Parallel processing using a bottom up approach

An apparatus for parallel processing hierarchical data in a computer system comprising:

• (a) a computer having a memory;
• (b) an application executing on the computer, wherein the application is configured to:
• (1) obtain the hierarchical data, wherein:
• (i) the hierarchical data is organized in a relationship graph having two or more nodes, wherein the two or more nodes comprise one or more parent nodes and one or more child nodes, wherein the one or more parent nodes are dependent on the one or more child nodes;
• and
• (ii) the relationship graph requires bottom-up processing wherein before processing a first parent node of the one or more parent nodes, all of the dependent children nodes of the first parent node are processed;
• (2) identify one or more cycles in the relationship graph;
• (3) level the relationship graph by:
• (i) traversing the relationship graph;
• and
• (ii) assigning all of the two or more nodes into one or more levels;
• and
• (4) process the hierarchical data by parallel processing the nodes in a first level of the one or more levels before parallel processing the nodes in a second level of the one or more levels.

A computer readable storage medium encoded with computer program instructions which when accessed by a computer cause the computer to load the program instructions to a memory therein creating a special purpose data structure causing the computer to operate as a specially programmed computer, executing a method of parallel processing hierarchical data, comprising:

• (a) obtaining, in the specially programmed computer, the hierarchical data, wherein:
• (1) the hierarchical data is organized in a relationship graph having two or more nodes, wherein the two or more nodes comprise one or more parent nodes and one or more child nodes, wherein the one or more parent nodes are dependent on the one or more child nodes;
• and
• (2) the relationship graph requires bottom-up processing wherein before processing a first parent node of the one or more parent nodes, all of the dependent children nodes of the first parent node are processed;
• (b) identifying, in the specially programmed computer, one or more cycles in the relationship graph;
• (c) leveling, in the specially programmed computer, the relationship graph by:
• (1) traversing the relationship graph;
• and
• (2) assigning all of the two or more nodes into one or more levels;
• and
• (d) processing, in the specially programmed computer, the hierarchical data by parallel processing the nodes in a first level of the one or more levels before parallel processing the nodes in a second level of the one or more levels.