Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a data processing system and method and, in particular, to a distributed computing system and method that uses a globally distributed data structure comprising an indication of local state information associated with at least some of the processes constituting a distributed algorithm in influencing at least one of the execution and the termination of those processes.

Abstract: A method of executing a bag of tasks application in a cluster over a distributed computing system, the cluster having a cluster resource manager. The method includes requesting that the cluster resource manager authorize access by a remote user of the distributed computing system to any idle nodes of the cluster, submitting a bag of tasks slave process to the cluster resource manager, loading the bag of tasks slave process in one of the idle nodes without an allocation operation, sequentially scheduling tasks from the bag of tasks to the bag of tasks slave process, and executing the bag of tasks slave process either until finished or until the node in which the bag of tasks slave process is loaded is required owing to a local allocation request.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of allocating grid-based computer resources which is based on an exchange model that is predicated exclusively on a system of returned favours. A favour is defined as the act of offering a resource and the method is performed in respect of two or more grid resource providers/consumers which are alternatively known as participants. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of establishing two or more participants in a grid-based computer system where at least one of said participants offers resources. Each participant expects resources to be offered in return in proportion to the level of resources which that participant offers. Primarily, the present invention may be applied in arbitration situations whereby a participant which is offering resources arbitrates conflicting requests for its resources by prioritizing requests from those other participants who have offered favours in the past.