EP0127772A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and apparatus for processing messages in a computing system
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1984-05-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-05-03
Abstract
Abstract Messages at nodes of a distributed data system are processed asynchronously. Each data atom shared by a pair of nodes is characterized by dipole halves (240) maintained at each node including an access control characteristic (242), a quality control characteristic (244), and a pair of rank values (246). A rank value is a value which monotonically increases (with respect to time) with each significant event. A message from a paired node requesting a change to a dipole half at this node includes the set of rank values atthe paired node forthe shared data atom. This node compares the rank values which it maintains with those received from the paired node and, based upon the result, selectively rejects or processes the request.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas Piatt Daniell
- 👤 Robert Carnegia Harding, Jr.
- 👤 Roger William Redvers Harvey
- 👤 Sven Halvar Hansson Nauckhoff
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 13:37
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L69/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A method for processing messages in a computing system having at least one first node defined as this node (20) and one paired node (30), characterized by, maintaining at this node (20) a first rank set (246) for a given data atom (54, 94) for the node pair of this node and paired node (30); receiving from paired node a request message (80), the request message including a second rank set maintained at the paired node for the given data atom; pairwise comparing at this node said first and second rank sets to determine the correspondence between said rank sets; and based upon said correspondence, selectively processing said request message.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
110 words
A method for processing messages in a computing system having at least one first node defined as this node (20) and one paired node (30), characterized by, maintaining at this node (20) a first rank set (246) for a given data atom (54, 94) for the node pair of this node and paired node (30); receiving from paired node a request message (80), the request message including a second rank set maintained at the paired node for the given data atom; pairwise comparing at this node said first and second rank sets to determine the correspondence between said rank sets; and based upon said correspondence, selectively processing said request message.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
135 words
The method of claim 1, comprising the following steps executed at this node (20) of: generating a first rank value(274); receiving from said paired node (30) a second rank value (272); associating said first and second rank values with a data atom (54, 94) replicated at said this node and said paired node; receiving in said request message (80) from said paired node, a third rank value, a fourth rank value, and a request (92); the first and third rank values being indicative of a significant event time at this node (20) and the second and fourth rank values being indicative of a significant event time at paired node (30); and comparing said first and second rank values with said third and fourth rank values, respectively, and selectively processing said request based upon their correspondence.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of generating said first rank value as a value which changes in a predetermined manner at least with each significant event at this node with respect to said data atom.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said generating step generates said first rank value as a monotonically increasing value with each significant event at this node with respect to any data atom replicated at this node and some other node including said paired node, an increasing value being a value representing later time.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
76 words
The method of claim-3, further comprising the steps of: associating with said data atom an access control characteristic (242), the access control characteristic specifying the view of this node of the accessibility of data with respect to said paired node; and changing said first rank value in said predetermined manner with each significant event, a significant event including a change to said access control characteristic from a less restrictive (258) to a more restrictive (250) value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said access control characteristic is selected from the set including exclusive (250), unique clean (252), shared clean (254), prior (256), and not accessible (258); and wherein said significant event includes a change in the access control characteristic in the direction from not accessible to prior to shared clean to unique clean to exclusive.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
118 words
The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of: associating with said data atom a quality control characteristic (244), the quality control characteristic specifying the relative quality difference between a data atom available at or through said paired node and the data held at this node or available through another node related to this node, and which node of this node and paired node is responsible for being able to obtain a clean copy of the data atom on behalf of the other; and changing said first rank value in said predetermined manner with each significant event, a significant event including a change to said quality control characteristic from a less restrictive to a more restrictive value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said request message is a request from paired node for this node to change its view of the quality or accessibility of said data atom at said paired node.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
166 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said first rank value represents the rank value generated at this node at the last significant event occurring at this node with respect to said data atom and said paired node, wherein said second rank value is the ranking value received at this node from paired node in a message prior to said request message and representing the rank value generated at paired node at the last significant event having then occurred at paired node with respect to said data atom and this node, wherein said third rank value is a copy maintained at paired node of the latest first rank value received at paired node at the time said request message was generated, and wherein said fourth rank value is a copy of the latest rank value generated at paired node at the last significant event having occurred at paired node with respect to said data atom and this node at the time of generating of said request message.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 9, comprising the further step of comparing said second and fourth rank values, and responsive to said fourth rank value representing a rank value generated earlier in time than said second rank value, and thus indicating that said request message has been received out of order, rejecting said request message.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method of claim 9, comprising the further step of comparing said first and second rank values and said second and fourth rank values, and responsive to said second and fourth rank values being equal and said first rank value representing a rank value generated later in time than said fourth rank value, and thus indicating that paired node has not received the most recent significant message from this node, rejecting said request message.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
77 words
The method of claim 9, comprising the further step of comparing said first and second rank values and said second and fourth rank values, and responsive to said second rank value being equal to or generated prior to said fourth rank value, and to said first rank value being equal to said third rank value, and thus indicating that significant messages have been processed in order in both this node and paired node, processing said request message.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said processing step includes the step of setting said second rank value equal to said fourth rank value.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
220 words
A computing system for processing messages between nodes including a pair of nodes defined as this node (20) and paired node (30) in a multiprocessing environment, each node of the pair maintaining a dipole half (62, 66) specifying the current state of the relationship between this node and paired node with respect to a given data atom (54, 94) replicated at this node and paired node, characterized by, means at this node (20) for generating a first rank value which increases monotonically with each significant event at this node; means at this node for storing a second rank value received from said paired node (30); means for associating said first and second rank values with the data atom replicated at this node and paired node; means for receiving a request message at this node from paired node, the request message including a third rank value, a fourth rank value, and a request; the first and third rank values being indicative of a significant event time at this node and the second and fourth rank values being indicative of a significant event time at paired node; means for comparing said first and second rank values with said third and fourth rank values, respectively; and means at this node for processing selectively said request based upon the relationships of said rank values.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
220 words
A computing system for processing messages between nodes including a pair of nodes defined as this node (20) and paired node (30) in a multiprocessing environment, each node of the pair maintaining a dipole half (62, 66) specifying the current state of the relationship between this node and paired node with respect to a given data atom (54, 94) replicated at this node and paired node, characterized by, means at this node (20) for generating a first rank value which increases monotonically with each significant event at this node; means at this node for storing a second rank value received from said paired node (30); means for associating said first and second rank values with the data atom replicated at this node and paired node; means for receiving a request message at this node from paired node, the request message including a third rank value, a fourth rank value, and a request; the first and third rank values being indicative of a significant event time at this node and the second and fourth rank values being indicative of a significant event time at paired node; means for comparing said first and second rank values with said third and fourth rank values, respectively; and means at this node for processing selectively said request based upon the relationships of said rank values.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
101 words
The system of claim 14, wherein said current state is specified with respect to a quality control characteristic specifying the relative quality difference between a data atom available at or through said paired node and the data atom held at this node or available through another node related to this node, said quality control characteristic being selected from the set including better, responsible, joint, not responsible, worse, and receiving; and wherein said significant event includes a change in the quality control characteristic in the direction from better to responsible to joint to not responsible to receiving, or from worse to receiving.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
83 words
The system of claim 14, wherein said current state is specified with respect to an access control characteristic specifying the view of this node of the accessibility of data with respect to said paired node, said access control characteristic being selected from the set including exclusive, unique clean, shared clean, prior, and not accessible; and wherein said significant event includes a change in the access control characteristic in the direction from not accessible to prior to shared clean to unique clean to exclusive.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
65 words
The system of claim 14, wherein said means for processing includes means for processing said request message responsive to said second rank value being equal to or generated prior to said fourth rank value, and to said first rank value being equal to said third rank value, and thus indicating that significant messages have been processed in order in both this node and paired node.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 14, wherein said multiprocessing environment includes a data base system.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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