first results from the paging device to the intermediate paging device and the second client retrieves the first results from the intermediate paging device;

utilize, by the second client, the first results by the second client to produce second results; and

store, by the second client, the second results in the paging device, wherein the second client stores the second results via the intermediate client such that the second client stores the second first results on the intermediate paging device and the intermediate client copies the second results from the intermediate paging device to the paging device.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

in response to the determination that the second client cannot access the paging device, control the first client to page out contents of a virtual real memory (VRM) stack of the first client to the paging device; and

move the paged out contents of the VRM stack from the paging device to the intermediate paging device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

in response to the determination that the second client cannot access the paging device directly, page in the paged out contents of the VRM stack from the intermediate paging device to a destination paging space of the second client.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the paged out contents of the VRM stack that are paged out comprise only results of a parsed task of the application executed by the first client.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

transfer the shared paged data from the intermediate paging device to one or more second intermediate paging device of one or more second intermediate clients prior to providing the shared paged data to the second client.