Dynamic distribution of nodes on a multi-node computer system

• US 9,172,628 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Barsness, Eric L., Darrington, David L., Randles, Amanda, Santosuosso, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazaro, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Julian
• Application Number:
  US13/786,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20130185731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-203, 709223-226, 712 10- 23, 718/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/80 comprising an array of processing units with common control, e.g. single instruction multiple data processors G06F15/82 takes precedence ; for correlation function computation G06F17/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/3885 using a plurality of independent parallel functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5083 Techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring

Abstract

I/O nodes are dynamically distributed on a multi-node computing system. An I/O configuration mechanism located in the service node of a multi-node computer system controls the distribution of the I/O nodes. The I/O configuration mechanism uses job information located in a job record to initially configure the I/O node distribution. The I/O configuration mechanism further monitors the I/O performance of the executing job to then dynamically adjusts the I/O node distribution based on the I/O performance of the executing job.

Claims

1. A multi-node computer system comprising:

a plurality of compute nodes that each comprise a processor and memory;

a plurality of input/output (I/O) nodes comprising a processor connected to the plurality of compute nodes, wherein the I/O nodes are connected to the compute nodes with a virtual network operating on a physical network and the I/O nodes communicate with a service node to provide I/O communication to network resources;

wherein a block of compute nodes from the plurality of compute nodes is configured to execute a job, and the block of compute nodes has a number of associated I/O nodes that form a ratio of I/O nodes to compute nodes; and

wherein the system is configured to dynamically adjust the ratio of I/O nodes to compute nodes based on I/O characteristics of the job executing on the block of compute nodes by dynamically configuring the virtual network, wherein the I/O characteristics of the job are determined by real-time monitoring of the job'"'"'s I/O characteristics.

2. The multi-node computer system of claim 1 wherein the multi-node computer system is a massively parallel computer system.

3. The multi-node computer system of claim 1 wherein the I/O configuration mechanism dynamically updates the ratio by suspending the job and re-allocating additional nodes of the plurality of I/O nodes to be associated with the executing job.

4. The multi-node computer system of claim 1 wherein the I/O characteristics of the job are determined from information stored in a job record selected from the following:

job description, historical I/O utilization, and application control parameters.

5. The multi-node computer system of claim 4 wherein the I/O characteristics of the job are used for the initial ratio of input nodes to compute nodes upon beginning execution of the job.

6. The multi-node computer system of claim 1 wherein the block of compute nodes are arranged in a virtual tree network and the I/O node connects to the top of the tree network to allow the block of compute nodes to communicate with the service node of a multi-node computer system.

7. The multi-node computer system of claim 6 wherein the virtual tree network is determined by a class routing table on the node.

8. An article of manufacture comprising:

an I/O configuration mechanism that adjusts a ratio of a plurality of input/output (I/O) nodes to a plurality of compute nodes in a multi-node computer system for a job executing on the plurality of compute nodes, wherein the plurality of I/O nodes provide communication to network resources and the plurality of I/O nodes are connected to the plurality of compute nodes with a virtual network operating on a physical network, wherein the I/O configuration mechanism dynamically adjusts the ratio by dynamically configuring the virtual network based on I/O characteristics of the job, wherein the plurality of compute nodes and the plurality of I/O nodes each comprise a processor and memory, wherein the I/O characteristics of the job are determined by real-time monitoring of the job'"'"'s I/O characteristics, wherein the I/O configuration mechanism dynamically updates the ratio by suspending the job and re-allocating additional nodes of the plurality of I/O nodes to be associated with the executing job; and

non-transitory computer recordable media bearing the I/O configuration mechanism.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 8 wherein the I/O characteristics of the job are determined from information stored in a job record selected from the following:

job description, historical I/O utilization, and application I/O control.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 8 wherein the I/O characteristics of the job are used for the initial ratio of input nodes to compute nodes upon beginning execution of the job.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 8 wherein the plurality of compute nodes are arranged in a virtual tree network and further comprising an I/O node that connects to the top of the tree network to allow the compute nodes to communicate with a service node of a massively parallel computer system.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 11 wherein the virtual tree network is determined by a class routing table in the node.