System for selectively aborting operation or waiting to load required data based upon user response to non-availability of network load device
First Claim
1. In a data processing system including a plurality of data processing devices and a load device all coupled to a network, said system further including a system software resource for providing data to said plurality of data processing devices, an improved method for providing required system data to a first data processing device in the event said required system data is not stored in said system software resource, comprising the steps of:
- generating an index data record of all data accessible to said system software resource;
said first data processing device accessing said system software resource via said network so as to determine that said required system data is not stored in said system software resource;
said first data processing temporarily suspending any further data processing operations;
said system software resource accessing said index data record so as to determine if said required system data is accessible to said system software resource;
said system software resource accessing said load device via said network so as to determine if said load device is available to load said required system data to said system software resource;
in the event said load device is owned by a second data processing device from said plurality of data processing devices within said network, querying a user of said first data processing device to determine whether said user desires to wait for availability of said load device;
said first data processing device aborting loading of said required system data if said user does not desire to wait for availability of said load device;
said first data processing device waiting for said load device to become available when said user desires to wait for availability of said load device;
loading said required system data into said system software resource from said load device via said network when said load device is available to said system software resource;
said first data processing device accessing said required system data from said system software resource via said network and resuming data processing operations;
whereby said required system data is provided to said first data processing device, and said data processing operations may continue.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods are disclosed having application for use in data processing systems which include a plurality of data processing devices ("agents") coupled to a communication network and at least one system software resource. The system software resource may comprise a floppy disk drive, hard disk drive, magnetic tape, optical storage device or other data storage device. All programs, data and the like accessible to the system software resource are indexed and "clustered", such that the data/programs are grouped as they relate to one another to assure full functionality of the software being loaded. In the event that the desired program/data to be accessed by an agent is not stored in the system software resource, the method of the present invention includes the steps of suspending any further data processing operations by the agent. The system software resource, by scanning through the index of all available data/programs accessible to the system software resource. In the event that the desired program/data is accessible to the system software resource, the desired data/programs are loaded into the system software resource and data processing operations are then resumed by the agent requiring the data/programs. If the desired data/programs are not available to the system software resource, then the current data processing operations are terminated.
71 Citations
4 Claims
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1. In a data processing system including a plurality of data processing devices and a load device all coupled to a network, said system further including a system software resource for providing data to said plurality of data processing devices, an improved method for providing required system data to a first data processing device in the event said required system data is not stored in said system software resource, comprising the steps of:
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generating an index data record of all data accessible to said system software resource; said first data processing device accessing said system software resource via said network so as to determine that said required system data is not stored in said system software resource; said first data processing temporarily suspending any further data processing operations; said system software resource accessing said index data record so as to determine if said required system data is accessible to said system software resource; said system software resource accessing said load device via said network so as to determine if said load device is available to load said required system data to said system software resource; in the event said load device is owned by a second data processing device from said plurality of data processing devices within said network, querying a user of said first data processing device to determine whether said user desires to wait for availability of said load device; said first data processing device aborting loading of said required system data if said user does not desire to wait for availability of said load device; said first data processing device waiting for said load device to become available when said user desires to wait for availability of said load device; loading said required system data into said system software resource from said load device via said network when said load device is available to said system software resource; said first data processing device accessing said required system data from said system software resource via said network and resuming data processing operations; whereby said required system data is provided to said first data processing device, and said data processing operations may continue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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Specification