US5799149A — System partitioning for massively parallel proces…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 124 words

In a distributed parallel processing environment having a plurality of nodes connected to one another via a network in such way as to form a single system unit, a method of logically partitioning said processing environment into at least two isolated sub-environments, said method comprising the steps of: controlling all communications through a central control element connected to said nodes via said network; storing all system data in a system data repository located in said central control element; identifying each node as either belonging to a first sub-environment or a second sub-environment; and organizing data deposited in said system data repository into system object classes providing data globally accessible to all nodes, and partitioned object classes providing data that is exclusive to each sub-environment.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 124 words

In a distributed parallel processing environment having a plurality of nodes connected to one another via a network in such way as to form a single system unit, a method of logically partitioning said processing environment into at least two isolated sub-environments, said method comprising the steps of: controlling all communications through a central control element connected to said nodes via said network; storing all system data in a system data repository located in said central control element; identifying each node as either belonging to a first sub-environment or a second sub-environment; and organizing data deposited in said system data repository into system object classes providing data globally accessible to all nodes, and partitioned object classes providing data that is exclusive to each sub-environment.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of said central control element providing a client, only data either classified in said system object classes or data pertaining to said client's respective sub-environment, said client being defined as any node on either of said sub-environments querying said central control element.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 48 words

The method of claim 2, wherein said nodes in said first sub-environment can only access data provided in said partitioned object classes belonging to said first sub-environment, and said nodes in said sub-environment can only access data provided in said partitioned object classes belonging to said second sub-environment.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 3, wherein data relating to configuration of said processing environment is classified as system object class.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said processing environment is a UNIX based operating environment.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said network is an ethernet using a TCP/IP protocol.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 48 words

The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of nodes are connected to each other via a switch network as well as via said network, said switch network being also connected to said other network but only in processing communication with said central control element via said network.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 7, wherein said switch network comprises of at least two switches in direct communication with one another and with said nodes, in a manner as to provide an additional second processing network to said nodes.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 12 words

The method of claim 8, wherein said switches are high performance switches.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of partitioning said switches, so that each switch belongs exclusively to only one sub-environment.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of creating a switch topology file for each system sub-environment.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of creating a switch initialization file for each system sub-environment.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 12, wherein said switch initialization files and said switch topology files for each said partition is included as part of data exclusively available only to said sub-system environment.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 13, wherein all switch faults and all switch message traffic is also provided for separately for each sub-environment.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 10, wherein at least one node can be deleted from said system unit and said respective sub-environment further comprising the step of updating said system data in said system repository to reflect deletion of said new node.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 10, wherein at least one switch can be deleted from said system unit and said respective sub-environment further comprising the step of updating said system data in said system repository to reflect deletion of said new switch.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method of claim 10, wherein said sub-environments can be redefined so that nodes originally belonging to a first sub-environment can be reassigned to said second sub-environment and nodes originally belonging to said second sub-environment can be reassigned to said first sub-environment, further comprising the step of updating said system data in said system repository to reflect these changes.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method of claim 10, wherein said sub-environments can be redefined so that switches originally belonging to a first sub-environment can be reassigned to said second sub-environment and switches originally belonging to said second sub-environment can be reassigned to said first sub-environment, further comprising the step of updating said system data in said system repository to reflect these changes.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of grouping a plurality of nodes in a frame, and providing each frame at least one individual switch, in a manner so that said processing environment comprises at least two frames and two switches.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 12 words

The method of claim 19, wherein said switches are high performance switches.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said network is an ethernet using a TCP/IP protocol.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 1, wherein a resource can be added to said system unit and respectively to any sub-environment further comprising the step of updating said system data in said system repository after said addition to reflect addition of said new resource.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 1, wherein at least one node can be deleted from said system unit and said respective sub-environment further comprising the step of updating said system data in said system repository to reflect deletion of said new node.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said sub-environments can be redefined so that nodes originally belonging to a first sub-environment can be reassigned to said second sub-environment and nodes originally belonging to said second sub-environment can be reassigned to said first sub-environment, further comprising the step of updating said system data in said system repository to reflect these changes.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 168 words

A massively parallel processing environment partitioned into sub-environments and having a plurality of nodes connected via a network in such a way as to initially create a single system unit, said processing environment comprising: a central control element for controlling all communications between said nodes and for maintaining configuration and status information, said central control element being in processing communications with said nodes via said network; at least two partitioned sub-environments each having exclusive ownership of a subset of nodes in a manner that no two nodes in said system unit environment belong to said same sub-environment; a system data repository located in said central control element for storing system data, said data in said repository organized into a plurality of object classes; and said object classes being divided into system and partitioned classes, said system classes having data targeted to be globally available to all nodes on both sub-environments and said data in said partitioned classes being exclusively accessible only to nodes of one sub-environment or another.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 168 words

A massively parallel processing environment partitioned into sub-environments and having a plurality of nodes connected via a network in such a way as to initially create a single system unit, said processing environment comprising: a central control element for controlling all communications between said nodes and for maintaining configuration and status information, said central control element being in processing communications with said nodes via said network; at least two partitioned sub-environments each having exclusive ownership of a subset of nodes in a manner that no two nodes in said system unit environment belong to said same sub-environment; a system data repository located in said central control element for storing system data, said data in said repository organized into a plurality of object classes; and said object classes being divided into system and partitioned classes, said system classes having data targeted to be globally available to all nodes on both sub-environments and said data in said partitioned classes being exclusively accessible only to nodes of one sub-environment or another.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 16 words

The processing environment of claim 25, wherein said system unit operate in a UNIX based environment.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 16 words

The processing environment of claim 25, wherein said network is an ethernet using a TCP/IP protocol.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 49 words

The processing environment of claim 25, wherein a plurality of nodes are connected to each other via a switch network as well as via said network, said switch network being also connected to said network, but only in processing communication with said central control element via said other network.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 31 words

The processing environment of claim 28, wherein said switch network comprises a plurality of switches in direct communication with one another as to provide a second processing network to said nodes.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 13 words

The processing environment of claim 29, wherein said switches are high performance switches.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 17 words

The processing environment of claim 30, wherein said other network is an ethernet using a TCP/IP protocol.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 21 words

The processing environment of claim 31, further comprising partitioning said switches, so that each switch belongs exclusively to only one sub-environment.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 40 words

The processing environment of claim 25, further comprising grouping a plurality of nodes in a frame, said frame having at least one individual switch, in a manner so that said system environment comprises at least two frames and two switches.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2001-08-24	2002-02-23	2002-08-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2005-08-24	2006-02-23	2006-08-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2009-08-24	2010-02-23	2010-08-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

System partitioning for massively parallel processors

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