Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-18
2002-06-25
Coulter, Kenneth R. (Department: 2154)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C709S223000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06411967
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Information is shared across distributed systems, or networks, generally by either a messaging scheme or a shared virtual memory mechanism. The messaging schemes typically require that the system nodes maintain up-to-date topology information. Further, the nodes must exchange certain specific series of messages to convey desired information between the nodes, and may require that the nodes send queries to determine, for example, if any changes in status have occurred. The messaging schemes are thus relatively difficult to use for certain applications. Also, if one or more of the nodes fail, the messaging schemes may become unreliable.
The shared memory systems do not scale well, since they require the nodes to coordinate their shared memory activities across the network. Accordingly, the complexity of these systems increases as the number of nodes increases.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a replicated management information base (RMIB), or replicated spreadsheet, that includes columns, or categories, of information to be shared and rows for the respective “member” nodes, and also a system for maintaining the RMIB. Each member node maintains a copy, or view, of the RMIB, and is responsible for the contents of its own row. When the node updates its row, the node sends out an update message to the other members. As the update message propagates through the membership, each member updates the row in its copy of the RMIB. The node-specific information in the RMIB is readily updated without requiring the nodes to, for example, inquire about the status of other nodes or coordinate shared memory activities, as is required by known prior systems.
For more robust implementation, the nodes include version numbers in the update messages, so that the receiving node ignores older messages or at least applies the messages in order, as discussed below. Further, the member nodes may gossip among themselves, to ensure that each node receives the most recent updates, also as discussed below.
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Robbert van Renesse et al., “A Gossip-Style Failure Detection Service”, Dept. Comp. Science, Cornell University, pp. 1-16, 1996.
Alan Demers et al., “Epidemic Algorithms for Replicated Database Maintenance”, Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, Aug., 1987, pp. 8-32.
Richard A. Golding, “Weak-Consistency Group Communication and Membership”, University of California Santa Cruz, Dec. 1992, pp. 1-154.
Cesari and McKenna LLP
Coulter Kenneth R.
Reliable Network Solutions
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