Abstract: In clusters of multiprocessor systems it is important that these processor nodes are aware of each others availability and performance capabilities. In highly available systems using these multiprocessor systems there needs to be a method to dynamically bring nodes both into the cluster and to remove nodes out of the cluster. The processor node that is responsible for these actions is designated the manager node (50). The manager node has a pre-selected backup to assume this responsibility upon the inability of said manager node to fulfill its duties. To allow the cluster of nodes to communicate with each other efficiently there needs to be a distributed messaging system that allows for the rapid distribution of data messages among the cluster nodes.

Abstract: Many computing system environments require continuous availability and high operational readiness. The ability to find, diagnose, and correct actual faults and potential faults in these systems is a high priority. By combining a continually updated database of computing system performance with the ability to analyze that information to detect faults and then communicating that fault information to correct the fault or provide appropriate notification of the fault results in achieving the goals of high availability and operational readiness. FIG. (1) shows how the data collectors, fault detectors and policy actions are combined to meet those goals.

Abstract: This computer implemented software invention supervises networked system resources with the goal of maximizing service availability, providing on-demand and uninterrupted access to service, and minimizing the down time due to failures. It is a cluster-wide solution that co-ordinates the states and activities of resources, assigns availability roles, implements recovery from failures, and implements overall system policy. To do this, it maintains a system model of the system's physical and logical configuration and models the resources using managed objects that provides an extensive representation of the states, roles, and relationships of the systems resources.

Abstract: A system (FIG. 1) for upgrading deployed networked devices (4,6,8,10,12,14,16). The devices are enabled with an installed agent (FIG. 2 left) that can identify and communicate with a server (22) running the upgrade program. When the appropriate conditions are met the server downloads the upgrade to the agent that then installs the upgrade onto the deployed device. The device is made capable of polling the server to see if an upgrade is available, or, in the alternative, the server can locate the device, query the state of the device and, when the appropriate predetermined conditions are met, download the upgrade to the device.