Dynamic priority-based scheduling in a message queuing system

• US 6,658,485 B1
• Filed: 10/19/1998
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wesley, Ajamu Akinwunmi, Britton, Kathryn H., Baber, Stephen C., Housel, Barron Cornelius III
• Primary Examiner(s): Courtenay, III, St. John
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VAN H
• Application Number:
  US09/174,974
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 709/100, 709/102, 709/103, 709/310, 709/313, 709/314, 709/315, 709/316
• US Class Current: 719/314
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues

Abstract

A method, system, and computer-readable code with which a scheduling system can be implemented that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages. A technique is also defined for providing a receiver with an advance notice of intended message priority, enabling the receiver to request a priority change before transmission begins. These techniques provide the flexibility to respond to changes in dynamic, volatile network environments, as well as changes in user'"'"'s wishes or requirements. A ranking technique is defined, whereby requests to change priority may be accepted or denied through a ranking algorithm that resolves potential conflicts in desired transmission priority using proposals exchanged by the parties (e.g. during connection establishment).

Claims

1. In a computing environment connected to a network, computer readable code readable by a computer system in said environment, for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages, comprising:

a subprocess operating at said sender for creating a plurality of data objects by a sending application for sending to a receiving application operating at said receiver, wherein each of said data objects comprises one or more messages;

a subprocess for queuing said messages created by said sending application in a first persistent message store at said sender, prior to sending said messages to said receiver over said network;

a subprocess for receiving said sent messages and queuing said received messages in a second persistent message store at said receiver, prior to delivering said queued messages to said receiving application;

a subprocess for requesting a change from an existing priority of a specified data object to a new priority, wherein said specified data object may be represented by one or more of said queued messages in said first message store or in said second message store or in both of said message stores;

a subprocess for locating any of said queued messages representing said specified data object;

a subprocess for determining if said existing priority of said data object will be changed to said new priority; and

a subprocess for modifying an order of delivery of said located messages when said subprocess for determining has a positive response.

2. Computer readable code for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 1, wherein said subprocess for modifying further comprises changing a priority of each of said located messages to said new priority.

3. Computer readable code for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 1, wherein said subprocess for determining further comprises using a priority resolution subprocess that determines, based on (1) whether said sending application or said receiving application set said existing priority and (2) rank proposals established by said sending application and said receiving application, whether said existing priority should be changed.

4. Computer readable code for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 3, wherein said rank proposals are exchanged at least once between said sender and said receiver.

5. Computer readable code for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 4, wherein said rank proposals are one of local primary, remote primary, sender primary, receiver primary, and peer.

6. Computer readable code for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 2, further comprising a subprocess for issuing an advance notification of an intended priority to be used as said existing priority for a subsequently-sent data object.

7. Computer readable code for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 2, wherein said subprocess for requesting a change further comprises a subprocess for accepting said change request from a user of either said sending application or said receiving application.

8. A system for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages using dynamic environmental factors in a computing environment connected to a network, comprising:

a sending application operating at said sender;

a receiving application operating at said receiver;

means for creating a plurality of data objects by said sending application for sending to said receiving application, wherein each of said data objects comprises one or more messages;

means for queuing said messages created by said sending application in a first persistent message store at said sender, prior to sending said messages to said receiver over said network;

means for receiving said sent messages and queuing said received messages in a second message store at said receiver, prior to delivering said queued messages to said receiving application;

means for requesting a change from an existing priority of a specified data object to a new priority, wherein said specified data object may be represented by one or more of said queued messages in said first message store or in said second message store or in both of said message stores;

means for locating any of said queued messages representing said specified data object;

means for determining if said existing priority of said data object will be changed to said new priority; and

means for modifying an order of delivery of said located messages when said means for determining has a positive response.

9. The system for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 8, wherein said means for modifying further comprises changing a priority of each of said located messages to said new priority.

10. The system for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 8, wherein said means for determining further comprises means for performing a priority resolution to determine, based on (1) whether said sending application or said receiving application set said existing priority and (2) rank proposals established by said sending application and said receiving application, whether said existing priority should be changed.

11. The system for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 10, wherein said rank proposals are exchanged at least once between said sender and said receiver.

12. The system for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 11, wherein said rank proposals are one of:

local primary, remote primary, sender primary, receiver primary, and peer.

13. The system for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 9, further comprising means for issuing an advance notification of an intended priority to be used as said existing priority for a subsequently-sent data object.

14. The system for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 9, wherein said means for requesting a change further comprises means for accepting said change request from a user of either said sending application or said receiving application.

15. A method for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages in a computing environment connected to a network, comprising the steps of:

operating a sending application at said sender;

operating a receiving application at said receiver;

creating a plurality of data objects by said sending application for sending to said receiving application, wherein each of said data objects comprises one or more messages;

queuing said messages created by said sending application in a first persistent message store at said sender, prior to sending said messages to said receiver over said network;

receiving said sent messages and queuing said received messages in a second persistent message store at said receiver, prior to delivering said queued messages to said receiving application;

requesting a change from an existing priority of a specified data object to a new priority, wherein said specified data object may be represented by one or more of said queued messages in said first message store or in said second message store or in both of said message stores;

locating any of said queued messages representing said specified data object;

determining if said existing priority of said data object will be changed to said new priority; and

modifying an order of delivery of said located messages when said determining step has a positive response.

16. The method for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 15, wherein said modifying step further comprises changing a priority of each of said located messages to said new priority.

17. The method for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 15, wherein said determining step further comprises performing a priority resolution to determine, based on (1) whether said sending application or said receiving application set said existing priority and (2) rank proposals established by said sending application and said receiving application, whether said existing priority should be changed.

18. The method for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 17, wherein said rank proposals are exchanged at least once between said sender and said receiver.

19. The method for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 18, wherein said rank proposals are one of:

local primary, remote primary, sender primary, receiver primary, and peer.

20. The method for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 16, further comprising issuing an advance notification of an intended priority to be used as said existing priority for a subsequently-sent data object.

21. The method for implementing a scheduling system that allows a sender and a receiver to change priorities of queued messages according to claim 16, wherein said requesting a change step further comprises accepting said change request from a user of either said sending application or said receiving application.

22. A method of dynamically changing priority of in-transit messages communicated over a network from a sender to a receiver in a computing environment, comprising the steps of:

queuing messages for sending from the sender to the receiver over the network, and queuing the messages upon receiving them over the network at the receiver, wherein each of the queued messages has an associated priority;

selecting to modify the priority associated with a particular message, whether one or more segments of the particular message are queued in a first message store used for queuing messages at the sender, a second message store used for queuing messages at the receiver, or both the first and the second message stores; and

delivering the segments of the particular message to the receiver using the modified priority.