International Business Machines Corporation

Ronald L Obermarck

Ming C Hao

Richard K Treiber

Gene E Trivett

Lynn Trivett

Chandrasekaran Mohan

John Davis Palmer

Jimmy Paul Strickland

Vern Lee Watts

Steven Victor Kauffman

Bradley J Beitel

Robert D Gordon

James Lum

Arthur M Sherman

Kurt A Shoens

James N Gray

Michael A Enescu

Lynne C Thieme

Dieter Gawlick

Wallace M Iimura

A standardized message processing procedure is invoked by an application program to generate informative messages. Message repositories are provided in files accessible to the message processor. A separate repository is provided for each national language which is supported. The application invokes the message processor, passing variable information for inclusion in a message. The message processor retrieves the message syntax and fixed fields from the appropriate repository, assembles the message using information from the repository and information provided by the invoking application, and generates the message. A preprocessor can be used to generate the repository files, and macros suitable for inclusion in application source files to invoke the message processor.

Message processing system

Change processing of a replica database is accomplished by separating redo records obtained from the transaction log of a primary database into respective queues. The redo records are separated such that all transaction records for a unit of transfer (page) of the primary database are placed on the same queue in log sequence. Each queue is linked exclusively to one of a plurality of parallel queue servers. Each queue server applies to the replica database the redo records in the queues which it exclusively serves. The replica database is thereby made consistent with the primary data by a lock-free updating mechanism which services the pages of the replica database in parallel.

Concurrently applying redo records to backup database in a log sequence

A method for synchronizing common values in a distributed system, at least one node of which is a cyclic, rule-based, object-sensitive production system. Values altered in one part of the system are implicity rather than explicitly communicated and processed to and from the rule-based node. All communications to the rule-based node of common values changed by the nonrule-based nodes are by way of a list independent of and concurrently with any procedural request of the rule-based node, there being no necessary relation between the list contents and the procedural request.

Method for sharing common values implicitly among communicating

A method for coordinating recursive requests and responses in the peer-to-peer processing of a distributed application across a synchronous request/response interface. The method utilizes, on each side of the interface, a decision table and a local LIFO stack of generated and received requests, responses, and input from the application. The local stack is run in a push-pop manner and assists the local decision table in conducting the peer-to-peer processing until the LIFO stack becomes exhausted. A fault on either side of the interface results in undoing the processing by unwinding each stack back to a predetermined point. If one side operates as a persistent server, its application program environment is saved from one request to another by a dynamic save and simulated return to the application. Lastly, a request/demand is substituted for a demand/request by the server so as to change the server and requester roles of either side of the interface.

Method for controlling the peer-to-peer processing of a distributed

A method for serializing process access to shared resources utilizing low-level atomic functions to maintain control structures in which noncontiguous words must be modified at two different times. The atomic functions require an initiation operation partitionable from a completion operation. Each process requesting access to the shared resource performs the initiation operation, which begins modification of a control structure. The completion operation may be performed by the original process if there is no resource conflict. If, however, another process is currently modifying the control structure, then the task of performing the completion operation is passed to one of the concurrently-accessing processes.

Extended atomic operations

The invention provides a computing apparatus and method for maintaining a journal log. The computing apparatus includes volatile storage for storing a log buffer and a non-volatile storage for storing a journal log. Non-volatile storage means are provided for storing in a write-ahead data set a plurality of short data blocks. The log buffer contents are written to the write-ahead data set responsive to a process epoch occurring before the log buffer is filled. The log buffer contents are written to the journal log upon the log buffer being filled. The redoing or undoing of data base changes is made with reference to the write ahead data set only in the case of a system failure resulting in loss of log buffer data not yet written to the journal log; otherwise data base changes are redone or undone with reference to the log buffer or journal log.

Method and apparatus for logging journal data using a log write ahead

Data resources are shared by applications executing on a plurality of central electronic complexes. Each complex of a pair includes a resource lock manager (IRLM) which maintains the hold and wait locks for applications executing on the complex and selected wait locks for the other complex. Selective communication of lock request information is controlled by hash tables maintained in synchronization in each IRLM, which denote the interest of each complex in each hash class of data resources.

Method and means for the sharing of data resources in a multiprocessing,

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Redwood City, CA, United States of America

Ronald L Obermarck