Dynamic resource allocation scheme for distributed heterogeneous computer systems

A distributed heterogeneous computer system having dynamic resource allocation comprising:

• a) network means for providing a communications path for computer;
• b) a plurality of computer nodes each operatively connected through a network interface to said network means whereby to communicate and transfer data between said nodes, said nodes each having a queue for containing jobs to be performed;
• c) means at each said node for dynamically and periodically calculating and saving a workload value as a function of the number of jobs on said node's queue;
• d) means at each node for transfering said node's said workload value to other nodes over said network at the request of said other nodes;
• and,
• e) means at each node operable at the completion of each job,
• e1) for checking said node's own said workload value,
• e2) for polling all the other said nodes for their said workload value if the checking node's said workload value is below a pre-established value indicating said node as being underutilized and available to do more jobs,
• e3) for checking the said workload values of the other said nodes as received, and
• e4) for transfering a job from said queue of the other of said nodes having the highest said workload value over a pre-established value indicating said other of said nodes as being overburdened and requiring job relief to said queue of the checking node.

In a distributed heterogeneous computer system having a plurality of computer nodes each operatively connected through a network interface to a network to provide for communications and transfers of data between the nodes and wherein the nodes each have a queue for containing jobs to be performed, the method of operation for dynamically reallocating the system's resources for optimized job performance comprising the steps of:

• a) at each node, dynamically and periodically calculating and saving a workload value as a function of the number of jobs on the node's queue;
• b) transfering the node's workload value to other nodes on the network at the request of the other nodes;
• and,
• c) at each node at the completion of each job,
• c1) checking the node's own workload value,
• c2) polling all the other nodes for their workload value if the checking node's workload value is below a pre-established value indicating the node as being underutilized and available to do more jobs,
• c3) checking the workload values of the other nodes as received, and
• c4) transfering a job from the queue of the other of the nodes having the highest the workload value over a pre-established value indicating the other of the nodes as being overburdened and requiring job relief to the queue of the checking node.

In a distributed heterogeneous computer system having a plurality of computer nodes each operatively connected through a network interface to a network to provide for communications and transfers of data between the nodes and wherein the nodes each have a queue for containing jobs to be performed, the improvement for dynamically reallocating the system's resources for optimized job performance comprising:

• a) first logic means at each node for dynamically and periodically calculating and saving a workload value as a function of the number of jobs on the node's queue;
• b) second logic means at each node for transfering the node's said workload value to other nodes on the network at the request of said other nodes;
• and,
• c) third logic means at each node operable at the completion of each job, said third logic means including,
• c1) means for checking the node's own said workload value,
• c2) means for polling all the other nodes for their said workload value if the checking node's said workload value is below a pre-established value indicating the node as being underutilized and available to do more jobs,
• c3) means for checking the said workload values of the other nodes as received, and
• c4) means for transfering a job from the queue of the other of the nodes having the highest said workload value over a pre-established value indicating said other of the nodes as being overburdened and requiring job relief to the queue of the checking node.