Patent
1995-12-20
1997-06-24
Lee, Thomas C.
395474, 395823, 39542111, G06F 1300
Patent
active
056424957
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a computer system with at least two processors equipped with storage means, whereby each of the processors is assigned at least one private storage area in the storage means. The invention further relates to a method employed in such a computer system for assigning a portion of a private storage area to a common storage area.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Multi-processor computer systems of the stated type have been disclosed. Likewise, various possible approaches have been disclosed for managing storage means by multi-processor computer systems. The type of such management is usually dependent on the specific application. If the storage means, for example, are to be used to transfer messages between the individual processors of the multi-processor computer system, management of the storage means in this case differs from the case in which a common storage area assigned to multiple processors is locked and unlocked to ensure defined access sequences. The management of the storage means by multi-processor computer systems is therefore application-related and thus inflexible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to create a multi-processor computer system, and a corresponding method, which allows management of the storage means adaptable in a simple manner to different applications and requirements.
This objective is substantially fulfilled by the invention in that, for a computer system as originally described, at least one common storage area is provided in the storage means, to which a portion of at least one of the private storage areas is assigned. In a method as originally described, the objective is substantially fulfilled in that, depending on the common storage area, a pointer is read from a table of the common storage areas which references a table of the assigned portions of the private storage areas and that, depending on the pointer, the portion of the private storage area assigned to the common storage area is read from the table of the assigned portions of the private storage areas.
The common storage area can be laid out depending on the specific application. Also, the number of assigned private storage areas, as well as the layout of these private storage areas, is flexible. The invention thus enables flexible management of the storage means of a multi-processor computer system.
In particular, this is accomplished using the table of the common storage areas and the table of the assigned portions of the private storage areas. The table of the common storage areas contains, for each common storage area, a pointer to the table of the assigned portions of the private storage areas. Using this pointer, the latter table furnishes that portion of the private storage area that is assigned to the common storage area. Using both tables, any assignment of private and common storage areas can be managed in simple fashion.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a processor-dependent help table and an address-dependent help table are provided. Using these two help tables, faster access to assigned portions of the private storage areas is possible.
In a further embodiment of the invention, commands are provided for defining and associating the common storage areas and the portions of the private storage areas. Commands are also provided for exchanging any form of information between the common and private storage areas.
Further advantages and forms of the invention can be understood from the following description of one embodiment represented by the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1 to 3 show possible assignments of common storage areas of a multi-processor computer system to portions of private storage areas of individual processors, and
FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the tables for associating the common storage areas and the portions of the private storage areas.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A multi-processor computer system comprises at least two and normally several processors.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5117350 (1992-05-01), Parrish et al.
patent: 5220669 (1993-06-01), Baum et al.
patent: 5293602 (1994-03-01), Fukagawa et al.
patent: 5303362 (1994-04-01), Butts, Jr. et al.
Ammann Eckhard Michael
Diel Hans Helmut
International Business Machines - Corporation
Lee Thomas C.
Luu Le Hien
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