Abstract: A method in a network computing system for managing configuration information for a set of components in a network computing system. The configuration information is stored for the set of components in the network computing system to form stored configuration information. In the depicted examples, the components may be nodes or devices within nodes. Current configuration is obtained in response to a power cycle. The current configuration information is compared with the stored configuration information to form a comparison. The stored configuration information is updated if a difference is present in the comparison. The stored configuration information is used to configure the components when a power cycle occurs.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for dynamically informing an operating system (OS) of a distributed computer system, when a (new) device is added on the network. An OS registers with the subnet administrator (SA) to be notified when a new component is added to the subnet and placed in a partition to which the OS has access. The subnet manager (SM) initializes and configures the new component that is added and, through the partition manager, associates the component to one or more partitions of the subnet. The SA then notifies the OSs with access to the partition(s) to which the component is associated and that have a right to access the new component that the new component is available to the OS. Following, the OS updates a database of available components to include the new component and establishes communication with the new component.

Abstract: Program product for an application programming interface that unifies a plurality of mechanisms into a single framework. The interface includes a mechanism for communicating between members of a process group of related processes, and a mechanism for synchronizing the related processes of the process group. Additionally, the application programming interface may include mechanisms for managing membership of the process group or a processor group of processors, and/or a mechanism for controlling a group state value for the process group.

Abstract: Program product for an application programming interface that unifies a plurality of mechanisms into a single framework. The interface includes a mechanism for communicating between members of a process group of related processes, and a mechanism for synchronizing the related processes of the process group. Additionally, the application programming interface may include mechanisms for managing membership of the process group or a processor group of processors, and/or a mechanism for controlling a group state value for the process group.

Abstract: A method and program product for managing membership of process groups of a distributed computing environment. Requests to alter membership of a first process group are received and presented to the first process group as a batched request. However, requests to change the membership of a second process group are received and presented to the second process group serially. Thus, the manner in which requests are presented can be different for various process groups. Additionally, different types of requests can be presented to the same process group in a differing manner. For instance, requests to join a process group can be presented as a batched request and requests to leave the process group can be presented serially, or vice versa.

Abstract: A barrier synchronization system in a distributed computing environment. A group of members, including a plurality of related processes executing on one or more processors of the distributed computing environment, is provided a protocol having a dynamic number of synchronization phases. The protocol is voted on by one or more members of the group to determine how the protocol should proceed for the group of members. The protocol may complete successfully, continue to another synchronization phase or be rejected. The group of members determines how many synchronization phases the protocol is to include.

Abstract: Actions responsive to changes in the state of independent process groups whose process members are spread across a group of nodes in a distributed computing environment. The process groups are arranged in a hierarchy having source process groups and target process groups immediately above and dependent upon the source process groups. A change in the state or membership of a process group will result in a group services function of the nodes in the group injecting the change into the source group members of the affected group. When the action is successfully completed, the change is reflected up the hierarchy to the target group member or members. Upon successful action by the target group, the target group becomes the new source group which in turn may have target groups, and the changes are again reflected up the hierarchy to the new target groups.

Abstract: An application programming interface that unifies a plurality of mechanisms into a single framework. The interface includes a mechanism for communicating between members of a process group of related processes, and a mechanism for synchronizing the related processes of the process group. Additionally, the application programming interface may include mechanisms for managing membership of the process group or a processor group of processors, and/or a mechanism for controlling a group state value for the process group.

Abstract: A barrier synchronization program product in a distributed computing environment. A group of members, including a plurality of related processes executing on one or more processors of the distributed computing environment, is provided a protocol having a dynamic number of synchronization phases. The protocol is voted on by one or more members of the group to determine how the protocol should proceed for the group of members. The protocol may complete successfully, continue to another synchronization phase or be rejected. The group of members determines how many synchronization phases the protocol is to include.

Abstract: Actions responsive to changes in the state of independent process groups whose process members are spread across a group of nodes in a distributed computing environment. The process groups are arranged in a hierarchy having source process groups and target process groups immediately above and dependent upon the source process groups. A change in the state or membership of a process group will result in a group services function of the nodes in the group injecting the change into the source group members of the affected group. When the action is successfully completed, the change is reflected up the hierarchy to the target group member or members. Upon successful action by the target group, the target group becomes the new source group which in turn may have target groups, and the changes are again reflected up the hierarchy to the new target groups.

Abstract: Actions responsive to changes in the state of independent process groups whose process members are spread across a group of nodes in a distributed computing environment. The process groups are arranged in a hierarchy having source process groups and target process groups immediately above and dependent upon the source process groups. A change in the state or membership of a process group will result in a group services function of the nodes in the group injecting the change into the source group members of the affected group. When the action is successfully completed, the change is reflected up the hierarchy to the target group member or members. Upon successful action by the target group, the target group becomes the new source group which in turn may have target groups, and the changes are again reflected up the hierarchy to the new target groups.

Abstract: Detecting the failure of the name server node and consulting a membership list of nodes in the domain to determine the crown prince (CP) node who is next in line to become the name server. The other available nodes in the domain periodically send recover messages to the CP node, and responsive to receiving the recover messages from all the other available nodes in the domain, the CP node perform a two phase takeover whereby the CP node becomes the name server for managing said processors in the domain. After the CP node becomes the name server, the other available nodes in the domain send data to the new name server necessary for the name server to manage the other available nodes in the domain. All request messages requesting management by the name server are stored locally until after the CP becomes the name server. The locally stored request messages are then processed by the other available nodes such that no request messages are lost during recovery.

Abstract: Managing membership of a domain of processors in a distributed computing environment including determining the lowest numbered node available in the domain and periodically sending grovel messages from the other available nodes to the lowest numbered node in the domain. Responsive to receiving all of the grovel messages by the lowest numbered node, the lowest numbered node performs a two phase commit whereby the lowest numbered node becomes a name server for managing the processors in the domain. The two phase commit includes sending an insert phase 1 (P1) message to the other available nodes from the lowest numbered node and, responsive to the insert P1 message, sending an acknowledge (ACK) message from the other available nodes to the lowest numbered node. Responsive to the ACK messages, a commit message is sent to the other available nodes notifying them that the lowest numbered node has become the name server.

Abstract: Recovery of a name server managing membership of a domain of processors in a distributed computing environment which includes detecting the failure of the name server node and consulting a membership list of nodes in the domain to determine the crown prince (CP) node who is next in line to become the name server. The other available nodes in the domain periodically send recover messages to the CP node, and responsive to receiving the recover messages from all the other available nodes in the domain, the CP node perform a two phase takeover whereby the CP node becomes the name server for managing said processors in the domain. After the CP node becomes the name server, the other available nodes in the domain send data to the new name server necessary for the name server to manage the other available nodes in the domain. All request messages requesting management by the name server are stored locally until after the CP becomes the name server.

Abstract: In a distributed computing environment having a plurality of groups of processors, each processor group maintains its own set of ordered messages. A message is sent to a group of processors. In particular, a request to multicast a message is sent to a leader of the group of processors, i.e., a group leader, and the group leader assigns a sequence number to the message to be sent, thereby providing an ordered message. Then, the group leader multicasts the ordered message to the group of processors. When the processors of the group receive the ordered message, each determines whether the message is in proper sequence order. If the message is out of order for a particular processor indicating that a message has been missed, then that particular processor requests the missing message from a processor within the group.

Abstract: System managing membership of a group of processors in a distributed computing environment. Specific actions are identified and performed in order to manage the group membership. A processor requests to join the group of processors and thus, is added to the group. Similarly, processors may request to leave the group or may fail and then are removed from the group. The group of members also receives multicasts initiated from one member of the group to other members of the group. Additionally, each group of processors within a distributed computing environment has a group leader that controls the actions being performed for the group of members.

Abstract: In a distributed computing environment having a plurality of groups of processors, each processor group maintains its own set of ordered messages. A message is sent to a group of processors. In particular, a request to multicast a message is sent to a leader of the group of processors, i.e., a group leader, and the group leader assigns a sequence number to the message to be sent, thereby providing an ordered message. Then, the group leader multicasts the ordered message to the group of processors. When the processors of the group receive the ordered message, each determines whether the message is in proper sequence order. If the message is out of order for a particular processor indicating that a message has been missed, then that particular processor requests the missing message from a processor within the group.

Abstract: Managing group events by a name server for a group of processors in a distributed computing environment by receiving a message by said name server from one of the nodes requesting an event, determining what event is being requested by the message, determining which group the event is for, and storing an identification of the requesting node in an interested party set for the group. The name server determines if the group has a group leader, and if the group does not have a group leader, stores the event to be performed responsive to the message in a lookup queue to be processed when a group leader has been established. The first node requesting an event for a group is established by the name server as the group leader. The state of the group may have a first state wherein no group is established, a second state wherein the group is established but has no group leader, or a third state wherein the group is established and the group has a group leader.

Abstract: Program product for managing membership of a group of processors in a distributed computing environment. Specific actions are identified and performed in order to manage the group membership. A processor requests to join the group of processors and thus, is added to the group. Similarly, processors may request to leave the group or may fail and then are removed from the group. The group of members also receives multicasts initiated from one member of the group to other members of the group. Additionally, each group of processors within a distributed computing environment has a group leader that controls the actions being performed for the group of members.

Abstract: A barrier synchronization technique in a distributed computing environment. A group of members, including a plurality of related processes executing on one or more processors of the distributed computing environment, is provided a protocol having a dynamic number of synchronization phases. The protocol is voted on by one or more members of the group to determine how the protocol should proceed for the group of members. The protocol may complete successfully, continue to another synchronization phase or be rejected. The group of members determines how many synchronization phases the protocol is to include.