U.S. patent application number 09/188245 was filed with the patent office on 2002-03-07 for method of managing operation of computer system.
Invention is credited to HIRATA, TOSHIAKI, MATSUMURA, EIJI.
Application Number | 20020029262 09/188245 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 17952644 |
Filed Date | 2002-03-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020029262 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MATSUMURA, EIJI ; et
al. |
March 7, 2002 |
METHOD OF MANAGING OPERATION OF COMPUTER SYSTEM
Abstract
Object matters handled by each program constituting a work are
assorted and classified into a system, and an ID information for
discriminating the work is added to a definition information
relating to the execution of the work and to an information
representing the events which occur with the execution of the work,
in order to achieve a unitary management. A priority is assigned to
each event occurring with the execution of the work, and whether
the information representing the event is to be transferred or
stored is decided so as to accomplish the objectives described
above.
Inventors: |
MATSUMURA, EIJI;
(YOKOHAMA-SHI, JP) ; HIRATA, TOSHIAKI;
(KASHIWA-SHI, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ANTONELLI TERRY STOUT AND KRAUS
SUITE 1800
1300 NORTH SEVENTEENTH STREET
ARLINGTON
VA
22209
|
Family ID: |
17952644 |
Appl. No.: |
09/188245 |
Filed: |
November 9, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
709/223 ;
709/205 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 9/485 20130101;
G06F 9/4843 20130101; G06F 9/542 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/223 ;
709/205 |
International
Class: |
G06F 015/16 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 7, 1997 |
JP |
09-306066 |
Claims
1. A method of managing the operation of a computer system in a
network computer system comprising a plurality of computers,
characterized in that supervision of a work dividedly executed by a
plurality of said computers can be done by collecting information
representing various events (start, termination, abnormal
termination, etc.) occurring with the execution in each of said
computers and managing said information by adding information for
discriminating said work, without the necessity for examining in
advance said computers executing said work.
2. A method of managing the operation of a computer system
according to claim 1, wherein control of the execution of said work
(change of a schedule, change and addition of an executing computer
or computers, etc.) can be done by assorting and managing various
definition informations (execution schedule, execution parameters,
etc.) relating to the execution of said work by adding information
for discriminating said work without the necessity for examining in
advance said computer storing the definition of said work.
3. A method of managing a computer system according to claim 1,
wherein a priority is assigned to information representing various
events (start, termination, abnormal termination, etc.) occurring
with the execution of said work in each of said computers, the
event having a high priority (occurrence of abnormality, etc.) is
immediately transferred to a computer supervising said work, other
events (start, termination, etc.) are integrated in a computer in
which each event occurs or in a computer close to said computer in
which the event occurs, and only those events which are necessary
(only events relating to a specific work) are retrieved when they
become necessary at the time of supervision of said work and are
transferred to a computer supervising said work so as to reduce the
transfer quantity of information without imposing a limitation to
the supervisory work.
4. A method of managing the operation of a computer system
according to claim 2, wherein various definition informations
(execution schedules, execution parameters, etc.) relating to the
execution of the work are overlappingly stored in a plurality of
computers so that the time necessary for looking up said definition
informations at the time of execution of said work can be reduced
without imposing a limitation on collective management of said
definition informations.
5. A method managing an application in a supervisory computer for
managing the execution of said application executed by a plurality
of computers, characterized in that a plurality of said computers
add an ID information for discriminating said application to
informations representing events occurring with the execution of
said application, store said information representing said events
in a data base and transfers said information information
representing said events to said supervisory manager computer, and
said supervisory manager computer stores said information
representing said events in a manager data base.
6. A method of managing an application in a supervisory manager
computer according to claim 5, wherein said supervisory manager
computer retrieves said information representing said events and
stored in said master data base by using an ID information for
discriminating said application as a key and outputs a retrieving
result.
7. A method of managing an application in a supervisory manager
computer for managing the execution of an application executed by a
plurality of computers, characterized in that a plurality of said
computers add an ID information for discriminating said application
to an information representing the change of a definition
information occurring with the execution of said application, and
store said information representing the change of said definition
information and transfer said information representing the change
of said definition information, and said supervisory manager
computer stores said information representing the change of said
definition information in a master data base.
8. A method of managing an application in a supervisory manager
computer according to claim 7, wherein said supervisory manager
computer retrieves said information representing the change of said
definition information stored in said master data base by using an
ID information for discriminating said application as a key and
outputs the retrieving result.
9. A method of managing an application in a supervisory manager
computer according to claim 7, wherein said supervisory manager
computer accepts a definition change information and transfers it
to a plurality of said computers, and a plurality of said computers
change the corresponding definition informations by using said ID
information as a key.
10. A computer-readable recording medium recording a program for
accomplishing said method of managing an application in a
supervisory manager computer according to claim 5.
11. A computer-readable recording medium recording a program for
accomplishing a method of managing an application in a supervisory
manager computer according to claim 7.
12. A method of managing an application in a supervisory manager
computer according to claim 5, wherein an information representing
a priority is assigned to said information representing said
events, a plurality of said computers judge whether or not said
information representing said events is to be transferred to said
supervisory manager computer in accordance with said information
representing said priority, and transfers an information
representing a predetermined event to said supervisory manager
computer and stores an information representing other events in a
data base.
13. A method of managing an application in a supervisory manager
computer according to claim 12, wherein said information
representing said events and stored in said data base is retrieved
by using said ID information as a key in accordance with a request
from said supervisory manager computer, and said requested
information representing said events is transferred to said
supervisory manager computer.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a method of managing a work
operation of a network computer system comprising a plurality of
computers.
[0002] As a system has become greater in size and global, works
executed daily have been decentrailized and globalized, too. For
instance, there may be the case where one work is dividedly
allocated to, and executed by, a plurality of computers because
throughout of one computer is not sufficient, or the case where
large quantities of data dispersedly stored in a plurality of
computers are processed by each computer to obtain an intermediate
result and these results are gathered together at one position to
obtain a final result.
[0003] In such a case, because management has been made in the past
only as to which computer executes which work, a manager cannot
easily grasp the relationship of divided works if one work is
divided and allocated to a plurality of computers. It is therefore
a purpose of the present invention to provide a service which can
supervise the execution of works and which is directed to a manager
for supervising the execution of the works, by managing divided
works as one work even when a certain work is divided and allocated
to a plurality of computers, without the necessity for examining in
advance the computer or computers that execute the work or the
divided works.
[0004] It has been customary to immediately transfer an information
representing various events (e.g. start, termination, abnormal
termination, etc.) that occur with the execution of the work to a
computer for supervising the work. Therefore, a problem remains
unsolved that those events which are hardly looked up usually
(start, termination, etc.) are transferred in vain though they are
necessary for the supervision purpose. The present invention aims
at reducing the transfer quantity of information by transferring
only the reformation having high urgency such as the occurrence of
abnormality when the events occur.
[0005] It has also been customary in the past to altogether store
various definition informations relating to the execution of the
work (e.g. execution schedules, execution parameters, etc.) in one
place. This renders the problem that a long time is necessary for
looking up the definition information for executing the work,
though management is easy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to reduce the time
required for looking up the definition information by duplicately
storing the definition information in a plurality of computers.
[0007] To accomplish the purpose described above, the present
invention assorts and classifies the objects handled by each
program that constitutes a work and puts common terms together into
one system, and generates an ID information that discriminates
works. The present invention adds this ID information to various
definition informations (execution schedules, execution parameters,
etc.) relating to the execution of the work and to an information
representing all the events that occur with the execution of the
work (start, termination, abnormal termination, etc.) and unitarily
manages these informations so that supervision of the execution of
work and its control (change of the schedules, change and addition
of executing computers, etc.) can be done by using the ID
information as a key.
[0008] The present invention assigns a priority to all the events
(start, termination, abnormal termination, etc.) occurring with the
execution of the work in accordance with their urgency. Whether or
not the information representing the event is to be immediately
transferred to a computer supervising the work or whether or not
the information is to be stored in the computers in which the
respective events occur or in a computer or computers near the
computers inviting such events, are decided in the order of this
priority. The supervisor need not know the events in the normal
operation (start and termination of the work, etc.) so long as the
work is executed normally and smoothly (particularly when a
computer system includes the huge number of computers), and they
are not transferred to the computer supervising the execution of
the work. In consequence, the transfer quantity of information can
be reduced. The ID information for discriminating the work is added
to the information that is dispersedly stored. Therefore, whenever
necessary (such as when the status of a specific work is desired to
be known), the information can be retrieved upon request from the
computer supervising the work and only necessary information can be
taken out. The information that is dispersedly stored can be
retrieved simultaneously by a plurality of computers having the
stored information, and the time for retrieving is short.
[0009] Further, the present invention stores duplicately various
definition informations (execution schedules, execution parameters,
etc.) relating to the execution of the work in a plurality of
computers. Generally, updating frequency of such definition
informations is low. Therefore, the present invention can reduce
the time necessary for looking up the definition informations at
the time of the execution of the work. When the definition
information is to be updated, only the changed portion must be
transferred. Therefore, the time for transfer can be reduced,
too.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system construction and
an execution procedure for enabling a supervisory manager computer
to supervise the work carried out dividedly by a plurality of
computers;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a system construction and
an execution procedure for enabling a supervisory manager computer
to control the execution of the work carried out dividedly by a
plurality of computers;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a network construction in
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the software
construction of a computer system in an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a flowchart useful for explaining a procedure for
collecting various event informations;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a flowchart useful for explaining a procedure for
looking up various event informations;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a flowchart useful for explaining a procedure for
collecting various definition informations; and
[0017] FIG. 8 is a flowchart useful for explaining a procedure for
updating/distributing various definition informations.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] An embodiment of the present invention will be explained
hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0019] FIG. 1 shows a system construction and an execution
procedure for enabling a supervisory manager computer to supervise
the work carried out dividedly by a plurality of computers without
determining in advance which work is to be executed by which
computer. A supervisory manager computer 100 comprises a display
control unit which in turn comprises an event information display
processing unit 103 for looking up various events that occur with
the execution of the works in management objective computers 106
and 111, such as the start of the work, the normal termination,
abnormal termination, etc. and a GUI unit 102 for displaying and
operating the various events; a unit 104 for collecting event
informations which must be dealt with urgently or quickly among the
events occurring with the execution of the work in the management
objective computers 106 and 111, such as abnormal termination of
the work, shortage of a disk capacity, and so forth, displaying
such informations in the GUI unit 102 and storing them in a master
data base 105, retrieving the event informations so stored,
instructing retrieval to the management objective computer 106
having a local data base 108 if necessary event information is not
found out, and controlling collection of the retrieving result and
its display in the GUI unit 102; and the master data base 105.
[0020] Each of the management objective computers 106, 111
comprises a work execution unit 106, 113 for handling the actual
work itself or a management application (hereinafter called "AP")
execution unit 110, 114 for managing the work execution such as a
job scheduler, an integrated management assistance unit 107, 112
for accomplishing the integrated management, and a local data base
108. When the management objective computer has the local data
base, the integrated management assistance unit transfers to the
supervisory manager computer 100 those event informations which
must be dealt with urgently or quickly, such as abnormal
termination of the work, shortage of the disk capacity, etc. among
the events occurring with the execution of the work by the
integrated management assistance unit itself or by the management
objective computer not having such a local data base, stores other
event informations in the local data base 108, executes retrieval
upon instruction from the supervisory manager computer 100 and
transfers the retrieving result to the integrated manager computer.
When the management objective computer does not have the local data
base, the integrated management assistance unit transfers all those
events which occur with the execution of the work by itself to the
management objective computers having the local data base.
Incidentally, the supervisory manager computer 100 and the
management objective computers 106 and 111 are connected with one
another through a communication network 115.
[0021] FIG. 2 shows a system construction and an execution
procedure for enabling the supervisory manager computer to control
the execution of the work executed dividedly by a plurality of
computers without determining in advance in which computer the
definition information of the work is stored. The supervisory
manager computer 200 comprises a display control unit which in turn
comprises a definition information updating/displaying processing
unit 203 for looking up and updating various definition
informations about the execution of the work such as the execution
schedule and the execution parameters of the work executed by the
management objective computers 206 and 211, and a GUI unit 202 for
displaying and operating these informations; a unit 204 for
collecting various definition informations relating to the
execution of the work such as the execution schedule and the
execution parameters of the work executed by the management
objective computers 206 and 211, storing the definition
informations in a master data base 205, retrieving the definition
informations so stored and distributing the updated definition
informations to the management object computer 206 having the local
data base 208; and the master data base 205.
[0022] Each of the management objective computers 206 and 211
comprises a work execution unit 209, 213 for executing the
practical work itself or a management AP execution unit 210, 214
for managing the execution of the work such as a job scheduler, an
integrated management assistance unit 207, 212 for achieving the
integrated management and the local data base 208. When the
management objective computer has the local data base, the
integrated management assistance unit transfers various definition
informations about the executions of the work such as the execution
schedules and the execution parameters of its own and those of the
management objective computers not having the local data base,
stores such definition informations in the local data base 208,
updates the information upon instruction from the integrated
manager computer 200 and transfers the updating result to the
integrated management assistance unit itself and to the work
executed by the management objective computers not having the local
data base. When the management objective computers do not have the
local data base, the integrated management assistance unit
transfers all of various definition informations about the
execution of the work such as the execution schedule and the
execution parameters executed by itself to the management objective
computers having such a local data base, and transfers the
retrieving result transferred thereto from the management objective
computers having the local data base to the work executed by the
management objective computers. Incidentally, the supervisory
manager computer 200 and the management objective computers 206 and
211 are connected with one another through the communication
between 215.
[0023] FIG. 3 shows an example of the network construction in the
embodiment of the present invention. The supervisory manager
computer 301 can supervise the execution state of the work executed
by each computer 302 to 307, and can change the definition relating
to the work execution. The supervisory manager computer 301 has the
master data base 314 (abbreviated as "DB" in the drawing) and each
network 308 to 313 has at least one computer having the local data
base.
[0024] Though this condition is not essential, such a network
construction can reduce the quantity of data flowing through the
network and can also reduce the time necessary for looking up the
information stored in the data base from each computer.
[0025] FIG. 4 shows an example of the software construction of the
management objective computer 401 and the supervisory manager
computer 402 in the embodiment of the present invention. The
management objective computer 401 includes the integrated
management assistance unit 403 and manages this computer on the
basis of the instruction from the supervisory manager computer.
However, a concrete management processing varies with the managed
objects. Broadly, this management processing can be divided into an
indirect management using the management AP for managing the work
and a direct management for directly managing the work. The
management processing is executed from the integrated management
assistance unit 403 through the management AP operation unit 411 in
the case of the former and through the work B operation unit 410 in
the latter. In this case, the interface (409) between the
management AP processing unit 407 and the management AP operation
unit 411 and the interface (408) between the work B processing unit
406 and the work 8 operating unit 410 become discrete, but the
interface (412) with the respective operation units as viewed from
the integrated management assistance unit becomes common.
Therefore, even when another managed object is added, the range of
influence of this addition is limited, and the addition of
functions becomes easy.
[0026] The supervisory manager computer 402 includes an integrated
supervisory manager 404 and has a user interface for managing the
entire system but processing for concrete display for the manager
and for the operation of the manager varies with each management
function. This processing is broadly divided into an indirect
display/ operation by using the management AP for managing the work
and a direct display/operation of the work. Because the interface
with each operation unit as viewed from the integrated management
assistance unit is common, the interfaces between the management AP
display processing unit 415 and the management AP operation unit
411 and between the work B display processing unit 414 and the work
B operation unit 410 and the interface (413) of the display control
unit 416 having the direct interface with the management AP display
unit 415, the work B display processing unit 414 and the manager
can be made common.
[0027] The procedures for collecting and looking up various event
informations that occur with the execution of the work in the
construction shown in FIG. 1 will be explained with reference to
FIGS. 5 and 6. In the management objective computer, the work or
management AP detects the occurrence of an event with the execution
of the work (501). The work or management AP assigns a
predetermined priority to each event information and sends it to
the integrated management assistance unit inside the same computer
(502). If the computer does not have the local data base, the
integrated management assistance unit transfers the event
information to the management object computer having the local data
base (504). If the computer has the local data base (503), the
integrated management assistance unit stores the event information
in the local data base by using the work ID as a key (506) if the
priority of the event information is not urgent (505). If the
priority of the event information is urgent (505), the integrated
management assistance unit transfers the event information to the
supervisory manager computer (507). Receiving the event
information, the supervisory manager computer stores it in the
master data base (508). The supervisory manager computer also
displays the event information it receives on the supervisory
screen (509). Next, the manager existing in front of the
supervisory manager computer represents the procedure for knowing
the status of a specific work. First, the supervisory manager
displays a work list (601). The work ID corresponding to the work
selected by the manager is then determined from the work list. The
supervisory manager retrieves the master data base by using the
work ID so determined as the key (603). When the event information
is found out in the master data base (604), its content is
displayed on the supervisory screen. If the event information is
not found out in the master data base (604), a retrieval request is
generated for the integrated management assistance units of all the
management objective computers having the local data base (605).
The integrated management assistance unit of each management
objective computer having the local data base retrieves the local
data base by using the designated work ID as the key (606). The
integrated management assistance unit then returns the retrieving
result to the integrated management manager (607). The integrated
management manager displays altogether all the retrieving results
on the supervisory screen (608).
[0028] In this way, supervision of the work executed dividedly by a
plurality of computers can be made without determining in advance
by which computer the work is to be done.
[0029] The procedures for collecting, updating and distributing
various definition informations relating to the execution of the
work in the construction shown in FIG. 2 will be explained with
reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. The work or management AP in the
management objective computer changes its own definition
information with the execution of the work (710). The work or
management AP sends the changed definition information to the
integrated management assistance unit inside the same computer
(702). If the computer does not have the local data base (703), the
integrated management assistance unit sends the changed definition
information to the management objective computer having the local
data base (704). If the computer has the local data base (703), the
integrated management assistance unit stores the changed definition
information into the local data base by using the work ID as the
key (705). The integrated management assistance unit also transfers
the changed definition information to the supervisory manager
computer (706). The supervisory manager computer stores the
definition information it receives in the master data base (707).
Next, the manager in front of the supervisory manager computer
represents the procedure for looking up and changing the definition
information of a specific work. First, the supervisory manager
displays the work list (801) and the work ID corresponding to the
work selected by the manager is determined (802). The supervisory
manager retrieves the master data base by using the work ID so
determined as the key and displays it on the supervisory screen
(803). When the manager updates the definition information (804),
an updating request is generated for the integrated management
assistance unit of all the management objective computers having
the local data base (805). The integrated management assistance
unit of each management objective computer having the local data
base retrieves and updates the local data base by using the
designated work ID as the key (806). The integrated management
assistance unit reports the changed definition information to the
work or management AP (807). The work or management AP executes the
processing in accordance with the new definition (808). In this
way, control of the execution of the work carried out dividedly by
a plurality of computers can be made without examining in advance
the computer which stores the definition of the work.
[0030] In a network computer system comprising a plurality of
computers, the present invention can execute various processings
relating to the operations of the work such as confirmation of the
work executed dividedly by a plurality of computers, supervision of
the occurrence of any abnormality, change of the work definition,
etc. without examining in advance in which computer or computers
the work is being executed or in which computer or computers the
definition of the work is stored. Therefore, the present invention
provides the effect that the execution of the work can be managed
unitarily from one supervisory manager computer. Since the transfer
of the information which is hardly looked up during steady
supervision can be reduced in this instance, the present invention
provides another effect that any excessive burden for the
communication network is not applied to the operation management.
Further, because the definition information which is frequently
looked up during the execution of the work can be posted in the
proximity of the computer that looks up the definition information,
the present invention provides still another effect that the time
necessary for looking up the information from each computer can be
reduced.
* * * * *