Information processing system architecture

Details Information processing system architecture Information processing system architecture

1998-07-01

2001-10-16

Powell, Mark R. (Department: 2762)

Data processing: software development, installation, and managem

Software program development tool

Translation of code

C717S152000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06305015

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an architecture for an information processing system.
More particularly, it relates to an architecture for large scale systems of the type known as “mainframes”.
2. Description of Related Art
Systems of this type, which are very complex, integrate large numbers of subsystems, both hardware and software, which cooperate with one another. It is not unusual for the software products that are components of these systems to comprise hundreds of thousands, if not millions of lines of code.
In this context, one of the most difficult problems to solve is to obtain consistency and compatibility between the various components, particularly when they must be updated (change-overs to more recent versions, addition of modules or functions, etc.).
In addition to the intrinsic complexity noted, it is also necessary to take into account the fact that the various products comprising the system are from different sources, whether internal (even when common development rules are in force) or external (products available on the market).
In the prior art, there are two main types of architectures.
A first architecture belongs to the so-called “proprietary” type. This term designates systems whose architecture is designed by the computer hardware manufacturer.
This architecture is essentially characterized by advanced integration, and exists in the form of a monolithic system.
FIG. 1
attached to the present description schematically illustrates an architecture of this type.
The system
1
of
FIG. 1
comprises a hardware platform
10
that cooperates with a monolithic set
11
of software systems. These may include an operating system
110
, or “OS”, a management system
111
, which supervises the system functions, and a production system
112
. The latter can include, for example, database managers
113
, and transaction processors
114
. The hardware platform
10
comprises the usual devices of an information processing system: central processing unit, central storage, mass storage, etc., which need not be described in further detail.
In the system of
FIG. 1
, all the components of the monolithic set
11
are supported during the initial installation and during subsequent updates (changes in the version of the system
1
). In this type of environment, the consistency of the system is obtained through the global validation of the interfaces between all the components. For the user, these dispositions guarantee a substantial robustness of the system regardless of its evolution. Moreover, they allow simplified monitoring of the successive versions of the system. Lastly, they ensure maximum availability and high security in operation, since the risks of malfunction are reduced to a minimum.
However, they also entail constraints and serious drawbacks.
These arise from the fact that the systems are monolithic. Regardless of the component to be changed and/or the function to be added, it is necessary to upgrade the entire system. The update can only occur globally.
A practical way to illustrate this drawback is to consider, by way of example, the case of a user who only wants to replace the database management software
113
, or to update it with a more recent version. In this hypothesis, the user would be obligated to install a new version of the entire system.
This presupposes, moreover, that this new version comprising the database management software to be replaced or updated is available.
Finally, it results in a substantial amount of unavailability of the information processing system, usually several days for very large scale systems.
It follows that this type of architecture has relatively little flexibility and affords limited possibilities for upgrading.
A second architecture belongs to the so-called “open” type. This term designates open systems whose architecture is not defined by a single manufacturer. These open systems have appeared, in particular, with the emergence of operating systems of the “UNIX” (registered trademark) type or similar systems, for example “AIX” (registered trademark).
It is clear that this type of architecture is very advantageous, since it makes it possible to have software that it heterogeneous, that is, from various sources, coexist in the same machine.
For this type of architecture, the installation and/or updating of software involves only the product itself, and not the system as a whole.
Since basic components can be installed or updated at any time, an “open” architecture offers very high flexibility and substantial ease of upgrading, at least in theory.
In reality, this type of architecture is not exempt from drawbacks, either. In particular, it offers no guarantee of proper operation with the other software components and there are potentially various incompatibility problems.
However, despite its inherent drawbacks, a system with an open architecture remains very advantageous for users.
In effect, it makes it possible to fully or partially meet the needs of information systems users, which currently include, among other things:
autonomy, that is, the ability to upgrade one or more products of the system independently from the rest of the system;
parallelism, that is, the ability to run several versions of the same product simultaneously;
compatibility, that is, being able to rely on a guarantee of forward compatibility of the products and of the interfaces between products;
updating during the normal operation of the system, that is, being able to change versions of a product without stopping operation, or at least with a minimal stop;
back-out capability, that is, the ability to return to an earlier version of a product in case of a problem, without stopping operation;
upgrade control, that is, the capability to remain in control of the upgrade process using automated and simplified procedures;
and fast upgrades and maintenance, that is, being able to count on a minimum delay between a request for an upgrade or a correction and its effective installation on site.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of both types of architectures of the prior art, while maintaining the advantages of each of them.
Another object of the invention is to fully respond to the needs of users listed above.
For this reason, and according to a main characteristic, the invention proposes a domain-based architecture.
A domain combines a set of functionalities offered by software components of the system. It has its own characteristics and evolves independently. The system is therefore comprised of a set of domains having a minimum of interdependencies, which guarantees global consistency.
In other words, flexibility of installation and updating is introduced at a macroscopic level which can always be controlled, namely the domain, within which consistency is always assured.
Each domain, without exception, is “seen” by the user in the same way, specifically by means of attributes assigned to it and a descriptor.
Thus, the subject of the invention is an architecture for an information processing system, this system comprising a hardware platform that cooperates with a set of software products, characterized in that this set is subdivided into subsets called domains, each of which comprises at least one of these software products, in that each domain contains a subset called a descriptor which gives access to specific determined information, this information comprising at least one identifier of the domain and data describing the software products that comprise it, and in that means are provided for enabling these domains to be installed and/or updated based on predetermined rules and on the specific determined information.
It is noted that the architecture according to the invention has many advantages, including:
update flexibility: there is never any need to update the entire system, since updates can be performed domain by domain.
reduced unavailability of the machine: the update can be performed in several phases, and those relative to some domai

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