Information processing system having a network and a directory which may be referenced to supply information to an apparatus

• US 6,370,577 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Oeda, Takashi, Hara, Tsutomu, Ogura, Toshihiko, Osaka, Hideki, Hattori, Ryuichi, Tobita, Tsunehiro, Okazawa, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): PEIKARI, BEHZAD
• Application Number:
  US09/518,147
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/224, 709/217, 709/216, 709/223, 709/219, 714/46, 714/47, 714/57
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5015 Service provider selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5044 considering hardware capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

In each of the information processing apparatuses connected to each other via a network, there is arranged a quality of service (QOS) table to which functions and performance thereof are registered. When an information processing apparatus is additionally linked with the network, a QOS table thereof is automatically registered to a local directory of the network such that an agent converts the contents of the QOS table into service information to be supplied via a user interface to the user. Thanks to the operation, information of functions and performance of each information processing apparatus connected to the network is converted into service information for the user. Consequently, the user can much more directly receive necessary services.

Claims

1. An information processing system, comprising:

a plurality of information processing apparatuses each having a table in which information on functions and performance of at least one other information processing apparatus is registered;

a network for connecting the plural information processing apparatuses to each other;

a directory connected to the network for controlling the tables of the respective information processing apparatuses; and

an agent function operable in one of the information processing apparatuses for referencing contents of the directory and supplying a user with the information on functions and performance of said at least one other information processing apparatus registered in the table.

2. An information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the agent function includes:

a user associated operation for conducting a customizing operation for each user and thereby supplying customized service information to the user; and

an operation for supplying the user with service information which is common to each of the users.

3. An information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the information of functions and performance to be registered to the table includes either one of a transfer speed, a random input/output performance, an access time, a bit error ratio, a mean time to data loss (MTTDL), a mean time for data availability (MTDA).

4. An information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the information on functions and performance registered in the table includes either one of a name of the information processing apparatus and a type, function, performance of an input/output device of the information processing apparatus.

5. An information processing system, comprising:

a plurality of information processing apparatuses each having a table in which information of functions and performance of at least one other information processing apparatus is registered;

a network for connecting the plural information processing apparatuses to each other;

a directory connected to the network for controlling the tables of the respective information processing apparatuses; and

an agent function operable in one of the information processing apparatuses for referencing contents of the directory and converting the information on functions and performance registered in the table into service information, thereby supplying a user with the obtained service information.

6. An information processing system according to claim 5, wherein the information on functions and performance registered in the table includes either one of a transfer speed, a random input/output performance, an access time, a bit error ratio, a mean time to data loss (MTTDL), a mean time for data availability (MTDA).

7. An information processing system according to claim 6, wherein the information on functions and performance registered in the table includes either one of a name of the information processing apparatus and a type, function, performance of an input/output device of the information processing apparatus.