Data exchange and processing synchronization in distributed systems

A distributed system comprising:

• a plurality of agent nodes including a first agent node, the plurality of agent nodes being a microgrid control system, a microgrid controller, or an industrial automation controller;
• and
• a communication network structured to allow the plurality of agent nodes to communicate asynchronously;
• wherein the plurality of agent nodes each include a set of instructions stored on a memory device which, when executed by a processing device of the corresponding agent node, is effective to determine a first set of iterations including an iteration determined by each of the plurality of agent nodes, wherein the first agent node is structured to execute the set of instructions stored on the memory device of the first agent node with the processing device of the first agent node effective to:
• determine a local vector clock;
• receive a first iteration of the first set of iterations and a remote vector clock determined based on the first iteration;
• update the local vector clock based on the received remote vector clock;
• and
• determine a first iteration of a second set of iterations based on the first set of iterations after determining all iterations of the first set of iterations have been received based on the local vector clock;
• wherein the local vector clock includes a plurality of elements, wherein a first element of the local vector clock corresponds to a number of iterations determined with the first agent node, and wherein each of the remaining elements of the local vector clock corresponds to a number of received iterations determined by one of the other agent nodes.

A method, comprising:

• determining, with a first agent node, a first iteration in a first set of iterations, the first agent node being the first agent node in a plurality of agent nodes of a distributed system communicating asynchronously, the first set of iterations comprising iterations determined by each of the plurality of agent nodes and the plurality of agent nodes being a microgrid control system, a microgrid controller, or an industrial automation controller;
• determining, with the first agent node, a local vector clock;
• receiving, with the first agent node, a respective iteration of the first set of iterations;
• receiving, with the first agent node, a remote vector clock determined based on the respective iteration;
• updating, with the first agent node, the local vector clock based on the received remote vector clock;
• and
• determining, with the first agent node, a first iteration of a second set of iterations based on the first set of iterations, the determining being after determining that all iterations of the first set of iterations have been received based on the local vector clock:
• wherein the local vector clock includes a plurality of elements, wherein a first element of the local vector clock corresponds to a number of iterations determined with the first agent node, and wherein each of the remaining elements of the local vector clock corresponds to a number of received iterations determined by one of the other agent nodes.

A distributed system, comprising:

• a plurality of agent nodes configured to communicate asynchronously in the distributed system, the plurality of agent nodes being a microgrid control system, a microgrid controller, or an industrial automation controller, the plurality of agent nodes configured to determine a first set of iterations including an iteration determined by each agent node, wherein a first agent node of the plurality of agent nodes is configured to:
• determine a local vector clock;
• receive a first iteration of the first set of iterations;
• receive a remote vector clock determined based on the first iteration;
• update the local vector clock based on the received remote vector clock;
• and
• determine a first iteration of a second set of iterations based on the first set of iterations after determining all iterations of the first set of iterations have been received based on the local vector clock;
• wherein the local vector clock includes a plurality of elements, wherein a first element of the local vector clock corresponds to a number of iterations determined with the first agent node, and wherein each of the remaining elements of the local vector clock corresponds to a number of received iterations determined by one of the other agent nodes.