Intelligent retry method using remote shell

• US 8,171,475 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kajita, Tsunehiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Qing
• Application Number:
  US11/847,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20090064142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 718/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/549 Remote execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system

Abstract

Method for issuing and monitoring a remote batch job, method for processing a batch job, and system for processing a remote batch job. The method for issuing and monitoring a remote batch job includes formatting a command to be sent to a remote server to include a sequence identification composed of an issuing server identification and a time stamp, forwarding the command from the issuing server to the remote server for processing, and determining success or failure of the processing of the command at the remote server. When the failure of the processing of the command at the remote server is determined, the method further includes instructing the remote server to retry the command processing.

Claims

1. A method for issuing and monitoring a remote batch job, comprising:

formatting a command at an issuing server to be sent to a remote server to include a sequence identification including an issuing server identification and a time stamp for identifying a corresponding storage unit on the remote server for storing a status of processing the command;

forwarding the command from the issuing server to the remote server for processing;

determining success or failure of the processing of the command at the remote server; and

when the failure of the processing of the command at the remote server is determined, instructing the remote server to retry the command processing, wherein repeated processing of the command associated with the retry is prevented in response to the status within the storage unit indicating a prior successful processing of the command.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

establishing at least one of a number of retries and a retry timeout period, wherein the remote server is instructed to retry the command processing of failed command processing to attain successful command processing until the number of retries or the retry timeout period is exhausted.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising determining a success or failure of issuing the command.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the failure of issuing the command comprises a communication failure between the issuing server and the remote server.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the determining of success or failure of the processing of the command at the remote server comprises receipt of a remote server message output through an echo command.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the command is formatted as one of a remote shell command, a secure shell command, or a program function using distributed component object model.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein a command wrapper is placed on both the issuing server and the remote server, and the command is formatted as an IRSH function.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the command wrapper includes a file for setting at least one of a number of retries and a retry timeout period, and the command wrapper automatically instructs the remote server, when the failure of processing of the command at the remote server is determined, to retry the command processing.

9. A method for processing a batch job, comprising:

receiving at an executing server a command for processing from a remote server, the command being formatted to include a sequence identification including an identification of the remote server and a time stamp for identifying a storage unit of the executing server for storing a status of processing the command;

informing the remote server of success or failure in processing the command; and

when the remote server is informed of the failure of the processing of the command, receiving at the executing server instructions from the remote server to retry the command processing, wherein repeated processing of the command associated with the retry at the executing server is prevented in response to the status within the storage unit indicating a prior successful processing of the command.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the sequence identification identifies a storage unit including a file, the method further comprising one of:

determining the success or failure based on processing of the file; and

creating and processing the file and determining the success or failure based on processing of the file.

11. The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the informing of the success or failure in the processing of the command comprises sending of a remote server message output through an echo command.

12. The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the command is formatted to further include a check digit, and the method further comprises confirming receipt of a valid check digit with the command.

13. The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the command is formatted as one of a remote shell command, a secure shell command, or a program function using distributed component object model.

14. The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the batch job is processed on the executing server, a command wrapper is placed on the remote server and the executing server, and the command is formatted as an IRSH function.

15. The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the command wrapper for the remote server includes a file for setting at least one of a number of retries and a retry timeout period, and the command wrapper for the executing server receives automatic instructions from the remote server, when the failure of processing of the command at the remote server is determined, to retry the command processing.

16. A system for processing a remote batch job, comprising:

a first server structured and arranged to receive and process commands;

a second server, remote from the first server, structured and arranged to format a command for processing in the first server to include a sequence identification including an identification of the second server and a time stamp for identifying a storage unit of the first server for storing a status of processing the command;

a communication path coupling the first server to the second server;

the first server comprising a device to send an indication of success or failure in the processing of the command to the second server; and

the second server comprising a device for instructing the first server to retry processing of the command after receipt of the indication of failure in the processing of the command, wherein repeated processing of the command associated with the retry at the first server is prevented in response to the status within the storage unit indicating a prior successful processing of the command.

17. The system in accordance with claim 16, wherein the command from the second server is formatted as one of a remote shell command, a secure shell command, or a program function using distributed component object model.

18. The system in accordance with claim 16, further comprising a command wrapper placed on the first and second servers, wherein the command is formatted as an IRSH function.

19. The system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the command wrapper for the second server includes a file for setting at least one of a number of retries and a retry timeout period, and the command wrapper for the first server receives automatic instructions from the second server, when the failure of processing of the command at the second server is determined, to retry the command processing.

20. The system in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:

a setting file located at the second server for setting at least one of a number of retries and a retry timeout period, wherein the device for instructing the first server to retry processing of the command after receipt of the indication of failure in the processing of the command continues operating to attain successful command processing until at least one of the number of retries and the retry timeout period has been exhausted.