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EP0230029A2
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Method and apparatus for fault recovery in a distributed processing system
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1986-12-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-12-19
Abstract
Abstract A fault recovery method for a distributed processing system (100) where a message called a heartbeat is broadcast among the processors (41-45) once during each major processing cycle. The heartbeat message indicates the physical (PMP) and logical (LMP) identity of the transmitting processor (41) with respect to the system arrangement as well as the processor's present operational state. By monitoring the heartbeats from other processors (42-45), spare processors can autonomously take over the functions of failed processors without being required to consult or obtain the approval of an executive processor. The new physical location (PMP) of a replaced processor will be automatically recorded by the other processors. The method has application to duplex standby and resource pool configurations as well as sparing arrangements.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald Walter Brown
- 👤 James William Leth
- 👤 James Edward Vandendorpe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 22:38
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/006; G06F11/07; G06F11/16; G06F11/20; G06F11/202; G06F11/2023; G06F11/2028; H; H04; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/42; H04Q3/54; H04Q3/545; H04Q3/54541; H04Q3/5455; H04Q3/54575; H04Q3/54591; G06F11/0703; G06F11/0751; G06F11/0754; G06F11/0757; G06F11/0763; G06F11/2038; G06F11/2046
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
In an arrangement comprising a plurality of processors each having a logical identity defining the functions performed by that processor with respect to said arrangement, a fault recovery method comprising each of said processors repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define the logical identity of the processor broadcasting the heartbeat message, at least one of said processors maintaining a status table defining the logical identities of others of said processors based on heartbeat messages received therefrom and said at least one of said processors, upon failing to receive heartbeat messages defining one of said logical identities defined in said status table, assuming said one of said logical identities for performing the functions of one of said processors having said one of said logical identities.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
131 words
In an arrangement comprising a plurality of processors each having a logical identity defining the functions performed by that processor with respect to said arrangement, a fault recovery method comprising each of said processors repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define the logical identity of the processor broadcasting the heartbeat message, at least one of said processors maintaining a status table defining the logical identities of others of said processors based on heartbeat messages received therefrom and said at least one of said processors, upon failing to receive heartbeat messages defining one of said logical identities defined in said status table, assuming said one of said logical identities for performing the functions of one of said processors having said one of said logical identities.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
125 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at least one of said processors has an associated sparing table defining the logical identities that said at least one of said processors can assume, said method further comprising said at least one of said processors, upon failing to receive heartbeat messages defining said one of said logical identities and prior to said assuming step, reading said sparing table, and said at least one of said processors determining based on said read sparing table, whether said at least one of said processors can assume said one of said logical identities, wherein said assuming step is performed only upon a determination that said at least one of said processors can assume said one of said logical identities.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
81 words
A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein said arrangement further comprises a database processor, wherein said assuming step further comprises said at least one of said processors transmitting a download request message to said database processor, and wherein said method further comprises said database processor responding to said download request message by downloading information needed by said at least one of said processors to perform the functions of said one of said processors having said one of said logical identities.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein said assuming step further comprises said at least one of said processors repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define said one of said logical identities.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
81 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said arrangement further comprises a database processor, wherein said assuming step further comprises said at least one of said processors transmitting a download request message to said database processors, and wherein said method further comprises said database processors responding to said download request message by downloading information needed by said at least one of said processors to perform the functions of said one of said processors having said one of said logical identities.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said assuming step further comprises said at least one of said processors repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define said one of said logical identities.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at least one of said processors and said one of said processors having said one of said logical identities, operate in a duplex standby mode of operation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
97 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of processors can have multiple logical identities, wherein said at least one of said processors has a given logical identity prior to said assuming step, and wherein said assuming step further comprises said at least one of said processors repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define said given logical identity, and said at least one of said processors repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to other of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define said one of said logical identities.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
149 words
In an arrangement comprising a plurality of processors each having a physical identity with respect to said arrangement and a logical identity defining the functions performed by that processors with respect to said arrangement, a fault recovery method comprising each of said processors repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define the physical identity and the logical identity of the processor broadcasting the heartbeat message, each of said processors maintaining an associated status table defining the physical and logical identities of others of said processors based on heartbeat messages received therefrom, and a given one of said processors, upon failing to receive heartbeat messages defining one of the logical identities defined in the status table associated with said given processors, assuming said one of said logical identities for performing the functions of one of said processors having said one of said logical identities.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
149 words
In an arrangement comprising a plurality of processors each having a physical identity with respect to said arrangement and a logical identity defining the functions performed by that processors with respect to said arrangement, a fault recovery method comprising each of said processors repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define the physical identity and the logical identity of the processor broadcasting the heartbeat message, each of said processors maintaining an associated status table defining the physical and logical identities of others of said processors based on heartbeat messages received therefrom, and a given one of said processors, upon failing to receive heartbeat messages defining one of the logical identities defined in the status table associated with said given processors, assuming said one of said logical identities for performing the functions of one of said processors having said one of said logical identities.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein said assuming step further comprises said given processor repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define the physical identity of said given processor and said one of said logical identities.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method in accordance with claim 10 further comprising ones of said processors responding to said heartbeat messages defining the physical identity of said given processor and said one of said logical identities, by updating their associated status tables to define said given processor as having said one of said logical identities.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
115 words
In an arrangement comprising a resource pool of processors and at least one other processor, a method for use by said other processor for selecting a processor from said resource pool comprising each of said resource pool of processors repeatedly transmitting heartbeat messages to said other processor, which heartbeat messages each define the present processor state of the processors transmitting the heartbeat message, said other processor maintaining based on heartbeat messages received from said resource pool of processors, a status table defining the present processor state of each of said resource pool of processors and said other processor selecting a processor from said resource pool based on the processor state defined by said status table.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
115 words
In an arrangement comprising a resource pool of processors and at least one other processor, a method for use by said other processor for selecting a processor from said resource pool comprising each of said resource pool of processors repeatedly transmitting heartbeat messages to said other processor, which heartbeat messages each define the present processor state of the processors transmitting the heartbeat message, said other processor maintaining based on heartbeat messages received from said resource pool of processors, a status table defining the present processor state of each of said resource pool of processors and said other processor selecting a processor from said resource pool based on the processor state defined by said status table.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein said selecting step comprises said other processor selecting a processor from said resource pool that is defined as being in an active processor state by said status table.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method in accordance with claim 12 further comprising the following steps prior to said selecting step: one of said resource pool of processors terminating the transmission of heartbeat messages and said other processor, upon failing to receive heartbeat messages from said one of said resource pool of processors, changing said status table to define the present state of said one of said resource pool of processors as being out-of-service.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein said selecting step comprises said other processor selecting a processor from said resource pool that is defined as being in an active processor state by said status table.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
129 words
In an arrangement comprising a plurality of processors including N active processors and at least one spare processor, N being a positive integer greater than one, each of said plurality of processors having a logical identity with respect to said arrangement, a method of recovering from a failure to any one of said N active processors comprising each of said plurality of processors repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said plurality of processors, each of said plurality of processors monitoring the receipt of heartbeat messages from others of said plurality of processors, said one processor terminating its broadcasting of heartbeat messages, and said spare processor, upon failing to receive heartbeat messages from said one processor, assuming the logical identity of said one processor with respect to said arrangement.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
129 words
In an arrangement comprising a plurality of processors including N active processors and at least one spare processor, N being a positive integer greater than one, each of said plurality of processors having a logical identity with respect to said arrangement, a method of recovering from a failure to any one of said N active processors comprising each of said plurality of processors repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said plurality of processors, each of said plurality of processors monitoring the receipt of heartbeat messages from others of said plurality of processors, said one processor terminating its broadcasting of heartbeat messages, and said spare processor, upon failing to receive heartbeat messages from said one processor, assuming the logical identity of said one processor with respect to said arrangement.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
110 words
A method in accordance with claim 16 wherein said arrangement further comprises at least one database processor, wherein said heartbeat messages each define the logical identity of the processor broadcasting the heartbeat message, wherein said assuming step further comprises said spare processor transmitting a download request message to said database processor, wherein said method further comprises said database processor downloading information into said spare processor needed by said spare processor to function as said one processor, and wherein said assuming step further comprises said spare processor repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said plurality of processors, which heartbeat messages each define said assumed logical identity of said one processor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
158 words
In an arrangement comprising a plurality of processors including N active processors, at least one primary spare processor, and at least one secondary spare processor, N being a positive integer greater than one, each of said plurality of processors having a logical identity with respect to said arrangement, a method of recovering from a failure to any one of said N active processors comprising each of said plurality of processors repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said plurality of processors, each of said plurality of processor monitoring the receipt of heartbeat messages from others of said plurality of processors, said one processor terminating its broadcasting of heartbeat messages, said primary spare processor, upon failing to receive heartbeat messages from said one processor, assuming the logical identity of said one processor, and upon said primary spare processor assuming the logical identity of said one processor, said secondary spare processor assuming the logical identity of said primary spare processor.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
158 words
In an arrangement comprising a plurality of processors including N active processors, at least one primary spare processor, and at least one secondary spare processor, N being a positive integer greater than one, each of said plurality of processors having a logical identity with respect to said arrangement, a method of recovering from a failure to any one of said N active processors comprising each of said plurality of processors repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said plurality of processors, each of said plurality of processor monitoring the receipt of heartbeat messages from others of said plurality of processors, said one processor terminating its broadcasting of heartbeat messages, said primary spare processor, upon failing to receive heartbeat messages from said one processor, assuming the logical identity of said one processor, and upon said primary spare processor assuming the logical identity of said one processor, said secondary spare processor assuming the logical identity of said primary spare processor.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
184 words
In an arrangement comprising a plurality of processors including at least one active processor, at least one primary spare processor, and at least one secondary spare processor, each of said plurality of processors having a logical identity with respect to said arrangement, a method of recovering from a failure of said one active processor comprising each of said plurality of processors repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said plurality of processors, which heartbeat messages each define the logical identity of the processor broadcasting the heartbeat message, each of said plurality of processors monitoring the receipt of heartbeat messages from others of said plurality of processors, said one active processor terminating its broadcasting of heartbeat messages, upon failing to receive heartbeat messages from said one active processor, said primary spare processor terminating its broadcasting of heartbeat messages defining the logical identity of said primary spare processor and assuming the logical identity of said one active processor, said secondary spare processor, upon failing to receive heartbeat messages defining the logical identity of said primary spare processor, assuming the logical identity of said primary spare processor,
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
184 words
In an arrangement comprising a plurality of processors including at least one active processor, at least one primary spare processor, and at least one secondary spare processor, each of said plurality of processors having a logical identity with respect to said arrangement, a method of recovering from a failure of said one active processor comprising each of said plurality of processors repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said plurality of processors, which heartbeat messages each define the logical identity of the processor broadcasting the heartbeat message, each of said plurality of processors monitoring the receipt of heartbeat messages from others of said plurality of processors, said one active processor terminating its broadcasting of heartbeat messages, upon failing to receive heartbeat messages from said one active processor, said primary spare processor terminating its broadcasting of heartbeat messages defining the logical identity of said primary spare processor and assuming the logical identity of said one active processor, said secondary spare processor, upon failing to receive heartbeat messages defining the logical identity of said primary spare processor, assuming the logical identity of said primary spare processor,
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
115 words
In an arrangement comprising a plurality of processors each having a logical identity defining the functions performed by that processor with respect to said arrangement, a fault recovery method comprising each of said processors repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, said heartbeat messages each defining the logical identity of the processor broadcasting the heartbeat message, any one of said processors terminating the broadcasting of its heartbeat messages and another of said processors, upon failing to receive heartbeat messages from said any one of said processors, assuming the logical identity of said any one of said processors to perform the functions of said any one of said processors with respect to said arrangement.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
115 words
In an arrangement comprising a plurality of processors each having a logical identity defining the functions performed by that processor with respect to said arrangement, a fault recovery method comprising each of said processors repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, said heartbeat messages each defining the logical identity of the processor broadcasting the heartbeat message, any one of said processors terminating the broadcasting of its heartbeat messages and another of said processors, upon failing to receive heartbeat messages from said any one of said processors, assuming the logical identity of said any one of said processors to perform the functions of said any one of said processors with respect to said arrangement.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
125 words
A method in accordance with claim 20 wherein each of said processors has an associated sparing table defining the logical identities that said each processor can assume, said method further comprising said another of said processors, upon failing to receive heartbeat messages from said any one of said processors and prior to said assuming step, reading the sparing table associated with said another of said processors, and said another of said processors determining based on said read sparing table, whether said another of said processors can assume said logical identity of said any one of said processors, wherein said assuming step is performed only upon a determination that said another of said processors can assume said logical identity of said any one of said processors.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method in accordance with claim 20 wherein said assuming step further comprises said another of said processors repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define said logical identity of said any one of said processors.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
139 words
A distributed processing arrangement comprising a plurality of processors each having a logical identity defining the functions performed by that processor with respect to said arrangement, wherein each of said processors comprises means for repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define the logical identity of said each processor, and wherein at least one of said processors further comprises means for maintaining a status table defining the logical identities of others of said processors based on heartbeat messages received therefrom, and wherein said at least one of said processors is responsive to a failure to receive heartbeat messages defining one of said logical identities defined in said status table, for assuming said one of said logical identities for performing the functions of one of said processors having said one of said logical identities.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
139 words
A distributed processing arrangement comprising a plurality of processors each having a logical identity defining the functions performed by that processor with respect to said arrangement, wherein each of said processors comprises means for repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define the logical identity of said each processor, and wherein at least one of said processors further comprises means for maintaining a status table defining the logical identities of others of said processors based on heartbeat messages received therefrom, and wherein said at least one of said processors is responsive to a failure to receive heartbeat messages defining one of said logical identities defined in said status table, for assuming said one of said logical identities for performing the functions of one of said processors having said one of said logical identities.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
110 words
An arrangement in accordance with claim 23 wherein said at least one of said processors further comprises means for storing a sparing table defining the logical identities that said at least one of said processors can assume, and means for reading said sparing table, and means for determining based on said read sparing table, whether said at least one of said processors can assume said one of said logical identities, and wherein said at least one of said processors assumes said one of said logical identities only upon a determination by said determining means that said at least one of said processors can assume said one of said logical identities.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
76 words
An arrangement in accordance with claim 24 further comprising a database processor and wherein said at least one of said processors further comprises means for transmitting a download request message to said database processor, and wherein said database processor comprises means responsive to said download request message for downloading information needed by said at least one of said processors to perform the functions of said one of said processors having said one of said logical identities.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
57 words
An arrangement in accordance with claim 25 wherein the broadcasting means of said at least one of said processors initiates, upon said at least one of said processors assuming said one of said logical identities, the repeated broadcasting of heartbeat messages to others of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define said one of said logical identities.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
76 words
An arrangement in accordance with claim 23 further comprising a database processor and wherein said at least one of said processors further comprises means for transmitting a download request message to said database processor, and wherein said database processor comprises means responsive to said download request message for downloading information needed by said at least one of said processors to perform the functions of said one of said processors having said one of said logical identities.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
57 words
An arrangement in accordance with claim 23 wherein the broadcasting means of said at least one of said processors initiates, upon said at least one of said processors assuming said one of said logical identities, the repeated broadcasting of heartbeat messages to others of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define said one of said logical identities.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
74 words
An arrangement in accordance with claim 23 wherein each of said plurality of processors has a physical identity with respect to said arrangement, wherein each of said plurality of processors is in one of a plurality of processor states, and wherein the heartbeat messages broadcast by the broadcasting means of each of said plurality of processors, each define the logical identity, physical identity, and present processors state of the processor broadcasting the heartbeat message.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
18 words
An arrangement in accordance with claim 23 wherein said arrangement is included in a distributed control switching system.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
153 words
A distributed processing arrangement comprising a plurality of processors each having a physical identity with respect to said arrangement and a logical identity defining the functions performed by that processor with respect to said arrangement, wherein each of said processors comprises means for repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define the physical identity and the logical identity of the processor broadcasting the heartbeat message, and means for maintaining an associated status table defining the physical and logical identities of others of said processors based on heartbeat messages received therefrom, and wherein a given one of said processors is responsive to a failure to receive heartbeat messages defining one of the logical identities defined in the status table associated with said given processor, for assuming said one of said logical identities for performing the functions of one of said processors having said one of said logical identities.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
153 words
A distributed processing arrangement comprising a plurality of processors each having a physical identity with respect to said arrangement and a logical identity defining the functions performed by that processor with respect to said arrangement, wherein each of said processors comprises means for repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define the physical identity and the logical identity of the processor broadcasting the heartbeat message, and means for maintaining an associated status table defining the physical and logical identities of others of said processors based on heartbeat messages received therefrom, and wherein a given one of said processors is responsive to a failure to receive heartbeat messages defining one of the logical identities defined in the status table associated with said given processor, for assuming said one of said logical identities for performing the functions of one of said processors having said one of said logical identities.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
57 words
An arrangement in accordance with claim 31 wherein the broadcasting means of said given processor initiates, upon said given processor assuming said one of said logical identities, the repeated broadcasting of heartbeat messages to others of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define the physical identity of said given processor and said one of said logical identities.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
63 words
An arrangement in accordance with claim 32 wherein the maintaining means of each of said processors is responsive to the receipt of said heartbeat messages defining the physical identity of said given processor and said one of said logical identities, for updating the status table associated with said each processor to define said given processor as having said one of said logical identities.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
105 words
A distributed processing arrangement comprising a resource pool of processors and at least one other processor, each of said resource pool of processors comprising means for repeatedly transmitting heartbeat messages to said other processor, which heartbeat messages each define the present processor state of the processor transmitting the heartbeat message, and said other processor comprising means for maintaining based on heartbeat messages received from said resource pool of processors, a status table defining the present processor state of each of said resource pool of processors, and means for selecting a processor from said resource pool based on the processor state defined by said status table.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
105 words
A distributed processing arrangement comprising a resource pool of processors and at least one other processor, each of said resource pool of processors comprising means for repeatedly transmitting heartbeat messages to said other processor, which heartbeat messages each define the present processor state of the processor transmitting the heartbeat message, and said other processor comprising means for maintaining based on heartbeat messages received from said resource pool of processors, a status table defining the present processor state of each of said resource pool of processors, and means for selecting a processor from said resource pool based on the processor state defined by said status table.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
101 words
A distributed processing arrangement comprising a plurality of processors each having a logical identity defining the functions performed by that processor with respect to said arrangement, wherein each of said processors comprises means for repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, said heartbeat messages each defining the logical identity of the processor broadcasting the heartbeat message, means responsive to a termination in receiving heartbeat messages from any one of said processors, for assuming the logical identity of said any one of said processors to perform the functions of said any one of said processors with respect to said arrangement.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
101 words
A distributed processing arrangement comprising a plurality of processors each having a logical identity defining the functions performed by that processor with respect to said arrangement, wherein each of said processors comprises means for repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, said heartbeat messages each defining the logical identity of the processor broadcasting the heartbeat message, means responsive to a termination in receiving heartbeat messages from any one of said processors, for assuming the logical identity of said any one of said processors to perform the functions of said any one of said processors with respect to said arrangement.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
120 words
An arrangement in accordance with claim 35 wherein each of said processors further comprises means for storing an associated sparing table defining the logical identities that said each processor can assume, means responsive to said termination, for reading the sparing table associated with said each processor, and means for determining based on said read sparing table, whether said each of said processors can assume said logical identity of said any one of said processors, wherein said assuming means is responsive to said determining means for assuming said logical identity of said any one of said processors only when said determining means determines that said each of said processors can assume said logical identity of said any one of said processors.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
39 words
An arrangement in accordance with claim 35 wherein said assuming means further comprises means for repeatedly broadcasting heartbeat messages to others of said processors, which heartbeat messages each define said logical identity of said any one of said processors.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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