International Business Machines Corporation

Jon Hawkes

Ian Robinson

Andrew Wilkinson

Simon J Maple

Neil G S Young

Daniel James Matthews

Computer-implemented methods and systems are provided for detecting a failed server. The computer-implemented method includes detecting a plurality of servers within a network, allowing each of the plurality of servers to monitor a state of other servers of the plurality of servers, and in response to detecting a failed server, allowing another server of the plurality of servers to complete remaining work of the failed server.

Managing server processes with proxy files

Computer-implemented methods and systems are provided for detecting a failed server. The computer-implemented method includes creating a proxy file for each server of a plurality of servers in an active state and assigning a timestamp to each proxy file of each server of the plurality of servers. The computer-implemented method further includes permitting each server to inspect each timestamp of each proxy file of each server of the plurality of servers and determining whether the timestamp assigned to each proxy file of each server of the plurality of servers exceeds a predetermined threshold. The computer-implemented method further includes, in response to a timestamp of a proxy file of a failed server exceeding the predetermined threshold, allowing another server of the plurality of servers to complete remaining work of the failed server.

An indication is provided to a transaction participant as part of a message originating from a transaction coordinator. The message indicates that the transaction coordinator supports a heuristic response. The transaction coordinator coordinates commitment of transactions as requested by an application in response to a determination by the transaction participant of a heuristic outcome. Heuristic outcomes include situations where transaction participants determine they are unable to honor transactional prior prepared commitments made to the transaction coordinator during first prepare phases of two-phase commits associated with the transactions. The heuristic response is received from the transaction participant in association with a transaction coordinated by the transaction coordinator and indicates that the transaction participant is unable to honor a transactional prior prepared commitment made by the transaction participant during a first prepare phase of a two-phase commit associated with the transaction coordinated by the transaction coordinator as requested by the application.

Heuristics processing

The invention provides a mechanism for a transaction coordinator to indicate to a transaction participant that it supports a heuristic outcome, where a course of action has occurred which means that the transaction participant is unable to honor a transactional prior commitment to the transaction coordinator. The mechanism is such that a transaction participant that is incapable of communicating a heuristic outcome may ignore any such indication. A transaction participant may be incapable because it does not understand the concept of a heuristic outcome at all or because it does not have the ability to inform the transaction coordinator that a heuristic outcome has occurred.

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Hampshire, United Kingdom

Jon Hawkes