United States Patent
`(12)
`(10) Patent No.:
`US 6,549,932 Bl
`McNally etal.
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Apr. 15, 2003
`
`
`US006549932B1
`
`(54) SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER
`PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR DISCOVERYIN
`A DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING
`.
`on
`ENVIRONMENT
`Inventors: Michael MeNally, Austin, TX (US);
`.
`:
`Brian Jay Vetter, Austin, TX (US)
`.
`.
`.
`International Business Machines
`Corporation, Armonk, NY (US)
`
`.
`(73) Assignee:
`
`(75)
`
`....... 395/183.02
`8/1996 Giordanoet al.
`5,544,308 A
`..... 395/200.06
`8/1996 Hendersonet al.
`5,550,976 A
`10/1996 Wanget al.
`........... 364/551.02
`5,566,092 A
`5,572,528 A “ 11/1996 Shuen .........
`wee 370/402
`
`5,590,126 A
`12/1996 Mishraet al.
`370/329
`Seeee Stogy RUyAMa ef Ale vse 714/26
`
`5,603,029 A
`wee 709/105
`2/1997 Amanetal. .....
`
`sessesssssseee 395/610
`5,606,693 A
`2/1997 Nilsen et al.
`5,623,628 A *
`4/1997 Brayton et al. ...c..... TIU/L41
`ve 709/202
`5,655,081 A *
`8/1997 Bonnell ct al.
`..
`
`5,692,119 A * 11/1997 Koguchi et al. ec... 714/4
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`USC.154(b)by 0 days.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
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`(List continued on next page.)
`O
`0
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`»
`318,
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`320, 202; 370/252, 253, 254; 340/825.06,
`825.16; 714/47 oe ,
`‘
`Primary Examiner—Zarni Maung,
`Assistant Examiner—Jason 1D). Cardone
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Duke W. Yee; Jeffrey S.
`LaBaw; Stephen R. Tkacs
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`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A large distributed enterprise includes computing resources
`including a management server servicing a plurality of
`endpoint machines. A managementinfrastructure include a
`runtime engine is deployed on given endpoint machines. In
`response to a task deployment request at an administrative
`server, discovery agents may be launchedinto the computer
`network. When a software agent arrives at a given machine
`that supports the runtime engine, the agent is executed to
`determine whether the endpointis a candidate for a particu-
`lar task deployment.
`
`29 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets
`
`
`
`Page 1 of 15
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`GOOGLEEXHIBIT 1031
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`Page 1 of 15
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`GOOGLE EXHIBIT 1031
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`US 6,549,932 B1
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`Page 2
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`6,009,456 A * 12/1999 Frewetal. we 709/202
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`9/1998 Balick Or
`* 09/90
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`6,055,562 A *
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`5,805,884 A *
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`5815652 A *
`9/1998 Oteetal.
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`6/2000 Krishnanet al.
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`5,826,020 A*10/1998 Randell ...... . 709/202 os
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`6,094,673 A *
`7/2000 Dilip etal.
`.......
`vee 709/202
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`5,838,918 A*11/1998 Prageret al. 709/221 aes
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`
`
`
`
`
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`
`
`an
`6,108,782 A *
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`wee 713/153
`:
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`
`
`
`
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`5,872,931 A *
`2/1999 Chivaluri....
`. 709/223
`et
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`6,112,225 A *
`8/2000 Kraft etal.
`...
`vee 709/202
`:
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`
`
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`
`
`
`
`
`
`.....
`5,887,171 A *
`3/1999 Tada ct al.
`709/317
`vee
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`6,185,611 Bl
`2/2001 Waldo etal.
`vee 709/221
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`5,901,286 A *
`5/1999 Danknick ct al.
`........... 709/203
`20s
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`
`
`6,240,451 B1 *
`5/2001 Campbellet al.
`. 709/224
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`
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`
`
`
`
`5,913,037 A *
`6/1999 Spofford et al.
`.. 709/226
`..
`cai
`al
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`6,266,709 B1 *
`7/2001 Gish veces 709/315
`,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`5,920,692 A *
`7/1999 Nguyenetal.
`
`709/204
`22095
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`6,266,805 Bl
`7/2001 Nwana etal.
`...ccceeees 717/4
`:
`*
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`5,944,782 A
`/1999 Nobleet al.
`......
`.. 709/202
`u
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`...
`6,330,597 B2 * 12/2001 Collin ct al.
`. 709/220
`:
`,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`5,944,783 A *
`8/1999 Nieten ..ceccsccssessseeseeees 709/202
`ie
`"
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`or
`6,336,139 B1 *
`1/2002 Feridun ct al. ccs 709/224
`:
`<
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`5,958,009 A*9/1999 Friedrich etal. 709/224 6363-421 B2 * 3/2002 Barker et al 509/203
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`5,958,016 A *
`9/1999 Chang etal.
`..
`ATICET CU Ms
`seereereesenees
`709/229
`22025
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`5,987,135 A * 11/1999 Johnsonetal.
`709/224
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`6,006,251 A * 12/1999 Toyouchiet al.
`........... 709/203
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Page 2 of 15
`
`Page 2 of 15
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr.15, 2003
`
`Sheet 1 of 5
`
`US 6,549,932 B1
`
`NODE (LARGE)
`
`Nessriliezesl MANAGED
`
`[Fron
`
`TERMINAL
`NODES (TNs)
`
`TERMINAL
`NODES (TNs)
`
`Page 3 of 15
`
`Page 3 of 15
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr.15, 2003
`
`Sheet 2 of 5
`
`US 6,549,932 B1
`
`FIG. 2
`
`
`
`16
`
`ee eee SERVER —~er as a= =p ap ==
`Bo
`
`©za@
`
`KO
`
`NO wn
`
`AUTHORIZER
`
`LOCATOR
`
`OBJECT
`RAR
`
`mica
`
`29
`
`BOA
`
`NO si
`| = eee ew ee ee ee ee ee 6 oe oe ee ee ee ee
`
`
`
`
`
`ENDPOINT
`
`CLIENT
`
`LCF
`
`o °°
`
`CLIENT
`LCF
`
`
` GATEWAY
`Lwaneeeeeeeeee7
`
`24
`24 ENDPOINT
`248
`
`FIG. 2A
`
`RUNTIME
`LIBRARY
`
`DAEMON
`
`24A
`
`Page 4 of 15
`
`Page 4 of 15
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr.15, 2003
`
`Sheet 3 of 5
`
`US 6,549,932 Bl
`
` TN MANAGER
`
`
` TERMINAL
`“7 NODES(TNs)
`
`30~[
`
`DISTRIBUTE RUNTIME
`ENGINES
`
`------|---..- OFFLINE
`
`32
`
`
`TASK
`REQUEST?
`
`
`34 6S
`
`
`
`DISCOVERY
`
`ENABLED?
`36
`eS
`
`
`
`FIC. 5
`
`TERMINATE
`
`NO
`
`YES
`
`INFORMATION
`
`NO|INFORMATION AVAILABLE
`NOT AVAILABLE
`
`42
`
`44
`
`46
`
`PARSE TASK
`
`RETURN REQUESTED
`INFORMATION
`
`SELECT SOFTWARE
`AGENT
`
`DEPLOY SOFTWARE
`AGENT
`
`INSTANTIATE
`
`TERMINATE
`
`38
`
`40
`
`Page 5 of 15
`
`Page 5 of 15
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr.15, 2003
`
`Sheet 4 of 5
`
`US 6,549,932 B1
`
`FIG. 4
`
`20
`“a
`
`faa
`
`MANAGER
`
`ODE
`
`ie
`
`TN GATEWAY
`
`RQ = zy
`TN GATEWAY
`
`MR
`
`12
`
`Se
`UU
`
`TN GATEWAY
`
`
`
`TERMINAL
`NODES (TNs)
`
`ENGINE
`
`44
`
`
`
`TERMINAL
`NODES (TNs)
`
`Page 6 of 15
`
`Page 6 of 15
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 15, 2003
`
`Sheet 5 of 5
`
`US6,549,932 B1
`
`FIG. 6
`
`AGENT ARRIVES
`AT NODE
`
`LINK AGENT INTO RUNTIME
`
`INITIATE LOCAL
`DISCOVERY
`
`NO
`
`
`G
`
`CRITERIA
`MET?
`
`YES
`
`COMPILE/GENERATE
`IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
`
`
`NO(
`
`YES
`
`TRANSMIT INFORMATION
`
`
`
`72
`
`7
`
`<>
`
`LONE AGENT
`
`» C
`
`62
`
`
`
`ADDITIONAL
`
`PATHS?
`66
`NO
`EXTINGUISH/TRANSMIT
`
`TIN
`
`H/TRANSMIT
`
`“YES
`
`BACK
`
`BAC
`
`50
`
`S2~J
`
`54
`
`58—|
`
`68
`
`SAVE TO DATASTORE
`
`64
`
`Page 7 of 15
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`Page 7 of 15
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`

`

`
`
`US 6,549,932 B1
`
`
`
`
`1
`SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER
`
`
`
`
`PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR DISCOVERYIN
`
`
`
`
`
`A DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING
`
`
`
`ENVIRONMENT
`
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`
`
`
`
`
`1. Technical Field
`
`
`
`The present invention is directed to managing a large
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`distributed computer enterprise network and, more
`
`
`
`
`
`
`particularly,
`to performing discovery operations therein
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`preferably using software components that are deployed in
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`the network and adapted to be executed in local runtime
`environments.
`
`2. Description of the Related Art
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Today, companies desire to place all of their computing
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`resources on the company network. To this end, it is known
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`to connect computers in a large, geographically-dispersed
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`network environment and to manage such an environmentin
`a distributed manner. One such management framework
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`comprises a server that manages a numberof nodes, each of
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`which has a local object database that stores object data
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`specific to the local node. Each managed node typically
`
`
`
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`
`
`
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`
`
`includes a management framework, comprising a number of
`management routines, that is capable of a relatively large
`
`
`
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`
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`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`number(e.g., hundreds) of simultaneous network connec-
`tions to remote machines. As the number of managed nodes
`
`
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`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`increases, the system maintenance problemsalso increase,
`
`
`
`
`
`
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`as do the odds of a machine failure or other fault.
`
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`
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`
`
`The problem is exacerbated in a typical enterprise as the
`
`
`
`
`
`
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`
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`node number rises. Of these nodes, only a small percentage
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`are file servers, name servers, database servers, or anything
`
`
`
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`
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`
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`but end-of-wire or “endpoint” machines. The majority of the
`
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`
`
`
`network machines are simple personal computers (“PC’s”)
`or workstationsthatsee little managementactivity during a
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`normal day.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`System administrators typically manage such environ-
`ments through system and network tasks that are configured
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`by the administrator on some local machine and then dis-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`tributed or deployed into the network. A machine that is to
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`receive the task is referred to as a deployment“target”. The
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`locations and characteristics of the target machines,
`however, are typically determined by the administrator
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`manually. Thus, for example, if the task to be deployed is a
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`database management application,
`the administrator must
`
`
`
`
`
`
`specify the particular database servers in the network. This
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
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`
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`process is cumbersome and time-consuming, especially as
`the size of the network increases to include thousands of
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`connected machines. If the system administrator does not
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`specify all target machines, the system administration task
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`may be implemented incorrectly. Alternatively, if the num-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ber and location of targets is over-specified, network
`resources are consumed unnecessarily.
`
`
`
`
`In addition, there are many other reasons why network
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`administrators have an interest in performing so-called “dis-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`covery” operations in such a large managed environment. As
`one example, an administrator maydesire to determine how
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`many and which machines in the environment presently
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`support a given version of a software program. Discovery
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`may also be required to determine whether a particular
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`machinehassufficient resource (e.g., available disk storage)
`to support a software upgrade. Yet another reason to perform
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`a discovery operation might simply involve a need or desire
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`to perform system or resource inventoryto facilitate plan-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ning for future enterprise expansion. The nature and types of
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`discovery: operations are thus quite varied.
`
`
`
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`Known distributed management architectures do not
`afford the system administrator the ability to issue a distri-
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`bution request and deploy a task without having to manually
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`associate the tasks with given groups of machines. Likewise,
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`such known techniques have not been readily adapted to
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`facilitate a wide range of basic discovery operations that are
`desiredto facilitate system administration, management and
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`maintenance in such an environment, especially as the
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`network growsto include thousands of connected, managed
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`machines.
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`The present invention addresses these and other associ-
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`ated problems of the prior art.
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`BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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`It is thus a primary object of this invention to perform
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`discovery operations in a distributed computer enterprise
`environment
`in which a large number of machines are
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`connected and managed.
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`It is another primary object of this invention to deploy
`discovery agents in the distributed computer network that
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`are executed in local runtime environments to perform such
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`discovery operations.
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`Another primary objective of this invention is to provide
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`software components that are readily deployed into a
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`distributed, managed environment for discovering given
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`facts (e.g., machine and/or source identity, characteristics,
`state, status, attributes, and the like) that are then useful in
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`controlling a subsequent operation(e.g., a task deployment).
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`A more specific object of this invention is to provide a
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`mechanism by which a dispatcher may identify particular
`machinesthat are candidates to receive a task deployment so
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`that an administrator or other user need not manually
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`associate the task with given groups of machines.
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`It is a particular object of this invention to deploy a
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`Java-based software “discovery agent” into a distributed
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`computer network environment
`to discover particular
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`machines or resources that are to be targeted to receive a
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`particular task deployment within the network.
`A further object of this invention to launch a set of one or
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`more discovery agents into a large, distributed computer
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`network in response to a given request for the purpose of
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`identifying and locating suitable target machines or
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`resources for receipt of a given task. The task may be an
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`administrative task, a management task, a configuration
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`task, or any other application.
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`A further specific object of this invention is to customize
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`or tailor the software agent dispatched in the network for
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`discovery purposes as a function of the type of task to be
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`subsequently deployed.‘hus, the software agent may more
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`readily determine whether a candidate machine may qualify
`as a potential target for the deployment.
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`Yet another more general object of this invention is to
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`more fully automate the discoveryof distribution targets in
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`a large, distributed computing network and thereby reduce
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`the expense and complexity of system administration.
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`Another object of the present invention is to initially
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`dispatch a minimum amountof code that may be necessary
`to discoverdistribution targets for a subsequent task deploy-
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`ment in a large computer network.
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`It is a further object of this invention to deploya self-
`routing software agent into a distributed computer network
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`to discover workstations that satisfy a given criteria. During
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`a particular search, a given agent may “clone” itself at a
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`particular node to continue the search along a new network
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`path.
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`US 6,549,932 B1
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`4
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`runs as a standalone process using
`the software agent
`existing local resources. When the suitability of the work-
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`station (as a target machine) is indeterminate, the sofiware
`agent may obtain additional code from the dispatch mecha-
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`nism or from some other network source to facilitate its
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`determination. Such additional code may be another soft-
`ware agent.
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`While one preferred “discovery” operation involves a
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`determination of whether a given machine or resource is a
`suitable target for a task deployment, other more discovery
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`operations may be implemented in like manner. Thus, a
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`discovery operation may be implemented for inventory
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`control, for determining which machines support which
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`versions of given software, for determining the ability of a
`given machine or an associated resource to support given
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`software or to perform a given task, and the like.
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`The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent
`objects of the present invention. These objects should be
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`construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more
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`prominent features and applications of the invention. Many
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`other beneficial results can be attained by applying the
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`disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the
`invention as will be described. Accordingly, other objects
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`and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by
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`referring to the following Detailed Description of the pre-
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`ferred embodiment.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`3
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`Yet another more general object of the present invention
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`is to collect
`information about workstations in a large
`computer networked environment as mobile discovery
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`agents are dispatched and migrated throughout the network.
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`These and other objects of the invention are achieved by
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`the disclosed system, methad and computer product for
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`discovery in a large, distributed computer networking envi-
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`ronment. A management
`infrastructure supported in the
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`networking environment includes a dispatch mechanism,
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`which is preferably located at a central location (e.g., an
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`administrative server), and a runtime environment supported
`on given nodes of the network. In particular, the runtime
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`environment(e.g., an engine) is preferably part of a distrib-
`uted framework supported on each managed node of the
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`distributed enterprise environment.
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`Onepreferred method begins upona distribution request.
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`The distribution request is not limited to any particular type
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`of system or network administration, configuration or man-
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`agement
`task.
`In response to the request,
`the dispatch
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`mechanism determines whether the machines targeted for ,
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`the deployment (namely,
`the “target machines”) can be
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`identified from local sources (e.g., a local repository of
`previously-collected or generated configuration
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`information). If such information is not available or it
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`otherwise not useful, the dispatch mechanism deploysinto
`the network a set of one or more “discovery agents” that are
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`tasked Lo locate and identifysuitable target(s) for the deploy-
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`ment. These one or more agents then “fan-out” into the
`network to collection information to facilitate subsequent
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`task deployment. Preferably, the discovery agent is a small
`piece of code that is customized or tailored as a function of
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`the particular task to be later deployed. This customization
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`reduces the time necessary to complete an overall search
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`because the agent
`thus may be “tuned” to evaluate the
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`candidate node for a particular characteristic. If that char-
`acteristic is not present, the software agent may then proceed
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`elsewhere (or clone itself to follow a new network path).
`Whena particular discovery agentarrives at a node in the
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`network, the software agent preferably is linked into the
`local runtime environmentalready presentto thereby initiate
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`a local discovery process. The discovery routine executed by
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`the discovery agent may discoverthat the local machine (or
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`some resource or application thereon) is a suitable target,
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`that the local machine (or some application thereon)is not
`a suitable target, or that insufficient information is available
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`to make this determination. Based on information obtained
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`during the discovery process, the software agent also may
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`identify one or more new network paths that must be
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`traversed to continue the discovery process and thereby
`complete the search. The software agent may then launch <;
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`itself to another node, or it may “clone”itself and launch a
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`“cloned” agent over the new network path as needed.
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`If the software agent discovers that the candidate machine
`is a suitable target, ccrtain identifying information (c.g., a
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`confirmation, a machine identifier, a state identifier or the
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`like) is generated. The identifying information is then saved
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`within a datastore associated with the agent (if the agentis
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`to return to the dispatch mechanism)or, alternatively, such
`information is transmitted back to the dispatch mechanism
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`Cif the agent is to extinguish itself upon completion of the
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`discovery process). Such transmission maybe effected using
`a simple messaging technique. When a given network path
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`is exhausted, the discovery agent then either returns to the
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`dispatch mechanism or extinguishesitsclf, as the casc may
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`be.
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`Thus, at each node, the software agent is preferably run by
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`the runtime engine previously deployed there. Alternatively,
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`For a more complete understanding of the present inven-
`tion and the advantagesthercof, reference should be made to
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`the following Detailed Description taken in connection with
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`the accompanying drawings in which:
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`FIG.1 illustrates a simplificd diagram showing a large
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`distributed computing enterprise environment in which the
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`present invention is implemented;
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`TIG. 2 is a block diagram of a preferred system manage-
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`ment framework illustrating how the framework function-
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`ality is distributed across the gateway and its endpoints
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`within a managed region;
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`FIG.2A is a block diagramof the elements that comprise
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`the LCF client componentof the system managementframe-
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`work;
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`FIG.3 illustrates a smaller “workgroup” implementation
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`of the enterprise in which the server and gatewayfunctions
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`are supported on the same machine;
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`FIG. 4 is a distributed computer network environment
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`having a managementinfrastructure for use in carrying out
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`the preferred method of the present invention;
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`FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a preferred method of
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`deploying a software discovery agent
`in response to a
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`distribution request in the computer network; and
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`FIG.6 is a flowchart of a software agent local discovery
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`mechanism according to the preferred embodiment of this
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`invention.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
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`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
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`Referring now to FIG. 1,
`the invention is preferably
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`implementedin a large distributed computer environment 10
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`comprising up to thousands of “nodes.” The nodes will
`typically be geographically dispersed and the overall cnvi-
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`ronment is “managed”in a distributed manner. Preferably,
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`the managed environment (ME)is logically broken down
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`into a series of loosely-connected managed regions (MR)
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`12, each with its own managementserver 14 for managing
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`60
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`Page 9 of 15
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`US 6,549,932 B1
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`5
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`local resources with the MR. The network typically will
`include other servers (not shown) for carrying out other
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`distributed network functions. These include name servers,
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`security servers, file servers, threads servers, time servers
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`and the like. Multiple servers 14 coordinate activities across
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`the enterprise and permit remote site management and
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`operation. Each server 14 scrves a number of gateway
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`machines 16, each of which in turn support a plurality of
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`endpoints 18. The server 14 coordinates all activity within
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`the MR using a terminal node manager 20.
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`Referring now to FIG. 2, each gateway machine 16 runs
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`a server component 22 of a system management framework.
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`The server component 22 is a multi-threaded runtime pro-
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`cess that comprises several components: an object request
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`location service 25 and basic object adaptor or “BOA” 27.
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`Server component 22 also includes an object library 29.
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`Preferably, the ORB 21 runs continuously, separate from the
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`operating system, and it communicates with both server and
`clicnt processes through scparate stubs and skelctons via an
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`interprocess communication (IPC) facility 19. In particular,
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`a secure remote procedure call (RPC) is used to invoke
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`operations on remote objects. Gateway machine 16 also
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`includes an operating system 15 and a threads mechanism
`17.
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`The system management framework includes a client
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`component 24 supported on each of the endpoint machines
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`18. The clicnt component 24 is a low cost, low maintenance
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`application suite that is preferably “dataless” in the sense
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`that system management data is not cached or stored there
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`in a persistent manner. Implementation of the management
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`framework in this “client-server” manner has significant
`advantages over the prior art, and it facilitates the connce-
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`tivity of personal computers into the managed environment.
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`Using an object-oriented approach, the system management
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`framework facilitates execution of system management
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`tasks required to manage the resources in the MR. Such
`tasks are quite varicd and include, without limitation, file
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`and data distribution, network usage monitoring, user
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`management, printer or other
`resource configuration
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`management, and the like.
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`In the large enterprise such as illustrated in FIG. 1,
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`preferably there is one server per MR with some number of
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`gateways. For a workgroup-size installation (e.g., a local
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`area network) such as illustrated in FIG. 3, a single server-
`class machine maybe used as the server and gateway, and
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`the client machines would run a low maintenance frame-
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`work References herein to a distinct server and one or more
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`gateway(s) should thus not be taken by wayof limitation as
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`these elements may be combinedinto a single platform. For
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`intermediate size installations the MR growsbreadth-wise,
`with additional gateways then being usedto balance the load
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`of the endpoints.
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`The server is the top-lcvel authority over all gateway and
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`endpoints. The server maintains an endpoint list, which
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`keepstrack of every endpoint in a managed region. This list
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`preferably contains all information necessary to uniquely
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`identify and manage endpoints including, withoutlimitation,
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`such information as name, location, and machine type. The
`server also maintains the mapping between endpoint and
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`gateway, and this mapping is preferably dynamic.
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`As noted above,
`there are onc or more gateways per
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`managed region. Preferably, a gateway is a fully-managed
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`node that has been configured to operate as a gateway. As
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`endpoints login, the gateway builds an endpointlist for its
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`endpoints. The gateway’s duties preferably include: listen-
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`10
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`i}wn
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`40
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`60
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`Page 10 of 15
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`6
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`ing for endpoint login requests, listening for endpoint update
`requests, and (its main task) acting as a gateway for method
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`invocations on endpoints.
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`is a machine
`the endpoint
`As also discussed above,
`framework client
`running the system management
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`component, which is referred to herein as the low cost
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`ramework (LCF). The LCF has two mainparts asillustrated
`in FIG. 2A: the LCF daemon 24a and an application runtime
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`ibrary 24b. The LCF daemon 24a is responsible for end-
`login and for spawning application endpoint
`point
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`executables. Once an executable is spawned, the LCF dae-
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`mon 24a has no further interaction with it. Each executable
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`is linked with the application runtime library 24b, which
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`handles all further communication with the gateway.
`Preferably,
`the server and each of the gateways is a
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`computer or “machine.” For example, each computer may
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`be a RISC System/6000® (a reduced instruction set or
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`so-called RISC-based workstation)
`running the
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`ATX( (Advanced Interactive Executive) operating system,
`preferably Version 3.2.5 or greater. Suitable alternative
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`machines include: an IBM-compatible PC x86 or higher
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`running, Novell UnixWare 2.0, an AT&T 30