초록 ▼

An apparatus and method shares predictive failure information between computer systems in a computer network. The shared predictive failure information allows a requester of a network resource to determine whether the resource will be available to perform the request based on its predictive failure

An apparatus and method shares predictive failure information between computer systems in a computer network. The shared predictive failure information allows a requester of a network resource to determine whether the resource will be available to perform the request based on its predictive failure information. According to a first embodiment, predictive failure information is written by each computer system on the network to a common storage that is accessible by one or more other computer systems on the network. When a computer system on the network needs a resource on another system, the requesting computer system can check the predictive failure status of the system that contains the needed resource by reading the predictive failure information in the common storage. If the predictive failure information indicates that the resource may perform the requested function, the requesting computer system issues the request to the resource. In a second embodiment, one or more network protocols for communicating between computer systems on the network are modified so that messages given in response to resource requests include the predictive failure status of the requested system. Thus, if a requester needs data from another computer system, a message returned from that system in response to the request preferably includes predictive failure status or information indicating whether or not the request can be granted. If the predictive failure status or information indicates that the request can be granted, the requester performs the operation on the requested computer system. In this manner, predictive failure information can be used in granting access to resources between computer systems on a network, which allows accesses to be prevented if the predictive failure information indicates that the resource is likely to fail before completing the request.

대표청구항 ▼

An apparatus and method shares predictive failure information between computer systems in a computer network. The shared predictive failure information allows a requester of a network resource to determine whether the resource will be available to perform the request based on its predictive failure

An apparatus and method shares predictive failure information between computer systems in a computer network. The shared predictive failure information allows a requester of a network resource to determine whether the resource will be available to perform the request based on its predictive failure information. According to a first embodiment, predictive failure information is written by each computer system on the network to a common storage that is accessible by one or more other computer systems on the network. When a computer system on the network needs a resource on another system, the requesting computer system can check the predictive failure status of the system that contains the needed resource by reading the predictive failure information in the common storage. If the predictive failure information indicates that the resource may perform the requested function, the requesting computer system issues the request to the resource. In a second embodiment, one or more network protocols for communicating between computer systems on the network are modified so that messages given in response to resource requests include the predictive failure status of the requested system. Thus, if a requester needs data from another computer system, a message returned from that system in response to the request preferably includes predictive failure status or information indicating whether or not the request can be granted. If the predictive failure status or information indicates that the request can be granted, the requester performs the operation on the requested computer system. In this manner, predictive failure information can be used in granting access to resources between computer systems on a network, which allows accesses to be prevented if the predictive failure information indicates that the resource is likely to fail before completing the request. ferent types of electronic documents can have a record mapping to a particular environment, such as a legacy environment of a banking network, a hospital's computer environment for electronic record keeping, a lending institution's computer environment for processing loan applications, or a court or arbitrator's computer system. Semantic document type definitions for various electronic document types (including, for example, electronic checks, mortgage applications, medical records, prescriptions, contracts, and the like) can be formed using mapping techniques between the logical content of the document and the block that is defined to include such content. Also, the various document types are preferably defined to satisfy existing customs, protocols and legal rules. update in a cache holding area associated with the primary system; and providing access to data included in a mirrored and archived version of the primary mass storage by first determining whether the data is included in the update stored in the cache holding area and then providing access to the data from the secondary mass storage if the data is not included in the update in the cache holding area. 5. The method of in claim 1, wherein tracking changes to the primary mass storage during the time interval and consolidating the tracked changes are conducted independently of any particular file structure associated with the primary mass storage or the secondary mass storage. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein tracking the changes to the primary mass storage during the time interval comprises storing information representing all changes, wherein the changes are tracked at a disk level of the primary mass storage. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein consolidating the tracked changes is conducted in an ongoing manner during the time interval. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein consolidating the tracked changes is conducted at or after the end of the corresponding time interval. 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting data transferred between the primary system and the secondary system by: exchanging values between the primary system and the secondary system, the values being subject to change from one moment to the next; manipulating, by the primary system, a first value exchanged from the secondary system to the primary system to generate a primary system key seed; manipulating, by the secondary system, a second value exchanged from the primary system to the secondary system to generate a secondary system key seed, the primary system key seed and the secondary system key seed being equal; using the primary key seed at the primary system to generate a primary encryption key; using the secondary key seed at the secondary system to generate a secondary encryption key, the primary encryption key and the secondary encryption being equal, as if they had been generated using a single key seed; and encrypting and decrypting data transmitted between the primary system and the secondary system using the primary encryption key and the secondary encryption key. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary mass storage is subdivided and comprises a first subdivision that includes storage locations in which said data is stored and further comprises a second subdivision that includes a cache holding area in which is stored information representing all changes that have been made in the storage locations during the time interval. 11. A computer program product for implementing, in a primary system that has a primary mass storage and is in communication with a secondary system that has a secondary mass storage, a method for mirroring and archiving the primary mass storage on the secondary mass storage, the computer program product comprising: a computer-readable medium carrying computer-executable instructions for implementing the method, the computer-executable instructions, when executed, causing the primary system to: synchronize the secondary mass storage with the primary mass storage; track changes to the primary mass storage during a time interval; identify an end of the time interval by identifying when the primary mass storage is in a logically consistent state; consolidate the tracked changes by retaining any tracked changes necessary to represent the state of the primary mass storage at the end of the time interval, so as to create an update that includes the retained changes but does not include tracked changes that represent an intermediate state of the primary mass storage; and transfer the update to the secondary mass storage, the update including only the changes that are required for bringing the secondary mass storage device current with the logically consistent state of the primary mass storage