Smart stub or enterprise JAVA™ bean in a distributed processing system

• US 20030204647A1
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Published: 10/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BEA Systems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Halpern, Eric M., Jacobs, Dean B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,454,755 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/330
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/548 Object oriented; Remote method invocation [RMI] non-remote method invocation G06F9/449

Abstract

A clustered enterprise distributed processing system. The distributed processing system includes a first and a second computer coupled to a communication medium. The first computer includes a virtual machine (JVM) and kernel software layer for transferring messages, including a remote virtual machine (RJVM). The second computer includes a JVM and a kernel software layer having a RJVM. Messages are passed from a RJVM to the JVM in one computer to the JVM and RJVM in the second computer. Messages may be forwarded through an intermediate server or rerouted after a network reconfiguration. Each computer includes a Smart stub having a replica handler, including a load balancing software component and a failover software component. Each computer includes a duplicated service naming tree for storing a pool of Smart stubs at a node.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture including an information storage medium wherein is stored information, comprising:

a first set of digital information, including a stub having a load balancing software component for selecting a service provider from a plurality of service providers.

2. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the stub has a failover software component for removing a failed service provider from the plurality of service providers.

3. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the load balancing software component selects a service provider based on an affinity for a particular service provider.

4. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the load balancing software component selects a service provider from the plurality of service providers in a round robin manner.

5. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the load balancing software component randomly selects a service provider.

6. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the load balancing software component selects a service provider from the plurality of service providers based upon the load of each service provider.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the load balancing software component selects a service provider from the plurality of service providers based upon the data type requested.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the load balancing software component selects a service provider from the plurality of service providers based upon the closest physical service provider.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the load balancing software component selects a service provider from the plurality of service providers based upon a time period in which each service provider responds.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

an instruction store, coupled to the processor, comprising an article of manufacture as recited in claim 1;

and

a data store, coupled to the processor, wherein an application program can be stored.

10. An article of manufacture including an information storage medium wherein is stored information, comprising:

a first set of digital information, including an Enterprise Java™

Bean object for selecting a service provider from a plurality of service providers.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the Enterprise Java™

Bean object has a failover software component for removing a failed service provider from the plurality of service providers.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the load balancing software component selects a service provider based on an affinity for a particular service provider.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the load balancing software component selects a service provider from the plurality of service providers in a round robin manner.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the load balancing software component randomly selects a service provider.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the load balancing software component selects a service provider from the plurality of service providers based upon the load of each service provider.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the load balancing software component selects a service provider from the plurality of service providers based upon the data type requested.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the load balancing software component selects a service provider from the plurality of service providers based upon the closest physical service provider.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the load balancing software component selects a service provider from the plurality of service providers based upon a time period in which each service provider responds.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 10, further comprising:

a second set of digital information, including a stateless session bean.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 10, further comprising:

a second set of digital information, including a stateful session bean.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 10, further comprising:

a second set of digital information, including an entity session bean.

23. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

an instruction store, coupled to the processor, comprising an article of manufacture as recited in claim 10;

and

a data store, coupled to the processor, wherein an application program can be stored.

24. An electrical signal for accessing a service provider in a distributed processing system, wherein the signal is embodied in a processor readable memory and includes a first signal section representing a stub in a naming tree.

25. An electrical signal for accessing a service provider in a distributed processing system, wherein the signal is embodied in a processor readable memory and includes a first signal section representing a bean in a naming tree.

26. In a stub stored in a processing device on a distributed processing system, a method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a list of service providers; and

selecting a service provider from the list of service providers.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of:

removing a failed service provider from the list of service providers.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the list of service providers is obtained from a naming service.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of selecting further includes the step of:

selecting a service provider based upon an affinity.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of selecting further includes the step of:

selecting a service provider from the list of service providers in a round robin manner.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of selecting further includes the step of:

selecting a service provider randomly from the list of service providers.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of selecting further includes the steps of:

obtaining the load of each service provider in the list of service providers; and

selecting a service provider based upon the load of each service provider.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of selecting further includes the steps of:

determining the type of data requested; and

selecting a service provider from the list of service providers based upon the data type.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of selecting further includes the steps of:

determining the physical distance to each service provider in the list of service providers; and

selecting a service provider from the list of service providers based upon on the closest physical distance to the service provider.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of selecting further includes the steps of:

determining a time period for each service provider in the list of service providers to respond; and

selecting a service provider from the list of service providers based upon the time period for each service provider to respond.

36. A system for load balancing within a cluster, comprising:

a communications medium;

a plurality of processing devices coupled to said communications medium and providing services, said plurality of processing devices including a first processing device and a second processing device,

a third processing device, in communication with said communications medium, said third processing device including a stub operating thereon, said stub configured to select one of said plurality of processing devices for handling requests from the third processing device for a particular service.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein said stub includes a replica handler that determines available processing devices within the cluster, and selects one of said available processing devices for handling said request.

38. The system of claim 36 wherein said stub includes a load balancing component and a failover component.

39. The system of claim 37 wherein said replica handler includes a failover software component that selects one of said available processing devices upon failure of a processing device.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein a failed processing device is removed from a list of available processing devices.

41. The system of claim 39 wherein said replica handler designates a failed processing device as being unavailable.

42. The system of claim 39 wherein said failover software component is configured to determine when a processing device currently handling requests from said stub fails, or is removed from the cluster.

43. The system of claim 37 wherein said replica handler includes a load balancing software component that selects one of said available processing devices using a load balancing method.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on an affinity for a particular processing device.

45. The system of claim 43 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on a round robin method.

46. The system of claim 43 wherein said load balancing software component randomly selects a processing device.

47. The system of claim 43 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the present load at each processing device.

48. The system of claim 43 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the data type requested.

49. The system of claim 43 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the closest physical processing device.

50. The system of claim 43 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the time period in which each processing device responds.

51. The system of claim 43 wherein said plurality of processing devices includes a server, and said third processing device includes a client, with the stub associated with said client.

52. A system for load balancing within a cluster, comprising:

a first processing device, said first processing device including a stub operating thereon, said stub configured to communicate a request for service to one of a plurality of other processing devices, and,

wherein said stub selects said one of said plurality of other processing devices for handling said request.

53. The system of claim 52 wherein said stub includes a replica handler that determines available processing devices within the cluster, and selects one of said available processing devices for handling said request.

54. The system of claim 52 wherein said stub includes a load balancing component and a failover component.

55. The system of claim 53 wherein said replica handler includes a failover software component that selects one of said available processing devices using a failover method.

56. The system of claim 55 wherein said failover software component is configured to determine when a processing device currently handling requests from said stub fails or is removed from the cluster.

57. The system of claim 55 wherein a failed processing device is removed from a list of available processing devices.

58. The system of claim 55 wherein said replica handler designates a failed processing device as being unavailable.

59. The system of claim 53 wherein said replica handler includes a load balancing software component that selects one of said available processing devices using load balancing.

60. The system of claim 59 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on an affinity for a particular processing device.

61. The system of claim 59 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on a round robin method.

62. The system of claim 59 wherein said load balancing software component randomly selects a processing device.

63. The system of claim 59 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the load at each processing device.

64. The system of claim 59 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the data type requested.

65. The system of claim 59 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the closest physical processing device.

66. The system of claim 59 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on time period in which each processing device responds.

67. A method of load balancing in a cluster, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of processing devices, in communication with a communications medium, said plurality of processing devices including a first processing device and a second processing device; and

,

communicating a request from a third processing device, via said communications medium, using a stub at said third processing device, said stub configured to select a one of said first or said second processing devices for handling said request.

68. The method of claim 67 wherein said stub includes a replica handler that determines available processing devices within the cluster and selects one of said available processing devices for handling said request.

69. The method of claim 68 wherein said replica handler includes a failover software component that selects one of said available processing devices using failover.

70. The method of claim 69 wherein said failover software component is configured to determine when a processing device currently handling requests from said stub fails or is removed from the cluster.

71. The method of claim 68 wherein said replica handler includes a load balancing software component that selects one of said available processing devices using load balancing.

72. The method of claim 71 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on an affinity for a particular processing device.

73. The method of claim 71 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on round robin.

74. The method of claim 71 wherein said load balancing software component randomly selects a processing device.

75. The method of claim 71 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the load of each processing device.

76. The method of claim 71 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the data type requested.

77. The method of claim 71 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the closest physical processing device.

78. The method of claim 71 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on time period in which each processing device responds.

79. A method of load balancing at a stub in a cluster, comprising the steps of:

selecting, at a stub operating on a first processing device, one of a plurality of processing devices for handling a request for a service; and

,

communicating said request from said stub to the selected processing device.

80. The method of claim 79 wherein said stub includes a replica handler-that determines available processing devices within the cluster and selects one of said available processing devices for handling said request.

81. The method of claim 80 wherein said replica handler includes a failover software component that selects one of said available processing devices using failover.

82. The method of claim 81 wherein said failover software component is configured to determine when a processing device currently handling requests from said stub fails or is removed from the cluster.

83. The method of claim 80 wherein said replica handler includes a load balancing software component that selects one of said available processing devices using load balancing.

84. The method of claim 83 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on an affinity for a particular processing device.

85. The method of claim 83 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on round robin.

86. The method of claim 83 wherein said load balancing software component randomly selects a processing device.

87. The method of claim 83 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the load of each processing device.

88. The method of claim 83 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the data type requested.

89. The method of claim 83 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the closest physical processing device.

90. The method of claim 83 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on time period in which each processing device responds.

91. A system for load balancing within a cluster, comprising:

a plurality of processing devices, said plurality of processing devices including a first processing device and a second processing device,

a third processing device, said third processing device including a stub operating thereon, said stub configured to select one of said plurality of processing devices for handling requests from the third processing device for a particular service.

92. The system of claim 91 wherein said stub includes a replica handler that determines available processing devices within the cluster, and selects one of said available processing devices for handling said request.

93. The system of claim 91 wherein said stub includes a load balancing component and a failover component.

94. The system of claim 92 wherein said replica handler includes a failover software component that selects one of said available processing devices upon failure of a processing device.

95. The system of claim 94 wherein a failed processing device is removed from a list of available processing devices.

96. The system of claim 94 wherein said replica handler designates a failed processing device as being unavailable.

97. The system of claim 94 wherein said failover software component is configured to determine when a processing device currently handling requests from said stub fails, or is removed from the cluster.

98. The system of claim 92 wherein said replica handler includes a load balancing software component that selects one of said available processing devices using a load balancing method.

99. The system of claim 98 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on an affinity for a particular processing device.

100. The system of claim 98 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on a round robin method.

101. The system of claim 98 wherein said load balancing software component randomly selects a processing device.

102. The system of claim 98 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the present load at each processing device.

103. The system of claim 98 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the data type requested.

104. The system of claim 98 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the closest physical processing device.

105. The system of claim 98 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the time period in which each processing device responds.

106. The system of claim 98 wherein said plurality of processing devices includes a server, and said third processing device includes a client, with the stub associated with said client.

107. A method of load balancing in a cluster, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of processing devices, said plurality of processing devices including a first processing device and a second processing device; and

, communicating a request from a third processing device, using a stub at said third processing device, said stub configured to select a one of said first or said second processing devices for handling said request.

108. The method of claim 107 wherein said stub includes a replica handler that determines available processing devices within the cluster and selects one of said available processing devices for handling said request.

109. The method of claim 108 wherein said replica handler includes a failover software component that selects one of said available processing devices using failover.

110. The method of claim 109 wherein said failover software component is configured to determine when a processing device currently handling requests from said stub fails or is removed from the cluster.

111. The method of claim 108 wherein said replica handler includes a load balancing software component that selects one of said available processing devices using load balancing.

112. The method of claim 111 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on an affinity for a particular processing device.

113. The method of claim 111 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on round robin.

114. The method of claim 111 wherein said load balancing software component randomly selects a processing device.

115. The method of claim 111 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the load of each processing device.

116. The method of claim 111 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the data type requested.

117. The method of claim 111 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the closest physical processing device.

118. The method of claim 111 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on time period in which each processing device responds.

119. A computer readable medium including instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the steps of:

providing a plurality of processing devices, in communication with a communications medium, said plurality of processing devices including a first processing device and a second processing device; and

,

communicating a request from a third processing device, via said communications medium, using a stub at said third processing device, said stub configured to select a one of said first or said second processing devices for handling said request.

120. The computer readable medium of claim 119 wherein said stub includes a replica handler that determines available processing devices within the cluster and selects one of said available processing devices for handling said request.

121. The method of claim 120 wherein said replica handler includes a failover software component that selects one of said available processing devices using failover.

122. The computer readable medium of claim 121 wherein said failover software component is configured to determine when a processing device currently handling requests from said stub fails or is removed from the cluster.

123. The computer readable medium of claim 120 wherein said replica handler includes a load balancing software component that selects one of said available processing devices using load balancing.

124. The computer readable medium of claim 123 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on an affinity for a particular processing device.

125. The computer readable medium of claim 123 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on round robin.

126. The computer readable medium of claim 123 wherein said load balancing software component randomly selects a processing device.

127. The computer readable medium of claim 123 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the load of each processing device.

128. The computer readable medium of claim 123 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the data type requested.

129. The computer readable medium of claim 123 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the closest physical processing device.

130. The computer readable medium of claim 123 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on time period in which each processing device responds.

131. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a stub operating on a first processing device, for selecting one of a plurality of processing devices for handling a request for a service, and communicating said request from said stub to the selected processing device.

132. The article of manufacture of claim 131 wherein said stub includes a replica handler that determines available processing devices within the cluster and selects one of said available processing devices for handling said request.

133. The article of manufacture of claim 132 wherein said replica handler includes a failover software component that selects one of said available processing devices using failover.

134. The article of manufacture of claim 133 wherein said failover software component is configured to determine when a processing device currently handling requests from said stub fails or is removed from the cluster.

135. The article of manufacture of claim 132 wherein said replica handler includes a load balancing software component that selects one of said available processing devices using load balancing.

136. The article of manufacture of claim 135 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on an affinity for a particular processing device.

137. The article of manufacture of claim 135 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on round robin.

138. The article of manufacture of claim 135 wherein said load balancing software component randomly selects a processing device.

139. The article of manufacture of claim 135 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the load of each processing device.

140. The article of manufacture of claim 135 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the data type requested.

141. The article of manufacture of claim 135 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on the closest physical processing device.

142. The article of manufacture of claim 135 wherein said load balancing software component selects a processing device based on time period in which each processing device responds.

143. A distributed processing system, comprising:

a communication medium;

a first processing device, coupled to the communication medium, having a first software program emulating a first processing device, and a stub including a replica-handler with a load balancing software component and a failover software component for selecting one of a plurality of replicated objects;

a second processing device, coupled to the communication medium, having a second software program emulating a second processing device;

wherein the first software program in the first processing device is a virtual machine and the first data structure in the first processing device is a remote virtual machine and wherein the second software program in the second processing device is a virtual machine and the second data structure in the second processing device is a remote virtual machine, and, wherein the remote virtual machine in the second processing device corresponds to the virtual machine in the first processing device.

145. The distributed processing system of claim 143, wherein the first processing device includes a naming tree having a pool of stubs stored at a node of the tree and the second processing device includes a duplicate of the naming tree.

144. An article of manufacture, including an information storage medium wherein is stored, comprising:

a first set of digital information for transferring a message from a remote virtual machine in a first processing device to a virtual machine in a second processing device, wherein the remote virtual machine includes a message routing software component having a replica-handler for selecting the virtual machine from a plurality of virtual machines in a plurality of processing devices.