Use of modes for computer cluster management

A data processing system for managing a plurality of applications in a computer cluster, each application being able to run on a particular node in the computer cluster, the data processing system comprising a bus system;

• a communications unit coupled to the bus system;
• a memory coupled to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions;
• and a processing unit coupled to the bus system, wherein the processing unit is operable to cause execution of the set of instructions to perform the following steps:
• maintain associations among a plurality of modes and the plurality of applications, wherein each application is associated with at least one mode;
• responsive to a designation of at least one mode in the plurality of modes as active for the computer cluster, so that there is at least one active mode for the computer cluster:
• flag as eligible for activation each application that is associated with an active mode;
• flag as ineligible for activation each application that is inactive and is not associated with any active mode;
• and
• flag as ineligible for activation and inactivate each application that is active and is not associated with any active mode;
• wherein the steps of flagging as eligible, flagging as ineligible, and flagging as ineligible and inactivating are performed in any order, and wherein the inactivating is sequenced according to dependencies among the applications.

A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable medium containing computer-usable instructions for managing a plurality of applications in a computer cluster, each application being able to run on a particular node in the computer cluster, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause a computer to:

• maintain associations among a plurality of modes and the plurality of applications, wherein each application is associated with at least one mode;
• responsive to designation of at least one mode in the plurality of modes as active for the computer cluster so that there is at least one active mode for the computer cluster:
• flag as eligible for activation each application that is associated with an active mode;
• flag as ineligible for activation each application that is inactive and is not associated with any active mode;
• and
• flag as ineligible for activation and inactivate each application that is active and is not associated with any active mode;
• wherein the steps of flagging as eligible, flagging as ineligible and inactivating and flagging as ineligible are performed in any order, and wherein the inactivating is sequenced according to dependencies among the applications.

A method for managing a plurality of applications in a computer cluster, each application being able to run on a particular node in the computer cluster, the method comprising:

• maintaining associations among a plurality of application groups within the plurality of applications and a plurality of modes, wherein each such application group is associated with at least one mode;
• and
• responsive to designation of at least one mode in the plurality of modes as active for the computer cluster so that there is at least one active mode for the computer cluster:
• flagging as eligible for activation each application that is a member of an application group that is associated with any active mode;
• flagging as ineligible for activation each application, other than any on-demand applications, that is inactive and is a member of an application group that is not associated with any active mode;
• and
• flagging as ineligible for activation and inactivating each application, other than any on-demand applications, that is active and is a member of an application group that is not associated with any active mode;
• wherein the steps of flagging as eligible, flagging as ineligible, and flagging as ineligible and inactivating are performed in any order, and wherein the inactivating is sequenced according to dependencies among the applications, and wherein membership of applications in application groups and association of application groups with modes are coordinated so as to be non-conflicting.

A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable medium containing computer-usable instructions for managing a plurality of applications in a computer cluster, each application being able to run on a particular node in the computer cluster, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause a computer to:

• maintain associations among a plurality of application groups within the plurality of applications and a plurality of modes, wherein each such application group is associated with at least one mode;
• and
• responsive to designation of at least one mode in the plurality of modes as active for the computer cluster so that there is at least one active mode for the computer cluster:
• flag as eligible for activation each application that is a member of an application group that is associated with any active mode;
• flag as ineligible for activation each application, other than any on-demand applications, that is inactive and is a member of an application group that is not associated with any active mode;
• and
• flag as ineligible for activation and inactivate each application, other than any on-demand applications, that is active and is a member of an application group that is not associated with any active mode;
• wherein the steps of flagging as eligible, flagging as ineligible, and flagging as ineligible and inactivating are performed in any order, and wherein the inactivating is sequenced according to dependencies among the applications, and wherein membership of applications in application groups and association of application groups with modes are coordinated so as to be non-conflicting.