Method and System for Dynamically Tracking Arbitrary Task Dependencies on Computers in a Grid Environment

A system for tracking arbitrary task dependencies on a computer coupled to a grid network comprising:

• at least one grid server;
• a plurality of client computers coupled to said at least one grid server computer such that at least one of said client computers can receive task from said at least one grid server;
• a memory device coupled to said at least one grid server computer;
• wherein said at least one grid server evaluates a candidate task for a client computer selected from the plurality of client computers, and
• identifies the dependencies necessary to perform said task on said selected client computer;
• said selected client computer downloads a task from said grid server,
• downloads the dependency executables identified by said grid server to check the dependencies on said selected client computer, and
• executes said downloaded dependency executables;
• when said dependencies are satisfied, said selected client computer executes said assigned task;
• when at least one of said dependencies are checked and are not satisfied, said selected client computer returns an error for said task to said grid server;
• said grid server records the particular dependencies that failed as not satisfied for said selected client computer, and a timestamp indicating when said dependency was checked on said memory device,
• wherein said grid server assigns a task to a client computer coupled to said grid if there are no recorded failed dependencies required for said task associated with said client computer or said timestamp associated with a recorded dependency failure is of a predetermined age.

A computer program product comprising computer-usable medium having a computer usable program code for tracking arbitrary dependencies in a grid environment, said computer program product comprising:

• computer-usable program code for downloading a task to a computer coupled to said grid;
• computer-usable program code for identifying the dependencies necessary to perform said task;
• computer-usable program code for downloading the dependency executables to check said dependencies on said computer;
• computer-usable program code for executing said downloaded dependency executables on said computer;
• when said dependencies are satisfied,
• computer-usable program code for executing said task on said computer, and
• computer-usable program code for returning the results of said task to the grid server;
• when at least one of said dependencies are checked and are not satisfied on said computer,
• computer-usable program code for returning an error for said task to said grid server,
• computer-usable program code for recording the particular dependencies that failed as not satisfied for said computer, and
• computer-usable program code for recording a timestamp indicating when said dependency was checked;
• computer-usable program code for assigning a task to a particular computer coupled to said grid if there are no recorded failed dependencies required for said task associated with said computer or said timestamp associated with a recorded dependency failure is of a predetermined age.