Tiered priority system and callout performance booster

• US 10,033,661 B1
• Filed: 12/05/2017
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Yuan, Jack C., Halcrombe, Elvis B., Maddix, Jeffrey L., Yang, Li-Chuan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, John B
• Application Number:
  US15/831,417
• Time in Patent Office: 231 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2379 Updates performed during online database operations; commit processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/28 Databases characterised by their database models, e.g. relational or object models
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/162 involving adaptations of sockets based mechanisms secure socket layer H04L63/168

Abstract

A method, computer program product and system uses a tiered priority system having three types of callout messages for use by a transaction processing system: (i) callout with a reserved path; (ii) callout with priority; and (iii) default priority callout with sharing mode. An online transaction program (OTP) issues a “reserve call” associated with a “callout with a reserved path”. In response, a reserve call processor initiates an asynchronous request to build an express socket path, and returns a special dispatchable unit of work identifier (special DUOW ID). The OTP subsequently issues any number of callouts to be sent on the express socket path using the special DUOW ID. A callout with priority dynamically allocates a path for sending a callout message, without queuing. A sharing mode combines a group of callout messages (types (i), (ii), and/or (iii) above) into a single TCP/IP send without queuing.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a call from a first online transaction program (first OTP);

in response to receiving the call;

generating an express socket path,

generating a dispatchable unit of work and a corresponding token identifier (token ID),

sending the token ID to the first OTP;

receiving, from the first OTP a first callout message, where the first callout message includes the token ID;

sending the first callout message on the express socket path;

receiving a first response corresponding to the first callout message;

sending the first response to the first OTP;

receiving, from the first OTP a second callout message, where the second callout message includes the token ID;

sending the second callout message on the express socket path;

receiving, a second response corresponding to the second callout message;

sending the second response to the first OTP;

receiving a signal indicating that the first OTP has terminated;

in response to receiving the signal, terminating the dispatchable unit of work;

receiving a plurality of callout messages from one or more second online transaction programs (second OTPs);

combining the plurality of callout messages into a shared callout message;

sending the shared callout message to a TCP/IP server;

receiving a shared return message from the TCP/IP server;

extracting a plurality of return messages from the shared return message;

returning the plurality of return messages to respectively corresponding one or more second OTPs;

receiving a second callout message where the second callout message is of a first priority level;

assigning an available socket to the second callout message;

receiving a third callout message where the third callout message is of a second priority level; and

reassigning the available socket to the third callout message.