JPS6370367A - Application program selection and control system in plural host computers - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the information of at the time of changing a computer and the updating of a program control table and to efficiently transfer data between computers by storing the number of a host computer including an application program in a communication controller. CONSTITUTION:A control program is loaded from a host computer 1 (2) to a communication controller 3 through a channel 4 (5) and an application program control means 12 (22) in the computer receives a communication start request for an application program APG, registers the APG name in an APG control table 11 and requests the registration of the APG name to the equipment 3. The equipment 3 stores the APG name and computer discriminating information in a corresponding table 31 through a registering means 32. At the time of ending the APG, the equipment 3 deletes the APG name from the table 31 by a deleting means 33. At the time of generating a fault in the computer, a fault restoring means 34 in the equipment 3 informs the fault to terminals 61-6n and the system and deletes the APG name from the table 31. A selecting means 35 in the equipment 3 transfers a connection request to a connection request deciding means 13 (23) of the computer in accordance with the connection request.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention connects a plurality of host computers to a partner terminal or a partner computer system via a communication control device, and allows communication from the partner terminal or computer system. This invention relates to a method for selecting an application program existing somewhere on multiple host computers based on the application program name specified in a connection request.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, multiple host computers connect to a partner terminal or computer system via a single communication control device, and a connection request from the partner terminal or computer system causes an application program existing on one of the multiple host computers to be accessed. There were two methods of communication:

In the first method, information identifying which host computer the connection request is to be forwarded to is loaded on the A of the connection request from the other party's terminal or computer system, and the communication control device selects the corresponding host computer based on this information. and forwards the connection request to that host computer. The host computer that receives the connection request determines the target application program from the application program name specified in the connection request.

In the second method, one communication control device determines in advance a host computer to which a connection request from a partner terminal or computer system will be transferred, and upon receiving a connection request, transfers the connection request to that host computer. The host computer has an application program name management table that indicates which host computer the application program runs on, and when it receives a connection request, it determines whether the application program name specified in the connection request is on its own computer. Determine whether the application program works or not. If it is an application program running on the own computer,
Connect to that application program. If the program runs on another host computer, the connection request is transferred to the host computer shown in the application program management table. The host computer to which the connection request is transferred similarly has an application program management table and connects to the application program running on that computer.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

The two conventional methods described above for selecting an application program existing on one of a plurality of host computers each have the following problems.

First, in the first method, the partner terminal or computer system must know which host computer the application program is running on, and the host computer is redundant so that in the event of a failure, the host computer where the application program resides can be used. In such an operation mode, it is necessary to use some means to notify the other party's terminal or computer system that the host computer on which the application program is running has changed. However, there is a problem in that notification cannot be made if there is no operator at the other party's terminal or if the other party's computer system is stopped.

In addition, in the second method, since the host computer on which the application program exists is stored in each host computer as an application program management table, when the host computer on which the application program exists is changed, all the host computers on which the application program exists are stored. The application program management table must be changed at the same time. Furthermore, since a connection request from a partner terminal or computer is transferred once to a specific host computer, processing efficiency is poor, and charges may be incurred, especially when a communication control device is connected to a host computer via a packet switching network. This will become an increasing problem.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to solve the above problems of the present invention, in a system in which a plurality of host computers communicate with a terminal or a partner computer system via one communication control device connected through at least one of a communication line and a channel, each host The computer includes: an application program management table; an application program management means that updates the application program management table in conjunction with the operating status of the application program and also notifies a communication control device of the status of the application program; and a terminal or partner computer. connection request determination means for determining an application program to be connected from the application program management table based on the application program name specified in the connection request from the system; an application program name-host computer correspondence table that manages whether the application program is running; and an application program name-host computer correspondence table that manages ρ, the application program name-host computer correspondence table, in response to a request from the application program management means in response to the application program starting. an application program name registration means for registering an application program name in the application program; and an application for deleting the application program name from the application program name-host computer correspondence table in response to termination of the application program and in response to a request from the application program management means. The program name deletion means, in response to the detection of a fault in the host computer, deletes the name of the application log 2 existing in the host computer from the application program name -
Host computer failure recovery means to delete from host computer compatible clothes.

A host computer selection means is provided which determines to which host computer the connection request is to be transferred based on the application program name to host computer correspondence table in response to a connection request from at least one of the terminal and the partner computer system.

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of the present invention has two connecting channels 4 and 5 and terminal devices 61, 62, 63, .
, 6n, communication control device [3 and terminal device 61゜62.63
...Communication line connecting to 6n? 1,72°73,・
..., 7n.

Each of the host computers 1 and 2 has application program management tables 11 and 21, application program management means 12 and 22, and connection request determination means 13 and 23, respectively.

The communication control device 3 includes an application program name-host total X machine correspondence table 31, an application program name registration means 32, an application program name deletion means 33, a host total X machine failure recovery means 34, and a host computer selection means 35. It has

Further, several application programs 14 to 16 and 24 to 26 are running on the host computers 1 and 2.

Assume that the host computer 1 is started up for the first time. When the startup of the host computer 1 is completed, a control program is loaded from the host computer 1 to the communication control device 3 via the channel 4.

After that, the application program management means 1 in the host computer 1
2 receives a request to start communication of the application program in response to activation of the application program, registers the application program name in the application program management table 11, and requests the communication control device 3 to register the application program name.

Referring to FIG. 2, the applied program management table 11 contains a total of 3 hosts! It has the same structure on the L aircraft.

The application program name management tables 11 and 21 form one entry for each application program name, and the contents of each entry are composed of an application program name field 201°, an application program number field 2o2, and an application program status field 203.

Referring to FIG. 3, in step 301, the application program management means 12 and 22 are instructed whether or not there is already an entry matching the application program name specified in the communication start request from the application program. If a matching entry exists, the application program is notified of rejection of registration due to duplication in step 309. In step 301, if it is determined that no matching entry exists, an empty entry is searched for. If it is determined in step 302 that there are no free entries, then in step 310 the application program is notified of the refusal of registration due to lack of resources. If it is determined in step 302 that there is an empty entry, the application program name and the application program number are registered in the application program management table in step 303, and the initial state changes during the activation process. Thereafter, in step 304, a request is made to the communication control device 3 to register the application program, and a response is awaited in step 305.

Referring again to FIG. 1, in the communication control device 3, the transferred application program name is registered in the application program name registration means 32 in the application program name-host computer correspondence table 31.
is stored along with information identifying the host computer l.

The fourth section showing the application program name-host computer correspondence table 31
Referring to the figure, the application program-host computer correspondence table 31 forms one entry for each application program name, and each entry consists of an application program name field 401 and a host computer number field 402.

Referring to FIG. 5, in step 501, the application program name registration means 32 checks whether there is already an entry that matches the application program name received.
If a matching entry exists, the host computer is notified of registration rejection due to duplication in step 505. If it is determined in step 501 that there is no matching entry, then in step 502 an empty entry l-
IJ is searched. If it is determined in step 502 that there is no free entry, then in step 506 the host computer is notified of the refusal of registration due to lack of resources.

If it is determined in step 502 that a free entry exists, the application program name and the number of the transfer source host computer are registered in the application program name-host computer correspondence table in step 503, and the host computer is registered in step 504. You will be notified of the completion of registration.

Referring again to FIG. 3, when the application program management means 12 in the host computer 1 receives a response to the application program registration request from the communication control device in step 305, it determines whether the response is complete registration or a rejection response. It is determined whether If registration is determined to be complete,
In step 307, the status of the application program management table is set to active, and in step 308, the application program indicated by the application program number is notified of acceptance of the communication start request. In step 306.

If the response is determined to be a rejection response, the entry for this application program is released in step 311, and the application program is notified of the rejection of the communication start request in step 312.

Referring again to FIG. 1, since the control program has already been loaded into the communication control device 3, the control program is not loaded in response to the startup of the host computer 2, and the startup of the application program is awaited. . The application program registration process when the application program is started is performed in the same manner as in the host computer 1.

In this embodiment, there are only two host computers, but application program names are registered in the same manner for the third and subsequent host computers.

Referring to Figure 6, when the application program ends (
Now, the application program management means 12 on each host computer
(or 22), in step 601, the entry (IJ) of the corresponding application program management table is obtained from the application program number, and in step 602, the application program status of the corresponding entry is set to inactivation processing. Next, in step 603, an application program name deletion request is transferred to the communication control device 3 together with the application program name, and step 60
4, the response is awaited.

Referring again to FIG. 1, in the communication control unit 1 [3], the transferred application program name is processed by the application program name deletion means 33 and the application program name-host computer correspondence table 31
will be deleted from

Referring to FIG. 7, in the application program name deletion stage 33, it is checked whether an entry matching the application program name accepted in step 701 exists. If it is determined that a matching entry does not exist, the host computer is notified of rejection of deletion in step 705. If it is determined in step 701 that a matching entry exists, the host computer number of that entry is confirmed in step 702. If it is determined in step 702 that the host computer number is different from the number of the host computer that requested deletion, then in step 706 rejection of deletion is notified. If it is determined in step 702 that the host computer numbers match, the corresponding entry is released in step 703, and in step 704, the host computer is notified of the completion of deletion.

Referring again to FIG. 6, when the application program management means in the host computer receives a response to the application program deletion request in step 604, the entry for that application program is released in step 605. Regardless of whether the response to the deletion request is an affirmative response or a negative response, the corresponding entry is released.

Referring again to FIG. 1, if a failure occurs in some host computer and communication processing becomes impossible, the communication control device 3 uses the host computer failure recovery means 34 to restore the destination terminal -! Take notifies the host computer failure to the other computer system, and deletes the name of the application block 2 existing in the failed host computer from the application program name-host computer correspondence table 31.

The host computer failure recovery means 34 is activated upon detection of a health check timeout, notification of a host computer failure from the host computer connection channel 4 or 5, or the like.

Referring to FIG. 8, in steps 801 and 805, a search is performed for all entries iJK in the application program name-host computer correspondence table 31, and in step 802, an entry with the same number as the faulty host computer number is searched. It is determined whether or not. If it is determined in step 802 that the host computer with the faulty host computer number is an IJ, in step 803 all partner terminals connected to the application program indicated by the entry are notified of the fault, and in step 804, The entry is released. If it is determined in step 802 that the entry does not have the failed host computer number,
do nothing.

Referring again to FIG. 1, application programs are now registered and deleted, and the application programs in operation are correctly represented in the application program management table and the application program name-host correspondence table 31, and the other party's terminal When receiving a connection request from (or partner computer system) 61 to 6n, the host computer selection means 35 in the communication control device 3 performs the following processing.

Referring to FIG. 9, in step 901, an entry in the application program name-host computer correspondence table 31 that matches the application program name specified in the connection request is searched. If it is determined in step 901 that there is no entry with a matching application program name, the connection request is rejected in step 904. If it is determined in step 901 that a corresponding entry has been found, the number of the host computer where the application program exists is obtained in step 903, and the connection request is transferred to that host computer.

Referring to FIG. 10, in step 1001, the connection request determination means 13 (or 23) of the host computer that receives the connection request selects the application program management table 11 (or 21) that matches the application program name specified in the connection request. If the IJ is searched and it is determined in step 1001 that there is no entry with a matching application program name,
At step 1006, a rejection response is returned to the connection request. If it is determined in step 1001 that there is a corresponding entry, the application program status of that entry is determined in step 1003. If it is determined in step 1003 that the status is not active, a rejection response is returned to the connection request in step 1006. Stella 7'1003
If it is determined that the application program is active, a connection request is notified to the application program in step 1004, and an acceptance response to the connection request is returned in step 1005.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained in detail above, the method for selecting application programs on multiple computers according to the present invention is a method in which the number of the host computer where the application program exists is stored on the communication control device. A total of 7 hosts exist! Even if the machine changes, there is no need to notify the other party's terminal or computer system, and there is no need to simultaneously update application program management tables on multiple host computers.

Furthermore, in response to a connection request from a partner terminal or computer system, the connection request data is directly transferred to the target host computer, so there is no need to exchange unnecessary data between host computers, resulting in efficient data transfer. Transfer becomes possible.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining application program management tables 11 and 21, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing application program management means 12 and 22 starting communication from the application program. A flowchart for explaining detailed operations when a request is accepted. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the application program name-host correspondence table 31, and FIG. 5 is a chart 70 for explaining the detailed operation of the application program name registration means 32. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the detailed operation when the application program management means 12 and 22 accept the termination of the application program, and FIG. 7 is for explaining the detailed operation of the application program name deletion means 33. 8 is a 70-chart for explaining the detailed operation of the host computer failure recovery means 34, FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the detailed operation of the host computer selection means 35, and FIG. 10 is a 70-chart for explaining detailed operations of the connection request determination means 13 and 24. In FIGS. 1 to 10, 1, 2...host computer, 3...communication control Device, 4, 5... Channel, 6
1 to 6n...terminal device, 71 to 7n...communication line,
11...Application program management table for host computer 1, 1
2... Application program management means for host computer 1, 1
3...Connection request determination means of host computer l, 14-1
6... Application program running on host computer 1,
21...Application program management table for host computer 2, 2
2... Application program management means for host computer 2, 2
3...Connection request determination means of host computer 2, 24-2
6... Application program running on host computer 2,
31... Application program name registration means, 32... Application program name deletion means, 33... Host computer failure recovery means, 34... Host computer selection means, 201...
・Application program name field, 202...Application program number field, 203...Application program status field, 401...Application program name field, 402...Host computer number 7 figure foil 8 figure 9 figure

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a system in which a plurality of host computers communicate with a terminal or a partner computer system via one communication control device connected through at least one of a communication line and a channel, each host computer has an application. updating the contents of the application program management table in conjunction with the program management table and the operating status of the application program;
an application program management means that also notifies the communication control device of the status of the application program; and an application program management unit that determines, from the contents of the application program management table, the application program to be connected to the application program name specified in the connection request from the terminal or other computer system. The communication control device includes: an application program name-host computer correspondence table that manages which host computer the application program indicated by the application program name is running; , application program name registration means for registering an application program name in the application program name-host computer correspondence table in response to a request from the application program management means; an application program name deletion means for deleting an application program name from the application program name-host computer correspondence table upon request; First name
The host computer failure recovery means to be deleted from the host computer correspondence table, and in response to a connection request from at least one of the terminal and the other computer system, use this application program name-host computer correspondence table to determine which host computer the connection request is directed to. 1. A method for controlling application program selection on a plurality of computers, comprising: host computer selection means for determining transfer.