Systems and methods for executing a computer program in a multi-processor environment

• US 20080092140A1
• Filed: 10/03/2006
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAS Institute Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SAS Institute Incorporated
• Inventors: Doninger, Cheryl G., Horton, David G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,979,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5038 considering the execution order of a plurality of tasks, e.g. taking priority or time dependency constraints into consideration scheduling strategies G06F9/4881 and subgroups

Abstract

In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for executing a computer program that performs multiple processes in a multi-processor environment. A client computer may be used to execute a process manager software application for generating computer instructions that identify a plurality of the processes that may be run in parallel on separate processors. A metadata server may be used to store metadata that identifies whether the multi-processor environment is available to execute the plurality of processes. The computer program may be stored on a computer-readable medium and may be configured to execute on the client computer, and when executed by the client computer may cause the client computer to query the metadata server to determine if the multi-processor environment is available to execute the plurality of processes. The computer program may be further configured to use the computer instructions to cause the plurality of processes to be executed in the multi-processor environment. The computer instructions may enable the computer program to execute the plurality of processes in parallel.

Claims

1. A method of executing a computer program that performs multiple processes, comprising:

before executing the computer program, identifying a plurality of the processes that are capable of being executed in parallel on separate processors and generating computer code that identifies the plurality of processes;

upon executing the computer program on a client computer, accessing metadata to determine if a computer grid having multiple nodes is available to execute the identified plurality of processes; and

if the computer grid is available, then the using the computer code to cause the identified plurality of processes to be executed on the computer grid;

the computer code enabling the computer program to execute the identified plurality of processes in parallel on different nodes of the computer grid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the computer grid is not available, then executing the identified plurality of processes sequentially on the client computer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing at least one of the multiple processes using the client computer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer code identifies the plurality of processes that are capable of being executed in parallel without identifying any specific resources on which to execute the plurality of processes.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

asynchronously aggregating data results from the execution of the identified plurality of processes on the grid computer.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

synchronizing the aggregated data results; and

providing the synchronized data results to one or more of the multiple processes that are executed subsequent to the identified plurality of processes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer code is added to the computer program.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the computer grid is not available, then determining if a computer having multiple processors is available to execute the identified plurality of processes, and if so, then executing the identified plurality of processes using the computer;

wherein the identified plurality of processes are executed sequentially if neither the computer grid nor the computer having multiple processors are available.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the two or more processes are identified in a process workflow.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating the process workflow using a process manager computer program.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the process manager computer program is part of the computer program that performs the plurality of processes.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the process manager computer program operates independently of the computer program and generates the computer code that is used by the computer program to identify the plurality of processes that may be run in parallel.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining nodes of the computer grid that are available to execute the identified plurality of processes.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

if an insufficient number of nodes are available to execute all of the identified plurality of processes in parallel, then causing less than all of the identified plurality of processes to be executed in parallel on the computer grid.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a computer to execute one of the multiple processes; and

causing the one of the multiple processes to be executed on the identified computer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the identified computer is part of the computer grid.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the identified computer is not part of the computer grid.

18. A system for executing a computer program that performs multiple processes, comprising:

a client computer that executes a process manager software application for generating computer instructions that identify a plurality of the processes that may be run in parallel on separate nodes of a computer grid; and

a metadata server for storing metadata that identifies whether the computer grid is available to execute the plurality of processes;

the computer program being stored on a computer-readable medium and being configured to execute on the client computer, and when executed by the client computer causing the client computer to query the metadata server to determine if the computer grid is available to execute the plurality of processes;

the computer program being further configured to use the computer instructions to cause the plurality of processes to be executed on the computer grid;

the computer instructions enabling the computer program to execute the plurality of processes in parallel on different nodes of the computer grid.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the client computer executes the plurality of processes in sequence if the computer grid is not available.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the computer program is further configured to cause the client computer to determine if a computer having multiple processors is available to execute the plurality of processes if the computer grid is not available.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the computer program is further configured to cause the computer having multiple processors to execute the plurality of processes in parallel if the computer grid is not available.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the client computer executes the plurality of processes in sequence if neither the computer grid nor the computer having multiple processors are available.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the process manager software application provides a user interface for receiving user commands to generate the computer instructions.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the process manager software application is part of the computer program.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the process manager software application is part of a separate computer program that operates independently of the computer.

26. A system for executing a computer program that performs a plurality of processes, comprising:

means for identifying a plurality of the processes that are capable of being executed in parallel on separate processors;

means for generating computer code that identifies the plurality of processes;

means for determining if a computer grid having multiple nodes is available to execute the identified plurality of processes; and

means for using the computer code to cause the identified plurality of processes to be executed on the computer grid if the computer grid is available.

the computer code enabling the computer program to execute the identified plurality of processes in parallel on different nodes of the computer grid.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

means for executing the plurality of processes sequentially if the computer grid is not available.

28. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

means for determining if a computer having multiple processors is available to execute the plurality of processes, and if so, then executing the plurality of processes using the computer if computer grid is not available.