Abstract: An autonomic computing system and method determine that a desired end state cannot be reached, determine that an acceptable sub-state can be reached using at least one of priority ratings, conditional relationship specifications, and alternative relationship specifications, and place the computing system in an acceptable sub-state. The priority ratings can contain an attribute assigned to a policy definition that determines a sequence for applying the policy definition. The attribute can be “mandatory”, a numerical value, or “not required”. The conditional relationship specifications have policy definitions that are applied when the state of a specified resource meets a predetermined requirement. An alternative relationship specification has policy definitions and/or conditional relationship specifications that are applied when the state of a specified resource does not meet a predetermined requirement.

Abstract: An arrangement is disclosed for operating a computer cluster distributed over multiple locations using quorum mechanism. The cluster includes interconnected defined system instances. The arrangement includes distributing the cluster configuration to each system instance, and constantly checking system instance connectivity to determine reachable system instances. Each healthy system instance determines a subcluster of itself and all reachable system instances. Information of the distributed cluster configuration is used to calculate a corresponding subcluster configuration. Subcluster configuration information and the cluster configuration information is used for computing a new quorum decision for the corresponding subcluster, using a location quorum function considering proportions of connected locations containing reachable system instances, and weights of the reachable system instances in the locations.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a computer cluster distributed over multiple locations using quorum mechanism. The cluster includes interconnected defined system instances. The method includes distributing the cluster configuration to each system instance, and constantly checking system instance connectivity to determine reachable system instances. Each healthy system instance determines a subcluster of itself and all reachable system instances. Information of the distributed cluster configuration is used to calculate a corresponding subcluster configuration. Subcluster configuration information and the cluster configuration information is used for computing a new quorum decision for the corresponding subcluster, using a location quorum function considering proportions of connected locations containing reachable system instances, and weights of the reachable system instances in the locations.

Abstract: A virtual machine (VM) migration from a source virtual machine monitor (VMM) to a destination VMM on a computer system. Each of the VMMs includes virtualization software, and one or more VMs are executed in each of the VMMs. The virtualization software allocates hardware resources in a form of virtual resources for the concurrent execution of one or more VMs and the virtualization software. A portion of a memory of the hardware resources includes hardware memory segments. A first portion of the memory segments is assigned to a source logical partition and a second portion is assigned to a destination logical partition. The source VMM operates in the source logical partition and the destination VMM operates in the destination logical partition. The first portion of the memory segments is mapped into a source VMM memory, and the second portion of the memory segments is mapped into a destination VMM memory.

Abstract: Creating an operating system dump. A main memory of a computer system is divided into at least three contiguous memory areas, comprising a primary memory area, a secondary memory area and a data memory area. A first instance of an OS (operating system) is booted into the main memory, a second instance of the operating system is loaded into the secondary memory area using the active first instance of the operating system, execution of the first active instance of the OS is stopped if a critical execution error occurs, and the computer system is re-started using the loaded second instance of the operating system which becomes the active instance of the OS. A dump of the primary memory area is created, and a third instance of the operating system is loaded into the primary memory area.

Abstract: Managing access to resources shared among multiple processes within a computer system. Multiple program instances of an application are almost simultaneously executed on multiple processors for fault tolerance. The replication solution supports the recording and subsequent replay of reservation events granting the shared resources exclusive access rights to the processes, when one program code instruction may request access to a set of shared resources in a non-deterministic order.

Abstract: Managing access to resources shared among multiple processes within a computer system. Multiple program instances of an application are almost simultaneously executed on multiple processors for fault tolerance. The replication solution supports the recording and subsequent replay of reservation events granting the shared resources exclusive access rights to the processes, when one program code instruction may request access to a set of shared resources in a non-deterministic order.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a computer cluster distributed over multiple locations using quorum mechanism. The cluster includes interconnected defined system instances. The method includes distributing the cluster configuration to each system instance, and constantly checking system instance connectivity to determine reachable system instances. Each healthy system instance determines a subcluster of itself and all reachable system instances. Information of the distributed cluster configuration is used to calculate a corresponding subcluster configuration. Subcluster configuration information and the cluster configuration information is used for computing a new quorum decision for the corresponding subcluster, using a location quorum function considering proportions of connected locations containing reachable system instances, and weights of the reachable system instances in the locations.

Abstract: Managing access to resources shared among multiple processes within a computer system. Multiple program instances of an application are almost simultaneously executed on multiple processors for fault tolerance. The replication solution supports the recording and subsequent replay of reservation events granting the shared resources exclusive access rights to the processes, when one program code instruction may request access to a set of shared resources in a non-deterministic order.

Abstract: An autonomic computing system and method determine policy definitions (404) and a set of available actions (410); monitor resources distributed within the system; determine if the system is at a desired end state; and modify resource states by sending instructions for the resources to perform available actions. The policy definitions (404) specify: start order between resources, prioritization between resources, conditional activation of policies, desired end state of resources, and location limitation of resources. The system and method receive status information from available resources, and monitor and modify the system until it reaches the desired end state. The policy definitions (404) can be determined by specifying a user-defined system end state and resource relationships. The policy definitions (404) can further harvest implicit relationships between resources, via self-discovery, and underlying relationships among resources.

Abstract: An autonomic computing system and method determine policy definitions (404) and a set of available actions (410); monitor resources distributed within the system; determine if the system is at a desired end state; and modify resource states by sending instructions for the resources to perform available actions. The policy definitions (404) specify: start order between resources, prioritization between resources, conditional activation of policies, desired end state of resources, and location limitation of resources. The system and method receive status information from available resources, and monitor and modify the system until it reaches the desired end state. The policy definitions (404) can be determined by specifying a user-defined system end state and resource relationships. The policy definitions (404) can further harvest implicit relationships between resources, via self-discovery, and underlying relationships among resources.

Abstract: An autonomic computing system and method determine that a desired end state cannot be reached, determine that an acceptable sub-state can be reached using at least one of priority ratings, conditional relationship specifications, and alternative relationship specifications, and place the computing system in an acceptable sub-state. The priority ratings can contain an attribute assigned to a policy definition that determines a sequence for applying the policy definition. The attribute can be “mandatory”, a numerical value, or “not required”. The conditional relationship specifications have policy definitions that are applied when the state of a specified resource meets a predetermined requirement. An alternative relationship specification has policy definitions and/or conditional relationship specifications that are applied when the state of a specified resource does not meet a predetermined requirement.

Abstract: The invention allows for dealing with failures that may result in split-brain situations. In particular the safe management of shared resources is supported even though the owners of a shared resource may be subject to split-brain situation. In addition our invention allows us to update the cluster configuration despite the fact that some members of the cluster cannot be reached during the reconfiguration. The policies imposed by our invention ensure that all nodes started always use the up-to-date configuration as working configuration or if that is not possible the administrator is warned about a potential inconsistency of the configuration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to parallel computing. It allows to compute parts of a sequential program as e.g., functions or subprograms or procedures in parallel on a multi-processor computer, a cluster or a network of cumputers (10, 12, 14, 16) based on the message passing paradigm. In this concept of ‘Procedural Parallel operating environment’ all infrastructure needed to allow for parallel computation is encapsulated in a parallel procedure call (18).