JP3954298B2 - Job license management method and license management system in information processing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  The present invention relates to software used on a network.Jobs in an information processing device consisting of job stepsThe present invention relates to a license management method and a license management system. Here, the license is a right to use a certain tool (software and hardware).
[0002]
[Prior art]
Development support software execution of CAD (Computer Aided Design) and CASE (Computer Aided Software Engineering) used in LSI design and software development Is generally controlled by a license, but if the license cannot be acquired, the requested processing is terminated. Therefore, the software performs incomplete processing.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
  As a conventional technique, several methods for controlling license management acquisition have been proposed. SpecialOpenflat8-235118The Japanese Patent Publication discloses a software license management method, but cannot control when a plurality of licenses exist in the same software. In addition, it is impossible to obtain a license in accordance with the execution order of a plurality of software that makes sense for execution control. Execution control based on the order of the design flow is required for execution of CAD software used in LSI design. In addition, when a series of processes is executed with the highest priority, requests are made individually, so the processes are performed in the requested order, and a series of related processes desired to be executed with priority cannot be executed with the highest priority.
[0004]
  Also specialOpenJapanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-305560 discloses a license management method in which a series of execution orders of job steps constituting a job are grouped and a plurality of software licenses corresponding to the job steps are collectively acquired. As a result, the entire job is efficiently executed without waiting for execution of a plurality of processing steps that make sense as a group.
[0005]
However, this method has the following problems.
(1) Collective acquisition of licenses as a group of jobs, such as LSI software that supports LSI design, often takes a long time to process. On the contrary, the license cannot be operated efficiently.
[0006]
(2) License sharing management is not considered when the same license program has a plurality of different processing functions as in the CAD software. That is, it is shared as a license, and the order relationship of job steps cannot be expressed as another step.
[0007]
(3) In order to execute long-time processing efficiently, it is necessary to operate job steps in parallel. However, multiple job steps of the same processing function of the same license program are operated in parallel, and waiting for their completion. Therefore, it is impossible to control the license and job for executing the next job step to be executed.
[0008]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-171661 considers the dependency of files constituting one application, but the intent of the present invention is to control the dependency of the execution order of a plurality of applications. . Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-237988 is characterized in that the dependency relationship of instructions in parallel processing in software development is determined. However, the present invention is dependent on a series of processing using a plurality of applications. It is necessary to associate and control the issue of a license based on the relationship and the execution of the process.
[0009]
  The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and automates software license management, reliably executes requested processing, fully utilizes the number of licenses of each owned tool, LSI The system automatically performs processing that depends on the processing flow typified by, etc., and the user can reliably obtain results simply by requesting processing.Jobs in the information processing deviceAn object of the present invention is to provide a license management method and a license management system.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the principle of the method of the present invention. The present invention comprises a plurality of software job steps.In information processing equipmentWith respect to the job license management method, the information processing device expresses the order dependency of job steps as a start condition for each job step (step 1).The information processing apparatus includes:It is confirmed that the execution of the other job steps that are the starting conditions for each job step has been completed (step 2), whether or not the job step can be executed is determined (step 3), and the software corresponding to the job step is determined. Licenses are acquired sequentially (step 4).
[0011]
  With this configuration, software license management can be automated.
  In the present invention, the order dependency of the job steps is:The information processing apparatusExpressed by the start / end conditions for each job step, using the end of execution of each job step as a trigger, the job step to be executed next is determined, and software licenses corresponding to the job step are sequentially acquired And
[0012]
  With such a configuration, processing depending on the processing flow represented by LSI or the like can be automatically performed by the system.
  In the present invention,Accepted jobs are sequentially placed in the request queueA request acceptance control unit to be registered;A request take-out unit that takes out sequentially registered jobs from the request queue and passes to the request execution control unit, and the job input from the request take-out unit satisfies the dependency relationship with the related job, and processes the job A request execution control unit that determines that the input job can be executed when the license acquisition state of the software is satisfied, and processes the received jobs sequentially or in parallelIt is characterized by that.
[0013]
  With this configuration, software license management can be automated.
  In the present invention,The dependency relationship of the related job is determined on the condition that the processing of the related job is completed.It is characterized by doing.
[0014]
  If configured in this way,Judgment of related job dependency on condition of completion of processing of related jobbe able to.
  In the present invention,The license acquisition status is determined based on the number of software licenses for processing the job and the license usage status of the software.It is characterized by doing.
[0015]
  If configured in this way,Judge whether the software can be executed from the number of software licenses and the license usage statuscan do.
  Also, in the present invention, it is assumed that a plurality of job steps of the same processing function of the same software are executed in parallel, and it is confirmed that any job step executed in parallel has ended, and the job to be executed next A step is determined, and software licenses corresponding to the job step are sequentially acquired.
[0016]
If constituted in this way, the requested processing can be executed reliably.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
Generally, a plurality of software licenses exist in one management environment (license server). Considering the case where multiple licenses exist in one management environment, even if there are multiple requests for the same tool, it is possible to process multiple requests in parallel as long as they are within the number of available licenses have.
[0018]
The number of usable licenses can be set by the system administrator, and is the maximum number of licenses owned. The dependency of processing is included in the contents of the request, and the user does not need to request processing according to the execution order, but the system automatically manages and issues a license as necessary.
[0019]
The features of the present invention are as follows.
(A) Consider that there are multiple licenses for one software.
When the requested processing starts to be executed, the processing of the next request is started and the same software can be operated in parallel by the number of licenses on one license server.
[0020]
(B) Considering the dependency relationship of a plurality of requested processes, for example, when the job (Job) 2 is operated, an execution order that assumes that the job 1 has been completed is considered. For example, when considering logic synthesis processing of LSI, the execution order is as follows.
(1) Package compilation
(2) Compilation of VHDL source
(3) Mapping to Netlist
(4) Netlist output
Here, VHDL is a hardware design language, and Netlist is a method of expressing hardware. As described above, the execution order control when it is necessary to execute a series of processes according to different requests in order is recognized, and a license is issued as necessary.
[0021]
(C) It is possible to prioritize a series of requests to be processed preferentially, and to specify a processing order that does not depend on the requested order.
In the present invention, the requested processing is queued, and execution of one software can be executed for the number of usable licenses. In addition, it controls requests with dependencies, issues a series of processes in order according to the start condition of the request to be executed, as well as the order in which the request is made, and then starts with priority according to the end condition. It is possible to specify the license acquisition of the processing to be performed.
[0022]
This makes it possible to efficiently use the licenses that you own, and instead of managing the order of the processes that are dependent on the processing represented by the LSI design flow, etc., the necessary items are set and submitted. This makes it possible to manage the system. In addition, priority processing can be performed regardless of the order of requesting a series of requests that have priority over other requests.
[0023]
The general procedure from logic synthesis to placement and routing in LSI development using VHDL is as follows.
▲ 1 ▼ VHDL reading
(2) Mapping to technology (parallel processing in module units)
(3) Assembly of chip (CHIP)
(4) Test circuit generation
▲ 5 ▼ Placement and wiring
The same logic synthesis tool is used from the above (1) to (3). (4) uses a test circuit generation tool, and (5) uses a layout tool. Here, (1), (2), etc. are called job steps.
[0024]
In the process {circle around (2)}, when there are three modules to be processed, the designer makes a processing request as follows. Here, {circle over (1)} to {9} coincide with the numbers in the drawing, but only 10 is indicated as “10”. Read VHDL-> Mapping (1)-> Mapping (2)-> Mapping (3)-> Chip assembly-> Test circuit generation-> Place and route
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the LSI development flow, and shows the process of user 1 (flow 1) and the process of user 2 (flow 2). In the flow of user 1, first, VHDL is read (1), and mapping processing is performed (2), (5), (6)). Here, mapping (1) indicates (2), mapping (2) indicates (5), and mapping (3) indicates (6).
[0025]
Next, chip assembly is performed (7), test circuit generation is performed (8), and placement and wiring are performed (10).
In the flow of the user 2, the chip is assembled ((3)), a test circuit is generated ((4)), and arrangement and wiring are performed ((9)).
[0026]
That is, each step is composed of job steps as indicated by (1) to (10). In the queue, as shown in FIG. 3, request processing to the request queue is arranged. In the figure, job steps from (1) to ○ 10 are arranged. The part indicated by → in the figure indicates the dependency. For example, job step (2) (5) (6) has a dependency relationship with job step (1), and job step (4) has a request relationship with job step (3). As shown in FIG. 4, the order of license issuance to the tool when this system is used is sequentially executed in consideration of the dependency of the request and the number of licenses of the tool.
[0027]
Thus, according to the present invention, in the job step, different processing functions of the same software whose use is controlled based on the same license are identified as separate processing steps, and the processing order dependency relationship and license acquisition are performed. Can be controlled.
[0028]
With such a configuration, processing depending on the processing flow represented by LSI or the like can be automatically performed by the system.
In the present invention, the job step is identified as a plurality of job steps of the same processing function of the same software whose use is controlled based on the same license as separate processing steps, and the processing order dependency relationship and license acquisition are performed. Can be controlled.
[0029]
With this configuration, processing that depends on the processing flow represented by LSI or the like can be automated by the system.
Also, in the present invention, it is assumed that a plurality of job steps of the same processing function of the same software are executed in parallel, and it is confirmed that any job step executed in parallel has ended, and the job to be executed next Steps can be determined, and software licenses corresponding to the job steps can be acquired sequentially.
[0030]
If constituted in this way, the requested processing can be executed reliably.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an execution history of a job (JOB). Hereinafter, the execution history of FIG. 4 will be described. The execution history in FIG. 4 is sequentially executed in consideration of the dependency of requests and the number of tool licenses. Initially, job step (1) is executed. Since this is the first request start, there is no start condition.
[0031]
The next job step is (1) followed by (3). If the order of requests in FIG. 3 is followed, job step (1) should be followed by (2), but (2) cannot be operated unless (1) is completed due to the dependency in FIG. ▼ waits until completion of (1). Therefore, the next job step is (3). Next, (1) is completed and (2) (5) (6) can be started from the dependency, but since the number of usable licenses is 3, Tool 1 only starts (2) (5) Then (6) is waiting. Next, (3) is completed, and (4) can be started and started from the dependency. At the same time, since the number of licenses in use of the tool 1 is 2, {6} can be started and started. The same applies hereinafter.
[0032]
As described above, according to the present invention, processing depending on the processing flow represented by LSI or the like can be automatically performed by the system.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the system of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a request reception control unit that receives a request, 2 is a request queue, 3 is a request extraction unit that extracts a request (job step) from the request queue 2, 4 is an executed queue in which executed job steps are stored, 5 Is a request execution control unit that receives a request from the request fetching unit 3 and performs execution control of the request, 6 is a job dependency control unit that controls a job dependency upon receiving an instruction from the executed queue 4, and 7 is a request execution A license control unit that answers a license inquiry from the control unit 5, 8 is a plurality of licenses, 9 is a software execution unit that executes processing in response to an instruction from the request execution control unit 5, and 10 is software. The request execution control unit 5 instructs the request queue 2 to change the order and to delete the end request.
[0033]
An outline of the operation of the system shown in FIG. 5 is as follows. The request reception control unit 1 sequentially registers requests in the request queue 2. The request retrieval unit 3 retrieves a request from the request queue 2 and passes it to the request execution control unit 3. The request execution control unit 5 inquires of the license control unit 7 whether the request (job step) taken out can be executed.
[0034]
The license control unit 7 checks the status of the license 8 and answers to the request execution control unit 5 whether or not it can be executed. If the execution is possible, the request execution control unit 5 instructs the software execution unit 9 to execute the software 10. In this case, the job dependency relationship control unit 6 receives an instruction from the executed queue 4, checks the dependency relationship, and notifies the request execution control unit 5 of the result.
[0035]
With this configuration, software management can be automatically performed.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a processing flow example of the present invention. The same components as those in FIG. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the figure, 2 is a request queue, 3 is a request fetching unit, 4 is an executed queue, 9 is a software execution unit, and 11 is a management file (tool unusable queue) with no license available. The top request is accessed from the request queue 2 to check whether the requested tool is currently available (S1). If the situation is not available, access the next request. Usable / unusable is the presence / absence of software, usage restrictions, etc., set by the tool administrator in the unusable tool management file.
[0036]
If the tool is available, check whether the request to be processed has dependency with other requests. If there is a dependency relationship, it is checked with reference to the executed queue 4 whether the start condition of itself (for example, a job that can only be executed through the previous job step, see FIG. 10) is satisfied (see FIG. 10). S2). If the start condition is not satisfied, the next request is processed without performing the process.
[0037]
If the start condition is satisfied, or if the request has no dependency, a license is secured (S3). If it cannot be secured, the tool is registered in the license empty management file 11 and the next request is processed.
[0038]
If the license can be secured, the software execution unit 9 is activated (S4), and the executed request is deleted from the request queue (S5). Further, the process returns to the access to the first request in the request queue 2.
[0039]
In the case of a request having a dependency, the software activation unit (software execution unit) 9 registers its own request in the executed queue 4 after the execution process is completed. If there is a dependency relationship and there is no request to be processed after the self-request, the content of the processed request having the dependency relationship is deleted from the executed queue after execution. The deletion method follows the start condition and deletes the request with the related request ID.
[0040]
If the executed tool is registered in the license empty management file 11, it is deleted from the license empty management file 11. A request to be driven later by this executed queue confirms the executed queue and checks whether the start condition of the self-request is satisfied. By repeating these series of processes, a tool having a plurality of licenses can process in parallel for the number of usable licenses.
[0041]
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the request fetching process, and shows the operation of the request fetching unit 3 in FIG. First, it is confirmed whether there is a next queue (S1). Next, it is checked whether there is a request from the request queue 2 (S2). If there is a request, whether or not the request is usable is checked by referring to the unusable management file 13 (S3). If it is not usable, the process returns to step S1, and if it is usable, the request is taken out from the request queue 2 (S4).
[0042]
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a processing flow of the software execution unit 9 (see FIG. 5). First, if there is a request (job step), it is checked whether the request has a dependency relationship with other requests (job steps) (S1). If there is no dependency with other requests, the request software is executed as it is because it can be executed unconditionally (S2).
[0043]
If there is a request relationship with another process, the requested software is executed (S3) and registered in the executed queue 4 (S4). Next, the license free management file 11 is accessed and deleted from the tool unusable queue (S5). Next, it is checked whether or not it is the last dependency (S6). If it is the last dependency, the related request is deleted from the executed queue 4 (S7). If it is not the last dependency, the process ends.
[0044]
Next, a method for expressing the dependency relationship of requests will be described. The dependency of the request is made possible by describing the request ID of itself and the request ID to be executed before and after in the request. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a request dependency expression method. The case where there are a plurality of requests from request 1 is shown. Each request is related based on a start condition and an end condition. Each request includes a request number, a start condition (previous job end confirmation), an execution tool, processing data, and an end condition (next job start command) as shown in the figure.
[0045]
A request that needs to be completed before the self-request is defined as a start condition. A plurality of conditions can be described. If a plurality of conditions are described, all are necessary conditions. A request to be executed with priority after the self-request is defined in the end condition, and the request defined in the end condition is executed before the process requested earlier. A start request and an end condition are not described in a single request having no dependency.
[0046]
FIG. 10 shows the contents of the request. The figure shows the contents of requests (1) to (10). For example, the process of request ID {circle around (1)} is started unconditionally, so there is no start condition. The execution tool is the tool 1 as described above. Next, the execution data is data 1. dir indicates a directory. The end condition is {circle around (2)} {5} {6}, and indicates that it is necessary to preferentially execute {circle around (2)}, {circle around (5)}, {circle around (6)} after the completion of the processing {circle around (1)}. In the case of request ID (7), the start condition is (2) (5) (6), indicating that (7) cannot be executed unless these processes are completed (see FIG. 2 for the request relationship). ).
[0047]
In the case of the request ID ○ 10, the start condition is (8), and the request (job step) that needs to be completed before the own request is (8). Since there is no request after ○ 10, there is no termination condition. The registration to the request queue is always performed at the very end.
[0048]
(Supplementary note 1) Regarding a license management method for a job composed of a plurality of software job steps, the order dependency of job steps is expressed by a start condition for each job step (step 1), which becomes a start condition for each job step. Confirm that execution of other job steps has been completed (step 2), determine whether or not the job step can be executed (step 3), and sequentially obtain software licenses for the job step (step 4) A license management method characterized by the above.
[0049]
(Supplementary Note 2) The order dependency of the job steps is expressed by start / end conditions for each job step, and the job step to be executed next is determined by using the end of execution of each job step as a trigger. The license management method according to appendix 1, wherein licenses of software corresponding to the above are sequentially acquired.
[0050]
(Appendix 3) A registration unit for registering a request, a request queue for queuing the registered request, a request execution control unit for taking out the request from the request queue, determining whether execution is possible, and controlling execution of the software A license management system comprising a job dependency control unit that controls request dependency, a software execution unit that executes software, and a license management unit that manages software licenses.
[0051]
(Supplementary note 4) The job step is characterized in that different processing functions of the same software whose use is controlled based on the same license are identified as separate processing steps, and the processing order dependency and license acquisition are controlled. The license management method according to any one of appendices 1 and 2.
[0052]
(Supplementary Note 5) In the job step, a plurality of job steps of the same processing function of the same software whose use is controlled based on the same license are identified as separate processing steps, and the processing order dependency and license acquisition are controlled. The license management method according to supplementary note 4, wherein:
[0053]
(Supplementary note 6) On the premise that a plurality of job steps of the same processing function of the same software are executed in parallel, it is confirmed that any job step executed in parallel is completed, and a job step to be executed next is determined. 6. The license management method according to appendix 5, wherein the software license corresponding to the job step is determined and acquired sequentially.
[0054]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
According to the present invention, software license management can be automated.
[0055]
  Further, according to the present invention, processing dependent on the processing flow represented by LSI or the like can be automatically performed by the system..
[0056]
  Further, according to the present invention, the requested process can be executed reliably.
  In this way, according to the present invention, software license management is automated, the requested processing is executed reliably, the number of licenses of each owned tool is fully utilized, and the processing flow represented by LSI, etc. Depending on the system, the system automatically performs the processing, and the user can reliably obtain the result simply by requesting the processing.Jobs in the information processing deviceA license management method and a license management system can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the principle of the method of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an LSI development flow.
FIG. 3 is a representation of storage in a request queue and dependency relationships.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a job execution history.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the system of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a processing flow of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a request retrieval process.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of a software execution unit.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a request dependency expression method;
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a request content.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Request reception control unit
2 Request queue
3 Request extraction part
4 Executed queue
5 Request execution control unit
6 Job dependency control unit
7 License Control Department
8 licenses
9 Software receiver
10 software

Claims (5)

With respect to a job license management method in an information processing apparatus composed of a plurality of software job steps, the information processing apparatus expresses the order dependency of job steps as a start condition for each job step (step 1).
The information processing apparatus confirms that the execution of the other job steps that are the start conditions of each job step has been completed (step 2),
Determine whether the job step can be executed (step 3),
The software license corresponding to the job step is sequentially acquired (step 4).
A job license management method in an information processing apparatus . The order dependency of the job steps is expressed by the start / end condition for each job step by the information processing apparatus, and the job step to be executed next is determined by using the end of execution of each job step as a trigger. 2. The job license management method according to claim 1, wherein the software license corresponding to the step is sequentially acquired. A request acceptance control unit for sequentially registering accepted jobs in the request queue ;
A request take-out unit that takes out sequentially registered jobs from the request queue and passes them to the request execution control unit;
A request for determining that the input job can be executed when the job input from the request extraction unit satisfies the dependency relationship with the related job and satisfies the license acquisition state of the software for processing the job. An execution control unit;
Have
A license management system for processing received jobs sequentially or in parallel . 4. The license management system according to claim 3, wherein the dependency relation of the related job is determined on condition that processing of the related job is completed. 5. The license management system according to claim 3, wherein in the license acquisition state, whether or not the software can be executed is determined from the number of software licenses for processing the job and the license usage status of the software.

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