초록 ▼

Incoming data messages to a system having a plurality of channels are assigned for processing to one of the channels to share the processing load more or less equally among all the channels of the system. Each channel receives messages by means of a communications link for processing. Included in ea

Incoming data messages to a system having a plurality of channels are assigned for processing to one of the channels to share the processing load more or less equally among all the channels of the system. Each channel receives messages by means of a communications link for processing. Included in each channel is a disk drive for a storage medium, a disk controller and peripheral controllers for input/output equipment as required. Each channel of the system also includes a data processor. A message is received from the communication link of any of the channels, which message is identified by the data processor of that channel. The processor then evaluates the number of messages waiting to be processed in each of the other channels for assignment to a channel having the least number of messages on the processing list. The processor considers only on-line channels in this assignment selection. Upon the failure of a channel that has messages assigned thereto, these messages will be reassigned to other on-line channels by a back-up channel that has been previously identified with the failed channel. Thus, messages are processed as expeditiously as possible by load sharing.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of allocating incoming messages for processing in one channel of a multi-channel fault tolerant, load sharing data processing system and for reassigning message upon the malfunctioning of a channel, comprising the steps of: identifying each incoming message at each channel of the data proce

A method of allocating incoming messages for processing in one channel of a multi-channel fault tolerant, load sharing data processing system and for reassigning message upon the malfunctioning of a channel, comprising the steps of: identifying each incoming message at each channel of the data processing system containing data to be processed for assignment to one of the channels of the systems for processing; assigning the identified message to the channel having the smallest number of messages waiting to be processed; transmitting the identified message to the assigned channel for processing in the order assigned; transmitting the assigned message to at least one other channel of the system for back-up storage; monitoring each of the channels of the system for a malfunction condition; identifying each message in all functioning channels that remains unprocessed and assigned to the malfunctioning channel; reassigning each of the identified messages to the remaining functioning channels on the basis of the smallest number of messages waiting to be processed; and in response to a reassignment of a message, processing the message in the reassigned channel.