Fault tolerant communications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016004609-A1
Application number	US-201514747965-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 23, 2015
Priority date	Jul 1, 2014
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Apparatuses, systems and methods are disclosed for tolerating fault in a communications grid. Specifically, various techniques and systems are provided for detecting a fault or failure by a node in a network of computer nodes in a communications grid, adjusting the grid to avoid grid failure, and taking action based on the failure. In an example, a system may include receiving grid status information at a backup control node, the grid status information including a project status, storing the grid status information within the backup control node, receiving a failure communication including an indication that a primary control node has failed, designating the backup control node as a new primary control node, receiving updated grid status information based on the indication that the primary control node has failed, and transmitting a set of instructions based on the updated grid status information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:
transmit, from a primary control node connected to one or more worker nodes on a communications grid, worker instructions related to a project being executed by the one or more worker nodes; generate a snapshot of the communications grid, wherein the snapshot of the communications grid includes a project status of each of the one or more worker nodes, wherein a project status of a worker node includes a status of a portion of the project being executed by the worker node in the communications grid; determine that a failed worker node of the one or more worker nodes has failed, wherein the one or more worker nodes has failed at a failure time; identify a project status of the failed worker node using the snapshot of the communications grid, wherein the project status of the failed worker node includes a status of a portion of the project being executed by the failed worker node at the failure time; and transmit updated worker instructions, wherein the updated worker instructions include the project status of the failed worker node and updated instructions related to the project being executed by the one or more worker nodes, wherein the updated worker instructions facilitate execution of the portion of the project being executed by the failed worker node.

2 . The computer-program product of claim 1 , further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:
identify a functioning worker node of the one or more worker nodes to complete the portion of the project being executed by the failed worker node.

3 . The computer-program product of claim 1 , wherein each worker node on the communications grid is assigned a unique identifier, wherein the unique identifiers of the worker nodes indicate a hierarchy of the worker nodes associated with each unique identifier within the communications grid.

4 . The computer-program product of claim 3 , wherein the updated worker instructions facilitate a functioning worker node of the one or more worker nodes beginning execution of the portion of the project being executed by the failed worker node.

5 . The computer-program product of claim 1 , further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:
determine that the failed worker node is the only worker node on the communications grid; and add a new worker node to the communications grid.

6 . The computer-program product of claim 1 , wherein the primary control node manages distribution of portions of the project that each worker node is responsible for executing.

7 . The computer-program product of claim 1 , wherein determining that a failed worker node of the one or more worker nodes has failed includes determining that the primary control node did not receive an heartbeat communication subsequent to transmitting the worker instructions related to the project being executed by the one or more worker nodes.

8 . A computing device, comprising:
one or more processors; and a memory having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including: transmitting, from a primary control node connected to one or more worker nodes on a communications grid, worker instructions related to a project being executed by the one or more worker nodes; generating a snapshot of the communications grid, wherein the snapshot of the communications grid includes a project status of each of the one or more worker nodes, wherein a project status of a worker node includes a status of a portion of the project being executed by the worker node in the communications grid; determining that a failed worker node of the one or more worker nodes has failed, wherein the one or more worker nodes has failed at a failure time; identifying a project status of the failed worker node using the snapshot of the communications grid, wherein the project status of the failed worker node includes a status of a portion of the project being executed by the failed worker node at the failure time; and transmitting updated worker instructions, wherein the updated worker instructions include the project status of the failed worker node and updated instructions related to the project being executed by the one or more worker nodes, wherein the updated worker instructions facilitate execution of the portion of the project being executed by the failed worker node.

9 . The computing device of claim 8 , further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:
identifying a functioning worker node of the one or more worker nodes to complete the portion of the project being executed by the failed worker node.

10 . The computing device of claim 8 , wherein each worker node on the communications grid is assigned a unique identifier, wherein the unique identifiers of the worker nodes indicate a hierarchy of the worker nodes associated with each unique identifier within the communications grid.

11 . The computing device of claim 10 , wherein the updated worker instructions facilitate a functioning worker node of the one or more worker nodes beginning execution of the portion of the project being executed by the failed worker node.

12 . The computing device of claim 8 , further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:
determining that the failed worker node is the only worker node on the communications grid; and adding a new worker node to the communications grid.

13 . The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the primary control node manages distribution of portions of the project that each worker node is responsible for executing.

14 . The computing device of claim 8 , wherein determining that a failed worker node of the one or more worker nodes has failed includes determining that the primary control node did not receive an heartbeat communication subsequent to transmitting the worker instructions related to the project being executed by the one or more worker nodes.

15 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
transmitting, from a primary control node connected to one or more worker nodes on a communications grid, worker instructions related to a project being executed by the one or more worker nodes; generating a snapshot of the communications grid, wherein the snapshot of the communications grid includes a project status of each of the one or more worker nodes, wherein a project status of a worker node includes a status of a portion of the project being executed by the worker node in the communications grid; determining that a failed worker node of the one or more worker nodes has failed, wherein the one or more worker nodes has failed at a failure time; identifying a project status of the failed worker node using the snapshot of the communications grid, wherein the project status of the failed worker node includes a status of a portion of the project being executed by the failed worker node at the failure time; and transmitting updated worker instructions, wherein the updated worker instructions include the project status of the failed worker node and updated instructions related to the project being executed by the one or more worker nodes, wherein the updated worker instructions facilitate execution of the portion of the project

Assignees

• Sas Inst Inc

Inventors

• Knight Richard

Classifications

• G06F11/203 Primary

  using migration · CPC title

• G06F2201/85

  Active fault masking without idle spares · CPC title

• G06F11/2038

  with a single idle spare processing component · CPC title

• G06F11/2041

  with more than one idle spare processing component · CPC title

• G06F11/2097

  maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated (initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups) · CPC title