Hewlett-Packard Company

Brian Christopher Wyld

Pierre Sauvage

Denis Pierrot

Jean-Michel Rosset

Pierre D Rondel

A fault tolerant platform is provided that comprises two systems running pairs of processes in the active and standby state, one process from each pair running on each system. Each system comprises a fault-tolerance controlling process, first communication channels provided between the fault-tolerance controlling process and the processes in the active or standby state running on its system, and second communication channels provided between the fault-tolerance controlling processes. Management of fault tolerance (that is, promoting a process in a standby state to the active state, and making a process in an active state exit from the active state) is handled by the fault-tolerance controlling processes. A generic management of fault tolerant processes is thus provided in which fault detection and switchover is carried out independently of the applications. The invention thus ensures efficient and coherent switchover between active and standby processes.

Generic fault tolerant platform

A method is provided for detecting failure in a communication channel with at least two routes (A, B), through which at least two stations (X, Y) communicate. According to the method, at least one station repeatedly sends simultaneous messages on routes containing a sequence number, and receives messages from other station(s), containing an array of sequence numbers last received by other station(s) on each route. At least one station then detects failure of a route by comparing the sequence numbers of the array of the messages it receives. The method provides for failure detection independently of real time constraints. Also provided is a station for carrying out this method.

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Crolles, France

Brian Christopher Wyld