JPH103322A - Operation control method for computer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To secure power consumption reduction and the security of personal data in the state of continuing service provision using the shared resources of a client/server type computer. SOLUTION: When the end of personal use is detected, contents in a memory 111 of a computer 11 at that time are saved and a program required only for managing the shared resources is loaded onto the memory 111. With such exchange of the memory 111, for the operation environment of the computer 11, the continuous utilization of shared resources is guaranteed by the newly loaded program but the operation of the other personal use resources is stopped and the state of enabling the OFF of its power source is obtained. Thus, while the personal use is interrupted, only the function required for a server function is effectively operated and in the state of continuing service provision using the shared resources, power consumption reduction and personal data security can be secured.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operation control method for a computer, and more particularly to a method for connecting shared resources shared by a plurality of users, for managing the shared resources and other resources for personal use. The present invention relates to an operation control method for a computer having a management function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an information processing system used in an office or the like includes a client computer occupied and used by each individual, and a server computer for executing a business application or a database or providing a printer function or the like to the client computer. It is configured by connecting to a network. In a network environment in which the client computer and the server computer are clearly separated as described above, if the personal use of the client computer is terminated,
By turning off the power of the client computer itself, the power consumption can be completely reduced to zero, and there are also problems such as personal data stored in the client computer being read by remote access from other computers do not do. Therefore, power management and security can be easily realized.

However, in a small office, a client computer and a server computer are not different computers, but a single computer is provided with a server function, and the computer is used for both personal use and group use. In many cases, such operations as use are performed. For example, this corresponds to a case where a shared printer that can be used by other computers is connected to a personal computer.

In a client / server dual-purpose computer that needs to manage such shared resources,
Even if the personal use is terminated, it is necessary to continue providing the service using the shared resource, so that the power of the client / server computer itself cannot be turned off. Therefore, resources for personal use not related to the provision of the server function will be maintained in the normal operation state, and wasteful power will be consumed,
There is also a danger that personal data stored in the client / server dual-purpose computer will be read via the network.

Therefore, it is difficult to realize power management and security for personal data in an environment using a client / server dual-purpose computer having resources for personal use and shared resources for group use. Was.

[0006]

As described above, in an environment in which a client / server dual-purpose computer having resources for personal use and shared resources for group use is used, provision of services using shared resources is not possible. Because of the continuation, the power of the client / server combined computer itself could not be turned off, which consumed unnecessary power and caused danger that personal data could be read via a network.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a server for a client / server dual-purpose computer having resources for personal use and shared resources for group use when the personal use is terminated. Provided is a computer operation control method that enables only the functions necessary for functions to operate effectively, and that can reduce power consumption and secure personal data security while continuing to provide services using shared resources. The purpose is to:

[0008]

According to the present invention, a shared resource shared by a plurality of users is connected, and has a function of managing the shared resource and other resources for individual use. In the computer operation control method, when ending the personal use of the computer, after saving the contents of the memory of the computer at that time, a program necessary only for managing the shared resources is loaded into the memory of the computer. When the operating environment of the computer is set to a state in which the shared resource can be continuously used and the other personally used resources can be turned off, and the personal use of the computer is resumed, the saved memory is used. Is reloaded into the memory of the computer, and the operating environment of the computer is restored to a state where the personal use resources and the shared resources can be used.

According to this operation control method, when the end of personal use is detected by, for example, turning off the power switch of the computer by the user, the contents of the memory of the computer at that time are saved, and thereafter, A program required only for managing the shared resources is loaded on the memory. Due to such replacement of the memory, the operating environment of the computer is guaranteed to continue using the shared resources by the newly loaded program, the operation is stopped for the other personal use resources, and the power is turned off. It is possible. Then, when resumption of personal use is detected, for example, when the power switch is turned on by the user, the saved information is reloaded into the memory and restored to the original state. Therefore, during the period during which personal use is suspended, only the functions required for the server function will be operated effectively, and while providing services using shared resources, low power consumption and security of personal data will be achieved. Can be secured.

For example, a computer used by individuals,
Assuming that the printer connected to the computer is shared via the network, after the use of the individual is finished, there is no need to use resources other than the CPU, memory, network, and printer. To provide power saving features,
Turning off the power disables access to the resource, so that a security function can be provided.

The present invention also relates to an operation control of a computer to which a shared resource shared by a plurality of users is connected and which has a function of managing the shared resource and other resources for personal use. In the method, when ending the personal use of the computer, a task not related to the operation management of the shared resource is excluded from scheduling targets, and a device driver that controls other personal use resources other than the shared resource is ended. When the operating environment of the computer is set to a state in which the shared resource can be used continuously for the shared resource and the power for the other privately used resources can be turned off, and when the personal use of the computer is resumed, the scheduling target The task excluded from the task is returned to the scheduling target, and the terminated device driver is returned to the operable state. The operating environment of the computer, characterized in that to restore to the state capable of using the personal use resources and shared resources.

In this operation control method, when the end of personal use is detected, for example, by turning off the power switch of the computer by the user, tasks not related to the operation management of the shared resources are excluded from the scheduling targets. This prohibits the operation of tasks used for personal use. In addition, the device driver that controls other personal use resources other than the shared resource is also terminated, and the operation of the device driver is also prohibited. As a result, the operating environment of the computer is in a state in which only the shared resources can be continuously used, and the functions of the other privately used resources are stopped. Then, when resumption of personal use is detected, for example, when the power switch is turned on by the user, the task excluded from the scheduling target is returned to the scheduling target again, and the terminated device driver is in an operable state. Is returned to. As a result, the operating environment of the computer is restored to a state where the personal use resources and the shared resources can be used. Therefore, during the period during which personal use is suspended, only the functions required for the server function will be operated effectively, and while providing services using shared resources, low power consumption and security of personal data will be achieved. Can be secured.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a computer network system using a client-server combined computer to which an operation control method according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied.

Client / server dual-purpose computer 11
Is connected to other client computers 12 and 13 via a network such as a LAN. client·
The server computer 11 includes a disk device 21, a display monitor 22, and a disk device 2 as its peripheral devices.
3, a printer 24, and a scanner 25. Of these peripheral devices, the disk device 21 and the display monitor 22 are used individually, and the disk device 23, the printer 24, and the scanner 25 are other client computers. Shared with 12 and 13.

That is, the client / server dual-purpose computer 11 normally has the disk device 21, the display monitor 22, the disk device 23, the printer 24,
The scanner 25 is operated in a usable state, and the disk device 23, the printer 24, and the scanner 25 are used as servers that provide services using the same to the client computers 12, 13. In this case, in the client / server dual-purpose computer 11, the CPU, the memory, the network interface, the disk device 21, the display monitor 22, the disk device 23, the printer 24,
And the scanner 25 are all powered on, and the memory 111 of the client / server computer 11 has not only programs used only for personal use but also
There are also programs for providing server functions.

This client / server dual-purpose computer 1
Power management and security protection of personal data are performed by the client / server dual-purpose computer 11.
During the period in which the personal use of the personal computer is suspended, the power of the personal use disk device 21 and the display monitor 22 is turned off, and the shared disk device 23,
The printer 24 and the scanner 25 are maintained by maintaining services using the printer 24 and the scanner 25.

This is performed in the following procedure, as shown in FIG. User behavior (1) End personal use.

(4) Turn off the power of the resources (disk device 21, display monitor 22) used only by individuals. (6) Press a switch such as a power supply to restart personal use.

Processing of operation control program (2) Memory 111 when all resources are operated
Is saved on the disk 21.

(3) A shared resource service program that enables only the continuation of the use of the resources (disk device 23, printer 24, and scanner 25) used in the group is loaded on the memory 111.

(5) Continue using resources used by the group. (7) Load the previous state saved in the disk 21 into the memory, and return the computer to the state immediately before the end of personal use.

FIG. 3 shows how the contents of the memory 111 change during this series of processing. FIG. 3A shows the state of the memory 111 when the personal use is finished.
Here, it is assumed that tasks A, B, C, and D are currently operating on OS A. Tasks A, B, D
Is an application for personal use, and task C is a program for providing a service using resources used by the group, for example, a printer daemon for providing a service using the printer 24. When the personal use is finished, all of these memory images are saved in a memory save area prepared in advance in the disk device 21 by the operation control program.

FIG. 3B shows the state of the memory 111 while the service of the group use resource is continued. In this case, a minimum program (shared resource service program) necessary for continuing to use the provided resource prepared in the disk device 21 is loaded into the memory 111 by the operation control program.
The loaded program has no function to access a device that is not required for the server function.

The program referred to here is an OS and a shared resource management program. The OS does not need to be the same as the OS used for personal use, and may be a light OS on which a resource management program runs. FIG.
(B) shows a memory state when a task C ′ having a function equivalent to the task C running on the OS A on the OS B is operating.

FIG. 3C shows the state of the memory 111 when personal use is resumed. When the personal use is resumed, the contents saved in the memory save area of the disk device 21 are stored in the memory 111 by the operation control program.
And the state of FIG. 3A is restored.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The procedure of the operation control processing of the client / server computer 11 will be described. It is assumed that a user using the client / server dual-purpose computer 11 used for both server use and personal use for personal use has caused an action to end the use. This action may be performed by a software program or by operating a hardware switch such as a power switch. OS
When the operation control program detects that the personal use has been completed through the OS (step S11), the operation control program performs a termination process (step S12). That is, in this termination processing, the operation control program first copies the contents in the memory 111 onto the disk 21 so that the state at the time of the end of personal use can be restored again. By copying the content on the memory 111 onto the disk 21, the content on the memory 111 can be almost erased. Therefore, the operation control program loads a program for performing a service that must be continued into the erasable area, and starts executing the program.

[0027] Then, the user who has been used for personal use turns off the power of resources not necessary for performing the service. Here, if the power can be managed by software, the user does not need to perform this processing, and the operation control program may turn off the power for the personal resource at the end of the end processing.

Thereafter, only the processing necessary for the service using the shared resource is continuously executed by the program loaded in the memory 111 (step S13). Thereafter, the user operates the client / server dual-purpose computer 1
When the power switch 1 is turned on, the operation control program detects the resumption of personal use through the OS (step S14) and executes the resumption processing (step S1).
5). That is, in this resuming process, the operation control program returns the computer 11 to the state for personal use by loading the contents of the memory saved in the ending process onto the memory 111 again (step S15).

As described above, according to the operation control method of the first embodiment, when the end of personal use is detected, the contents of the memory 111 of the computer 11 at that time are saved, and thereafter, the management of the shared resources Program required only for memory 1
11 is loaded. Due to the replacement of the memory 111, the operating environment of the computer 11 is ensured for the continuous use of the shared resources by the newly loaded program, and the operation of the other personal use resources is stopped. It will be in a state where it can be turned off.
Therefore, during the period when personal use is suspended, only the functions required for the server function will be activated effectively,
It is possible to ensure low power consumption and security of personal data while service provision using shared resources is continued.

Next, an operation control method for the client / server computer 11 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the above-described method of the first embodiment, the memory image is saved, and then a new program is reloaded. The second embodiment does not depend on the OS. However, the second embodiment employs a method of using the function of the OS. You. The functions required by the OS are: 1) a function for excluding a specific task from the scheduling target; and 2) a function for preventing the code of a specific device driver from being executed.

This method, as shown in FIG.
It is performed in the following procedure. User behavior (1) End personal use.

(3) Turn off the power of resources used only by individuals. (5) Press a switch such as a power supply to restart personal use. Processing of operation control program (2) Tasks not required for the service to be provided are excluded from scheduling targets using the OS function, and a termination routine for unnecessary devices is called.

(4) Continue using resources used by the group. (6) Using the function of the OS, the process excluded from the scheduling target is returned to the original state, and the device initialization routine is called.

Here, the "function of excluding a specific task from scheduling targets" will be described. In many OSs, regarding the task CPU scheduling,
Tasks are managed in the scheduling queue. That is, in order to remove a task from the scheduling target, the designated task may be removed from the scheduling queue and stored in another queue. In order for tasks that have been excluded from scheduling to be targeted for scheduling, those saved in another queue must be
This is possible by returning to the scheduling queue.

Selection of a task to be excluded from the scheduling target can be realized by registering the task name in advance. Next, "A function to prevent the execution of a specific device driver code"
Will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 6 shows the relationship among the OS, the operation control program, and the device driver. The operation control program responds to the personal use end notification and uses unnecessary device drivers (the device driver of the disk device 21 and the device driver of the display monitor 22 in FIG. 1).
Call the device termination routine. This routine is different for each device (for example, the DMA of the corresponding device).
Disabling etc.). Next, the operation control program changes the state of the device management information held by the OS,
Change from RUNNING to SUSPEND. Thus, the OS can determine whether or not the device can be accessed.

When a notification of personal use resumption is received, the operation control program calls a device resumption routine corresponding to a device in the SUSPEND state. This routine is a routine for initializing a device, and differs depending on each device (for example, DMA of the corresponding device is enabled). Next, the operation control program changes the status of the device management information held by the OS to SUSPEND.
To RUNNING. As a result, all devices can be accessed thereafter.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The procedure of the operation control processing of the client / server computer 11 will be described. It is assumed that a user using the client / server dual-purpose computer 11 used for both server use and personal use for personal use has caused an action to end the use. This action may be performed by a software program or by operating a hardware switch such as a power switch. OS
When the operation control program detects that the personal use has been completed through the OS (step S21), the operation control program performs a termination process (step S22). In other words, in this termination processing, the operation control program removes tasks that are not necessary for the service to be provided from scheduling, so that unnecessary programs do not run. In addition, in order to turn off the power of the resource for personal use and to remove the interrupt handler, a termination routine of the device driver corresponding to the unnecessary resource is called, and the state of the corresponding device is changed from RUNNING to SUSPEND.

Then, the user who has been used for personal use turns off the power of resources that are not necessary for performing the service. Here, if the power can be managed by software, the user does not need to perform this processing, and the operation control program may turn off the power for the personal resource at the end of the end processing.

Thereafter, only processing necessary for the service using the shared resources is continuously executed by only the program operable in the memory 111 (step S23).
Thereafter, when the user turns on the power switch of the client / server computer 11, the operation control program detects the resumption of personal use through the OS (step S 24) and executes the resumption processing (step S 24). S
25). That is, in this restart processing, the operation control program calls the device initialization routine to re-schedule the task excluded from the scheduling target and returns the private use resource to the usable state, and executes the corresponding device state. From SUSPEND to R
Change to UNING.

In this method, when the end of the personal use is detected, the tasks not related to the operation management of the shared resources are excluded from the scheduling targets. Is forbidden. In addition, the device driver that controls other personal use resources other than the shared resources is also terminated,
The operation of the device is also prohibited. As a result, the operating environment of the computer is in a state in which only the shared resources can be continuously used, and the functions of the other privately used resources are stopped. Therefore, during the period during which personal use is suspended, only the functions required for the server function will be operated effectively, and while providing services using shared resources, low power consumption and security of personal data will be achieved. Can be secured.

Next, an operation control method for the client / server computer 11 according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described. This method is a further improvement of the method of the second embodiment described above.

That is, O which is generally used at present
Many of the S are paging (or
(Swapping) mechanism, and a disk device is used as a place for performing page-out. Therefore, if the disk device of the private resource is used as the place where the program necessary for the service of the shared resource is paged out, the page-out cannot be performed or the disk device of the private resource stops operating. The problem that cannot be done occurs.

Therefore, in the method of the third embodiment, a memory operation described below is added to the method of the second embodiment,
It has been improved so that shared resources can be used continuously without paging. Hereinafter, the memory operation according to the method of the third embodiment will be described.

FIG. 8A shows the state of the memory 111 when the personal use is finished. Here, O
It is assumed that tasks A, B, C, and D are operating on S. Task A is a program that services the scanner 25 of FIG. 1 that is a shared resource, Task C is a program that services the printer 24 of FIG. 1 that is a shared resource,
Tasks B and D are applications used by individuals.

Tasks A and C are tasks that need to continue to operate after the end of personal use in order to continue using shared resources, whereas tasks B and D are required until individual use resumes. Because there is no, it is excluded from scheduling. Now, the tasks A and C are paged out to the paging area by the paging function of the OS.
In order for these tasks A and C to operate without using the paging function, the code or data paged out to the paging area needs to reside on the memory 111.

FIG. 8B shows the state of the memory 111 while the service of the group use resource is continued. In order for the tasks A and C to reside on the memory 111, the codes and data of all the tasks A and C must be
It is necessary to secure a free area on the memory 111 to be present on the memory 11. Therefore, by writing the memory area used by tasks B and D to the paging area,
An empty area is secured, and tasks A and C are allocated there. Since tasks A and C must not be targeted for page-out, all pages are excluded from targets for page-out.

FIG. 8C shows a state of the memory 111 immediately after the personal use is resumed, and shows a state in which the suspension of the paging mechanism is released. When personal use is resumed, it is necessary to return to a state where tasks B and D operate. Since the state of the task is managed in the OS, by simply returning all pages excluded from the paging target to the paging target, when the tasks B and D start running, they are paged into the memory 111, The state shown in FIG. 8A can be returned.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The procedure of the operation control processing of the client / server computer 11 will be described. It is assumed that a user using the client / server dual-purpose computer 11 used for both server use and personal use for personal use has caused an action to end the use. This action may be performed by a software program or by operating a hardware switch such as a power switch. OS
When the operation control program detects that the personal use has ended through the OS (step S31), the operation control program performs an end process (step S32). In other words, in this termination processing, the operation control program removes tasks that are not necessary for the service to be provided from scheduling, so that unnecessary programs do not run. In addition, in order to turn off the power of the resource for personal use and to remove the interrupt handler, a termination routine of the device driver corresponding to the unnecessary resource is called, and the state of the corresponding device is changed from RUNNING to SUSPEND. Further, a task unnecessary for the provided service is paged out to secure a free memory area, and the code and data of the task required for the provided service are stored in the memory 11.
Resident on 1 In order to stop the paging mechanism, all pages are excluded from paging targets.

Then, the user who has been used for personal use turns off the resources that are not necessary for performing the service. Here, if the power can be managed by software, the user does not need to perform this processing, and the operation control program may turn off the power for the personal resource at the end of the end processing.

After that, only the processing necessary for the service using the shared resource is continuously executed by only the program operable in the memory 111 (step S33).
Thereafter, when the user turns on the power switch of the client / server computer 11, the operation control program detects the resumption of personal use through the OS (step S34) and executes the resumption processing (step S34). S
35). That is, in this restart processing, the operation control program calls the device initialization routine to re-schedule the task excluded from the scheduling target and returns the private use resource to the usable state, and executes the corresponding device state. From SUSPEND to R
Change to UNING. Then, in order to restart the paging mechanism, the page excluded from the paging target in the end processing is returned to the paging target. With this method, it is possible to prevent page out of a task necessary for the service to be provided, and to turn off the power of the disk device.

[0052]

As described above, according to the present invention, a server function is provided for a client / server dual-purpose computer having resources for personal use and shared resources for group use when the personal use is terminated. Only the necessary functions can be operated effectively, and it is possible to secure low power consumption and security of personal data while providing services using shared resources.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a computer network system to which a computer operation control method according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary view for explaining a series of procedures of an operation control method according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary view showing how the memory state changes when the operation control method according to the first embodiment is used.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of an operation control method according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining a series of procedures of an operation control method according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view showing the relationship between an operation control program, an OS, and a device driver for realizing the operation control method according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure of an operation control method according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state of a change in a memory state when the operation control method according to the third embodiment of the present invention is used.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of an operation control method according to the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Network, 11 Client / server computer, 12, 13 Client computer, 21, 22
... resources for personal use, 23, 24, 25 ... shared resources.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A method for controlling operation of a computer to which a shared resource shared by a plurality of users is connected and has a function of managing the shared resource and managing other resources for other personal use. When ending the personal use of the computer, after saving the contents of the memory of the computer at that time, a program necessary only for the management of the shared resources is loaded into the memory of the computer, and the operating environment of the computer is changed. The shared resource is set to a state in which the continuous use is possible, and the other personal use resources are set to a state in which the power can be turned off. Reloading to restore the operating environment of the computer to a state where the personal use resources and the shared resources can be used; 2. The computer is connected to another computer via a network, and a program necessary only for managing the shared resource provides a service using the shared resource to another computer on the network. 2. The computer operation control method according to claim 1, wherein the program is a program necessary for the computer. 3. The computer according to claim 1, wherein a memory state at the time of starting the program is stored, and the program is loaded using the stored memory state. Operation control method. 4. A method for controlling operation of a computer to which a shared resource shared by a plurality of users is connected and has a function of managing the shared resource and managing other resources for other personal use. When ending the personal use of the computer, tasks not related to the operation management of the shared resources are excluded from scheduling targets, and a device driver for controlling other personal use resources other than the shared resources is ended, and the computer is closed. The operating environment of the shared resources is set to a state in which the continuous use of the shared resources can be used, and the power of the other personal use resources can be turned off. When the personal use of the computer is resumed, the task excluded from the scheduling target Is returned to the scheduling target, and the terminated device driver is returned to the operable state, and the operation environment of the computer is returned. The personal use resources and operational control method of a computer, characterized in that to restore the shared resource to the available state. 5. The computer is connected to another computer via a network, and the task excluded from the scheduling target is other than a task for providing a service using the shared resource to another computer on the network. 5. The computer operation control method according to claim 4, wherein the task is another task. 6. When ending the personal use of the computer,
The computer operation control method according to claim 4, wherein a free area is secured in the memory of the computer, and codes and data of tasks related to the operation management of the shared resources are made to reside in the memory of the computer. 7. A method for controlling the operation of a client / server dual-purpose computer having a shared resource usable by a plurality of computers on a network and other privately-used resources, the client-server dual-purpose computer comprising: When used as a server computer that performs only service provision using shared resources, powering off other personally used resources that are not necessary for continuing service provision using the shared resources is reduced to reduce power consumption. Computer operation control method.