Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
A data processing system management apparatus for managing the operation of a plurality of control point data processors (102, 104) and client data processors (106, 108) comprising a communications network (116) connecting said control point data processors to each other and to said client data processors, each control point data processor being configured to provide management services to said client data processors, and in which one control point processor is designated as a primary control point processor with all the other control point processors being designated as alternative control point processors, and means (212) for determining which of said control point processors is the primary control point processor, characterised in that said primary control point processor determining means comprises means for initialising each of said plurality of control point processors, means for sending a primary control point processor negotiation request from each of said control point processors to all the other control point processors in turn, and means for continuing to perform primary control point processor negotiations until one of said control point processors is determined as being the primary control point processor and all the other control point processors are determined as being alternative control point processors.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
154 words
Management apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that said initialising means comprises means for attempting the creation of a named resource in each of said control point processors in turn, means for terminating said creation attempt if it fails, and means for determining the address of said named resource if said creation attempt is successful, and in that said negotiation means comprises means for determining whether said named resource exists in the control point processor to which the negotiating request has been sent and (a) if the named resource does not exist attempting to create it, (b) if the named resource does exist or is successfully created, comparing the addresses of said named resource in each control point processor and determining as being the primary control point processor the processor in which the address of the named resource is the least and determining the other control point processors as being alternative processors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
Management apparatus as claimed in either of the preceding claims in which each control point processor includes a data storage means and comprising means for synchronising the contents of the data storage means of said alternative control point processors with the contents of the data storage means of said primary control point processor.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
182 words
A method of managing the operation of a plurality of control point data processors and client data processors including a communications network connecting said control point data processors to each other and to said client data processors, each control point data processor being configured to provide management services to said client data processors, and in which one control point processor is designated as a primary control point processor with all the other control point processors being designated as alternative control point processors, said method comprising determining which of said control point processors is the primary control point processor, characterised in that said primary control point processor determining operation comprises initialising each of said plurality of control point processors, sending a primary control point processor negotiation request from each of said control point processors to all the other control point processors in turn, and continuing to perform primary control point processor negotiations until one of said control point processors is determined as being the primary control point processor and all the other control point processors are determined as being alternative control point processors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
151 words
A method of management as claimed in Claim 4 characterised in that said initialising comprises attempting the creation of a named resource in each of said control point processors in turn, terminating said creation attempt if it fails, and determining the address of said named resource if said creation attempt is successful, and in that said negotiation operation comprises determining whether said named resource exists in the other of said control point processors to which the negotiating request has been sent and (a) if the named resource does not exist attempting to create it, (b) if the named resource does exist or is successfully created, comparing the addresses of said named resource in each control point processor and determining as being the primary control point processor the processor in which the address of the named resource is the least and determining the other control point processors as being the alternative processors.