JPH05324303A - Information processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a means capable of confirming and guaranteeing the correct operation of a system without stopping the whole system when a part of program is changed in a program in the system comprised of plural programs. CONSTITUTION:Objects 30, 50, when performing communication via change confirming means 110, 120 to verify the correct operation, attaches information to guarantee the correctness of an operation requested by a transmission origin by a request information attaching means 111, and decides whether or not a requested correct operation is satisfied by a reception origin by a version check means 123 on a reception origin side.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing system, which is capable of changing a program constituting the information processing system without stopping the operating system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to make it possible to modify a program running on a computer without stopping the information processing system, the computer system is made dual and the system on one computer is switched. This can be achieved by moving the other system while it is in operation. As a result, it is possible to change the programs forming the information processing system without stopping the operation of the system by always allowing the user of the system to use either one of the computers. However, in a system in which the computer is not a dual system, as in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-70253,
It has a means to manage the usage status of the program, and when changing the program, after confirming that the use of the program to be changed has been completed, start a new program without stopping the entire system, Change the programs that make up the information processing system.

[0003]

When there is at most one program that constitutes the system, the consistency of the operation of the information processing system can be guaranteed even if the operating program is changed by the conventional method. However, if the system is composed of multiple programs and these multiple programs operate in cooperation, change the program if the changed operation content of the program changes from before the change. In some cases, the correct operation of the system after the operation is not guaranteed. In this case, even if the system seems to operate normally after the program is changed, a situation may occur in which the system is actually malfunctioning. Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-702
The change of the program targeted by Japanese Patent No. 53, etc. is premised on that the meaning of the operation performed by the program is not changed, and the consistency of the information processing system is not guaranteed.

Therefore, in order to check whether or not the program constituting the system has been changed, a common file reflecting the information of the program constituting the system is provided at a predetermined position in the computer. The information of the program of is reflected in this common file. However, even when the common file is constantly monitored to monitor the change of the program when executing the programs constituting the system, the correctness of the operation cannot be judged even if the change of the program can be detected.

An object of the present invention is to check the correctness of the operation of the information processing system when a part of the program of the system composed of a plurality of programs is changed without stopping the entire information processing system. It is to provide an efficient means of checking and guaranteeing, and a method that does not burden the user.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, according to the present invention, in an information processing system in which a plurality of objects communicate with each other, an object change instruction is issued to at least one of the objects being executed. To change the object being executed, having a change instructing means for changing the instructed object, a means for changing the instructed object, and a justification confirming means for confirming the correctness of the operation of the object after the change. It is a thing.

[0007]

In the information processing system in which a plurality of objects are communicating, the change instructing means issues an object change instruction to at least one of the objects being executed. The changing unit changes the instructed object. The legitimacy confirming unit can confirm the legitimacy of the operation of the object after the change and change the object being executed.

[0008]

EXAMPLES (1) First Example of the Present Invention First, a first example of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, a system composed of an object consisting of data and a procedure for operating the data is targeted. This object may of course consist of more than one process. In the present embodiment, it is considered to mean one process or one file. In the case of a distributed processing system in which the application program is composed of two or more of these objects, the application program operates while communicating between the objects that make up this distributed processing system. Then, one object may be called by another object, and another object may be called by another object.

In the distributed processing system described in this embodiment, a plurality of computers (1), (2),
(3) is coupled via a transmission line, and objects (10), (11) and (12) communicate with each other via change confirmation means (100), (101) and (102). This prevents the system from performing an unexpected operation due to partial modification of the objects that make up the system, and guarantees the correctness of the system operation. Of course, these objects (10), (11), which communicate with each other,
(12) may be operating on different computers (1), (2), (3), or may be operating on the same computer.

In this embodiment, when a change instruction (6) is given to the change instruction device (5) shown in FIG. 3, some of the objects constituting the distributed processing system in which a plurality of objects operate in cooperation with each other Be changed. In the change instruction (6), as shown in Table 1 below, the identification name of the object to be changed, the identification name of the computer that stores the executable file used to generate the object, and this computer This is a list in which the object file storage location information consisting of the above storage location and information such as its executable file name is associated.

[0011]

[Table 1]

The change instruction device (5) in FIG. 3 sends a change instruction to an object that matches the object identification name included in the change instruction (6). The change command includes the object file storage information described in the change instruction (6). Object that received the change command (13)
The change means (131) of (1) generates a new changed object (20) based on the object file storage information included in the change instruction. Hereinafter, this will be referred to as a change object.

In this way, when a new change object can be generated up to the last object (14) to be changed based on the change instruction (6), the change instruction device (5) makes each generated change. Send a change confirmation command to the object. The change confirmation means (200) of the change object (20) receiving this command inquires of the object database (4) about the address of the object to which the change object (20) sends a communication, and with respect to the object of the obtained address respectively. Object sends a communication to check if the modified object (20) is available. The objects (15), (16), which have received this availability confirmation communication,
Change confirmation means (150), (160), (1) of (17)
70) returns a response indicating whether it is available or not. The change object (20), which has received a response of availability from all the objects (15), (16) and (17) to which the change object (20) has sent the availability confirmation communication, transmits to the change instruction device (5). Returns a confirmed response to the response. The change instruction device (5), which has received the confirmed responses from all the change objects, changes the object (13) (1) before the change.
4) Send a stop command to the change object (20) and send a start command to the change object (20). This allows the change object (2
0) is generated until the change instruction device (5) sends a start command, the object (13) (1) before change
4) is running, and it is possible to change some objects without stopping the entire system.

The detailed operation of this change instruction device will be described with reference to FIG. When the change instruction device receives the change instruction (1
000), and confirms that the change objects have been generated in all the objects instructed to change (100
1) If there is an object that has not been changed, it is confirmed whether this object actually exists (1002). If it does not exist, it means that the modification instruction was incorrect, so an end command is sent to all modified objects that have been modified so far (101
0).

If the object to be changed exists, the object database is inquired about the communication destination address of the object to be changed using the identification name of the object to be changed (1003). The change instruction device gives the object file storage information described in the change instruction to the object changing means at the address obtained by the response to the inquiry, and gives the object change instruction (1004). The object that has received the change instruction returns to the change instruction device a response indicating whether the generation of the change object has succeeded or failed. At the same time, if the generation of the change object is successful, the address of the change object is also returned. This response is checked (1005), and if the generation of the changed object fails, an end command is sent to all the changed objects changed so far (1010). On the other hand, if the generation of the changed object is successful, it is confirmed again whether or not the changed object has been generated in all the objects instructed to be changed (1001).

When the change objects can be generated for all the change target objects, it is checked whether or not all the generated change objects can operate correctly (1006), and all the change objects are checked. Until the confirmation is performed, the change confirmation means of the generated change object is instructed to confirm whether the changed object can operate properly (1007). Then, it is checked whether all the confirmations of the changed objects have succeeded (1008), and if all the confirmations have not succeeded, an end command is sent to the changed objects (1010). If all the changed objects are confirmed successfully, the change result is reflected in the object database based on the requested version information returned to the change instruction device together with the confirmation response and the object file storage information described in the change instruction. (100
9).

Next, the structure of the change confirmation means will be described with reference to FIG. Generally, it is assumed that each object has other objects necessary for its own operation. This is called a usage object. Then, the request of the transmission object satisfies the condition that the usage object must satisfy for the transmission object to perform the correct operation for the transmission object or the operation that the transmission object has requested. We will call it version information. When the object of the communication destination satisfies the requested version information, the operation of the transmission source object is guaranteed to be correct. If the destination object does not satisfy the requested version information, there is no guarantee that the meaning of the operation requested by the source object to the destination object and the meaning of the operation realized by the destination object match, and Correctness of operation is not guaranteed. The version information referred to here is information that indicates the version of a specific object, or that represents a set of one or more versions, or lists the elements of a set of one or more versions, or these. It is a combination.

In this embodiment, the program of the destination object is changed, and the version numbers are V1.0, V1.
1, V2.0, V3.0, V3.0 is V1.
When the operation of 0, V1.1, and V2.0 is guaranteed, V1.0, V1.1, V2.0, and V3.0 are included in one set as required version information. The source object sends the version number to the destination object along with the operation request, and the destination object
The correctness of the operation is confirmed by judging whether or not the version number sent is in the requested version information.

The sender object (3
In the change confirmation means (110) of 0), the request information addition means (111) of the change confirmation means (110) is used object management table (3) of the source object (30).
Referring to 1), the requested version information of the destination object in the source object (30) and the object ID held by the destination object when the destination object was previously communicated are checked. This object
The ID is the only value in the system assigned to an object, and even if the object's distinguished name is the same, different values are assigned if the object is changed. The previous object ID is the object ID that the destination object had when it communicated with this destination object last time.
Call. When the communication with the destination object is the first time, the utilization object management table (31) is initialized so that the previous object ID has a value that cannot be assigned to any object. The used object management table is shown in Table 2 below.
It has the information shown in.

[0020]

[Table 2]

First, the object identification name represents the identification name of another object with which the source object communicates,
The requested version information represents a condition for ensuring that the operation of the object corresponding to the object identification name is correct. The communication destination is the network address of the object corresponding to the object identification name.
Is the object ID assigned to the destination object when the previous communication was performed. The correspondence between the object identification name and the requested version information will be described in advance by the user. The request information addition means (111) in FIG. 1 adds the previous object ID retrieved from the used object management table (31) and the requested version information to a packet (40) for communication with the destination object and sends it. The version checking means (123) of the change checking means (120) of the receiving source object (50) receiving this communication retrieves the previous object ID and the requested version information added to the communication packet (40), and the destination object has it. The version information table (52) is compared with the object ID (53). The structure of the version information table (52) is, as shown in Table 3 below, self-version information which is the version information of the receiving source object and the versions of other objects which guarantee an operation equivalent to the operation of the receiving source object. It is composed of equivalent operation version information which is information.

[0022]

[Table 3]

The user describes the equivalent operation version information in advance.

When the version information added to the communication packet (40) and the information in the version information table (52) are successfully compared, the operation of the receiving source object (50) satisfies the request of the transmitting source object (30). Since it is guaranteed that this can be done, the receiving source object (50) performs the operation requested by the communication packet (40). When a response is returned to the transmission source object (30) after this operation is completed, the change confirmation means (12) of the reception source object (50).
The self-information adding means (124) of 0) adds the object of the current receiving source object to the response communication packet (41).
The ID (53) and self version information are added and communication is returned. However, when the previous object ID of the transmission packet (40) matches the current object ID (53), it is not necessary to add the self version information of the receiving source object. Upon receiving the response communication packet (41), the object information updating means (112) of the change confirmation means (110) of the transmission source object (30) extracts the current object ID and the version information of the execution object from the communication packet (41). If the transmitted previous object ID and current object ID are different, the requested version information and the object ID of the used object management table (31) are updated, and further the requested version information of the object database (4) is updated as necessary. ..

The confirmation operation from the update object to the usage object, which is performed by the confirmation instruction sent to the change object from the change instruction device at the time of generating the change object, is performed in the same manner as the above communication. In particular, no operation is performed on the usage object that is the reception object.

Next, the change confirmation means on the transmission side will be described with reference to FIG. In order to obtain the address of the object to which the communication is to be sent (1100), the change confirmation means on the sending side first checks the usage object management table using the object identification name. At this time, when the communication destination information is not set in the used object management table, the object database is searched to obtain the transmission destination address.

The object database is shown in Table 4 below.
The configuration is as shown in FIG. 1 and consists of an object identification name, requested version information of the current object, and an operating environment consisting of the computer on which the object is operating and the communication address of the object.

[0028]

[Table 4]

These pieces of information are registered when an object is newly created. Next, the ID of the destination object and the requested version information are obtained from the usage object management table (1101), and the request information addition means adds the packet to the transmission packet (1102) and performs communication (1103). If an error is not returned from the receiving source object for this communication, the communication is accepted by the receiving source object (1104), while if an error is returned, the communication is not accepted. In this case, error processing is performed when a version mismatch is detected (1
109). As this error processing, the operator is notified of the occurrence of a version mismatch error, the requested version information in the object database satisfies the requested version information of the communication, or another object different from the receiving source object that has not accepted the communication Search for
Processing such as transmission to the newly searched object is performed again. On the other hand, when the communication is accepted by the reception source object and a response is returned, the current object ID and execution object version information of the reception source object are extracted from the communication packet of the response communication (110
5) It is checked whether or not this current object ID matches the previously transmitted previous object ID (1106). If the two object IDs match, it can be seen that the receiving source object has not been changed since the version was checked first. However, if the two object IDs do not match, it means that the receiving source object has been changed between the previous communication and this communication. Update the management table (11
07), and further updates the object database if necessary. However, the object database may not be updated for each communication, but may be updated when the operation of the object ends.

Next, the operation of the change confirmation means of the receiving source object will be described with reference to FIG. The change operation confirmation means of the source object retrieves the previous object ID and the requested version information of the source object from the received communication packet (1200). Then, the version checking means checks whether or not the previous object ID and the object ID of the receiving source object itself match (1201),
If they match, it means that the receiving source object has not been changed since the last confirmation of the change, so the communication is accepted. However, if the two object IDs do not match, it means that this communication is the first communication from the source object, or at least once since the last communication from the source object came. It will be done. Therefore, the version checking means checks whether or not the self-version information of the receiving source object satisfies the condition of the requested version information (1202), and if so, the correctness of the operation for the request of the transmitting source object is guaranteed. Accept the communication. However, when the self-version information does not satisfy the condition of the required version information, the equivalent operation version information of the version information table is checked (1203),
It is checked whether the equivalent operation version information satisfies the condition of the request version information of the transmission source (1204).
If the equivalent operation version information satisfies the condition of the request version information of the sender, the correctness of the operation to the request of the sender object is guaranteed, and the communication is accepted. However, if the equivalent operation version information does not satisfy the condition of the required version information, version mismatch error processing is performed (1208). This error processing is not limited to simply notifying the source object that a version mismatch error has occurred, but searching the object database for another object that is different from the source object that satisfies the requested version information. Performs processing such as transferring communication from the source object to the object. Alternatively, when the object before change is not terminated, the execution environment such as the internal state of the receiving source object is transferred to the object before change, the object before change is activated, and the source object is changed to the object before change. Processing such as transfer of communication from.

When the change confirmation means accepts the communication of the transmission source object, the reception source object performs the operation requested by the communication from the transmission source object (120).
5). However, in the case of the communication of the confirmation instruction sent to the object used by the change object when the change object is generated, the communication is immediately returned without performing this process. After the processing requested by the receiving object is completed, the self-information adding means of the change confirming means adds its own object ID and self-version information to the response communication packet (1206), and returns a response to the sending object. (1207). However, the previous object added to the communication packet from the sender
When the ID and the self object ID match, it is not necessary to add the self version information.

(2) Second Embodiment As a second embodiment, an embodiment in which an object does not use an object ID will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. Figure 7
Represents the operation of the transmission side change confirmation means. First, the source object change confirmation means obtains the destination address in the same manner as in the previous embodiment (1300). Next, the requested version information for the destination is obtained from the usage object management table (1301), and the request information addition means adds the requested version information to the communication packet for transmission (1302) and performs communication (1303). Then, it is checked whether or not the communication is accepted by the response to this communication (1304), and if the version is not accepted without being accepted, the error processing of the version mismatch is performed as in the previous embodiment (1305).

FIG. 8 shows the operation of the change confirmation means on the receiving side. First, the version checking means of the change checking means extracts the requested version information from the communication packet arrived from the source object (1400). Then, it is determined whether the self-version information can satisfy the condition of the required version information (1401),
If it can be satisfied, the source object performs the processing requested by the source object (140
4) and returns a response to this (1405). If the self version information cannot satisfy the condition of the required version information, the equivalent operation version information is checked from the version information table (1402), and whether this equivalent operation version information can satisfy the required version information. If it can be satisfied (1403) and if it can be satisfied, the receiving source object performs the processing requested by the transmitting source object (1404) and returns a response to this request (1405). If the equivalent operation version information cannot satisfy the required version information, the version mismatch error processing is performed as in the previous embodiment (1406).

(3) Effect of the Second Embodiment According to this example, the load of processing during communication is reduced,
Further, since the communication packet becomes smaller, the communication time can be expected to be shortened. Further, the size of the used object management table becomes smaller and the objects become smaller, and the load of updating the used object management table is eliminated.

(4) Third Embodiment A third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 shows the operation of the change confirmation means on the transmission side.
In this example, first, similarly to the first example, the address of the destination object is obtained (1500) and communication is performed (1
501). Then, the current object ID of the receiving source and the self version information and equivalent version information of the receiving source object are extracted from the communication packet of the response to this communication (1502). Next, the requested version information of the receiving source object and the object ID at the time of the previous communication are obtained from the used object management table (1503), and it is checked whether the previous object ID and the current object ID match (1504). Means that the receiving source object has not been changed since the last confirmation, so the change confirmation ends. While the two objects
If the IDs do not match, it is determined whether the conditions of the requested version information of the sender can be satisfied by the self version information and the equivalent version information of the receiver (15).
05), if satisfied, the usage object and the management table are updated as in the first embodiment (150).
6) and the object database is updated (150)
7). However, if the condition of the requested version information of the sender cannot be satisfied by the self version information and the equivalent version information of the receiver, the version mismatch error processing is performed as in the previous embodiment (1508).

Next, the operation of the object change confirmation means on the receiving side will be described with reference to FIG. In the case of this modification,
Upon receiving a request for processing from the transmission source object, if communication is normally performed, the operation immediately proceeds to perform the requested processing (1600). When returning this response, the self-information adding means of the change confirming means adds the object ID of the source object, the self-version information, and the equivalent operation version information to the response communication packet (1601).
A response is returned to the source object (1602).

(5) Effect of the Third Embodiment According to this example, since it is not necessary to check the version information in the receiving source object, it is considered that there is a processing request from an unspecified number of objects. The load on the original object can be reduced. Furthermore, since the request information addition means at the time of transmission and the version check means at the time of reception are unnecessary from the change confirmation means, the size of the object can be reduced.

Further, since it is not necessary to add the required version information and the previous object ID at the time of transmitting the source object, it is possible to reduce the load at the time of communication.

(6) Fourth Embodiment In each of the above embodiments, the change instruction device for instructing the change of the object is described as being outside the object. However, the object of the present patent can be achieved even if each change object is incorporated in each object. In this case, the plurality of objects that have received the change instruction determine which object actually issues the change operation instruction by communication with each other, and the objects other than the object that issues the change operation instruction change their own objects. Process and confirm. Then, the object instructing the change operation inquires of each change target object whether or not the change object has been successfully generated, and whether or not the change operation has been confirmed.

(7) Effect of the Fourth Embodiment As a result, the object can be changed by directly giving a change instruction to at least one of the objects to be changed.

By adding the version information for guaranteeing the correctness of the operation to the communication by the change confirming means, the objects communicating with each other can obtain the information for guaranteeing the correctness of the operation. As a result, it is possible to know whether or not the communication partner has been changed without constantly referring to the common file. Then, the correctness of the operation can be confirmed based on the version information for assuring the correctness of the operation obtained by this communication, by confirming the correctness of the operation.

Further, even if the correctness of the direct operation cannot be guaranteed, the correctness of the operation can be indirectly guaranteed by the information that guarantees that the programs have the same operation / content, and the object is legitimate. The range in which motion can be provided is expanded. This makes it possible to easily change the object, which reduces the burden on the user.

[0043]

According to the present invention, when a part of the programs of a system composed of a plurality of programs is changed without stopping the entire information processing system, the operation of the information processing system is corrected. It is possible to provide an efficient means for confirming and guaranteeing the quality, and not burdening the user.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a change confirmation unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an information processing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a system for changing an object according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an operation of the change instruction device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure of the object change confirmation means on the transmission side in the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure of the object change confirmation means on the receiving side in the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a procedure of another modification confirmation means of an object on the transmission side according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a procedure of another modification confirmation means of the receiving side object in the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a procedure of another modification confirmation means of an object on the transmission side according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a procedure of another modification confirmation means of the receiving side object in the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2, 3, ... Calculator, 4 ... Object database, 5 ... Change instruction device, 6 ... Change instruction, 7
... Systems, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 1
5, 16, 17, 20, 20, 30, 50 ... Object, 40, 41 ... Communication packet, 31 ... Utilized object management table, 52 ... Version information table, 53 ... Object ID, 100 , 101,
102, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 1
60, 170, 200 ... Change confirmation means, 131, 1
41, 151, 161, 171, 201 ... Change means, 111 ... Request information addition means, 112 ... Object information update means, 123 ... Version check means, 124 ... Self information addition means.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takanori Yokoyama 4026 Kujimachi, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Hitachi Research Laboratory, Hitachi, Ltd.

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. In an information processing system in which a plurality of objects communicate with each other, change instruction means for instructing an object change instruction to at least one of the objects being executed, and change means for changing the instructed object. An information processing system characterized by having a legitimacy confirmation means for confirming the legitimacy of the operation of the above-mentioned object after the change, and changing the object under execution. 2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the legitimacy confirming unit is included in each of the objects, and the legitimacy confirming unit of the source object has legitimacy of the operation of the destination object. The sender object has communication management means for providing the sender's correctness assurance information for confirming that the sender object has the communication management means, and the sender object has the above-mentioned validity check means, which has its own validity judgment. An information processing system, comprising: a determination unit that determines whether or not a destination object can perform a correct operation from information and the above-described validity guarantee information. 3. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the validity checking means is included in each of the objects, and the validity checking means of the destination object has a destination when the processing result is returned. The validity checking means included in the transmission source object has a communication management means for giving the validity determination information of the object, and the transmission destination object operates correctly based on the validity assurance information possessed by itself and the validity assurance information. An information processing system characterized by having a determination means for determining whether or not the operation is possible. 4. The information processing system according to claim 2, wherein the validity confirmation means included in the destination object includes the validity determination information possessed by itself and the validity guarantee information on the transmitting side when returning the processing result. When there is a difference, it has a communication management means for adding its own validity determination information, and the above-mentioned validity confirmation means included in the above-mentioned transmission source object is An information processing system characterized by having means for updating sex assurance information. 5. The information processing system according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the transmission source object has validity guarantee information transmitted by the transmission source object. 6. The information processing system according to claim 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein the validity determination information determines whether or not a correct operation can be performed with respect to a plurality of validity guarantee information. Information processing system. 7. The information processing system according to claim 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, wherein the validity assurance information identifies a destination object that reflects a change history of the destination object when performing communication. An information processing system having information, wherein the validity checking means of the destination object adds the identification information at the time of reply. 8. The information processing system according to claim 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7, further comprising means for accepting the validity guarantee information. 9. The information processing system according to claim 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8, further comprising means for accepting the validity determination information.