EP0805393A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for managing membership of a group of processors in a distributed computing environment
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1997-04-01
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-04-01
Abstract
Abstract Membership of a group of processors in a distributed computing environment is managed. Specific actions are identified and performed in order to manage the group membership. A processor requests to join the group of processors and thus, is added to the group. Similarly, processors may request to leave the group or may fail and then are removed from the group. The group of members also receives multicasts initiated from one member of the group to other members of the group. Additionally, each group of processors within a distributed computing environment has a group leader that controls the actions being performed for the group of members.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter Richard Badovinatz
- 👤 Tushar Deepak Chandra
- 👤 Ajei Sarat Gopal
- 👤 Orvalle Theodore Kirby
- 👤 Jr. John Arthur Pershing
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 17:20
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/46; G06F9/50; G06F9/5061; G06F2209/00; G06F2209/50; G06F2209/505
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
45 words
A method for joining a group of processors in a distributed computing environment, said method comprising the steps of: requesting, by a processor, to join a group of processors, said group of processors executing related processes; and adding said processor to said group of processors.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
67 words
A method for maintaining groups of processors in a distributed computing environment, said method comprising the steps of: identifying a specified action to be taken for a group of processors of said distributed computing environment, said group of processors including one or more member processors, each of said one or more member processors including a related process; and performing said specified action for said group of processors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
109 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said specified action is selected from the following list: (a) insert, wherein a processor is requesting to join said group of processors; (b) multicast, wherein one of said one or more member processors is requesting to forward a message to any other member processors of said group of processors; (c) leave, wherein one of said one or more member processors is requesting to leave said group of processors; (d) remove, wherein one member of said one or more member processors is removed from said group of processors, when said one member fails; and (e) maintaining a group leader for said group of processors.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
69 words
The method of any preceding claim, wherein a group leader for said group of processors is maintained, and said method being capable of recovering from a failed group leader by: obtaining from a membership list ordered in sequence of joins of processors to said group of processors a next processor in said membership list; and selecting said next processor as a new group leader of said group of processors.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
45 words
A system for joining a group of processors in a distributed computing environment, said system comprising: a processor programmable to request to join a group of processors, said group of processors executing related processes; and means for adding said processor to said group of processors.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
68 words
A system for maintaining groups of processors in a distributed computing environment, said system comprising: means for identifying a specified action to be taken for a group of processors of said distributed computing environment, said group of processors including one or more member processors, each of said one or more member processors including a related process; and means for performing said specified action for said group of processors.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
109 words
The system of claim 6, wherein said specified action is selected from the following list: (a) insert, wherein a processor is requesting to join said group of processors; (b) multicast, wherein one of said one or more member processors is requesting to forward a message to any other member processors of said group of processors; (c) leave, wherein one of said one or more member processors is requesting to leave said group of processors; (d) remove, wherein one member of said one or more member processors is removed from said group of processors, when said one member fails; and (e) maintaining a group leader for said group of processors.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
77 words
The system of any preceding claim, wherein a group leader for said group of processors is maintained, and said system being capable of recovering from a failed group leader by including the further elements: means for obtaining from a membership list ordered in sequence of joins of processors to said group of processors a next processor in said membership list; and means for selecting said next processor as a new group leader of said group of processors.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A computer program product stored on a computer readable storage medium containing software code for performing the functions listed above in any preceding method claim.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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